Our reading challenge for the day is Leviticus 26-27 and John 1-3. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
Leviticus has an odd ending. After chapter 26 where God proclaims his blessing upon obedience and his curse upon disobedience, there is chapter 27 which seems rather like a price and valuation list for different offerings. The book then ends rather abruptly. In reflection on Leviticus we see over and over again that enabling people to come and worship God is at the heart and center of the text. God seeks people to worship him. He makes a way for us to approach his throne.
John 1 - John presents Jesus very boldly as the eternal Son of God who has come to his own people as the one who would take away their sins. As he is beginning his work he himself gathers disciples, counter to common practice where disciples seek out a teacher.
John 2 - John is all about Jesus being greater than nature, as well as Jesus being the one who provides purification. Notice the link at the wedding - the wine is created in jars used for purification. Jesus will later present wine as his blood which purifies us from sin.
John 3 - This theme of purification comes up again, as Jesus not only helps Nicodemus see that he needs cleansing from God as a rebirth, not of his own works or obedience but like a child being born. John continues to link baptism, purification, the Holy Spirit, and faith in Jesus together in his gospel.
The way that John ties in all his different elements always impresses me. Trying to comment on what he says is a little like trying to describe a great painting to a person who has always been blind.
Showing posts with label Leviticus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leviticus. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Bible Reading Challenge - Week 8 Day 1 Leviticus 21-25
Our reading challenge for the day is Leviticus 21-25. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
Leviticus 21-22 - The priesthood is to maintain a particularly holy life in all their doings, including in the marriages they make. See that those priests who are ill or deformed in some way are exempt from service as priests but are cared for anyway. Just as priests are to be specially holy in their presentation to the Lord, so are offerings.
Leviticus 23 - God appoints feasts for Israel, both the weekly Sabbath and the other feasts which are annual. On all of these feasts the people of Israel rejoice in the Lord who has provided for them, bringing him back a portion of what he has given them.
Leviticus 24 - Ever look up how big an ephah is? The footnote I found said the loaves of bread for the table in the tabernacle were made with about 22 liters of flour each. That's about forty cups, unless my sense of baking is way off. Twelve of those enormous loaves of bread each week were provided for the priests on active duty. When God's people all contribute they are able to take very good care of those who serve them in ministry.
Leviticus 25 - I wonder what we would face in today's world if, trusting the Lord, we were to take a year in seven off from our occupations, and if we all did it at the same time. God is demonstrating to Israel that he cares for them in every way. It's hard enough for many of us to take one day in seven off, not to mention one year in seven. Ah, to trust God more.
Leviticus 21-22 - The priesthood is to maintain a particularly holy life in all their doings, including in the marriages they make. See that those priests who are ill or deformed in some way are exempt from service as priests but are cared for anyway. Just as priests are to be specially holy in their presentation to the Lord, so are offerings.
Leviticus 23 - God appoints feasts for Israel, both the weekly Sabbath and the other feasts which are annual. On all of these feasts the people of Israel rejoice in the Lord who has provided for them, bringing him back a portion of what he has given them.
Leviticus 24 - Ever look up how big an ephah is? The footnote I found said the loaves of bread for the table in the tabernacle were made with about 22 liters of flour each. That's about forty cups, unless my sense of baking is way off. Twelve of those enormous loaves of bread each week were provided for the priests on active duty. When God's people all contribute they are able to take very good care of those who serve them in ministry.
Leviticus 25 - I wonder what we would face in today's world if, trusting the Lord, we were to take a year in seven off from our occupations, and if we all did it at the same time. God is demonstrating to Israel that he cares for them in every way. It's hard enough for many of us to take one day in seven off, not to mention one year in seven. Ah, to trust God more.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sermon “Looking for Transfiguration? See Jesus”
Sermon “Looking for Transfiguration? See Jesus” audio link
May the grace of the Lord be with us all, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Today, Sunday of the Transfiguration, the last Sunday before the penitential season of Lent, we look to Jesus as the one who was presented to his apostles as the Holy One of Israel. We see that Jesus, already the pure and spotless Lamb of God, is shown to be that one, abundant in radiance.
When confronted by God's radiance, how do we react? Do we, like Peter, start to articulate our building plan, preparing to make some sort of tabernacles to celebrate God's holiness? Do we fall down in fear and reverence? Or do we possibly avert our eyes and try to escape from our Lord's presence?
