Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / An Adoring Sacrifice
Transcript
- 0:00We can turn back to our reading in Leviticus chapter 2.
- 0:07We can read at the beginning of this chapter again, Leviticus chapter 2.
- 0:11When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour.
- 0:19He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it and bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests.
- 0:26And he shall take from it a handful of the fine flour and oil with all of its frankincense.
- 0:31And the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
- 0:41And so on.
- 0:45When you read in the New Testament in 2 Timothy, there's a verse that reminds us that all Scripture is God-breathed.
- 0:54God has given all of his word to us.
- 0:58And he gives it to us for a purpose.
- 1:01Reminds us in that passage in Timothy as well that it's for our good, for our upbuilding, for all of these things that we seek to find as we turn.
- 1:10To God's word.
- 1:12But there are certain passages and maybe books of the Bible that we don't tend to go to as much.
- 1:21And yet they're still God-breathed.
- 1:23They're given for a purpose, for our good, for our instruction.
- 1:28Which book in the Bible do you find God speaking directly in most?
- 1:37Which book in the Bible is made up, in the sense of the majority of the book, is made up of God speaking directly?
- 1:46Well, it's this book of Leviticus.
- 1:49It's a book where you see God speaking directly almost all the way through it.
- 1:55You see it from the very beginning in chapter 1.
- 1:58The first verse says,
- 1:59And so God is speaking directly throughout this book for much of it.
- 2:11And that says something to us, that this book is important.
- 2:14This book has a lot to say to us.
- 2:16And the very fact that you see it often quoted in the New Testament is a reminder to us of just how important it is as well.
- 2:25We'll touch on that a little bit more tomorrow.
- 2:28But when you start, if you've ever tried starting at the beginning of the Bible, the book of Genesis,
- 2:35and you say to yourself, I'm going to read all the way through the Bible.
- 2:40Starting from the Genesis, I'm going to read all the way through.
- 2:43How far do you get?
- 2:45How many of you have tried that, starting to read the Bible?
- 2:50You come to Leviticus, and it's probably the place where most people suddenly find themselves,
- 2:55not losing interest, but finding it just hard to read through.
- 3:00And very often that's the place where people will give up in that sense of reading all the way through the Bible.
- 3:07Leviticus can be a difficult read in that sense.
- 3:11What is it saying to us?
- 3:13But it has much to say to us.
- 3:15And even as we think of preparing ourselves to remember the Lord's death,
- 3:20God willing tomorrow in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper,
- 3:23we look at this chapter this evening, and God willing tomorrow,
- 3:27we'll look at chapter 16 of this book as well.
- 3:32And we see that it has much to say to us about worship.
- 3:36It has much to say to us about sacrifice, about offering,
- 3:40and what God has done for us.
- 3:44And God is speaking to us through his word here.
- 3:48And the first chapters, first five or six or seven chapters in Leviticus,
- 3:54outline for us a sense of worship and offering to God.
- 3:59And there's five main offerings that you find in these opening chapters.
- 4:04You have the burnt offering, you have the grain offering,
- 4:07the peace offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering.
- 4:11There's five different offerings that we see in this book.
- 4:16And we're going to look at the second one this evening, this grain offering.
- 4:20Reading through chapter 2, it can sound a little like a cookery class.
- 4:26This is how you are to prepare this grain offering and offer it up to the Lord.
- 4:32It just seems to be repeating itself in different ways,
- 4:35saying this is the way that you are to cook your grain with oil and with frankincense,
- 4:40and how it's to be offered up and how it's to be given to the priests
- 4:45and how they are to eat it.
- 4:47And what is it actually saying to us?
- 4:49What lessons can we take from it?
- 4:51Well, the main application is not that the minister is to be kept in a good supply
- 4:57of pancakes or scones or oat cakes.
- 5:01That's not what it's saying.
- 5:02You could take that sense from it,
- 5:04where the priests have to be given an element of what is cooked,
- 5:08that they are to eat that.
- 5:10This is their supply, as it were.
- 5:12But that's not the main thing that we're taking from it at all.
- 5:16It's much more important than that.
- 5:19There's much more to it than that.
- 5:21Because what it's actually saying to us,
- 5:24as you see it with all the other offerings that come alongside it,
- 5:27is that this is an important aspect of the people's worship,
- 5:31of their worship towards God.
- 5:35It's part of their lifestyle.
- 5:38It forms part of their community,
- 5:41that everybody is involved in this,
- 5:44no matter how little or how much grain that you have,
- 5:48that you have something to give to the Lord,
- 5:51that you have some way of approaching the Lord.
- 5:54Because this is a sacrifice of worship,
- 5:58an offering to God with a sweet aroma you find.
- 6:03So as you look at it, the grain,
- 6:05the ingredients are given to us,
- 6:07the grain, the oil, and the frankincense.
- 6:10The grain is the offering.
- 6:12The oil is there, as is often seen throughout Scripture.
- 6:16Oil is making it set apart as holy to God.
- 6:20And frankincense is what gives it that aroma,
- 6:24that richness as it is baked,
- 6:27as it is cooked on the altar.
- 6:29So all these things come together.
- 6:32And in that sense, it's that aspect of
- 6:35offering up a full worship to God,
- 6:39that we are offering our best to God.
- 6:44And there's four things that I want us to take
- 6:46from this grain offering this evening,
- 6:49as we see it in chapter 2.
- 6:51Four aspects of worship that we can take from this,
- 6:55that we can use to help ourselves
- 6:57prepare for the Lord's Supper tomorrow.
