Aroma Pleasing To The Lord (Mother’s Day)

Light Reflective Music

Bible Enters (Organ)

Welcome / Intimation (Rev. Bosch)

I greet you in the Name of God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe - in the care of Christ Jesus.May it be that we receive mercy, peace and love.

Intimations, Funerals, Baptisms (remember to share this before Sunday Worship)

Messesage From Sandra - Prayer for Bethany Shelter on 1st April (Donations of cash only at present) - but not needed for 1st!

Messesage From Robin Hill - Gladsmuir Church’s “Sing at 6.30” big sing evening services for 2025 get under way on the evening of Palm Sunday (13th April, half past six). We’ll be singing the hymns of Holy Week as we journey with Jesus towards the Cross, using Mark’s gospel. Special guest: Christian blues singer and guitarist, Andy Shuttleworth. All are welcome with a retiring offering for Christian Aid.

8th of April, Lent Service at Harlawhill, 11:00

13th of April, Baptism of Lorelei, 11:00

Plans for Holy Week:

Joint Maundy Thursday Communion Service, 17th March 2025, Longniddry (7pm)

Good Friday Service, 18th - 19:00

Easter Sunday, Early Morning Service (20th) - 08:00 (Breakfast)

Easter Sunday Service (20th) - 11:00

As we are approaching Good Friday, it is appropriate to start reflecting on the Book of Leviticus. This book is the third in the OT, and is a very important book. But, it is very difficult to make sense of as a Christian. The reading today will be an good example why many readers would avoid reading this book. My hope is, with the help of the HS, that we may come to understand the importance of this book, espessially as we prepare ourselves for Good Friday.

Let us approach God to worship.

Call to Worship: 

Minister: Blessed is the person…

All: who is forgiven.

Minister: Bless is the person…

All: who know’s the Lord.

Let us worship God!

Hymn: CH459 – Crown him with many crowns

Declaration:

Blessed be the name of the Lord now and evermore.From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Lord’s name be praised. Let us pray:

Prayer of Approach and Confession (Rev. Bosch)

Lord, we approach your thrown to bring you offerings of praise and glorification. Hear our words ecoing in your court, giving you honor. Admiration fills our hearts to know that you are God of gods. King of kings. As we admire your holiness, we become aware of Mother’s day. We thank you Lord for mothers. We are greatful for a mother’s love, care and support. It is gratefulness that we feel when thinking of a mother’s heart. A heart to nurture and protect. Thank you for many mother striving to provide for there children even against the odds. Then Lord, we pray for many who finds this day, Mothers Day, to by difficult. Lord, you know the reasons for that difficulty. A mother who died. A mother who lost a child. A mother who collaps due to the presures of life. Be with us this moment as we bring to you our prayers of thankfulness or the difficulties we are experiencing. Hear our prayers and bring comfort.

We then confess that we are afraid. Afraid to look into ourselves and admit our mistakes.

We confess that we tend not to be what we say.

We confess that we do not realise the sacrificial death of you on the Cross for us.

We confess that we do not truly/fully understand what you have given for our salvation.

Look within us today with your eyes of grace. Warm our hearts with your forgiveness. Reveal you heart of passion for us.

Cleans us with the Blood of Jesus Christ so that we may experience the life in you.

As you fill us with you life, we pray together.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Hymn: CH356 – Meekness and Majesty

(Children enter.)

Children’s Address: What do you do with your nose? What do you do with your heart? Hearts?

Hymn: Be bold, be strong

(Children exit.)

Reading: Leviticus 1: 1-9

Laws for Burnt Offerings 1 The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock. 3 “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. 4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5 Then he shall kill the bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 6 Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces, 7 and the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 And Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; 9 but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Sermon: (Rev. Bosch)

Smell of Blood. There is an abattoir in the town of Shotts. Whilst we lived there, every know and then, we smelled blood. Esspessially early in the mornings blood could be clearly smelt. The smell is destinct and can not be mist. The sole function of the heart is to pump blood around the body. The body needs blood to function, because it carries nutricioun and oxition. Without that nutrition and oxition the body of an animal or human can not survive. 

It is for this very reason, that smelling blood or seeing blood brings about all types of thought and feelings. Living near an abattoir and smelling blood signifies death, and on the other hand food for people.

In our Leviticus reading, we heard of how a burnt offering should be approached and administerd. The blood of the sacrife had to be administered in a specific manner. 

“Then he shall kill the bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting."

I will not be surprised if this reading sounds totally foreign to us. It is foreign because we in Scotland do not practice such rituals. It is foreign because at first read it does not directly apply to us as Christians. 

From all the books in the Bible, the book of Leviticus is the most difficult to read and understand. It is difficult due to the obscurity and legal nature of the writing. 

Why then should we consider studing a book like Leviticus? 

