The Sin Offering

We are on our fourth week of Leviticus and now we come to the "sin offering" in Lev 4-5:13; 6:24-30. I think simply posting my outline is not very helpful to many so I will try to at least make it annotated this time! I have to say that this has been a challenging book to teach through but it is getting easier as our knowledge and exposure to the text increases. The more I wrestle with it, the more sense it makes.

1. Guilt is natural and all too common.
   

This passage is primarily about dealing with guilt for things we did and were not aware that it was a sin at the time, or that it had sinful consequences. I think whenever we feel guilty there is a natural desire to make up for it. We recognize we made a mistake and we want to make it right. Unfortunately, we make so many it is impossible to compensate for them all. This is the idea behind karma and reincarnation in Hinduism. You have so many mistakes you will need to die a thousand deaths to make up for it all. Really, karma is a depressing idea and very unchristian as well. For our God doesn't work like that, he provides a way for us to remove guilt through sacrifice.

In addition, there is this strange language in the Bible of "clean" and "unclean." I always had a hard time wrapping my head around it. But once I thought it about it (and was inspired by a good resource "The NIV Old Testament Bible Background Commentary"), we all obsess about being clean. We understand that what we do can cause us to feel dirty or cause other things to be dirty. This is one of the powerful messages in "Wall-E" (great flick by the way). We are very aware that what we do can pollute the world, or that what we eat can pollute our bodies. The problem is, we fail to understand that not only are we the reason for this pollution, but the its source lies within us and our desires. Our sins whether intentional or unintentional pollute us and everything we come in contact with. Think about it. Places or things where you have had "bad experiences" are tainted, contaminated, and you can't stomach being there, eating that, or seeing that person. You know that your guilt or the guilt of others that has not be paid for has contaminated everything associated with the act of sin.

1. Becoming Clean, Lev 4:2 -
1. the name of the offering is more appropriately called "purification" because it is intended to cleanse things but the Hebrew word for it is the word for sin.
2. When to do it - "when one becomes aware of their guilts"
1. ignorance does work, just like prosecution for negligence. I suppose the key is, when you become aware.
2. Covers both inadvertent sins and sins of omission.
3. Things can be contaminated by sin
1. People often do this with old pictures or gifts from a failed relationship. In the movie "Forrest Gump" he does with the house of Jenny's abusive father. A very righteous thing to do.
2. We are often contaminated by things associated with sins of our past. We should remove things, like drug paraphanelia, to be cleansed from our past and remove the temptation and guilt.
3. We ought to consecrate or dedicate things to God. Cleanse your computer from porn then consecrate to be used in a holy way for God. It cannot do both, it is either clean or unclean.
2. The Spreading of Sin
1. The nature of things
1. all creation is good, very good, Gen 1:31.
2. No object is unholy in essence, God did not create sin.
2. The nature of sin
1. Sin is not a thing, it is not an object or a substance that possesses things or contaminates them.
2. Sin is a perversion of the will (see Augustine's Confessions, book 7, article 12)
   
3. It doesn't spread like germs it spreads through people using things for evil purposes rather than for good as God intended.
4. It is the corruption of our desires and wills.
3. The Presence of God
1. The gravity of the responsibility = the gravity of the sin
1. this is something I didn't talk much about but Lev 4 structures the sin offering from those with the most responsibility offering the most expensive animal to those with the least offering the smallest animal.
2. In addition, they're access to the tent of meeting represents greater exposure to God's presence. Thus the holiest place becomes contaminated as a result of people not confessing their unknown or unintentional sin.
3. The holiness factor proceeds from the Holy of Holies where the ark of the covenant was to the inner sanctuary, to the tabernacle, to the camp, and to the world. This becomes a picture of discipleship and Christian individually and collectively as the church. God's presence is most fully demonstrated in the holiest places.
2. God is the source of life and death must come to things apart from God, those who sin, whether intentional or unintentional. Blood must be shed for the forgiveness of sin, Heb 9:22.
3. God cannot be "present" with sin.
   