- 7:01To remember what we are doing,
- 7:03to look at it as our relationship with God,
- 7:08that we are preparing ourselves to worship Him aright.
- 7:12That we have all that we have through the Lord Jesus Christ,
- 7:18as we come to partake in the Lord's Supper.
- 7:22Are we worshiping God aright?
- 7:26Are we coming, offering that sweet worship,
- 7:29that sweet aroma to God this evening,
- 7:33in our lives in general,
- 7:34and as we come tomorrow?
- 7:36Is our worship of God what it should be?
- 7:40And how we see the Lord Jesus Christ come
- 7:43from these verses before us this evening as well.
- 7:48So the first thing we want to see about our worship
- 7:51is about the sense of remembrance.
- 7:54It's about remembering.
- 7:56The opening verses tell us this,
- 7:59as they're giving them instruction
- 8:01about what is involved in this grain offering.
- 8:05And you see in verse 2 that it speaks about
- 8:09a memorial portion.
- 8:12A memorial portion.
- 8:15It is offered as a burnt offering,
- 8:18with an aroma pleasing to God,
- 8:20as a memorial portion.
- 8:23And so what is that saying to us?
- 8:26Well, it's saying that there's a recognition
- 8:28of what God has done.
- 8:31It's a memorial, a remembrance portion.
- 8:36Now, it could be applied that there's a remembrance
- 8:39and a thanksgiving for a harvest,
- 8:41but it's much wider than that.
- 8:44It's not just focusing in on one area.
- 8:47It's focusing in on the people's lives in general.
- 8:52That they have a lot and much to give thanks
- 8:55to God for every practical aspect of their lives.
- 9:00Not just a spiritual side,
- 9:02but the practical side as well.
- 9:04That we have a memorial offering,
- 9:07a remembrance offering to give to God
- 9:10in our worship.
- 9:13You remember that the people here,
- 9:16as we're looking at Leviticus,
- 9:17were with Moses as their leader.
- 9:19They were in the wilderness.
- 9:21They were journeying in the wilderness.
- 9:24A place that was barren,
- 9:26a place that was sparse,
- 9:28and yet they had so much to be thankful for
- 9:32as they journeyed with God,
- 9:34as God provided for them.
- 9:37And so this regular grain offering,
- 9:39as the other offerings they all were,
- 9:42they were on a regular basis.
- 9:44Tomorrow we're going to focus
- 9:45on the Day of Atonement,
- 9:47that once-in-a-year sacrifice.
- 9:50But these other offerings,
- 9:51as we're looking at here,
- 9:53they were ongoing.
- 9:54So there was this continual remembrance
- 9:57of what God has done.
- 10:01And at the heart of remembrance
- 10:02is worship.
- 10:05And that's what this is about.
- 10:06The grain offering is about worship.
- 10:11About this sweet aroma
- 10:13being offered up to God.
- 10:17When you look back in the Scriptures,
- 10:19you go to the book of Genesis.
- 10:22Noah was saved by God during the flood.
- 10:26What was the first thing that he did
- 10:29as he came out of the ark?
- 10:31Well, he offered a sacrifice to God.
- 10:35He offered worship to God.
- 10:38In Genesis 8, 21, it says,
- 10:40When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma,
- 10:43the Lord said in his heart,
- 10:44I will never again curse the ground
- 10:46because of man.
- 10:48Noah offered up a sacrifice.
- 10:51And the aroma was pleasing to the Lord.
- 10:54And he gave that great promise.
- 10:55I will never again curse the ground
- 10:58because of man.
- 11:01What we find is that
- 11:02as we draw near to God
- 11:03in this remembrance,
- 11:05in this memorial,
- 11:07in this offering,
- 11:08a sweet fragrance
- 11:09of worship to God
- 11:11that he blesses,
- 11:14that he is able to bless
- 11:15as our focus is on him.
- 11:20And so this grain offering
- 11:21that seems maybe
- 11:22so simple in many ways,
- 11:25it maybe seems a little
- 11:27out of place here.
- 11:28We could have focused
- 11:30on other offerings,
- 11:32the burnt offering,
- 11:33the sin offering
- 11:34that would seem in many ways
- 11:36more important
- 11:37because they remind us
- 11:40of that sense of forgiveness.
- 11:42But forgiveness is part of this
- 11:44because the memorial portion,
- 11:47the remembrance of God
- 11:48is remembering deliverance,
- 11:51remembering God's blessings,
- 11:53remembering God's goodness.
- 11:55goodness.
- 11:55And so they offer up
- 11:57this remembrance offering.
- 12:01And when we look at ourselves tonight,
- 12:04when you look at your life,
- 12:06when you look at what God
- 12:08has done for you,
- 12:10do you see the goodness
- 12:11of God tonight?
- 12:14We can come to the Lord's Supper
- 12:16and we can think
- 12:17it's our sins
- 12:18that we are focusing on,
- 12:20our sins that are many
- 12:23as we look at them
- 12:24and we look at them
- 12:25and we know them.
- 12:26And we thank God
- 12:27for the forgiveness
- 12:28of our sin.
- 12:30But we look too
- 12:32about the goodness
- 12:33of God,
- 12:34the marshes of God,
- 12:37the way God
- 12:37has been with us
- 12:38since we last sat
- 12:39at the Lord's table
- 12:41and give thanks
- 12:42and remember
- 12:43God's goodness.
