Offerings that Please the Lord; the Peace Offering - Leviticus 2
OFFERINGS THE PLEASE THE LORD; THE GRAIN OFFERING LEV. 2:1-9 FEB. 10, 2008 SERM. #2
LEVITICUS 2:1-2 LEVITICUS 2:1 AND WHEN ANY WILL OFFER A MEAT OFFERING UNTO THE LORD, HIS OFFERING SHALL BE OF FINE FLOUR; AND HE SHALL POUR OIL UPON IT, AND PUT FRANKINCENSE THEREON: 2 AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO AARON'S SONS THE PRIESTS: AND HE SHALL TAKE THERE OUT HIS HANDFUL OF THE FLOUR THEREOF, AND OF THE OIL THEREOF, WITH ALL THE FRANKINCENSE THEREOF; AND THE PRIEST SHALL BURN THE MEMORIAL OF IT UPON THE ALTAR, TO BE AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE, OF A SWEET SAVOR UNTO THE LORD:
INTRO: THREE LEVELS OF GIVING
1. YOU HAVE TO (LAW)
2. YOU OUGHT TO (OBLIGATION)
3. YOU WANT TO (GRACE)
- WALDO WEANING
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EXPL: BOOK OF LEVITICUS IS THE HANDBOOK OF HOLINESS; IT TELLS US THAT WE CAN APPROACH GOD, AND HOW WE CAN APPROACH GOD. THE BOOK IS OF SACRIFICE AND SANCTIFICATION; IT IS ABOUT CLEANSING AND CLEAN LIVING; IT IS A BOOK OF BLOOD AND BLESSINGS.
THE PROBLEM IS SIN
THE PROVISION IS THE SACRIFICE
THE POWER IS IN THE PRIESTHOOD
THE PLAN IS SEEN IN THE DAY AND DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT
THE POSSIBILITY IS ACCESS TO GOD
THE PRINCIPLE IS HOLINESS...WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE CAN STILL SEE GOD.
FROM LEV. 1 WE LEARNED THAT GOD IS PLEASED WITH OUR OFFERINGS.
GOD IS PLEASED WITH
VOLUNTARY OFFERINGS
VALUABLE OFFERING AND
VICTORIOUS OFFERINGS
THE BURNT OFFERING SYMBOLIZED THE TOTAL COMMITMENT OF CHRIST.
HE GAVE HIS ALL SO THAT WE MIGHT GIVE OUR BEST.
IN LEV. 2 WE ARE INTRODUCED TO THE GRAIN OFFERING.
IT’S DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS;
THE UNCOOKED
THE COOKED
THE INGREDIENTS NO TO LEAVEN AND YES TO SALT
THE HARVEST GRAIN OFFERING....
PROP: THE LESSON IS THAT GOD IS PLEASED WITH OUR OFFERINGS.
INTER: WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GRAIN OFFERING.
TS: AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM IT WILL ENCOURAGE AS WE WORSHIP WITH OUR OFFERINGS.
MP I. THE GRAIN OFFERING SYMBOLIZES THE BLESSINGS OF LIFE.
THE OFFERING CONSISTS OF FINE FLOUR, OIL AND FRANKINCENSE. THE PRIEST OFFERS A HANDFUL AND BURNS; AS A MEMORIAL AND GIVES THE REST TO THE PRIEST AND HIS FAMILY; IT IS MOST HOLY.
BREAD WAS THE STAPLE OF BIBLICAL DIED; IT WAS CALLED THE STAFF OF LIFE.
BREAD WAS A GIFT..GIVEN IN HOSPITALITY AS ABRAHAM RECEIVED BREAD FROM THE PRIEST OF SALEM, MELCHIZEDEK.
BREAD WAS THE IMAGERY THAT POINTS TO THE ETERNAL BLESSING OF THE BANQUET.
IMP. ONE PROBLEM ISRAEL WAS IN THE WILDERNESS...GRAIN (SEE) EGYPT,MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS..AND NOT YET IN THE PROMISED LAND. FAITH WILL ALLOW THEM TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROMISES OF GOD INTO CANAAN. THEIR ACTS OF WORSHIP ...GIVING UNTO THE LORD AND UNTO THE PRIEST WAS THEIR VOLUNTARY OFFERING OF FAITH.
