St. Luke is an excellent historian.  He even begins the gospel that bears his name by writing:  Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,  just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.  With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)  He was a meticulous researcher, wanting to be sure he got everything right.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving once again this year, how grateful are you?  If I asked you to rank your level of thankfulness on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, what number would you pick?  Are you on the lower end?  A 3 or 4?  You’re grateful, but you’ve had a rough year financially or physically or personally?  Are you on the upper end?  A 7 or an 8?  The investments did better than expected and your cholesterol is down?

In order for us to understand our text this morning, we have to spend a moment reviewing something that was a huge part of the religious life of God’s Old Testament saints.  And that thing is Yom Kippur, also known as The Day of Atonement.  In particular, we need to review what the High Priest did on that day.  Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) was the one day of the year when the high priest, and ONLY the high priest, entered into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple. 

I want you to imagine that you are looking into your closet at all your clothes hanging there.  Can you picture it?  Okay, find me something you would wear to work.  Find something?  Now pick out something you would wear for dinner out with friends at a nice restaurant.  Got it?  All right.  Now, grab what you would wear to a wedding.  Find something nice?  All right.  Last one.  Pick out what you want to be buried in.

What is the biggest sacrifice you have ever made for someone?  Have you given up your seat so someone else can sit down?  Have you given up sleep to tend to a sick child?  Have you given money to help someone in need?  Have you given up a bite of your dessert to your spouse? Have you given one of your kidneys so someone else can live?