- 12:45Frederick Marsh,
- 12:47a Christian writer,
- 12:48he once looked at it
- 12:49in this way,
- 12:50what the Christian sees
- 12:52when he looks back
- 12:53and can give thanks for,
- 12:55the deliverance
- 12:56of the Lord
- 12:58that he has brought,
- 13:00the way
- 13:01the Lord
- 13:02has led,
- 13:04the blessings
- 13:04the Lord
- 13:05has given,
- 13:07the victories
- 13:08the Lord
- 13:09has won,
- 13:11the encouragements
- 13:12the Lord
- 13:13has given.
- 13:15You know,
- 13:15as you look back
- 13:16in your life tonight,
- 13:17whether it's short term
- 13:20or longer term,
- 13:21looking back
- 13:21over your life,
- 13:23do you not have much
- 13:24to give thanks
- 13:24to God for
- 13:25and to offer up
- 13:27a remembrance
- 13:29offering
- 13:29to God,
- 13:31to remember
- 13:32what he has done.
- 13:35How do we remember
- 13:37the Lord?
- 13:39Well,
- 13:40that is what we are
- 13:40to do
- 13:41this weekend.
- 13:43What we are doing
- 13:44is to come
- 13:45and partake
- 13:46in what the Lord
- 13:48has done
- 13:48for us,
- 13:50to give
- 13:51a worship
- 13:53that has a rich
- 13:54aroma of thanksgiving
- 13:56to God
- 13:57for the sacrifice
- 13:59that he has made
- 14:00for us,
- 14:01that he gave
- 14:02his life.
- 14:05And that as we sang
- 14:06in Psalm 116,
- 14:08what can we do?
- 14:09What can we give
- 14:10to the Lord
- 14:11for all of his goodness
- 14:12to us?
- 14:13The Psalm says,
- 14:14what shall I render
- 14:14to the Lord
- 14:15for all his benefits
- 14:16to me?
- 14:17I will lift
- 14:17up the cup
- 14:19of salvation
- 14:19and call
- 14:21on the name
- 14:22of the Lord.
- 14:24That is worship.
- 14:26That is a worship
- 14:27that has a sweet
- 14:28aroma
- 14:29because it is
- 14:30giving thanks
- 14:31to God,
- 14:33remembering God
- 14:34for all that
- 14:35he has done
- 14:36because Jesus
- 14:37said,
- 14:38do this
- 14:38in remembrance
- 14:40of me.
- 14:41so our worship
- 14:43is to be
- 14:44one
- 14:45of remembrance.
- 14:47The second thing
- 14:48we see here
- 14:48is it's a worship
- 14:50of giving,
- 14:51of giving
- 14:53to the Lord.
- 14:56They are bringing
- 14:57their grain offering
- 14:58to the Lord
- 14:59in its various
- 15:00formats.
- 15:01And as you read
- 15:01through the different
- 15:02ways that it is given,
- 15:04it's a reminder
- 15:05that everybody
- 15:06in this community
- 15:07is involved.
- 15:08involved.
- 15:09There may be
- 15:10some that are
- 15:11giving maybe
- 15:12a more expensive
- 15:13grain,
- 15:14a finer grain,
- 15:15a different kind
- 15:16of way of it
- 15:17being prepared,
- 15:18but each
- 15:19and every one
- 15:20is being offered
- 15:21as a sense
- 15:22of giving
- 15:23to the Lord.
- 15:25It's acknowledging
- 15:26God's goodness
- 15:27and the people
- 15:28remembering this
- 15:29by giving
- 15:30to him.
- 15:33And as they
- 15:34do this,
- 15:35they do it
- 15:35by bringing it
- 15:36as a gift.
- 15:38That is what
- 15:39these offerings
- 15:39are,
- 15:40a tribute,
- 15:41a portion
- 15:41of the goodness
- 15:43of God
- 15:44giving back
- 15:45to him.
- 15:47So when you look
- 15:47at these offerings
- 15:48in the beginning
- 15:49of Leviticus,
- 15:50what would the people
- 15:51have understood
- 15:52by it?
- 15:55Well,
- 15:55they would have
- 15:55understood that
- 15:56all that they have
- 15:58is from God.
- 16:00Everything that
- 16:01they have,
- 16:03whether it's
- 16:03their cattle,
- 16:05their sheep,
- 16:05their goats,
- 16:07their birds,
- 16:09their grain,
- 16:10everything that
- 16:11they have
- 16:11is from God.
- 16:13And what they
- 16:14are doing
- 16:14is giving back
- 16:16to God
- 16:17what is his,
- 16:18of giving
- 16:19themselves
- 16:20to the Lord.
- 16:23And so what
- 16:23this grain offering
- 16:24was,
- 16:25was a sense
- 16:26of dedication,
- 16:28a sense of
- 16:29pledging
- 16:30themselves
- 16:30once again
- 16:31to God,
- 16:33ongoing sacrifice
- 16:34in that way.
- 16:36They showed
- 16:36their commitment
- 16:37to God.
- 16:40And as we
- 16:40come to take
- 16:42part in the
- 16:42Lord's Supper,
- 16:43that is what
- 16:44we are doing
- 16:45as well.
- 16:46We are reminding
- 16:47ourselves that
- 16:48everything that we
- 16:49have is from
- 16:50God.
- 16:52And that we are
- 16:52giving back to
- 16:53him the glory,
- 16:55the worship
- 16:56that is due.