THUS THEY WERE GIVEN THE PROMISE OF BLESSINGS AND THEY WERE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING. THEY UNDERSTOOD THE OFFICE OF THE PRIESTHOOD; NECESSITY OF THE BURNT OFFERING IN CONJ. WITH THE GRAIN OFFERING; BURNT OFFERING THEY IDENTIFIED WITH SIN; GRAIN OFFERING THE IDENTIFIED WITH HIS SUSTAINING POWER.
TEXT: NKJ ACTS 17:28 "FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING, AS ALSO SOME OF YOUR OWN POETS HAVE SAID, 'FOR WE ARE ALSO HIS OFFSPRING.'
NKJ JOHN 5:26 "FOR AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, SO HE HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF,
NKJ COLOSSIANS 1:17 AND HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS CONSIST.
APP: GIVE GENEROUSLY
ILL: Giving the Proper Amount
A pastor was getting his hair cut. The barber and those in the barber-shop didn’t know he was a pastor. Those in the shop were talking about giving to the church. The barber said, “I feel one should give what they feel is proper.” When it was time to pay for the haircut, the pastor handed the barber one dollar instead of the usual ten dollars. The pastor said, “You said a person should give to the church what they feel is proper, so I feel the one dollar is proper for your work.” Of course, the pastor paid the full amount, but the men in the barber-shop got his message.
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MP II. THE BOUNTY OF THE LAND V 4-10
WHEN THEY CAME INTO THE LAND, THE LAND OF PROMISE THEIR WOULD BE BOUNTY AND ABUNDANCE. GRAIN IS AN IMAGE OF BLESSING IN THE FORM OF BOUNTIFUL HARVEST. MOSES SAID THE LAND OF CANAAN IS A LAND OF GRAIN AND NEW WINE. GRAIN IS THE METAPHOR FOR BLESSINGS...CLEARLY SEEN FROM THE LIFE OF JOSEPH...IN HIS DREAMS, PHARAOH DREAMS...AND IN THE YEARS OF PLENTY AND FAMINE.
BOUNTY SEEN IN ....
UNCOOKED OFFERING
COOKED OFFERING; OVEN, GRIDDLE AND PAN.
IMP. ABUNDANCE GIVES US A VARIETY OF WAYS TO GIVE. AND ACK: GOD’S DIVINE PROVISION.
NKJ Psalm 34:10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "
John 6:31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "
APP: PRAISE GOD FOR OUR DAILY BREAD
PARTICIPATE AS A CO-LABORER...AS HE PRODUCES the RAIN ...WE VARIETY..ROLLS; BREAD; CAKES...WE CAN RECEIVE COIN, DOLLARS, STOCKS AND BONDS...
PASTOR ...NOTICE...THE TEXT SPEAKS OF THE PROVISION FOR THE PRIEST AND PROVISION @ PASTOR...MIGHT their BE A LINK...IN THE BOUNTY OF THE LAND ....
PERSECUTION ...UNDERSTAND THAT SATAN waNT’S TO SIFT US AS WHEAT.
PRACTICE HOLINESS...SAY NO TO THE LEAVEN OF HYPOCRISY; PRIDE; SIN; FALSE TEACHING AND SELF INDULGENCE. AND SEASON ALL WITH SALT...