I can picture the responses that some people in our community might have had to the sign posted outside this week. I know they read it, because I hear about it from unexpected people at unexpected times. People from the community comment on our sign, though they rarely tell me specifics. So what would they make of that sign, this sermon title? “Looking for Transfiguration? See Jesus.”
I know and you know that some people would deliberately avoid a sermon like that. It sure seems like a chance for the pastor to beat us about the head telling us how to change our lives so we can be like Jesus. We often can go to church and be told how to transfigure ourselves, or at least be told that we need to transfigure ourselves. That's about the time that the crushing weight of God's Law falls on us. Do this! Do that! If you want to live like a “real” Christian you'll prove yourself holy, all the way, all the time, and then you will have some hope that maybe the Lord will accept you. Have you ever been beaten up in that way? I'm sorry if you have. I've endured it also, for a good many years. And sad to say I've probably dished up a number of servings of that kind of preaching and teaching. I might have done it recently.
Here's a case in point. Last week, when talking about letting children come to Jesus, I realized that I neglected to say some things. And that neglect may have proven a discouragement to some people. I hope it didn't. But I fear it may have done so. In saying that the death of a person stops that person from having more opportunities to come to Jesus in faith, I spoke the truth. When we die, we no longer have opportunity to hear the Gospel and respond with a life of faith. That's the fact. But does that mean that everyone who doesn't make it to birth is condemned? Not at all. Though we are conceived as sinful beings, the Holy Spirit works through the Word on people who haven't even been born yet. Remember that everywhere the mother goes, the baby also goes. And through the hearing of the Word of God even an unborn child can have faith planted in his heart. There's no reason to doubt that, no reason at all. What fruit of righteousness do we see? We might not have the opportunity to see the fruit. The child who dies before being born has no opportunity to bear fruit of the Spirit, to love his neighbor, to help those in need. But neither did the thief on the cross when he was repentant and
trusted Jesus. Remember, we are saved by grace through faith, and that is not of ourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, so nobody can boast. And sometimes God grants that faith to a person who will not live to express his faith in any way. But it is saving faith nonetheless. This does not mean that we treat unborn humans in any casual way. But it does mean that we are often unaware of the work which the Holy Spirit is doing in people's lives. Let God be God!
So we don't beat people up, telling them how to be righteous in hopes that they will earn their wings. It simply isn't going to happen. God commands that we should be holy, but he also gives us the way to be holy, and that is not through our own works. And that is the other feature of today's service which I think might just be sadly unattractive to some people in our community. Really, the Bible says that we are to look to God for change? But how many of the people you work with think they are doing pretty well regardless? Change? From God? Really? Why, if anything, they may well think that God should change his attitude and decide to like us, because we're pretty good folks, after all. All this religiosity about sin, shame, repentance, forgiveness, our culture wants to leave it behind. Just get on with our lives and do what's right. We all know how to be good people, don't we? Well, let me ask if we act upon that. The same person who tells me people are good by nature will confess to locking up his possessions because there are people all around him who will steal them. The same person who tells me people are good and helpful wouldn't be caught dead asking for directions in some parts of some cities. The same people who say they are honest in all their dealings are willing to pay people in cash that will be unreported for tax purposes, or may prefer to receive payment in cash which they will not report on their taxes, thus violating federal laws. And I'll just say two other words, then let it go. “Speed limit.”
All right, so we need transfiguration. If we are to be faithful and lawful people, we realize we have failed. Yet the change that we need is not something we can cause ourselves. We can make attempts at it. Yet we realize that deep in our hearts we are by nature lawbreakers. We need a change, and we need it from outside ourselves. Jesus, then, is the one who is presented to us as the one who is perfect, radiant in righteousness, having complete communion with God the Father. This is all well and good. But how does Jesus' transfiguration have anything to do with us?
Enter the Bible Reading Challenge. What did we read this week? We read most of the book of Leviticus, where God's redeeming grace shines through bright an clear. Now I realize that some people despair of God's grace when they read Leviticus. But I'd ask if they have ever seen chapter 16 well in its context. For in this chapter we meet the “scapegoat” - the perfect young goat upon whom all the sins of Israel are confessed, then which is sent out into the wilderness where he certainly becomes lunch for some very hungry wild animals. What is the result? This animal bears the sin of the people and then goes outside of the camp to perish as a result of the sin which has been imputed to him.