- 16:58Everything that we
- 16:59have,
- 17:00if we have
- 17:00salvation,
- 17:01salvation,
- 17:02it is all
- 17:03because of
- 17:03him.
- 17:04Not because of
- 17:05anything that
- 17:05we have done,
- 17:07it's all
- 17:07because of
- 17:08him.
- 17:08We come
- 17:09not offering
- 17:10ourselves to
- 17:11him,
- 17:11we come
- 17:12offering
- 17:12ourselves
- 17:13to him.
- 17:16Offering
- 17:17ourselves in
- 17:18that sense
- 17:18of we are
- 17:18dependent
- 17:19on him.
- 17:23And so
- 17:24here you're
- 17:24seeing that
- 17:25is the sense
- 17:26of giving
- 17:27to God
- 17:27what is
- 17:28already
- 17:29his.
- 17:31And there
- 17:32was a cost
- 17:32in this
- 17:33giving.
- 17:35Anytime that
- 17:36we see a
- 17:37sacrifice being
- 17:38offered,
- 17:39it is because
- 17:40there is a
- 17:41cost.
- 17:42They are giving
- 17:43part of what
- 17:44they could easily
- 17:45say, well,
- 17:45it's mine.
- 17:47I don't have
- 17:48to give it.
- 17:50But anything
- 17:50that we have
- 17:51and we see
- 17:51from God,
- 17:52it is his
- 17:53and is about
- 17:55giving back
- 17:56to him.
- 17:57And so
- 17:59we come
- 18:00to give
- 18:01to him
- 18:02because he
- 18:03has given
- 18:04to us.
- 18:07He has
- 18:07given us
- 18:08his son.
- 18:10He has
- 18:10given us
- 18:11salvation.
- 18:12He has
- 18:12given us
- 18:13forgiveness.
- 18:14Whatever way
- 18:15you're looking
- 18:15at it,
- 18:16it is God
- 18:17who has
- 18:17done and
- 18:18we are
- 18:19to give.
- 18:21And when
- 18:22they do
- 18:22this,
- 18:23they offer
- 18:23up their
- 18:24best.
- 18:26You see
- 18:26it here,
- 18:27for example,
- 18:28in verse 14,
- 18:29if you
- 18:29offer a
- 18:29grain offering
- 18:30of the
- 18:30first fruits
- 18:31to the
- 18:32Lord,
- 18:33the first
- 18:33fruits were
- 18:34always the
- 18:35best.
- 18:37You can
- 18:37easily say,
- 18:37well,
- 18:37we'll leave
- 18:38it till the
- 18:38second or
- 18:39the third
- 18:40harvest,
- 18:41the ones
- 18:41that maybe
- 18:41aren't as
- 18:42important.
- 18:43You see it
- 18:44again and
- 18:44again through
- 18:45Scripture where
- 18:46there is a
- 18:46lack of
- 18:47worship,
- 18:48a lack of
- 18:48relationship
- 18:49that is
- 18:49right with
- 18:50God.
- 18:51It is not
- 18:51the giving
- 18:52of the
- 18:52best,
- 18:54but the
- 18:54giving of
- 18:55the second.
- 18:56In Malachi,
- 19:00in these
- 19:01later books
- 19:02in the
- 19:02Old Testament,
- 19:03you see how
- 19:03they give
- 19:04lame animals
- 19:05and all of
- 19:06these kinds
- 19:06of things.
- 19:08They are
- 19:08holding back
- 19:09from God.
- 19:10Instead of
- 19:11giving,
- 19:12they are
- 19:12keeping.
- 19:14And if
- 19:15you are
- 19:15doing that,
- 19:15you are
- 19:16robbing God.
- 19:17That is what
- 19:17Malachi says
- 19:18in chapter 3,
- 19:19verse 8.
- 19:20Will man
- 19:21rob God?
- 19:23Yet you are
- 19:23robbing me.
- 19:24But you
- 19:24say,
- 19:25how have
- 19:25I robbed
- 19:26you?
- 19:26In your
- 19:27tithes and
- 19:28your
- 19:28contributions.
- 19:30They were
- 19:30holding back
- 19:31from God.
- 19:33They weren't
- 19:33giving as
- 19:34they should.
- 19:37Are you
- 19:37holding back
- 19:38from God
- 19:39tonight?
- 19:40Are you
- 19:40keeping back
- 19:41from God
- 19:42what is due
- 19:42to Him?
- 19:44In that
- 19:44sense of
- 19:45your worship,
- 19:47your best,
- 19:49your service,
- 19:50your life,
- 19:51everything that
- 19:52you have from
- 19:52Him?
- 19:53Are you
- 19:53giving back
- 19:54to Him
- 19:54with that
- 19:55sense of
- 19:55thanksgiving,
- 19:56that sense
- 19:57of rejoicing,
- 19:58that sense
- 19:59of adoration
- 20:00that is due
- 20:02to Him?
- 20:04We are to
- 20:05be givers,
- 20:07not keepers.
- 20:10We are to
- 20:10give ourselves
- 20:11fully to
- 20:13the Lord,
- 20:13to commit
- 20:14our ways
- 20:15to the
- 20:16Lord,
- 20:16not to
- 20:17hold back
- 20:18from Him.
- 20:20Holding
- 20:21back,
- 20:22what is
- 20:23due to
- 20:23Him is
- 20:23robbing
- 20:24God.
- 20:25It is
- 20:26disobedience.
- 20:28And so
- 20:28are you
- 20:29coming to
- 20:30give Him
- 20:30what He
- 20:31deserves?