1. Try to think of God's presence in relationship to sin as not spacial. God is spirit, Jn 4:24.
2. God's presence is primarily displayed via his divine attributes, Ex 34:6 for the best display.
3. This is akin to us as Christians displaying the fruits of the Spirit, Gal 5:22-26.
4. Thus, you cannot display the fruits of the Spirit when in sin and God's presence is not a part of it in anyway. I recognize this is philosophically heavy stuff and it is something I have longed wonder what the relationship is between sin and God's presence. But if sin is not a substance it does not occupy space. Hence, you are either living in the spirit, with the attitude of God or of sin.
4. The Temple of God
1. One of the implications of this needed cleansing from sin is that Christ has cleansed us through expiation. We no longer need to offer sacrifices and the temple or tent of meeting is obsolete because Christ's sacrifice is superior to all others. As a result, the temple of God becomes Christians gathered in the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 3:16-17. Keep in mind this is a plural "you" not you individually but collectively. (cf. 1 Cor. 6:19 that is a singular you)
2. Jesus says it is not what goes into a person that makes them unclean but what comes out of them. Matt 15:1-20
1. You need to root our sin filled desires
2. You cannot afford to be ignorant and unaware of the affects of sin in your life.
3. We need to be cleansed internally. Eat all the organic food you want and live as green as you want be you will still not be clean.
5. Be Cleansed from Sin by Christ through Confession
1. The expiation of sin, the cleansing of sin and guilt and shame happens as a result of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Therefore, 1 Jn 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of all unrighteousness."
1. You must confess the guilt you carry. Lev 5:5
2. Confess to God somethings but others things you need to confess to those you wronged. It doesn't do you any good to hide your sins from others by trying to pious and confess them to God. Own up to your mistakes and people will respect you for it, besides it is certainly more difficult and should serve as a deterrent against hurting them in the future, provided your repentance is true.
   
3. Receive forgiveness from God
4. Cleanse yourselves, humble yourself and God will lift you up! Jam 4:7-10
5. Jesus Christ is your guilt offering and covers all you mistakes. He washes you clean from all guilt and can remove the sinful desires from your heart that you may live and dwell in God's Spirit always.

so much for annotated....

Lev. 3 & 7:11-38: The Peace Offering

1. Read Lev 3 and 7:11-38
2. Explaining the Offering
   1. An optional offering (3:1) a "if" instead of a "when" like the other two, but more explicitly, (7:12, 16)
   2. Requirements
      1. Male or female without defect (except Lev 22:23)
      2. If a thanksgiving/confession 4 different kind of cakes, must eat meat that day
      3. Vow or free will meat could be eaten the next day but no later
   3. Fat and kidneys for God
      1. Kidneys were the seat of the emotions
      2. Fat considered the best
      3. God gets our best and our deepest emotions
   4. Breast and legs for priests
      1. Taking care of the ministers
   5. Rest of meat for the worshiper
      1. One of the few times they would have meat
      2. A physical demonstration of the benefits of peace with God
      3. Truly a community event
   6. Often recited Ps 100 with it
3. When and How the Meal Should be Taken
   1. Those doing it improperly will be held responsible (7:18)
   2. Everyone must be "clean" as well as the person (7:19-21)
   3. Do not eat unclean meat, the fat, or the blood, or this person will be "cut off" (7:19-21; 25-27)
      1. Not judgment within community but divine. God will deal with them in some manner, either through sickness or death.
   4. Not given for God to eat, Ps 50:12-13 (v.14)
   5. God's presence is specially near
4. Reasons for having the Meal of Peace
   1. The meaning of "peace/fellowship" offering
      1. "shelamim" — "be complete" concluding sacrifice remembering the covenant
      2. "a gift" or "gifts offered to obtain peace"
      3. "shalom" not absence of war but health and prosperity and peace w/ God, i.e. salvation
      4. "confession" — or simply thanks for God's deliverance or done after fulfilling a vow
      5. Centers on God's mercy more than confession of sinfulness Ps 56:12-13
   2. 3 main reasons; Lev 7:12ff, examples 1 Kings 9:25
      1. Find Peace through Confession your need of God's mercy
      2. Find Peace through Keeping your word
      3. Find Peace through Expressing Thanks — in response to his grace and blessings
      4. Find Peace through orderly worship
   3. Deut 12:7 done out of joy in the presence of the whole church
5. Peace Offering and the Lord's Supper
   1. Ex 24:8 Moses after burnt and peace offerings throws blood on people to ratify the covenant
      1. It is a special meal. Not just any meal, but the one meal. Likely the Passover was a once a year special celebration of this meal
      2. It is a reminder of the covenant we have made with God
      3. It is be taken with a "clean" heart, taking it improperly could result in removal from the community of faith or even death.
      4. It is to be taken with thankfulness and joy recognizing the peace with God and the blessings of being in fellowship with him we now have.
      5. It is a part of worship service with him
      6. It is only for those who are in the community
   2. Worship should be orderly and respectful
      1. Heb 12:28-29; 1 Cor. 14:33
      2. Attention to detail important for those leading others into worship
      3. It is a performance to a certain extent
   3. It is now fulfilled through Jesus in the Lord's supper! Matthew 26:26-30
      1. Heb 13:15-16 "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is please."
   4. It is a celebration. We can express our thanks and gratitude to God through sharing the Lord's supper and remind ourselves of the wedding supper we will have with him.
      1. 1 Cor 11:17-34 — we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes
   5. We do so with reverence and awe in respect for God's holiness
      1. 1 Cor 11:27-30 — some are sick and dying because they take it inappropriately
   6. We as Christians express our thanks to God through remembering our union, our covenant, our peace with God now through Christ.
   7. Once we were forbidden to drink the blood recognizing its sacred life-giving power. Now we drink knowing Christ's blood cleanses us from sin.