Jesus is now presented as our scapegoat. He, the perfect Lamb of God, presented to us in glory at the mount of transfiguration, is the one to whom all the sin of all mankind is imputed. He, Jesus, is the one who suffers and dies a shameful death, outside of the city, outside of the camp, in an unclean place, bearing your sin and my sin. Jesus, the transfigured one, changes himself to receive all our sin and shame. And because he receives it we no longer bear it. We no longer need to walk around weighed down by the guilt of our sin. We no longer need to bear the oppression of our past. We are not condemned, for Jesus has been condemned for us.
Do we want transfiguration? Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation, the one who bears our sin, the one who overcomes it all by his death, burial, and resurrection. Is this a message which is foreign to our culture? Yes it is, but it is the truth, it is the message we need. Jesus is the one who has delivered us. Thanks be to God. Amen.
May the grace of the Lord be with us all, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Today, Sunday of the Transfiguration, the last Sunday before the penitential season of Lent, we look to Jesus as the one who was presented to his apostles as the Holy One of Israel. We see that Jesus, already the pure and spotless Lamb of God, is shown to be that one, abundant in radiance.
When confronted by God's radiance, how do we react? Do we, like Peter, start to articulate our building plan, preparing to make some sort of tabernacles to celebrate God's holiness? Do we fall down in fear and reverence? Or do we possibly avert our eyes and try to escape from our Lord's presence?
I can picture the responses that some people in our community might have had to the sign posted outside this week. I know they read it, because I hear about it from unexpected people at unexpected times. People from the community comment on our sign, though they rarely tell me specifics. So what would they make of that sign, this sermon title? “Looking for Transfiguration? See Jesus.”
I know and you know that some people would deliberately avoid a sermon like that. It sure seems like a chance for the pastor to beat us about the head telling us how to change our lives so we can be like Jesus. We often can go to church and be told how to transfigure ourselves, or at least be told that we need to transfigure ourselves. That's about the time that the crushing weight of God's Law falls on us. Do this! Do that! If you want to live like a “real” Christian you'll prove yourself holy, all the way, all the time, and then you will have some hope that maybe the Lord will accept you. Have you ever been beaten up in that way? I'm sorry if you have. I've endured it also, for a good many years. And sad to say I've probably dished up a number of servings of that kind of preaching and teaching. I might have done it recently.
Here's a case in point. Last week, when talking about letting children come to Jesus, I realized that I neglected to say some things. And that neglect may have proven a discouragement to some people. I hope it didn't. But I fear it may have done so. In saying that the death of a person stops that person from having more opportunities to come to Jesus in faith, I spoke the truth. When we die, we no longer have opportunity to hear the Gospel and respond with a life of faith. That's the fact. But does that mean that everyone who doesn't make it to birth is condemned? Not at all. Though we are conceived as sinful beings, the Holy Spirit works through the Word on people who haven't even been born yet. Remember that everywhere the mother goes, the baby also goes. And through the hearing of the Word of God even an unborn child can have faith planted in his heart. There's no reason to doubt that, no reason at all. What fruit of righteousness do we see? We might not have the opportunity to see the fruit. The child who dies before being born has no opportunity to bear fruit of the Spirit, to love his neighbor, to help those in need. But neither did the thief on the cross when he was repentant and
trusted Jesus. Remember, we are saved by grace through faith, and that is not of ourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, so nobody can boast. And sometimes God grants that faith to a person who will not live to express his faith in any way. But it is saving faith nonetheless. This does not mean that we treat unborn humans in any casual way. But it does mean that we are often unaware of the work which the Holy Spirit is doing in people's lives. Let God be God!
So we don't beat people up, telling them how to be righteous in hopes that they will earn their wings. It simply isn't going to happen. God commands that we should be holy, but he also gives us the way to be holy, and that is not through our own works. And that is the other feature of today's service which I think might just be sadly unattractive to some people in our community. Really, the Bible says that we are to look to God for change? But how many of the people you work with think they are doing pretty well regardless? Change? From God? Really? Why, if anything, they may well think that God should change his attitude and decide to like us, because we're pretty good folks, after all. All this religiosity about sin, shame, repentance, forgiveness, our culture wants to leave it behind. Just get on with our lives and do what's right. We all know how to be good people, don't we? Well, let me ask if we act upon that. The same person who tells me people are good by nature will confess to locking up his possessions because there are people all around him who will steal them. The same person who tells me people are good and helpful wouldn't be caught dead asking for directions in some parts of some cities. The same people who say they are honest in all their dealings are willing to pay people in cash that will be unreported for tax purposes, or may prefer to receive payment in cash which they will not report on their taxes, thus violating federal laws. And I'll just say two other words, then let it go. “Speed limit.”