- 20:32Your love,
- 20:34your life,
- 20:36your all.
- 20:39That is
- 20:39how we are
- 20:39to come
- 20:40to the
- 20:41Lord's
- 20:41table,
- 20:42giving to
- 20:43Him
- 20:44what is
- 20:45due.
- 20:45in
- 20:492 Corinthians
- 20:50chapter 9,
- 20:52Paul speaks
- 20:52about that
- 20:53cheerful
- 20:55giver.
- 20:55It is
- 20:55spoken about
- 20:56maybe in a
- 20:56financial way,
- 20:57but everything
- 20:58that we do,
- 20:59every act
- 21:00of worship
- 21:01is to be
- 21:02given in a
- 21:03cheerful way.
- 21:05Each one
- 21:06must give
- 21:06as he has
- 21:07decided in
- 21:07his heart,
- 21:08not reluctantly
- 21:09or under
- 21:09compulsion,
- 21:10for God
- 21:11loves a
- 21:12cheerful
- 21:12giver.
- 21:13a
- 21:14hilarious
- 21:14giver
- 21:15is the
- 21:15word that
- 21:16is used
- 21:16for cheerful.
- 21:18It is
- 21:18that sense
- 21:18of just
- 21:19there is
- 21:19joy,
- 21:20there is
- 21:20delight.
- 21:22When you
- 21:22look at
- 21:22that sense
- 21:23of frankincense
- 21:24that was
- 21:25offered up
- 21:25here,
- 21:26that aroma,
- 21:28it made
- 21:28it sweet.
- 21:31And that
- 21:31is what our
- 21:31giving is
- 21:32to be like,
- 21:33a sweet
- 21:33giving to
- 21:34the Lord,
- 21:35a thanksgiving
- 21:37giving to
- 21:38the Lord.
- 21:40The third
- 21:41thing that we
- 21:41see here
- 21:42in this
- 21:44offering is
- 21:44that it's
- 21:45preserving.
- 21:47It's
- 21:47preserving.
- 21:51In
- 21:52verse 13
- 21:53we read
- 21:53these words,
- 21:55you shall
- 21:56season all
- 21:57your grain
- 21:57offerings with
- 21:58salt.
- 22:00You shall
- 22:00not let
- 22:01the salt
- 22:01of the
- 22:02covenant
- 22:02with your
- 22:03God be
- 22:04missing
- 22:04from your
- 22:05grain
- 22:06offering.
- 22:06With all
- 22:07your offerings
- 22:07you shall
- 22:08offer salt.
- 22:09So it's
- 22:10not just
- 22:10an ingredient
- 22:11of salt,
- 22:12there is
- 22:12something
- 22:13more to
- 22:13this.
- 22:14It's
- 22:14the salt
- 22:14of the
- 22:15covenant
- 22:16with your
- 22:16God.
- 22:17That is
- 22:18not to
- 22:19be missing.
- 22:21Salt
- 22:21is of
- 22:22course a
- 22:22preservative.
- 22:24It is
- 22:25what gives
- 22:25longevity
- 22:26to food.
- 22:29And the
- 22:29people here
- 22:29in Moses'
- 22:30day would
- 22:31have been
- 22:31quite familiar
- 22:32with that,
- 22:34that salt
- 22:35was able
- 22:35to keep,
- 22:37but only
- 22:37for a
- 22:38time.
- 22:39time.
- 22:40But what
- 22:41we see
- 22:41here is
- 22:42that behind
- 22:42this offering
- 22:43and all
- 22:44the offerings
- 22:44you could
- 22:45see,
- 22:46is behind
- 22:47it all
- 22:47is that
- 22:47sense of
- 22:48covenant
- 22:49pledge
- 22:49with God.
- 22:52That he
- 22:53is the
- 22:53one who
- 22:54provides.
- 22:57That he
- 22:58is the
- 22:58one who
- 22:58preserves
- 22:59his covenant
- 23:01with his
- 23:01people.
- 23:02Because we
- 23:03break it.
- 23:05We fail
- 23:06in it
- 23:07again and
- 23:08again.
- 23:09And that's
- 23:10the whole
- 23:10reason as
- 23:11you're looking
- 23:11through Leviticus
- 23:12and indeed
- 23:13the Old
- 23:13Testament,
- 23:14when you're
- 23:14seeing the
- 23:15whole offerings
- 23:16and sacrificial
- 23:17system,
- 23:18it's happening
- 23:20all the
- 23:20time.
- 23:22It's
- 23:22ongoing
- 23:23every day.
- 23:25It's just a
- 23:25part of their
- 23:26everyday life.
- 23:27Because there's
- 23:28never a point
- 23:29where they can
- 23:29say,
- 23:31we've made
- 23:32it.
- 23:33We've
- 23:34achieved it.
- 23:35We've
- 23:35pleased God.
- 23:36Because they
- 23:38are constantly
- 23:38failing God.
- 23:41Just as we
- 23:41are, just as
- 23:42you are, just
- 23:42as I am, we
- 23:43are constantly
- 23:44failing God.
- 23:47We sin in
- 23:48thought, word
- 23:49and deed on
- 23:50a daily
- 23:51basis.
- 23:52So we don't
- 23:53just confess
- 23:54our sins
- 23:55once.
- 23:56We have to
- 23:57confess our
- 23:58sin on a
- 23:59daily basis.
