What is the Burnt Offering? (outline)

Title: What is the Burnt Offering?

Text: Leviticus 1:1-17, 6:8-13

Series: Life in God’s Presence

Introduction:

Exodus 40:35

Comp today vs. 3500 yrs. ago

Leviticus 1:1 Worship begins with God’s Voice Calling.

App: Hear God’s call to Worship Personally & Congregationally [entire service]

How can we worship God without being burned up, killed, consummated, destroyed? How can we enter back into the Garden and live?

Goal: We must worship God acceptably through atonement.

Why needed?

some are neglecting the voice of God

some are dismissive of the qualifications of worship – unaware of danger

Preview:

(1) What is the Burnt Offering?

(2) What is the purpose of the Burnt Offering?

(3) What must I apply from the Burnt Offering?

What is the burnt offering? (Leviticus 1:1-9)

A. The Offering Communicated Value

i. First, (v. 2-3) this offering is a costly sacrifice.

1. (v. 3)male/w-out blemish [Ill: process of purchasing dog], death/blood (v. 5).

2. App: True worship of the holy God, always costs us something.

ii. Second, this offering was valuable because it offered participation in two ways

1. Opportunity to all to participate (v. 3, 10, 14)

[Ill: Close down Carlo & Johnny’s or Grocery Store? Value of allowing broad participation…etc.] and personal, physical participation of the worshipper.

2. The offering involved the will and body of the worshipper (v. 3).

[Ill: the emotional weight. Story of the rich man & poor man…]

App: true worship is not when you are dragged against your will to the house of God. [Ill: saved versus following dragging, kicking and screaming…etc]

B. The Rituals Communicated Realities

i. (v. 4-6) The Reality behind the Hand-to-Head:

1. Leviticus 17:11 says that “the life of the flesh is in the blood”. The cost of sin is death.

2. App: Strive to know God for who He is, and your desire will follow.

ii. (v. 8) The Reality of Complete Burning:

(v. 9). Gordan Wenham says, “The law is concerned that the clean and holy priest be kept from pollution. THEREFORE, the worshipper must undertake the messier tasks associated with sacrifice.”

iii. (v. 8-9) The Reality behind the Smoke:

1. transformation.

2. sweet savor unto the Lord (v. 9). This is an anthropomorphism.

3. thus is the worshipper vicariously transferred into the presence of the Lord.

Answer: The burnt offering is the daily sacrificial act of worship.

What then is the Purpose of this burnt offering? (v. 4)

A. First, it is the only means whereby the would-be worshipper’s sinful nature can be atoned by faith in a substitute. [no particular sin mentioned]

· [Ill: Jim Hamilton Ill, buying ticket]

B. Answer: Second, the primary purpose of the burnt offering is ultimately acceptance before God.

· [Ill: Esther 4:11]

C. App: Culturally and Ecclesiastically.

i. Culturally. Our pursuit of acceptable identity.

ii. Ecclesiastically.

1. Is worship centered on the attractiveness of the worshipper or the attractiveness of god?

2. Is the worship about what God will accept or about what mankind will accept?

What must I apply from the burnt offering?

A. (Leviticus 6:8-13) How do you identify with the Consuming Fire?

Either on your own before the Consuming Fire or by the Consumed Sacrifice

i. the means whereby the sacrifice is consumed/vaporized.

ii. manifests the holy judgment of God, the presence of God, and the purification of god. [see Schofield note]

iii. Hebrews 10:6-10.

a. Life

i. Behold the Lamb of God

ii. Ransom Language - Mark 10:45.

b. Cross

i. The pressing down upon the Head

ii. The cutting and laying upon the alter

iii. The complete (soul & body) burning

c. Resurrection & Exaltation

i. The Sweet Savor – Acceptance

ii. The Sufficiency of Christ

d. Call to Worship – to Identify!

i. To the lost

ii. to the saved I John 2:1-2.

B. How do we identify with the Coronated Christ?

i. When our worship is reverent (spirit & truth). - Hebrews 12:28

ii. When our worship is ordained. Baptism; Lord’s Table. Romans 6:3-4; I Corinthians 11:33.

iii. When Baptism & Lord’s Table become a way of life:

a. When our worship is sacrificial. II Samuel 24:24

b. When our worship is declared. Hebrews 13:15

c. When our worship is bodily. Philippians 4:18; Romans 12:1-2

What does this have to do with God’s presence now?

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 59: Yearning for His Presence

YEARNING FOR HIS PRESENCE

Topics: Church; Joy; Longing; Passion; Prayer; Revival; Worship

References: Acts 1:14; Hebrews 11:6; James 4:8

If our churches don’t pray, and if people don’t have an appetite for God, what does it matter how many are attending the services? How would that impress God? Can you imagine the angels saying, “Oh, your pews! We can’t believe how beautiful they are! Up here in heaven, we’ve been talking about them for years. Your sanctuary lighting—it’s so clever. The way you have the steps coming up to the pulpit is wonderful”?

I don’t think so.

If we don’t want to experience God’s closeness here on earth, why would we want to go to heaven, anyway? He is the center of everything there. If we don’t enjoy being in his presence here and now, then heaven would not be heaven for us. Why would he send anyone there who doesn’t long for him passionately here on earth?

—Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (Zondervan, 1997)

Only by the burnt offering could access be granted for the worshipper to live in the presence of God.

Only by Christ, who is the Lamb of God, has eternal access been granted into the presence of God.

Now our worship IS a life lived as a sacrifice for others. This is how we experience and mediate God’s presence now.