The reason is the inspiration of the book comes directly for the mouth of God.  It is very few books in the Bible that so often tells how God is directly speaking. It is for this reason that Leviticus can teach us about God, His will, and how to live for Him in today’s world.  In the New Testament Christ has fillfild all the obbligations of the Leviticus laws, making it unnessesarry to obey completely. Yet, the underlaying principles of the reading helps us to understand God and also what Christ has done for us. 

We learn from our reading that when God speaks He gives clear instructions and is very specific what he requires. In other words, God is not caotic, disordenly, or unregulated. Order and clarity is a core part of God's function. Also, what God wants should not be of second best. God expects the best esspecially when we offer something to him. Only the best of what we can offer is good enough for God.

"If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish.”

Part of these clear guidelines, is the specific indication where the offerings should be given.  

"He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD."

Thus far, we have heard that God is not a disorderdelly. He does not sjop and change to the whims of the day. Not at all. He is clear and presice. Godly Qualities, I think, that could be motivated in the Church.  

Then, to truly understand and appreciated Leviticus as a Christian we should read Leviticus through the lense of the New Testament. Especially, the book Hebreuws explains the reasons for Jesus and how the book Leviticus helps to understand the salvation in Christ.  

It is espessially verses four and five that brings insigt whilst considering Hebrews.

4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement/purify for him.

5 Then he shall kill the bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 

God requires in Leviticus that the worshippers should offer an animal to receive atonement. A worshipper can only be purified if an animal takes the persons place. The transaction is of giving an animal in exchange for purification. According to God atonement is only possible through the spilling of blood. Blood is important for atonement. An animal needs to take the place of a worshipper to receive cleansing and exceptance. If we consider this OT’s action to receive atonement, then we can be grateful for Jesus dying on the Cross.

We do not receive atonement through animal blood, but through God's only Son. God's only son took the place of those animals, and brough about atonement/cleansing to all who has faith in Him. Baptism and a relationship with Jesus makes us part of the atonement received through grace. We do not have to make offical offerings to receive cleansing any more, rather God has already made forgivens of sins possible through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus was that "animal" that received our guilt who then shed His blood for us. He spilt His blood so that we may receive salvation/atonement. 

God's heart stopped beating, His blood drained from His body so that we may receive the gift of life and blessing. In Leviticus, God expected the Worshippers to act in an specific manner following precise instruction to receive cleansing. In Hebrew 9 we read how Christ acted on our behalve, and consequently received salvation from God. Hebrew states:    

"For if the blood of goats and bulls... sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." 

The death of God and His spilled blood is so much more powerful then those of animals. Contrasting what an animal sacrific can do with what Christ have done on the cross gives perspective. We realise the significance and the very special act of our Lord. The theological realisation is that God was willing to sacrific Himself, like a animal, for me and you. We have received atonment due to God’s acations.

We can only  respond by saying: "Wow God, did you do that for me!" True gratefulness is in the order of the day because Christ spilling is blood for me for you.  

 The sacrifice of Jesus brought the final and ultimate atonement to worshippers. God requires the sacrifice of animals to bring about cleansing, Jesus was willing to take the place for us to make the ultimate cleanser possible for those who believe. 

The Smell of Blood is very destinct. I come from an hunting family were we seasonly went hunting for meat. We did not have a provesional abittiors, so my father, mother and I cut and packed the meat our selves. I remember this experience as if it was yesterday. It is espessially the smell that I can not forget. It is for this reason, that it is striking for me that God finds the atonement of worshippers to be like a pleasing aroma. 

And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

God finds the atonement of worshippers to be a wonderful smell. As we are approaching Holy Week, we are becoming aware of Jesus dying for us. The death of Jesus is like a pleasing aroma to God. It is that aroma of Jesus that reminds God that we are cleans and we are atoned. The actions of Christ gave us salvation. The aroma of Jesus dying on the cross will forever be enought to establish salvation.  

May we in Prestongrange newly appreatiat what Christ has done for us on the cross.  The heart of Christ stopped. His blood stopped flowing. The nutricioun and oxition seased to provide life to His body. He met that death for us, fufulling forever the requirments of the Levitical laws. He done this for us, therefore, we may be truly grateful. Amen. 

Hymn: CH562 – Through the love of God, our saviour

Prayer for Others (Get someone to lead):

Offering (The person at door duty brings the plate to the table.)

Prayer of Thanks

Hymn: CH132 – Immortal, invisible

Rethink and Blessing (Rev. Bosch)

The death of Jesus is like a pleasing aroma to God. It is that aroma that reminds God we are cleansed. The actions of Christ was for our behalve making salvation possible for all who believe.

In the presence of the Holy Spirit, may the peace of God, 

which is beyond all understanding, 

guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Amen

Sing/Play Amen (Organ)

Bible Exits (Organ)