Reasons to be Thankful!

Introduction

Many (if not all) of us will enjoy what we call a ‘Thanksgiving Meal’ this Thursday. Today I want to examine the Biblical meal of Thanksgiving

It’s my desire that as we look in this book today that we see two things:

I pray that we see Jesus.

What you must understand is that the OT wasn’t ‘Plan A’ and the NT ‘Plan B’, but rather the OT is the foundation and the Foreshadowing of the NT

In other words, everything in the OT it picturing and pointing to the Christ that would come!

Everything in the Tabernacle itself - from the furniture, the structure, the coverings - the priestly garments and the Feasts, Offerings & Sacrifices ALL point to Jesus!

I pray we see Relevance

Many Christians today don’t care much for this amazing book called Leviticus. It speaks much on details of Sacrifices and most Christians either avoid the book or they quickly read through it - because they don’t see much Relevance to them today.

Church I want to say that is the furthest thing from the truth! When you examine the details of the book of Leviticus it ENHANCES our understanding of God and the Sacrifice that Jesus made for you and I!

Today we’re going to examine one of the Sacrifices spoken of in this book - the Peace Offering.

(Show the picture, explain the process)

They COI would bring their Sacrifices unto the Brazen Altar. Much could be said about this, but I just wanted you to get a visual on how this would have looked.

This was the church in the wilderness. When God gave Moses the 10 Commandments, He proceeded to give Moses the instructions for the Atoning Sacrifices that man would need BECAUSE they couldn’t keep the Law.

Church, in our flesh we couldn’t keep the Law, therefore we need a Sacrifice so that we might have Peace with God!

The First thing to Note is that there’s a Cost Associated with Peace

I. There’s a Cost Associated with Peace (v1)

Peace with God came with a cost.

I know that the Bible tells us that Salvation is a free gift - Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

The same is true today - just because Salvation is a free gift, it doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a cost associated with it.

(Ill.) If I give you the car I have outside, it may be free to you, but I paid for it!

So what is the cost to obtain this peace?

There Must be a Sacrifice

Peace cannot be obtained without a Sacrifice. Do you hear me? Peace with God CANNOT be had without a Sacrifice!

There are people today that believe that they may not have anything necessarily against God that must mean that they have peace with God - but that’s not the case.

Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

Our sin is a barrier that separates man from God.

In Eph. 2:16, Paul describes the unregenerate man has being at ‘enmity’ with God. Enmity (def) hostility / opposition.

And the only way to have Peace is through a Sacrifice.

There MUST be a Sacrifice

It Must be Specific

We see in v1 & v6 that the offering had to be ‘without blemish’

Just any old Sacrifice wouldn’t do. No, you can’t bring your fruit unto God like Cain did when He expects blood!

Some people try to get right with God by offering something. Some might offer:

God, if you do this, then I will go to church every Sunday for the rest of my life

God, if you do this, then I will say my ‘hail mary’s and etc...

Church, but it doesn’t work that way! You don’t get to offer anything you want to God, God’s requirements for Peace are a specific Offering! AND THE ONLY OFFERING THAT CAN BRING PEACE BETWEEN MAN AND GOD IS JESUS CHRIST!

In the three offerings that are mentioned, we see different aspects of Jesus.

They could offer...

Of the Herd - Strong and Patient

Know this: No one took Jesus’ life, He laid it down Himself!

John 10:17–18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”

And Thank God He’s Patient!

Let me say this: if you’re here today & lost, Jesus has been patient with you! He certainly was with me!

Of the Heard, Strong and Patient

Of the Flocks - Meek & Gentle

Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.”

Jesus could have spoken the Word, and everyone of His persecutors dropped dead around Him! Yet He was Meek and Gentle - as a Lamb to be Slain.

It’s this passage of Scripture (Act. 8) that the Ethiopian Eunuch was reading when Phillip heard it and we’re told Acts 8:34–35 “And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”

The Flocks, because as Jesus they are Meek & Gentle

Of the Goats - Despised & Rejected

Isaiah 53:3 “He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

I imagine the crowds at Pilate’s Judgment Seat 2,000 years ago when Jesus was brought forth - and hear the cries of the Crowd “Crucify Him, Crucify Him” - “We want Barabbas! We want Barabbas!”

The Bible tells us: John 1:10–12 “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Church, there’s a COST associated with Peace!

We see there’s a Cost Associated with Peace. Next we see there’s a Confession Necessary for Peace

II. There’s a Confession Necessary for Peace (v2)

In looking at God’s instruction for this Peace Offering, we see there’s a ritual or rather a recognition that God attached to it.

An Identification

As we look at the beginning of v2, we see that the offerer had to lay their hand upon the head of the sacrifice. What this did, is it identified the offerers sin with the Sacrifice. By doing so, they are admitting that it’s because of their sin that the sacrifice must die.