- 24:01But we are
- 24:02being reminded
- 24:03here that as
- 24:03they are bringing
- 24:04their grain
- 24:05offering,
- 24:06that behind
- 24:07it all is
- 24:08that sense
- 24:09of relationship,
- 24:10that covenant
- 24:11with God.
- 24:13The salt
- 24:14of the
- 24:15covenant
- 24:15with your
- 24:16God is
- 24:17not to
- 24:18be missing.
- 24:20There is
- 24:21this
- 24:21preserving.
- 24:23And that is
- 24:24what we have
- 24:24ongoing as we
- 24:25look to the
- 24:25Lord's
- 24:26Supper as
- 24:26well.
- 24:28We take
- 24:29it, we do
- 24:30it in remembrance
- 24:31of Him and we
- 24:32keep doing it
- 24:33until He
- 24:35come.
- 24:37Do this in
- 24:37remembrance of
- 24:38me until I
- 24:40come.
- 24:41It is
- 24:42preserved for
- 24:43us.
- 24:43It's that
- 24:44relationship,
- 24:44that covenant
- 24:45relationship with
- 24:47God.
- 24:48And when you
- 24:49look forward
- 24:50into the New
- 24:51Testament and
- 24:52when you see
- 24:52Jesus preparing
- 24:54to go to the
- 24:55cross and as
- 24:56He comes to
- 24:58institute the
- 24:59Lord's
- 25:00Supper, when
- 25:02you look at
- 25:03that, what
- 25:03is He doing?
- 25:05He gives
- 25:06bread and
- 25:07He gives
- 25:08wine.
- 25:11There is
- 25:11grain involved
- 25:12in that.
- 25:13Bread is
- 25:14part of what
- 25:15we take,
- 25:16God willing,
- 25:16tomorrow.
- 25:18We are
- 25:18seeing that
- 25:19He is the
- 25:20fulfillment of
- 25:21this grain
- 25:22offering, that
- 25:23He is the
- 25:23fulfillment of
- 25:24this covenant,
- 25:26that He is the
- 25:27one who keeps
- 25:28His people.
- 25:29He is the
- 25:30one who gives
- 25:31that ultimate
- 25:32sacrifice.
- 25:35We know that
- 25:36without the
- 25:36shedding of
- 25:37blood, there
- 25:38is no
- 25:38forgiveness of
- 25:39sin.
- 25:41But our
- 25:41whole life is
- 25:42dependent on
- 25:44God and
- 25:44God, on
- 25:46Christ, and
- 25:46Christ gave
- 25:47His body and
- 25:49His blood for
- 25:50His people,
- 25:52that we might
- 25:52have life
- 25:53through Him.
- 25:56He gives
- 25:56every provision
- 25:58for us.
- 25:59He preserves
- 26:01His people.
- 26:02He keeps
- 26:03His people
- 26:04because He is
- 26:05in that
- 26:05relationship
- 26:06with His
- 26:07people, a
- 26:09covenant that
- 26:11He will not
- 26:12break.
- 26:15And so as we
- 26:16come tomorrow,
- 26:17God willing,
- 26:18to remember,
- 26:20it is because
- 26:20it is preserved
- 26:21for us.
- 26:22God willing, a
- 26:23God willing, a
- 26:24covenant that
- 26:25is ongoing.
- 26:27Do this in
- 26:29remembrance of
- 26:31me.
- 26:31me.
- 26:34The fourth and
- 26:35final thing we
- 26:36see here is
- 26:37the assurance
- 26:38that it
- 26:39gives.
- 26:42As the
- 26:43people brought
- 26:44their offerings,
- 26:46what were they
- 26:47looking for?
- 26:48they were looking
- 26:51to please God.
- 26:54They were
- 26:55looking for
- 26:55their offering,
- 26:56their sacrifice
- 26:57to be
- 26:58acceptable to
- 26:59God.
- 27:01Through the
- 27:02priest, they
- 27:02would bring it
- 27:03and offer it
- 27:04up to God.
- 27:07And God
- 27:08would bless it
- 27:09if it was
- 27:09brought right.
- 27:12But if they
- 27:12didn't bring the
- 27:13best,
- 27:15if they didn't
- 27:15bring it all,
- 27:16if they brought
- 27:18it in the
- 27:18wrong spirit,
- 27:19with the
- 27:19wrong attitude,
- 27:21then God
- 27:22was not able
- 27:22to bless.
- 27:24But what they
- 27:25are looking for
- 27:26here is bringing
- 27:27that best of
- 27:28what they have,
- 27:30that God
- 27:31would bless it
- 27:32and give them
- 27:33that assurance
- 27:34that he is
- 27:36with them,
- 27:38that he will
- 27:39not leave
- 27:40them,
- 27:41that he will
- 27:41not turn his
- 27:42back away
- 27:43from them.
- 27:45And so what
- 27:46you see here
- 27:47is they are
- 27:48bringing this
- 27:48offering,
- 27:49they are
- 27:50bringing it
- 27:50to the
- 27:50priests,
- 27:51the priests
- 27:52are then
- 27:52offering it
- 27:53up to
- 27:54the Lord.
- 27:57And how
- 27:57do we
- 27:58come in
- 27:59worship?
- 27:59What are
- 27:59we looking
- 28:00for as
- 28:01we come
- 28:02in worship,
- 28:03as we
- 28:03offer up
- 28:04a right
- 28:05worship to
- 28:05God?
- 28:06What are
- 28:06we looking
- 28:06for?