ILL: THE DOUGHNUT - AS A MINISTER WAS ADDRESSING A GROUP OF MEN, HE TOOK A LARGE PIECE OF PAPER AND MADE A BLACK DOT IN THE CENTER OF IT WITH A MARKING PEN. THEN HE HELD THE PAPER UP BEFORE THE GROUP AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY SAW. ONE PERSON QUICKLY REPLIED, “I SEE A BLACK MARK.” “RIGHT,” THE PREACHER REPLIED. “WHAT ELSE DO YOU SEE?” COMPLETE SILENCE PREVAILED. “DON’T YOU SEE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE DOT?” HE ASKED. A CHORUS OF NOES CAME FROM THE AUDIENCE. “I’M REALLY SURPRISED,” THE SPEAKER COMMENTED. “YOU HAVE COMPLETELY OVERLOOKED THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL—THE SHEET OF PAPER.” THEN HE MADE THE APPLICATION. HE SAID THAT IN LIFE WE ARE OFTEN DISTRACTED BY SMALL, DOT-LIKE DISAPPOINTMENTS OR PAINFUL EXPERIENCES, AND WE ARE PRONE TO FORGET THE INNUMERABLE BLESSINGS WE RECEIVE FROM THE HAND OF THE LORD. BUT LIKE THE SHEET OF PAPER, THE GOOD THINGS ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ADVERSITIES THAT MONOPOLIZE OUR ATTENTION.
THIS REMINDS ME OF A BIT OF VERSE WHICH, THOUGH I ADMIT IS SOMEWHAT TRITE, DOES EXPRESS GOOD PRACTICAL ADVICE. SOMEONE HAS WRITTEN: “AS YOU TRAVEL DOWN LIFE’S PATHWAY, MAY THIS EVER BE YOUR GOAL:/ KEEP YOUR EYE UPON THE DOUGHNUT, AND NOT UPON THE HOLE!”
YES, RATHER THAN CONCENTRATING ON THE TRIALS OF LIFE, WE SHOULD FIX OUR ATTENTION UPON IS BLESSINGS. LET US SAY WITH THE PSALMIST, “BLESSED BE THE LORD, WHO DAILY LOADETH US WITH BENEFITS” (PSALM 68:19). - R. W. D.
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MP III. THE BODY OF THE LORD V. 11-16
OFFERING W/ NO LEAVEN AND NO HONEY–THEY DIDN’T HAVE TIME FOR YEAST TO RISE; BUT THEN they WOULD have A HARVEST.
OFFERING WITH SALT – FLAVOR AND PRESERVE AND PURIFICATION.
IMP: RADICAL CHANGE FROM SEMI-NOMADIC TO SETTLERS; STRANGERS and SOJOURNERS TO SETTLERS; WHERE GOD CALLS FOR OBEDIENCE...RADICAL OBEDIENCE...
TEXT: ELIJAH and THE WIDOW WOMAN AND the WIDOW’S MITES
JESUS – EAT MY BODY...
VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, MOSES GAVE YOU NOT THAT BREAD FROM HEAVEN; BUT MY FATHER GIVETH YOU THE TRUE BREAD FROM HEAVEN. 33 FOR THE BREAD OF GOD IS HE WHICH COMETH DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND GIVETH LIFE UNTO THE WORLD. 34 THEN SAID THEY UNTO HIM, LORD, EVERMORE GIVE US THIS BREAD. 35 AND JESUS SAID UNTO THEM, I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE: HE THAT COMETH TO ME SHALL NEVER HUNGER; AND HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME SHALL NEVER THIRST. 36 BUT I SAID UNTO YOU, THAT YE ALSO HAVE SEEN ME, AND BELIEVE NOT. 37 ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVETH ME SHALL COME TO ME; AND HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT. 38 FOR I CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, NOT TO DO MINE OWN WILL, BUT THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME. 39 AND THIS IS THE FATHER'S WILL WHICH HATH SENT ME, THAT OF ALL WHICH HE HATH GIVEN ME I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING, BUT SHOULD RAISE IT UP AGAIN AT THE LAST DAY. 40 AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, THAT EVERY ONE WHICH SEETH THE SON, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM, MAY HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY. 41 THE JEWS THEN MURMURED AT HIM, BECAUSE HE SAID, I AM THE BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. 42 AND THEY SAID, IS NOT THIS JESUS, THE SON OF JOSEPH, WHOSE FATHER AND MOTHER WE KNOW? HOW IS IT THEN THAT HE SAITH, I CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN? 43 JESUS THEREFORE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, MURMUR NOT AMONG YOURSELVES. 44 NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT THE FATHER WHICH HATH SENT ME DRAW HIM: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY. 45 IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PROPHETS, AND THEY SHALL BE ALL TAUGHT OF GOD. EVERY MAN THEREFORE THAT HATH HEARD, AND HATH LEARNED OF THE FATHER, COMETH UNTO ME. 46 NOT THAT ANY MAN HATH SEEN THE FATHER,, SAVE HE WHICH IS OF GOD, HE HATH SEEN THE FATHER. 47 VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME HATH EVERLASTING LIFE.