It would certainly be a humbling experience to lead that animal unto the tabernacle, walk through the embroidered gate and be immediately confronted with the brazen alter alight with fire, smoke billowing up. Then as you come to the priest, you look down at this animal, knowing it’s soon to be fate - and laying your hand upon his head and by thus saying “I’m the reason you must die”

As I considered this I thought of MY identification with My Saviour, and Laying hands on Jesus’ head...

In the Garden

I imagine as Jesus is praying and drops of blood fall from His brow, ‘Let this cup pass from me, yet not My Will, but Thine...’

Standing over Him - with my hands up His Head - ‘oh, everything you’re about to endure, is my fault!’

At the Whipping Post

As Jesus is bent over the whipping post and their taking the whip to Him - and ripping the flesh from off His body Isaiah 50:6 “I gave my back to the smiters, And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”

Yet I’m there, with my hands upon His Head - “It’s my fault”

When the Cross was too Heavy

When as He scales Mt. Calvary and they laid the Cross upon His back and He crumpled under the weight.

I can’t at this point place my hands upon His Head - as there is now a Crown of Thorns in the way - so I press down upon it and confess “This is my Crown that you’re bearing!”

As they nailed Him to the Cross

Finally when they reach the top, they lay Jesus down upon the Cross & stretch out His arms - and as they nail Him to the Cross, I’m there - and now I can look Him in the eye, and I see - He loves me ‘THIS MUCH’!

This brings me to the next point - an Annihilation

An Annihilation

Once the offerer identified with the Sacrifice, he then had to kill the Sacrifice.

There was a nonsensical question some time ago who bore the responsibility for killing Jesus - was it the Jews who called for it, or the Romans who performed it.

Let me say this - IT WAS YOU AND I WHO CAUSED IT! WE killed Jesus! Our SIN and His Love for US hung Him upon the Cross - nothing else!

We see an Annihilation Necessary for Peace

An Application

We see something else necessary in this verse Necessary for Peace, and that is the Application. I’m speaking about the sprinkling of blood upon the Altar.

Church, the truth of the matter is, the Identification, and the Annihilation doesn’t matter without the Application.

The fact of the matter is Jesus died 2,000 years ago for YOUR sin - everyone of you - and mine.

WE killed Christ! It was OUR Sin that caused His death

But if the blood is not applied, then there can be no Peace!

What I mean by that is Jesus died for you (and you, and you), but if His Sacrifice is not APPLIED to you, then you are NOT saved, and CANNOT have peace with God.

It’s not enough Knowing Jesus died for you, it must be applied to you as well!

An Application Necessary for Peace

We see there’s a Cost Associated with Peace. There’s a Confession Necessary for Peace

III. There’s a Consumption Required for Peace (v3-5)

A Substitute Consumed

Once the Sacrifice is made, then the portion of God’s is consumed upon the Altar.

Instead of the Offerer suffering, the animal became a substitute.

Aren’t you glad that Jesus took our place? Aren’t you glad that Jesus died so that we may live!

So the Substitute was Consumed and a Satisfaction is Accomplished

A Satisfaction Accomplished

it was a ‘sweet savour unto the LORD’. God was pleased with it.

When Jesus died on Calvary - God was pleased.

He was pleased with His Sacrifice!

He was pleased that atonement had been made!

He was pleased because the Guilty could now go free!

God was SATISFIED!

Speaking of Jesus: Romans 3:25–26 “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

God is both Just and the Justifier of those who claim this Sacrifice!

A Satisfaction Accomplished!

We see there’s a Cost Associated with Peace. There’s a Confession Necessary for Peace

IV. There’s a Communion Enjoyed with Peace (7:11-15; 29-34)

We see the ‘Thanksgiving’ associated with the Peace Offering in v12;13&15

Read with me Lev. 7:29-34.

We see in these verses:

A Feast

God received His portion upon the Altar

The Priests received the Right Shoulder & the Breast

The Offerer received the remainder

And with it, they all enjoyed a feast.

The picture is of breaking bread one with another and with God, which is illustrative of Fellowship

Sweet Fellowship

Because we have Peace, we can now enjoy Fellowship with God.

Church, I’m saved! I’m going to Heaven when I die! The Sacrifice has been made, and the blood has been applied to my life - but that’s just part of it! I get to enjoy life in Fellowship with the God of Heaven! He bears my burdens! I go to Him and He helps & blesses me!

There’s more to God than just a ‘Get out of Hell free’ deal! I get to enjoy time with Him, speaking to Him and hearing from Him!

None of this is possible without the Peace Offering though. You cannot have Communion without Peace!

Sweet Fellowship with the God of Heaven!

Conclusion

I’m thankful that Jesus was willing to be a Sacrifice for me

I’m thankful that He was worthy.

I’m thankful that He took my place and God wrath against MY SIN was Satisfied.

I’m thankful that I enjoy the Fullness OF God and Fellowship WITH God because of the Sacrifice of my LORD.