Celebrating with God

show on Memorial Day, we celebrate peace while recognizing the cost at which it comes and is maintained And we do that by honoring those who have died fighting in American wars. And then in each Community, people do additional things here, we provide a meal for veterans. We have a parade, we have a service at the cemetery. They have one at both, cemeteries one early in the morning out of the East Ripley and one at 2 in the afternoon, but it's in a way of expressing gratitude for service and sacrifice. Many families and friends gather on this holiday weekend, to celebrate the blessings of fellowshipping with one another during times of peace. And in some ways that's a parallel to what we see in, Leviticus 3, when you think of the peace or Fellowship offering of Israel, and you can turn to Leviticus 3 will be looking primary. Leviticus 3 and 7 today.

But the piece of Fellowship offering of Israel though not connected to a particular holiday. It was included as part of each of their major three holidays, in the year. But serve to allow people to celebrate with God and other people, the benefits of being at peace with God. It was a sacrifice, that included, a communal meal celebrating with others. The goodness of God. So when you look in Leviticus 3, it starts out. If someone offers a fellowship offering, And the offers an animal form of whether male or female. He has to prevent before the Lord, an animal, without the effect. So the background of this word and Ivy uses, the word Fellowship for the King James would have used the word peace. You can see different phrases used to address this offering But it comes from the root of the Hebrew. Same root as the Hebrew word, shalom. Shalom is a term of greeting, but it's a turn of greeting. That means peace and not peace. Just an idea that there's no Battle going on but peace in the sense of wholeness a state of well-being life as it should be, it's a picture of the condition that results from being in right relationship with God, the world operating in all different aspects as it should be, is kind of behind that word. Shalom. So this particular sacrifice, we don't often think of it that way, but this particular sacrifice was a joyous celebration. It was a religious party dependent Danny religious parties lately. Jews, celebrate bar, mitzvahs have quite a party of some of those events. And we like to have different kinds of parties but they we don't necessarily attached that connection with although the word holiday comes from what The holiday and the background to that is Lord. Setting aside holy days for people to rest from their labor and to celebrate part of the goodness of God in their life. So they sacrifice was a joyous celebration of where. Priests in the worshippers enjoy the Sumptuous meal in the presence of God and it emphasized. The fact that the forgiveness of sin resulted in communion, our fellowship with God, and with his people, and in this process, the Lord was honored particularly by giving him his due. The very best part of the sacrifice was given to him as well as atmosphere to celebrate and affirm his goodness to us. So, this particular sacrifice was one that was offered in. Happy circumstance, happy circumstances it, expressed gratitude for the Lord, for all kinds of blessing. And so It would be a sacrifice that could be made on any array of joyous occasions. See Israel. Like what like us is in the danger of forgetting God, when life gets good? Noticed an awful lot of people don't think I'm up about God until crisis happens in their life. Then all sudden it's time to pray or time to do spectacular things and back when Israel went into the promised land, when you read in Deuteronomy, the Lord says, you know, when you go into that later, and then I give you this land of the homes and life going to happen. Your daughter, forget me. And it's going to cause devastating consequences in your nation when you forget me and when you realize that, then you need to repair Anton and return. But there's great danger of forgetting God. When life is good, see all of life and particularly the joyous event. And when life is at its best, when the times, when you take time apart to thank God for his blessings in July. Stop in Leviticus seven and a half to go there for a minute that Leviticus seven starting with verse 11. Makes you aware that this piece or Fellowship popping. There's three different kinds of this offering that could take place. So Leviticus Number Slevin, says, of these are the regulations for the fellowship offering a person, may prevent the Lord. If he offers said in his expression of thankfulness then along with us, thank offering. You still have four cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil Wafers, made without yeast and spread with oil in cakes with find