Rob Bell, Teaching Pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, walks through chapter 16 of Leviticus. The Day of Atonement was a holy moment, in which the high priest would enter the tabernacle, after being purified, and lay hands on a goat, called azazel, placing the sins of the community on it. The goat would then be sent out into the wilderness. When the goat was taken away, the sins of the community went with it. There was then freedom and a time of celebration.

This is the core of what it means to live the redeemed life that God intends for us, that when the azazel leaves, our sins go with it. Jesus is the azazel, who took our sins upon Himself. "To live the fullness of life that Jesus intends for us, is to give it to Jesus and place it upon Him on the cross."

The Scriptures say that when we enter into the life God has intended for us, we become a new creation. God looks at us and sees someone redeemed, someone beautiful because we have been washed by the blood of Jesus. We can celebrate fully because of the work that has been done for us.