All right, so we need transfiguration. If we are to be faithful and lawful people, we realize we have failed. Yet the change that we need is not something we can cause ourselves. We can make attempts at it. Yet we realize that deep in our hearts we are by nature lawbreakers. We need a change, and we need it from outside ourselves. Jesus, then, is the one who is presented to us as the one who is perfect, radiant in righteousness, having complete communion with God the Father. This is all well and good. But how does Jesus' transfiguration have anything to do with us?
Enter the Bible Reading Challenge. What did we read this week? We read most of the book of Leviticus, where God's redeeming grace shines through bright an clear. Now I realize that some people despair of God's grace when they read Leviticus. But I'd ask if they have ever seen chapter 16 well in its context. For in this chapter we meet the “scapegoat” - the perfect young goat upon whom all the sins of Israel are confessed, then which is sent out into the wilderness where he certainly becomes lunch for some very hungry wild animals. What is the result? This animal bears the sin of the people and then goes outside of the camp to perish as a result of the sin which has been imputed to him.
Jesus is now presented as our scapegoat. He, the perfect Lamb of God, presented to us in glory at the mount of transfiguration, is the one to whom all the sin of all mankind is imputed. He, Jesus, is the one who suffers and dies a shameful death, outside of the city, outside of the camp, in an unclean place, bearing your sin and my sin. Jesus, the transfigured one, changes himself to receive all our sin and shame. And because he receives it we no longer bear it. We no longer need to walk around weighed down by the guilt of our sin. We no longer need to bear the oppression of our past. We are not condemned, for Jesus has been condemned for us.
Do we want transfiguration? Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation, the one who bears our sin, the one who overcomes it all by his death, burial, and resurrection. Is this a message which is foreign to our culture? Yes it is, but it is the truth, it is the message we need. Jesus is the one who has delivered us. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Bible Reading Challenge - Week 7 Day 5 Leviticus 16-20
Our reading challenge for the day is Leviticus 16-20. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
In Leviticus 16 we see the concept of the "scapegoat." Here God reveals to his people the idea of a substitute for their sin - one upon whom all the sins of Israel would be imputed through confession. By God's decree that recipient of the sins of the people would be sent from the camp to certain death.
The chapters following this day of atonement detail ways in which Israel is to be different from the surrounding nations. Do we, those called to be Christians, realize that since our sins have been imputed to God the Son, and his righteousness has been imputed to us, go ahead and live a life which is distinct from the people around us? Do we actively pursue righteousness in thanksgiving to Christ who gave himself for us? Not like we should, so we are thankful that day after day we can come to our Lord confessing our sin and receiving his forgiveness.
In Leviticus 16 we see the concept of the "scapegoat." Here God reveals to his people the idea of a substitute for their sin - one upon whom all the sins of Israel would be imputed through confession. By God's decree that recipient of the sins of the people would be sent from the camp to certain death.
The chapters following this day of atonement detail ways in which Israel is to be different from the surrounding nations. Do we, those called to be Christians, realize that since our sins have been imputed to God the Son, and his righteousness has been imputed to us, go ahead and live a life which is distinct from the people around us? Do we actively pursue righteousness in thanksgiving to Christ who gave himself for us? Not like we should, so we are thankful that day after day we can come to our Lord confessing our sin and receiving his forgiveness.
Bible Reading Challenge - Week 7 Day 4 Leviticus 11-15
Our reading challenge for the day is Leviticus 11-15. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
Today's readings are all about the distinction between unclean and clean. The directives God issues run from what Israel could eat to what they wore, how they would live, and how they would conduct themselves when disease was suspected or when bodily fluids were discharged. We might find some wise medical ideas here but I wonder if we find something more serious - that the people of Israel were consecrated in a way so as to be different from the people around them and to symbolize purity in all they did.
Today's readings are all about the distinction between unclean and clean. The directives God issues run from what Israel could eat to what they wore, how they would live, and how they would conduct themselves when disease was suspected or when bodily fluids were discharged. We might find some wise medical ideas here but I wonder if we find something more serious - that the people of Israel were consecrated in a way so as to be different from the people around them and to symbolize purity in all they did.