flower well needed. And mixed with oil along with this Fellowship, offering and Thanksgiving, he is to Brett and offering with cakes of bread made with yeast. Just bring one of each kind as an offering a contribution to the Lord. It belongs to the priest, the sprinkles, the blood of the fellowship offering the meat of his Fellowship offering to Thanksgiving, must be eating on the day. It is offered. He must leave. None of it till morning. If however is offering as a result of a bow or a free-will offering, the sacrifice will be eating on the day, he offers it but anything left over maybe eating on the next day. Any meat of the sacrifice left over to the third day must be burn up. If any meat of the fellowship offering is eating on the third day, will not be accepted, it will not be credited to the one who offered it. For it is impure of the person who eats of it will be held responsible. I don't know about your family or not but there's great differences in our extended family about what you do with leftovers. I have a couple of son of the laws who basically don't eat leftovers. You know, if you if you didn't eat it all the first time you and you know, I make leftovers last forever. So there was offering what do you think? God for something specific this gratitude for Lord? For a particular blessing, that could be good. Crops it could be in our terms job. That provides well could be protection, could be Deliverance could be healing, but it was a very specific thing that you are coming to Express. Thanks to God for it. Next time was about how people would make vows of commitment in the New Testament to read about Paul making a bow and you went into the temple and and in fulfilling that vow, he ended up getting with trouble. Cuz the juice thought he was had violated some of the principles going with it, then he got hauled away and, and some different things that happened there, but about where you made a commitment. There's things like the Nazarite vow that someone wouldn't cut their hair, wouldn't do certain things until a certain time. Was completed it. Maybe it's like these Sports athletes, you know, they have the they're not going to shave their beard, till they win the whatever type of thing. But but it was an idea of some kind of commitment to serve the Lord or to honor the Lord or two showing you were serious about the request of the commitments, you were making So is that a chest with with a bow and tired of fulfilling the ball? Or the dedication that was there when it was completed? You were going to come and show it appropriate. Thanks to God. And so you committed yourselves up front as to what you were going to do to, to demonstrate your gratefulness to the Lord. When you completed that service or Ebay answer prayer, The free-will offering is just what it says that that meant the worshipper came to give. Thanks for no specific reason. You're just grateful for all the blessings, the Lord's brought in your life and said, I I need to celebrate this with, with some other people and to thank the Lord in the process, but that's kind of the description that goes on there. So, it's interesting. The Lord set up opportunities for generously sharing his Blessing and testifying to his goodness. It was built into their their sacrificial system and opportunity to celebrate with other people. The goodness of God. Navigate back to Leviticus 3 and the first 5 vs. You'll see the basic elements of a peace offering and their significance. They were very similar to most of the other animal sacrifices the animals brought to the door of the Tabernacle or to the temple. The hand was laid on the animal. It was killed. The blood was sprinkled against the altar on all sides. In each of those animal sacrifice was a picture of identifying you with this animal that it's becoming the substitute in your place and then it's death is a toning for your sin and allowing you to enter into the presence of God, because the pay wages of sin is death. And this animal has substituted in your place to provide that basis of atonement. I'm so that part of the same, there's differences from the others. This animal could be a calf sheep or goat. It could be male or female. It was without defect, except you won't find it in this passage of finding Leviticus going to the Westin exception to that the free-will offering you could bring could be an animal. That was the runt of the litter? Or I had some form of stunted growth, or even some form of deformity couldn't be sick and be ill or other kinds of thing. But if you were just coming to celebrate with people, that could be brought for that particular, for the free-will offering, not any of the other ones. In the process, what happened? All the fat long with you read the descriptions of kidneys and certain other parts of things were burnt on the altar.