48 I AM THAT BREAD OF LIFE. 49 YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS, AND ARE DEAD. 50 THIS IS THE BREAD WHICH COMETH DOWN FROM HEAVEN, THAT A MAN MAY EAT THEREOF, AND NOT DIE. 51 I AM THE LIVING BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN: IF ANY MAN EAT OF THIS BREAD, HE SHALL LIVE FOR EVER: AND THE BREAD THAT I WILL GIVE IS MY FLESH, WHICH I WILL GIVE FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD. 52 THE JEWS THEREFORE STROVE AMONG THEMSELVES, SAYING, HOW CAN THIS MAN GIVE US HIS FLESH TO EAT? 53 THEN JESUS SAID UNTO THEM,
VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, EXCEPT YE EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN, AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, YE HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU. 54 WHOSO EATETH MY FLESH, AND DRINKETH MY BLOOD, HATH ETERNAL LIFE; AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY. 55 FOR MY FLESH IS MEAT INDEED, AND MY BLOOD IS DRINK INDEED. 56 HE THAT EATETH MY FLESH, AND DRINKETH MY BLOOD, DWELLETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM. 57 AS THE LIVING FATHER HATH SENT ME, AND I LIVE BY THE FATHER: SO HE THAT EATETH ME, EVEN HE SHALL LIVE BY ME. 58 THIS IS THAT BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN: NOT AS YOUR FATHERS DID EAT MANNA, AND ARE DEAD: HE THAT EATETH OF THIS BREAD SHALL LIVE FOR EVER. 59 THESE THINGS SAID HE IN THE SYNAGOGUE, AS HE TAUGHT IN CAPERNAUM. 60 MANY THEREFORE OF HIS DISCIPLES, WHEN THEY HAD HEARD THIS, SAID, THIS IS AN HARD SAYING; WHO CAN HEAR IT?
61 WHEN JESUS KNEW IN HIMSELF THAT HIS DISCIPLES MURMURED AT IT, HE SAID UNTO THEM, DOTH THIS OFFEND YOU? 62 WHAT AND IF YE SHALL SEE THE SON OF MAN ASCEND UP WHERE HE WAS BEFORE? 63 IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH; THE FLESH PROFITETH NOTHING: THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT, AND THEY ARE LIFE. 64 BUT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT BELIEVE NOT. FOR JESUS KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING WHO THEY WERE THAT BELIEVED NOT, AND WHO SHOULD BETRAY HIM. 65 AND HE SAID, THEREFORE SAID I UNTO YOU, THAT NO MAN CAN COME UNTO ME, EXCEPT IT WERE GIVEN UNTO HIM OF MY FATHER. 66 FROM THAT TIME MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT BACK, AND WALKED NO MORE WITH HIM. 67 THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THE TWELVE, WILL YE ALSO GO AWAY? 68 THEN SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM, LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? THOU HAST THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE.
DON’T USE YEAST...WHICH SYMBOLIZES SIN AND JESUS KNEW NO SIN AND DID NO SIN.
YEAST OR LEAVEN
YEAST, OR LEAVEN, IS A POWERFUL FUNGUS THAT CAN CAUSE A LUMP OF DOUGH TO RISE INTO BREAD, FERMENT LIQUIDS INTO ALCOHOL, OR CAUSE PAINFUL INFECTIONS. WHEN JESUS SPOKE OF YEAST IN HIS COMMENTS ABOUT THE PHARISEES AND HEROD (V. 15), HIS DISCIPLES WERE QUITE CONFUSED. WHAT COULD HE MEAN? WHAT WAS THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND HEROD?
