Atonement: What is it?

Last night at the British Academy of Film Awards, the movie “Atonement” won most of the categories. I haven’t seen it yet, but it looks like an epic, similar to the masterpieces that David Lean used to direct decades ago. It covers a span of sixty years to include both World Wars and the plot involves a scandalous lie that affects the lives and love of two young people. It will be interesting to see if the movie wins any Oscars. If it’s as good as the critics say it is, I suspect it will.

Bible Verse of the Day

Hebrews 2:17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Atonement is not a word that we use very often these days. In the past, it meant the ministry work that priests did to placate God for all of the sins and offenses that the community made against Him. Usually, it involved long liturgical prayer gatherings and ended with an animal sacrifice. Absolution was only given when the priests believed that the rituals were properly performed, and the sacrifice was perfectly made.

These days, we don’t make prolonged rituals of confession or slaughter innocent animals because Jesus is both our High Priest and Perfect Sacrifice. By laying down His Life on our behalf, He perfectly fulfilled what God required for our sins. And by interceding on our behalf, Christ frees us from the eternal consequences of our sins. So when we read about Christ making atonement for the sins of the people, we can rejoice and be comforted because He shields us from the wrath of God and restores us to His Everlasting Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Only One in all of history and throughout the universe who can save us from our sins and release us from the oblivion of death. We cannot do anything to dissuade God from punishing us for our sins, but You can. Be our blessed Advocate and Redeemer. Make atonement for all of our mistakes and misdeeds, as we place our hearts and souls into Your Hands. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Gentle Lochiel

(Celtic Moon O'er Brigadoon" - original artwork by John Stuart)

Audio version here

Ecclesiastes 9:15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. (NIV)

Just over 260 years ago, my hometown of Glasgow, Scotland, was surrounded by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Highlander army. At that time, the people of Glasgow distrusted the Jacobite rebels and because they wouldn’t welcome the Highlanders, the city was almost looted and razed to ground. The order went out to destroy Glasgow and kill as many of the population as possible. There was no escape, because the Jacobite forces had cut off all of the roads and waterways. The city prepared itself for a savage assault, and its leaders realized that the government forces were too far away to help anyone.

Just as the Highlanders prepared to ransack and destroy Glasgow, one of the elderly Jacobite chieftains, Cameron of Lochiel (loch-eel), pled with the Prince to spare the city. He had been the first chieftain to support the Prince’s rebellion, and so his loyalty was not questioned. Lochiel suggested that instead of being ransacked, the city of Glasgow should be held to ransom for clothes, food, and supplies, which would enable Charlie’s army to retreat safely into the Highlands. The Bonnie Prince favored Lochiel’s suggestion and the city was saved.

After the Highlander army left the surrounding area, the city fathers made a proclamation that whenever Cameron of Lochiel or his descendants visited Glasgow, all the church bells would be rung to proclaim their arrival. “Gentle Lochiel”, as he came to be known, never heard those bells, for soon after this incident, Charlie’s army was defeated and Lochiel went into exile with the Prince, never to return to the shores of Scotland.

But to this day, the city of Glasgow honors their promise and in December of 2006, the Lochiel Camerons gathered in the city square to be welcomed and to listen to the peels of gratitude, favor and blessing from church bells all over the city.

Lochiel was a poor man, but he is remembered for the riches of his grace that saved Glasgow. In our own Christian faith, we also recognize that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was poor and lowly carpenter, chosen by God to liberate the world and to save our souls. Almost 2000 years have come and gone since His sacrifice at Calvary, but there has never been a day, a year, or century since then that His great work of deliverance and salvation has not been proclaimed, honored, and glorified. And even into eternity, as John Newton put it, “there will be no less days to sing God’s praise” to worship Christ, and to exalt His grace.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You struggled with poverty all the days of Your earthly life. You understood what it meant to have needs and to be in want. For a time, You were refugee, made homeless by powerful kings and corrupt politicians. For years, You trekked across the country, proclaiming the Gospel amongst the poor and outcast, the insignificant and exiled. And then, to crown all of Your triumphs, You laid down Your life for this poor world and all our poor sakes, so that we may experience God’s grace, be rescued from our sins, and restored to everlasting joy and favor. You are the Power of the Poor, the Wisdom of the Wasted, and the Love of the Lost. In Your Holy Name, we joyfully pray. Amen.