That's got a bad name and our culture has net. Isn't it interesting why the fat was burned on the altar to the Lord?

Why was that?

That was the delicacy. That was the best part. I just need to think a little bit about the culture of Time. How much fat do you think was on most of their animals? You're a weak grain feed things to do, all sorts of stuff. It

You know what that does for your food, don't you?

That's where most of the flavor comes from. So that's why. When they're always putting in the fat substitutes, you guys wonder why they don't taste good. They took all flavor out, but in the process so I just say we can we give that sort of a bad picture but and their culture and their setting that would have been the delicacy. Just like if you had an honored guest in your home, you would probably give them the best cut of meat that you had. And that's sort of the the picture here that they're bringing this Fat that's been burned before the Lord and giving the very best part. He's the one worthy of price and and then the other exception in this particular meal, you could bring both unleavened bread, a lot of the sacrificer you couldn't have any yeast with it, but this could be leavened or unleavened bread. In fact, it was supposed to include both because what were you going to do with this meal? I just gave you the answer. It's a sacrifice that you were going to have a meal, you were going to celebrate, you're going to have the best foods that you can have when you were going to have this kind of event to to share with other people. I jumped you back to Leviticus 7 again and starting with verse 28.

So there's some regulations here about how this was up operating. The Lord said to Moses, say to anyone who brings a fellowship offering to the Lord.

That's a sacrifice to the Lord with his own hands. Used to bring the offering made to the Lord by fire is to bring the fat together with the breast of the way. Press before the Lord is a wave, offering the priest, shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs to her and his sons, you're a give the right side of your fellowship offering to the priest of the contribution. The son of Aaron, the blood in the fat of the fellowship. Offering she'll have the right size, his share from the fellowship offering to the Israelites, I have taken the breast that is waived in the thigh that is presented and give them two are in the priest and his sons as the regular share from Israelites. so, here's this process, the whole offering was brought to Lord You're honoring the Lord with the sacrifices to Express gratitude and fellowship. The pad is burned on the altar the breast in the right thigh are allotted to God that process is the support for the Priestly Ministry that was going on and saw the one part the wave offering. And where do you think that name came from?

Shekinah waved it before the Lord, and we're going to do what to do. We're going to pay the preacher with it. That is what it says. By the way, there's two parts the wave offering to the Lord and that's given to him. And the other is a different term that the contribution. The right thigh is basically the guy who does the sacrifices, that's his commission for his services rendered. So once a wave offering before the other Lord the other is but all of it is dedicated to the Lord.

and,

The exception was some of this that was given to the priests there. These particular Foods could actually be taken by the priests and eaten with her family at different locations, as long as it was a clean location in methyl regulation requirements. One of the things in this picture is the importance of providing for the priest material needs scripture. New Testament says, you need to honor those who lead you and worship and DeGeneres. That's your priority, put it on seeing that the worship of God continues.

You ever watch when his real Sin trouble and people forget God, you know what happens? The Old Testament. What you begin seeing is the Levites in the priests basically had to go out and do other things cuz they had the support the family and nobody was coming and providing for them cuz they weren't paying attention and being grateful to the Lord. They didn't realize what they were missing out on until the impact began to roll through through their Nation. So Claire, you get a lesson from here, that you'll see, spelled out in the New Testament that ministers and Ministry should just lie. Expect to be supported by those who benefit from their Ministry and failed to do. So brings consequences into our own life. He moved back in the same chapter chapter 7, 2 verse 15.

It begins to talk about what's going to happen. The meat of the fellowship offering of Thanksgiving, must be eating on the day. It is offered, he must leave. None till the next day. so again, this was a sacrifice Romantic no dedicated to the Lord and part of that dedication in ministry. That's right. There in the temple area were talking us. I was mentioned to her this week. She works and developing the the kids notes that they use on these clipboards so you know, you're at the Pavilion. You know, I'm trying to say it but a lot of these times you had a lot of different events going on at the same time. And so In this process it still is part of worship and how you did it the Thanksgiving offering. When did it have to be eaten?

Call that day. So you killed the fatted calf, how much of it are you going to eat in a day?

So what are you going to do?

For those of you who catered, what are you do? How many people are coming? What do I take to feed them? You go. The reverse way with these sacrifices, I got this. How many people will it be? I need to be invited enough people to enjoy this thing so it's all eaten up cuz otherwise it gets burnt up and nobody will enjoy it. And I'm really here to thank God and Dave and to celebrate his goodness with other people. And so that was part of the the process that went on. So she has this reminder, it was a voluntary offering now, the Thanksgiving one, all had to be eaten one day. The free will or the valve could have two days. So if you like leftovers, you got in on that one. But in this process years, this reminder, This was a voluntary offering nobody had to bring. This offering wasn't required in any way, but if you were going to bring it, You had to do it in God's way or it was worthless. Did you, did you catch some of the things you can get lost in the details? And I hope you don't miss the point when we get to the end. But if you If you ate it on the third day, you might as well not have brought it at all. Cuz what did you do? You disregarded, God's command and you Dishonored him and you were just putting on a front for other people because you really weren't there to honor. The Lord. Are you two done his way? And that's the description that comes through with. And when you read Leviticus seven,

But I want you to understand that gratitude to God can be contagious. Because it begets generosity to others. The Lord set up opportunities for generously sharing his Blessing and testifying to his goodness. Including

If I'm going to celebrate before the Lord with this, I need to have people to share this meal and bring in family and make this an event that together. We're recognizing the goodness of God.