Leviticus - The Grain Offering

We are just two weeks into our study of the book of Leviticus at Regeneration. I preached Sunday night on Leviticus 2, 6:14-23.

This is a text written for a worshipping community—the camp of Israel. It basically lays the groundwork for a grain offering where the worshipper and the worshipping community thank YHWH for (1) delivering them from Egypt, (2) entering into a covenant relationship with them, and (3) forgiving them of sin (in the burnt offering, which we studied last week). The worshipper and worshipping community demonstrate commitment to the covenant relationship. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, whether in sickness or in health, they are committed to YHWH (who is already committed to them).

It also lays the groundwork for the camp of Israel to be a place where each member of the camp was involved in meeting the needs of the other members. The priests mediated between the worshipping community and YHWH. They met the people's need for worship. The worshipping community, in turn, met the priests' need for daily bread. It is a beautiful picture.

My notes were rather lengthy, so I'm just going to link to them (rather than post everything here): http://www.movedigital.com/go/spinwizard/126419/grain_offering_teaching_outline.pdf. They were thrown together rather hastily, but hopefully you can still get the idea.

And here are my PowerPoint slides, if you're into that sort of thing: http://www.movedigital.com/go/spinwizard/126420/lev_ch2_ch6vv14-23.pdf

There ya go . . . comment away!

The Burnt Offering

These are my notes from our first message on Leviticus. They are a bit rough but hopefully you get the idea.

1. Context and Purpose of Leviticus
1. Its place in the Pentateuch
1. After establishment of Covenant and before arrival in the promised land
2. Order of Offerings is conceptual for ease of memory not order they were performed.
3. Holy God is present among his people and they should live in a way that reflects his holiness
2. Purpose
1. A manual for worship. Application for today - "How should we arrange our lives in the presence of the Holy God who comes to us in the person of the Holy Spirit?" (Felix Chingota, African Bible Commentary, Zondervan: 2006, p. 129)
2. Its about personal, priestly and community holiness
3. Lev. 19:2 "Be holy for I am holy."
3. Interpreting the Old Testament
1. 2 Tim 3:16
2. Matt. 5:17; John 5:46
3. Find the principal behind the instruction, how it is fulfilled through Jesus, and then comes application.
4. Animal Sacrifice
   
1. It may seem strange to us but it was a common practice back then. There were no groceries stores so if you wanted meat, you had to slaughter the animal and naturally ANE people would dedicate it to their gods.
   