Bible Reading Challenge - Week 7 Day 3 Leviticus 6-10
Our reading challenge for the day is Leviticus 6-10. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
Leviticus 6-7 The whole idea of offerings is one which I think we misunderstand. See how the concern in the Scripture is that we have separated ourselves from fellowship with God and man by our sin and that we need to pursue reconciliation. Just paying back what we have taken or somehow damaged is not adequate. We restore more and we also need the offering which will bring forgiveness before God.
Leviticus 8-10 See how those consecrated for service to God receive their ministry according to the Lord's appointment. Aaron and his sons are prepared for service in a particular way, through God's command and as recipients of God's promises. The authority to minister before God and provide forgiveness of sins for the people is something which they do not take upon themselves but which is given to them. When Aaron's sons disobey God and are consumed it is clear that they are undone because of taking God's authority into their own hands. Yet Aaron is to continue ministering according to the Lord's appointment, even in his grief, because that is how the people receive forgiveness, life, and salvation.
Leviticus 6-7 The whole idea of offerings is one which I think we misunderstand. See how the concern in the Scripture is that we have separated ourselves from fellowship with God and man by our sin and that we need to pursue reconciliation. Just paying back what we have taken or somehow damaged is not adequate. We restore more and we also need the offering which will bring forgiveness before God.
Leviticus 8-10 See how those consecrated for service to God receive their ministry according to the Lord's appointment. Aaron and his sons are prepared for service in a particular way, through God's command and as recipients of God's promises. The authority to minister before God and provide forgiveness of sins for the people is something which they do not take upon themselves but which is given to them. When Aaron's sons disobey God and are consumed it is clear that they are undone because of taking God's authority into their own hands. Yet Aaron is to continue ministering according to the Lord's appointment, even in his grief, because that is how the people receive forgiveness, life, and salvation.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Bible Reading Challenge - Week 7 Day 2 Leviticus 1-5
Our reading challenge for the day is Leviticus 1-5. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
Leviticus 1 – When people bring burnt offerings to the Lord, regardless of how expensive or inexpensive the animal is, the process is very similar. The animal is killed before the Lord, the blood is applied to the altar, the edible parts are burned on the altar and the inedible parts are disposed of. The animal is to be an unblemished one, which the Lord will receive as a pleasing offering.
Leviticus 2 – Grain offerings are presented before the Lord. Most of the offering is to sustain the priests, but some of it is burned. The bread is always unleavened, symbolizing an absence of sin, and it is always seasoned with salt, (2:13 ESV) “the salt of the covenant with your God.”
Leviticus 3 – If someone brings a peace offering, it is an animal. The animal is killed and the fat is offered on the altar. God takes the fat and leaves the rest for the worshipers.
Leviticus 4-5 – An offering for sin is made much like the peace offering except it appears the animal is not retained for later use but is discarded and destroyed. The offerings for guilt and sin differ according to the penitent’s ability to make an offering, from a bull to a handful of flour.
In all these offerings we see that the priest is coming before the altar with the person who is bringing the offering. The priest makes intercession for the worshiper and the offering is received. God has provided a means of forgiveness and restoration for his people.
Leviticus 1 – When people bring burnt offerings to the Lord, regardless of how expensive or inexpensive the animal is, the process is very similar. The animal is killed before the Lord, the blood is applied to the altar, the edible parts are burned on the altar and the inedible parts are disposed of. The animal is to be an unblemished one, which the Lord will receive as a pleasing offering.
Leviticus 2 – Grain offerings are presented before the Lord. Most of the offering is to sustain the priests, but some of it is burned. The bread is always unleavened, symbolizing an absence of sin, and it is always seasoned with salt, (2:13 ESV) “the salt of the covenant with your God.”
Leviticus 3 – If someone brings a peace offering, it is an animal. The animal is killed and the fat is offered on the altar. God takes the fat and leaves the rest for the worshipers.
Leviticus 4-5 – An offering for sin is made much like the peace offering except it appears the animal is not retained for later use but is discarded and destroyed. The offerings for guilt and sin differ according to the penitent’s ability to make an offering, from a bull to a handful of flour.
In all these offerings we see that the priest is coming before the altar with the person who is bringing the offering. The priest makes intercession for the worshiper and the offering is received. God has provided a means of forgiveness and restoration for his people.
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