- 28:08What are
- 28:09we looking
- 28:09for in
- 28:10the Lord's
- 28:10Supper?
- 28:11What are
- 28:11you looking
- 28:11for in
- 28:12that tomorrow?
- 28:12that sense
- 28:15of assurance,
- 28:18that sense
- 28:19of peace,
- 28:22that sense
- 28:23of being
- 28:23accepted
- 28:24by God.
- 28:27And how
- 28:28do we
- 28:28find that?
- 28:31Well, it
- 28:31is coming
- 28:32through our
- 28:33priest,
- 28:34who is the
- 28:35Lord Jesus
- 28:36Christ.
- 28:37Christ.
- 28:39When you
- 28:39look at,
- 28:40for example,
- 28:41verse 10
- 28:41here,
- 28:43the priests
- 28:44partook in
- 28:45this grain
- 28:46offering.
- 28:46The rest
- 28:46of the grain
- 28:47offering
- 28:47shall be
- 28:48for Aaron
- 28:48and his
- 28:49sons.
- 28:50It is a
- 28:50most holy
- 28:51part of
- 28:51the Lord's
- 28:52food
- 28:53offerings.
- 28:55The priests
- 28:56were approving
- 28:57of what they
- 28:58were given,
- 28:59and then they
- 29:00were offering
- 29:00this, or
- 29:01they'd offered
- 29:01it to God,
- 29:02and they
- 29:02took it
- 29:03themselves.
- 29:05There's that
- 29:06sense of
- 29:06this offering
- 29:07is acceptable.
- 29:10This offering
- 29:11is right.
- 29:14And when we
- 29:15look at
- 29:15Christ
- 29:16ourselves,
- 29:18we look at
- 29:19Christ and
- 29:20his role
- 29:20of a priest,
- 29:23offering
- 29:23himself up
- 29:25as a
- 29:25sacrifice,
- 29:26as it says,
- 29:27to satisfy
- 29:28divine justice
- 29:29and reconcile
- 29:30us to
- 29:32God.
- 29:33That is what
- 29:34he is doing,
- 29:35has done
- 29:35for us.
- 29:36And so
- 29:38where is
- 29:39our assurance
- 29:40found?
- 29:43It's not
- 29:44in what we
- 29:44can bring
- 29:45to God.
- 29:47It's in
- 29:48giving
- 29:48ourselves
- 29:49to him.
- 29:52It is
- 29:53putting
- 29:53ourselves
- 29:54into his
- 29:55hands
- 29:56to come
- 29:58with Christ
- 30:00in view,
- 30:01looking
- 30:03to him,
- 30:04to bow
- 30:06humbly
- 30:07before him,
- 30:09to worship
- 30:11with that
- 30:12sense of
- 30:13adoration,
- 30:16that we
- 30:17might find
- 30:18assurance
- 30:19of the
- 30:20forgiveness
- 30:20of our
- 30:21sin,
- 30:22of the
- 30:23love of
- 30:24God
- 30:24to us
- 30:25through
- 30:26his
- 30:26Son,
- 30:27Jesus
- 30:27Christ,
- 30:30to have
- 30:30that assurance
- 30:31of knowing
- 30:32the promises
- 30:33of God,
- 30:35the fulfillment
- 30:37of his
- 30:38scriptures to
- 30:39us,
- 30:39that God
- 30:39so loved
- 30:40the world
- 30:41that he
- 30:42gave his
- 30:43only Son,
- 30:45that whoever
- 30:45believes in
- 30:47him should
- 30:48not perish
- 30:49but have
- 30:50everlasting
- 30:51life.
- 30:52when you
- 30:54think of
- 30:54these words
- 30:55in light
- 30:55of where
- 30:55the people
- 30:56were here,
- 30:58they know
- 30:58the love
- 30:59of God
- 30:59because God
- 31:01has remembered
- 31:03them and
- 31:05so they
- 31:05are to
- 31:06remember
- 31:07him.
- 31:09They know
- 31:10the goodness
- 31:11of God.
- 31:13They are to
- 31:14come and
- 31:14give to
- 31:15him as
- 31:16he has
- 31:17given to
- 31:18us.
- 31:19He gave
- 31:20his Son.
- 31:22and they
- 31:23are to
- 31:23look to
- 31:24him.
- 31:25We are
- 31:25to look
- 31:25to him
- 31:26with that
- 31:27sense of
- 31:28thanksgiving
- 31:28that he
- 31:30has remembered
- 31:31us in that
- 31:31way and
- 31:32come
- 31:32believing
- 31:34and then
- 31:37we have
- 31:37that assurance
- 31:38of eternal
- 31:40life
- 31:41from him.
- 31:44God
- 31:45has been
- 31:46good to
- 31:47us.
- 31:48He is
- 31:49due
- 31:49our
- 31:50thanksgiving.
- 31:51he is
- 31:52due
- 31:52our
- 31:53worship,
- 31:53a worship
- 31:54that is
- 31:54a sacrifice
- 31:55pleasing
- 31:57to him.
- 31:59And why
- 31:59would we
- 32:00not?
- 32:01When as the
- 32:02hymn writer
- 32:03says,
- 32:03and when I
- 32:03think that
- 32:05God his
- 32:05Son not
- 32:06sparing sent
- 32:07him to
- 32:07die,
- 32:08I scarce
- 32:09can take
- 32:10it in,
- 32:11that on the
- 32:11cross my
- 32:12burden
- 32:13gladly bearing,
- 32:14he bled
- 32:15and died
- 32:16to take
- 32:16away my
- 32:17sin.