JESUS REMINDED HIS FOLLOWERS OF HIS MIRACLES OF FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND AND THE FOUR THOUSAND (VV. 19–21; 6:35–44; 8:1–9). WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE OF THE PHARISEES? THEY DISPUTED WITH HIM AND TRIED TO TEST HIM BY APPEALING FOR A MIRACLE (V. 11). IN SHORT, THEY REFUSED TO BELIEVE—DESPITE THE MIRACULOUS PROVISION OF MEALS FOR MORE THAN NINE THOUSAND PEOPLE! FURTHERMORE, THEY WERE ALREADY IN LEAGUE WITH HEROD AND HIS SUPPORTERS TO DESTROY JESUS (3:6; 12:13), JUST AS HEROD HAD DONE AWAY WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST (6:14–29).
CLEARLY, JESUS WAS WARNING HIS FOLLOWERS AGAINST THE INSIDIOUS INFECTION OF UNBELIEF. LIKE YEAST IN DOUGH, A LACK OF FAITH CAN PERMEATE ONE’S LIFE UNTIL IT BREAKS OUT IN OPEN REBELLION AGAINST GOD. NO WONDER THE LORD WAS SO DISPLEASED WITH THE DISCIPLES’ LACK OF PERCEPTION (8:17–18). PERHAPS THE YEAST OF UNBELIEF WAS ALREADY AT WORK AMONG THEM. AFTER ALL, THEY HAD APPARENTLY FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A FEEDING MIRACLE THE FIRST TIME AROUND (6:52); NOW THEY WERE MISSING IT A SECOND TIME!
JESUS HAD GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE CONDITION OF HIS FOLLOWERS’ FAITH. HE KNEW THAT THERE WAS DANGER AHEAD. POWERFUL ENEMIES WOULD LAY HOLD OF HIM, AND THE DISCIPLES WOULD BE SORELY TESTED. NO WONDER HE TOOK MEASURES TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE (VV. 26, 30). HE WANTED TO AVOID EXPOSING THESE MEN TO THE FULL FORCE OF HIS OPPONENTS BEFORE THEIR FAITH WAS READY TO HANDLE SUCH A TRIAL.
NONE OF US KNOWS WHAT DANGERS LIE AHEAD FOR OUR FAITH. WE MAY BE HEADED FOR TRIALS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE NEVER IMAGINED. IS OUR FAITH READY TO MEET WHATEVER CHALLENGES COME OUR WAY? OR HAVE WE LET THE YEAST OF UNBELIEF GAIN A FOOTHOLD, BREAKING DOWN OUR TRUST IN GOD AND SPREADING RESISTANCE TO HIM THROUGHOUT OUR LIFE?
THE WORD IN LIFE STUDY BIBLE, NEW TESTAMENT EDITION, (THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS, NASHVILLE; 1993), PP. 160-161
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APPl
INFLUENCE OF CULTURE AND GIVE SACRIFICIALLY
ILL;
CLOSE:
SERMON REVIEW FOR WEEK OF FEB. 17, 2008
OFFERINGS THE PLEASE GOD; THE PEACE OFFERING
LEVITICUS 3: 1-5
THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS IS THE BOOK OF HOLINESS. IT IS THE HANDBOOK FOR THE PRIEST SO THAT PRIEST AND PEOPLE CAN APPROACH AND WORSHIP GOD. AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TABERNACLE PEOPLE BROUGHT THEIR OFFERINGS TO THE PRIEST. THE THREE VOLUNTARY OFFERINGS INCLUDE THE BURNT OFFERING, THE MEAL OFFERING AND THE PEACE OFFERING. THE BURNT OFFERING SYMBOLIZED THE TOTAL COMMITMENT OF CHRIST. THE MEAL OFFERING SYMBOLIZED THE PERFECT CHARACTER OF CHRIST. THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE SEE CHRIST IN THE PEACE OFFERING OR AS IT IS ALSO CALLED THE FELLOWSHIP OFFERING.
I.
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[1]Galaxie Software: 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press, 2002; 2002
[2]Galaxie Software: 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press, 2002; 2002
[3] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)
[4]Galaxie Software: 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press, 2002; 2002
[5]Galaxie Software: 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press, 2002; 2002