I hope that's one of the things that you do and tired of a holiday and family get it together and when you're celebrating together, do you recognize and appreciate? The opportunity and the provision is there, because of God's goodness.

That is one of the aspects of that picture. but with all the sacrifices, one of the things that becomes very clear as you move to the New Testament, it's what they all point to Christ. And they are preparing people to understand God who he is, how you honor him and what Christ did for us.

Do you desire? Peace. Do you like it? When life is the way it ought to be relationships with God and people are harmonious.

Pure Barre being desires, peace with God, but only God can give it and only he determines on what basis we have that kind of peace or access to peace to the fullness of joy and fellowship with God, that symbolize for the sacrifice is only possible through the blood of a perfect substitutionary sacrifice.

we are reconciled to God because our sin is a ton for PS4 with God is demonstrated in this Old Testament Fellowship offering when worshipers accept God's provision and responded the way God has told them to But now, God has come to us in Christ and fulfilled every facet of the sacrificial system, this is just one aspect of it and we've been working our way through them. But his Subs to her death, for our sins. On the cross, gives us peace with God, the perfect sacrifice. And you can follow with me or just listen as I read some of the scriptures that I gave you, and your notes there in Romans, 5:1 and 2. It says therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord. Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which now, we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Clawson's 119, and 20 says this, for God, was pleased to have him. Christ is fullness, dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things. Where the things on Earth are things in Heaven, by making peace, through his blood shed on the cross, From across juice was purchased a right relationship with God, reconciliation with God. So that sin is no longer that barrier, we no longer fear, God's judgment. We can enter boldly into his presence through the grace of our great sacrifice and high priest. I saw this reconciliation with God and peace with God for Hall who place their trust in him and we can have Fellowship, not only with God, but with other believers. Did you pick up a dad? And I are reading and, and 1st John today.

if you're going to have fellowship with God, You need to recognize if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ, the son purifies us from all sin. TSA Tony sacrifice for our sins, and not only all ours, but also for the sins of the world. And then in the fusions to we read these similar words,

For he himself is our peace who has made the two. One has destroyed the barrier on the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh. The law with its commands and regulations. Its purpose was to create himself one new man, out of the two that's making peace. And then this one body to reconcile both of them to God Through The Cross by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who far away and peace to those who are near for through him. We both have access to God the Father by one spirit.

Do you have reason to celebrate this weekend?

Do you have a case in two reasons to celebrate in your life?

Who should you think when you have reason to celebrate?

You ought to thank God. So easy for us to forget God not to think about God, when life is at, its greatest is one of the times to stop in to thank God. You will only celebrate with the god. When you're at peace with God and have fellowship with him through faith, in Jesus Christ, this Fellowship offering or peace. Offering reminds us that are even our ability to effectively Express Joy is dependent on Christ, and his sacrifice.

Tonight you will never really be at peace unless you're first at peace with God and have peace within. And then it allows you to live at peace as much as possible with others which still often is that possible sometimes, but you can still be at peace yourself because you have peace with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are in fellowship with God, we are recognized were always dependent upon his grace. They will also recognize. The Lord has richly blessed me. Do you ever stop? And think about that? There is no one of you in this room who lives in America that can't say God has richly blessed me in ways that I don't deserve. Despite whatever heartaches, our struggles are, other things that are going on in our life.

We lose sight of that. We have so much to celebrate. So, how do you celebrate with God and express your gratitude to him that way? Have you celebrated with God lately? Belviq myself, cry.

What's that by serving either. But I added that thing, I can make him cry tears of joy. So, dad like to celebrate. Dad said supposed to PNC.

They've got things got it done in people's lives or is old blessings.

Always love to share. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it with people that appreciate it.

