One of our scape goats is missing

On Sunday I needed to borrow a selection of soft toys - a bull, a couple of goats, and two sheep for our morning service. One of the sheep came from home, the bull came a from a church member and one sheep and two goats came out of the cupboard of toys belonging to our toddler group.

It wasn't an all age service on Sunday - but we were looking at the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).

The drama of the Day of Atonement involves the sacrifice of 5 of these animals - but one goat, the 'Scape Goat' gets to live another day (possibly - depending on wolves, lions, bears etc).

The role of the Scape Goat in this drama is that the High Priest lays his hands on its head, confesses the sin of the people over it, and then it is led off and released into the wilderness. It goes off, with the sins of the people, never to be seen again - symbolising how God removes our sin from us.

As the drama unfolded before us on Sunday the Scape Goat was led out into the wilderness - and left on the bookcase at the back of the church. Unfortunately (for the toddler group) by the time the service ended and I came to collect all my resources the Scape Goat had indeed - disappeared into the wilderness - it was no where to be seen.

The irony of searching for the Scape Goat after the events of the Day of Atonement shouldn't be lost on us. God has removed our sins - why would we go looking for them again? But in reality how often do our Scape Goats return? We confess our sin and receive God's forgiveness - but then a day, a week, a month, a year later we hear that accusing voice, 'did God really forgive you that...?' And we begin to doubt our freedom. We continue to live defined by our past sin - never able to escape.

Those of you who are involved in the toddler group will be pleased to know that this particular scape goat did return - I found him on top of the TV in the foyer during the week - and it is now safely back in the toy cupboard.

But when it comes to God's forgiveness - God has promised that he will forgive and he will forget.

Once our Scape Goats have gone, don't let's go looking for them again.

At the Cross

On Sunday we're going to be thinking about The Day of Atonement as we continue our journey with Israel from Sinai to the Promised Land.

If you've followed my blog for a while you will know that I'm a Chris Tomlin fan, and here's a great song from his last album Love Ran Red.

Life on Mars

Does the phrase 'Life on Mars' conjure up memories of a great BBC television series involving the 1970s policing of Manchester, a bit of time travel and a golden Ford Cortina belonging to Gene Hunt? If so you need read no further.

But if on the other hand you've been listening to the news over the last few weeks and have wondered what the implications of the potential discovery of water on mars means for faith - then you might find the following of interest.

Harvest

This morning at CBC we celebrated our Harvest Thanksgiving. Thanking God for all his provision for us - not just the food we have to eat, but also - amongst other things - our beds, friends and family, love, Jesus...

During our service we made a collection of dried foods for Cambridge City Foodbank.

Over recent weeks we've been reading Exodus and Leviticus. Last week thinking about the festivals within the Jewish calendar. And within the instructions of the three harvest festivals there is provision for the care of those less fortunate.

‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God' - Leviticus 23:22.

We also learnt about the work that BMS World Mission is doing in Nepal, providing and training occupational therapists to work with victims of spinal injuries. Bringing hope to those who had been told they should simply go home and wait to die.

Here is a poem, 'Backbone' that poet Lucy Berry wrote to help us reflect on this work.