What Right to eat?

Introduction

Open your Bible To Hebrews 13:10-16.

Like last week we will stop in Hebrews before looking into Leviticus.

Hebrews 13:10–16 ESV

We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Last week we saw that Christ is the one that keeps the fire burning, he is the one that perfects the sacrifice, he is the one the is perfecting us to be priest before God forever. Only through him will we be a priesthood that will forever continually offer praise to God. This week we will add to this picture and consider what the author of Hebrews means when he says, “We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.” What is that we have to eat that they do not?

Lets go to Leviticus 6:14-18

Leviticus 6:14–18 ESV

“And this is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord in front of the altar. And one shall take from it a handful of the fine flour of the grain offering and its oil and all the frankincense that is on the grain offering and burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And the rest of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten unleavened in a holy place. In the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it. It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my food offerings. It is a thing most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it, as decreed forever throughout your generations, from the Lord’s food offerings. Whatever touches them shall become holy.”

Let’s Pray

Transition

The 1689 says, in chapter 19 article 6.

“Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned, yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin;” [1]

Body

What is pleasing to God? (1)

Text

Leviticus 6:14–15 ESV

“And this is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord in front of the altar. And one shall take from it a handful of the fine flour of the grain offering and its oil and all the frankincense that is on the grain offering and burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Explanation

The right sacrifice.

This is consistent with what we saw last week.

God‘s word orders his worship

Only the sons of Aaron’s sons

Only the line of Aaron could preform the worship.

This will be important later

Pleasing to God

God is please with he right worship.

Illustration

Later in chapter 10 of Leviticus we read of the death of Aaron’s two sons because they rushed to do the offering their own way. And God killed them right on the spot. When Aaron asked why they were killed God replied in Leviticus 10:3 “‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ”...

Application

God does not accept just any worship.

We must not rush to worship God in any way but the way in which he has prescribed.

The reading of the word

Prayer

Gathering of the saints

Growing in sanctification

Continually offering up the sacrifice of praise (Heb 13)

offering our bodies as a living sacrifice (Ro 12)

Above all, walking out our lives so that we draw attention to the holiness and glory of God.

This is the kind of worship that is pleasing to the LORD.

Transition

Let’s continue in verse 16-17

Sin and Holiness are Mortal Enemies (2)

Text

Leviticus 6:16–17 ESV

And the rest of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten unleavened in a holy place. In the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it. It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my food offerings. It is a thing most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.

Explanation

The Author of Hebrews say that we have right right to eat that which those who serve the tent do not.

Aaron’s son must eat of the this thing inside the tent.

But we go out side the city to partake with Christ.

They get unleavened bread, but we get the very body and blood of the savior.

God provides for His priests

When the due portion is offered to God the needs of the person are not neglected.

The most holy thing is not for the common people

Gods elect are not common

No leaven of sin must mix with God’s worship and God’s people.

Illustration

The text here provide the instillation. The food must not be eating with leaven. The holy people of God must not mis with sin. Jesus said “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” (Mk 8:15, ESV)

Application

There are two kinds of leaven that Jesus points to.

The leaven of the Pharisees s that sin of self reliance.

Jesus is our only portion and outside the camp we must go to him.

The leaven of Herod is that of the world.

That ἡδονή (hedone “he-don-a”) that James talked about in Chapter 4.

Paul described the fate of those that mix this kind of leaven saying they are those “whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” (Php 3:19, ESV)

Leaven, sin, and those set apart to are not to be mix. They are in compatible with each other.

C. H. Spurgeon said in his sermon, “Titles of Honour” “If you seek, by the Holy Spirit’s power, to kill sin, if you try to crush all sinful desires, if you keep evil with a rope about its neck, if you mortify it, put it to death, then you shall live. Holiness is the mode of the Christian’s life, sin is the way of the sinner’s death.” [2]

Transition

Paul and C. H. Spurgeon are describing the state of all those out side Christ compared to those in Christ. For those in Christ, each person has the requirement of holiness. Take a look at verse 18.

Holiness is each Persons Responsibility (3)

Text

Leviticus 6:18 ESV

Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it, as decreed forever throughout your generations, from the Lord’s food offerings. Whatever touches them shall become holy.”

Explanation

The males from the line of Aaron were set apart from the rest of the the nation of Israel.

Even amongst there Israel there were those more set apart.

The Lord offing is to be shared with His priest.

We share Christ offering joining him outside the camp

Whatever touches the offering is holy

The common person would avoid touching this items because they would be required to

RC Sproul explains about the issue with holiness like this

a This is a warning to laity not to touch food consecrated to God in sacrifice. Contact with the sacred food would render a person ritually holy (v. 27 text note; Ex. 29:37). Those who incurred such holiness probably were temporarily placed under restrictions like those governing the activity of priests (21:1–8).[3]

Application

What we must not do is delegate this call to holiness.

It my pastor job to be the priest.

According to Peter we all are a priesthood

According to Paul we all offer our bodies an living sacrifice

The author of Hebrews say we all continual offer a sacrifice of praise to God through Christ Jesus.

Transition

In conclusion tonight there are two warnings and two reminders.

Conclusion

Warning 1, so not to fall into the leaven, self- righteousness of the pharisees.

It is Christ alone that can fulfill the Law on our behalf.

Warning 2, do not to fall for the leaven of Harod, the pleasures of this world.

Christ is the prize and keeping him central is key.

If one is to grow the other must die.

Reminder 2, you are called to be set part from this world. Its not your pastors job, its not the other guys job, its your job.

Lets be seeking to look like Christ in everything we do. This is the golden thread of redemption that runs through every text of scripture. Christ is everything, everything points to him, everything belongs to him, and through him we do offer worship that is pleasing to God.

Benediction

As we are the set apart people of God this blessing applies to every believer in Christ.

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Nu 6:24–26, ESV)

Go in peace or stay and fellowship, both are good.

References

[1] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 2488.

[2] C. H. Spurgeon, “Titles of Honour,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 58 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1912), 216.

[3] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 165.

Bibliography

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.

Spurgeon, C. H. The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons. Vol. 58. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1912.