I got time today so I can wander often with her but you know, so there's a guy that has prune trees that he's not picking them and dad would go get permission to pick up. I think a bunch of baskets and what would you do? Take some drugs to people. Arby's smoked fish. About to eat smoked fish. You like so you know if you hang around people that eat smoked fish, you got eat, smoked fish and self-defense, cuz if you've eaten that you don't smell it, if you have anesthesia, But he knew who appreciated smoked fish and he was going to smoke it and they were going to get some if you didn't want it. That was your problem. He was going to share with those who appreciated it. All of those things for what? Expression to gratitude to God that you want to share with other people. The goodness of God, it just everyday life and things that were part of that experience. So, you can be joyous if I have learned that by now buy me a right. Late-stage.

How do you use celebrate with God, Express gratitude at such times three things. Stood out to me that came out of this particular Passage. Number one is supported Ministry. What's the channels of ministry that God has brought blessing into your life? Time, this often went above and beyond the routine things they had ties and and we have regular giving another stuff that are apart of the ministry to be supported. Even when things are tough But there were times where you, whether it's to the church where there's two missions weather should Christian organizations to give above and beyond out of the goodness in the bundles that God's given you. I know Camp has benefited many times from people who just said the Lord blessed me and I have something I want to give for you and do it and provide blessing in that way to some of those kinds of ministry. So night, I know some of you have benefited from Christian radio and other things and, and some of those needsyoursupport operated just like this ministry, needs that. So supportive Ministry is a channel of God's grace, number to a shared generosity.

And to Charities and other basis of so much more than I need. I don't need to look for ways to spend that. I need to look for ways to make other people be thankful to God because he blessed me. So you're a Channel of blessing to other people if you choose to be Hand of one of the things that happens in life that this isn't always true. But many times, you know, you, your kids are all grown up, your house is paid off your cars are paid off. What you do with all that extra money? You're wondering. What do you mean all that extra money. But you ever think by the lights, put me in a position at this stage in life to just share with people in Ministry and Waze. So I can make a difference.

That's just chat. Rossi the goodness of God to be shared. So other people think God because of you. and the first thing that stood out to me, this is

Is, do you celebrate in a god-honoring way?

We can all celebrate in different ways, but the way you celebrate shouldn't dishonor, the Lord. If you're one of his people don't fall into the Trap of celebrating, the way the world celebrates. They're not thinking about God or anything. It's all about me. But what I celebrate, I want to celebrate in a way that honors the Lord to his last me. I'm getting me all these Go to No Regrets after I'm done celebrating.

Just a heart of joy and thankfulness this part of that picture.

Aren't you glad that all the sacrifices weren't just a gruesome? Sombra X. And again for the Israelites, most of these events took place on holidays festivals that the Lord set apart, some of them lasted week, maybe even to some time. But in the midst of that were times of celebrating with God and recognizing his goodness and an impacted and their Lots. Let's pray.

Father, you have been so good to us.

And we want to stop and honor, you and thank you. As we think on this Memorial Day, weekend of the sacrifice, the Lost of loved ones, your willingness to send your son and his willingness to come to die in our place. Purchase our Salvation to allow us to enjoy fellowship with you.

We just stopped to express our gratitude and amazement at your love.

Lord help us to be joyous in our living that we recognized. all these things are a gift from your hand to be used in a way that honors and glorifies you

help us to go from here, committed.

To celebrate with you and with others, your goodness and our life. Jesus snake. Hey babe.

Turn your head looks to 417 the number for sure. My Soldier opportunity to celebrate stand and sing together, and bring glory to God by seeing it as well with our souls.

Redskins roster.

It is well.

Shut up.

so, one of the things I'm looking forward to do is partying and having Do you think of it that way? Lord says something I can eat this. Until I tricked with you and the kingdom. And celebrate the end result of the peace that the Lord purchased with his own blood.

It's a place of perfect peace with God and with each other and all of that in the new Heaven and new earth wherein, dwells righteousness, you know what that means? It means everything to the right relationship with God and each other, just as it ought to be And won't that be fun? It will spray

We thank you, Lord. For Joy for celebration. But you're a God that loved celebration encourages celebrations, that encourages praise, that would free really understood you and I relationship with you. We couldn't help but celebrate with joy and Thanksgiving. Help us to learn to do that in a great away. In Jesus name, amen.

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