Salvation’s Cost, Part 2 A Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Salvation’s Cost, Part 2 Keyword: "substitute” Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passages* Exodus 29:10, 15, 19 10. Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. 15. You shall also take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram; 19. Then you shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. Leviticus 4:15; 8:14, 18, 22; 16:21 4:15. Then the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord, and the bull shall be slain before the Lord. 8:14. Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 8:18. Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 8:22. Then he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 16:21. Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. Questions 1. What recurring words do you find in each of the verses above?   2. What do you suppose was so important about this practice as a part of offering a sacrifice?   Practical help The church in San Antonio that sponsors eXXit sends out short term missionaries from time to time to serve the Lord beyond our cultural and geographic comfort zone. Prior to their departure on their trips, these men and women are always brought up to the front of the worship center for prayer. The elders, Missions Committee members, pastors, and others lay hands on these who are going. Why? We pray for these folks, asking for God's blessing on them as they go. But the laying on of hands is our way of saying, "We're with you. When you leave San Antonio, in a sense, we're all with you. You are going in our stead, in our place." In Old Testament times, when worshipers laid hands on the heads of animals about to be slaughtered in an offering, they were saying essentially the same thing. "These animals are dying in our stead. These lambs are taking our place, suffering the penalty for our sin that we should be suffering. These animals are our substitutes." The Old Testament sacrifices were substitutes for the worshipers. In the same way, Jesus is our substitute today. And, just as Old Testament worshipers needed to personally lay hands on the sacrificial animal to receive the benefit of the offering, so too, today, every person must personally trust (not touch) Jesus and Jesus alone for salvation. If you have never placed your trust in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for your forgiveness, click here to find out more about becoming a Christian. If you have already trusted in Christ, rejoice. Your penalty has been paid. You are forgiven. Why don't you pause right now and thank your Substitute for taking your place? He'd love to hear you express your gratitude to Him. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2004 by eXXit *Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. ----