- 32:18when Christ
- 32:19shall come
- 32:20with shout
- 32:21of acclamation
- 32:22and take
- 32:23me home,
- 32:23what joy
- 32:24shall fill
- 32:25my heart.
- 32:26Then shall
- 32:26I bow
- 32:27in humble
- 32:28adoration
- 32:29and there
- 32:31proclaim,
- 32:32my God,
- 32:33how great
- 32:34thou art.
- 32:36Bow with
- 32:37humble
- 32:38adoration.
- 32:40That is
- 32:41what we
- 32:42are to do,
- 32:43to come
- 32:44with that
- 32:45worship
- 32:46of humility
- 32:47and adoration
- 32:49and dependence
- 32:50on him,
- 32:53saying,
- 32:53not about
- 32:53us,
- 32:55but my
- 32:56God,
- 32:57how great
- 32:58thou art.
- 33:00And so
- 33:00may our
- 33:01worship,
- 33:03simple as
- 33:03it may seem,
- 33:04as this grain
- 33:05offering might
- 33:05seem,
- 33:07may our
- 33:07worship be
- 33:08filled with
- 33:09that holiness
- 33:10and that
- 33:12aroma,
- 33:13that richness
- 33:14of thanksgiving
- 33:15to him
- 33:16for all
- 33:17that he
- 33:18has done.
- 33:19Let us
- 33:20pray.
- 33:23Lord,
- 33:24our gracious
- 33:25God,
- 33:25we do
- 33:26thank you
- 33:26for your
- 33:27word.
- 33:27We thank
- 33:28you for
- 33:28the way
- 33:29all is
- 33:30God-breathed
- 33:31and how
- 33:31the wonder
- 33:33of you,
- 33:33the way
- 33:33you spoke
- 33:34to your
- 33:34people in
- 33:35the days
- 33:36of Moses,
- 33:37how you
- 33:37gave instruction
- 33:38to them,
- 33:39how you
- 33:39guided them
- 33:40in every
- 33:40aspect of
- 33:41life and
- 33:42worship.
- 33:42we thank
- 33:43you that
- 33:44that still
- 33:44rings through
- 33:45to us
- 33:46today,
- 33:47that everything
- 33:47that we
- 33:48are to do,
- 33:48everything that
- 33:49we have,
- 33:50everything that
- 33:51we see in
- 33:51our lives,
- 33:53is to bring
- 33:53us to that
- 33:54sense of
- 33:54adoration and
- 33:56worship of
- 33:57you.
- 33:58We pray,
- 33:58Lord,
- 33:59this evening
- 33:59and for
- 34:00God willing
- 34:01tomorrow,
- 34:02that our
- 34:02worship and
- 34:04all that we
- 34:04do in
- 34:04remembering
- 34:05our
- 34:06Saviour,
- 34:06the Lord
- 34:07Jesus Christ,
- 34:08that it
- 34:08would be
- 34:08acceptable to
- 34:09you,
- 34:10that it
- 34:10would be
- 34:11done in a
- 34:11right spirit,
- 34:13that we
- 34:13would come
- 34:14not looking
- 34:15to ourselves,
- 34:16but looking
- 34:17to Christ,
- 34:18our Lord,
- 34:19our Redeemer.
- 34:21Hear us
- 34:21in our
- 34:22prayers,
- 34:23fill us
- 34:23with adoration,
- 34:25bless us
- 34:26as your
- 34:26people,
- 34:27and go
- 34:28before us
- 34:28in all
- 34:29things,
- 34:29forgiving
- 34:30our sin,
- 34:31in Jesus'
- 34:32name,
- 34:32Amen.
- 34:33Amen.
- 34:33we'll
- 34:41conclude by
- 34:42singing to
- 34:43God's
- 34:43praise in
- 34:44Psalm 117,
- 34:46the
- 34:47Sing
- 34:47Psalms
- 34:47version,
- 34:51Psalm 117,
- 34:52page 155,
- 34:56the tune is
- 34:57Regent
- 34:57Square,
- 34:58Praise the
- 35:00Lord,
- 35:01all you
- 35:01nations,
- 35:02all you
- 35:03peoples,
- 35:03sing his
- 35:04praise,
- 35:05for his
- 35:05love is
- 35:06great towards
- 35:07his commitment,
- 35:08lasts always,
- 35:10he is
- 35:10faithful now
- 35:11and ever,
- 35:12hallelujah,
- 35:14praise the
- 35:14Lord.
- 35:14Psalm 117,
- 35:16the Sing
- 35:16Psalms version,
- 35:18to God's
- 35:18praise.
- 35:19praise the
- 35:24Lord,
- 35:26all you
- 35:28nations,
- 35:29all you
- 35:30peoples,
- 35:32sing his
- 35:33praise,
- 35:35for his
- 35:36love is
- 35:38great towards
- 35:40us,
- 35:41his
- 35:42commitment,
- 35:44lasts
- 35:44always,
- 35:47he is
- 35:48faithful now
- 35:50and ever,
- 35:52hallelujah,
- 35:55praise the
- 35:57Lord.
- 36:07This
- 36:08mercy and
- 36:09peace from
- 36:10God,
- 36:10Father,
- 36:11Son,
- 36:11and Holy
- 36:12Spirit rest
- 36:13upon and
- 36:14abide with
- 36:15you all now
- 36:15and forever
- 36:16more.
- 36:17Amen.