2. I would like to submit that we all make sacrifices, primarily with our time and money. We too, offer things to people or the ideals we care about in order to have a better relationship with them or be at peace with the world we live in.
3. Uniqueness of Israel's sacrifice
1. Similarities with other cultures - very broadly speaking, they were offered in order to have a relationship with a deity.
2. Differences
1. no other culture did it by fire
2. other cultures often did to read the future via the entrails of the animal
3. Everyone in Israel had access to the "manual" for sacrifice, other cultures only allowed the priest's to see their sacred texts
4. It was something they were to be defined by, God "called" them, Lev. 1:1.
5. It needed to be costly (2 Sam. 24:24)
6. Part of the covenant bond with Yahweh and their unique perspective on holiness (more on that later in the series)
5. The Burnt Offering was Corporate
1. Worshipper and the priest involved
2. A very active participatory service, quite unlike many church services today!
3. Whole of animal was consumed by fire (minus the skin) and thus representing total devotion to God
4. This is the most common offering, done every day and the fire was never to go out (Lev. 6:8-13). Application: Worship should be continuous.
6. The need for Fellowship with God
1. Since God is holy it is important to distinguish between what is clean, unclean, holy, and common. Things that can become unclean can be contagious and endanger the whole community. Something must be cleaned prior to be consecrated to the Lord, and thus made holy.
1. ANE people believed that impurities could create an environment for the demonic (OT Bible Background Commentary)
2. Again, more to be discussed on this later.
2. Sin causes death and disorder and God's community is a safe-haven from a world of sin.
1. Sacrifices bring reconciliation with God and cleansing to the community
2. God is holy and since he saved his people, and us, it is necessary to live in accordance with our covenant with him. Lev. 26:46
3. The whole community is in jeopardy if a person's sin is not dealt with properly. This is part of the reason why Ananias and Saphira were struck dead in Acts 5.
4. Many other judgment upon God's people in the Old Testament that resulted in the death of some reflect this idea as well. Something must die or the community will cease to exist
5. Application: churches can die as a result of sin in the community that is not confessed and repented of
3. The Burnt Offering is about restoring relationship with God
1. Sin angers God and you cannot approach him without dealing with your sin. Illustration - similar to how ways in which you have a heart a friend of family member that you ignore can be a barrier in the relationship. It becomes the elephant in the room.
2. God is not some angry deity but someone who cares about having an appropriate relationship with him that does not demean his character and identity.
3. Lev. 1:4 - the offering was done to make atonement for one's sin
1. the animal became the person's substitute
2. it was their ransom and paid the penalty for their sin and thus could result in further consequences of sin being avoided.
4. Lev. 1:9,13,17 - an aroma, pleasing to the LORD
1. it shows our devotion to him and desire to be in relationship with him.
2. The offered their best male cattle which made a huge statement about their desire to be reconciled to God.
3. Those with less money could offer less costly animals
4. This appeased and satisfied God's anger. Our worship pleases him and he loves it and he never rejects us coming to him in humility.
5. Noah offered a Burnt Offering in Gen 8:21 after the flood and God promised he would never destroy human-kind with a flood again.
6. God's people cannot live in sin and expect God's presence to be among them. They are incompatible and cannot expect his favor.
7. Jesus is the Burnt Offering
1. Mk 10:45; Heb 7:27; Jn 1;29; 3:16; 1 Pet 1:18-19
2. We are a holy nation, a kingdom of priests and we should be holy as God is holy. Eph 5:1-2; 1 Pet 2:9-10
8. Application
1. We are reminded of the seriousness of our sin and Christ's sacrifice. It is not just my sin or your sin. It is not a private matter but a public one. Your sin affects the community of God's people and must be dealt put to death.
2. Jesus gave himself as our high priest and we worship him and offer our praises to him with our full devotion continually.
3. Forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God must be prior to true worship
4. Our worship incorporates everything we do. Our work, our relationships, everything we think, feel, say, and do. Our offerings are not merely mental acts but represent the entirety of our being.
5. Worship in the work of the church should be participatory. This doesn't mean everyone should teach or lead worship, but somewhere you should be involved in God's activity through the local church in your community. Their are no spectators in the kingdom.
6. Worship shouldn't be cheap, but costly. That is, not half-hearted or obligatory. The burnt offering was of one's one free will.

Those are my basic notes. Feel free to comment. Many things in here are the result of my study from various sources, Old Testament IVP Background Commentary, African Bible Commentary, NICOT commentary on Leviticus by Wenham, and Encountering the Old Testament. There are several interpretative issues in here and if you have studied, it is probably obvious which side I came down on, primarily the propitiation component of the Burnt Offering.

Submitting Plans to God

In the interest of livening the blog and providing more fodder for discussion, here is my rough outline of what I preached last night at the Regeneration evening service. It is rough because I didn't follow my notes very closely, so I'm not really sure what I even said.

Review: James
We have been going through James, and he has been challenging us
- to have faith that bears fruit in works, especially life-giving works of mercy
- to seek godly wisdom, especially wisdom that brings and comes from reconciliation
- right relationships, especially in the context of those who have power and those who don't
- repentance

Introduction: Plans
For the most part, we are, as young adults, in a place in life where we have a lot of plans and goals. We have plans and goals for our careers, for relationships and family. We have plans in the short term (what you will do tomorrow), medium term (what you will do this year), and long term (what you will do in the next ten or twenty years). How do we relate these plans to the Lord?

The Text: James 4:13-17
¹³Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." ¹⁴Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." ¹⁶As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

The Situation: Pride
Some probably Christian merchants were making plans about traveling and making money. The problem isn't that they were making plans—this is unavoidable. The problem was that they were doing so without recognizing that they are not ultimately in charge of their future; God is. You don't know what will happen tomorrow: circumstances could change, or you could even die. (see also Luke 12:13-21) We are small in a big universe, and much of life is really out of our control.

The Solution: Submit to God's Will
Although the text has mainly in view Gods sovereign will, I want to take a broader look at how Scripture teaches that we should submit our plans to the Lord.

1. Submit to God through Christ by repenting and believing in him. This is the first and foundational step. Without this, all the rest is rubbish. (see James 4:7)

2. Submit to God's moral will. Allow God to set the boundaries and parameters for your plans, and respect and obey what he has said. You must study Scripture to know this. (see James 1:22)

3. Submit to God's wisdom. Proverbs 2.

4. Submit to God's sovereign will. This is what is primarily in view in James 4:13-17. God is ultimately in control, not us. The "power of positive thinking" is limited. "If you think you can, you can," has an element of truth, but reality is that some things we think we can do, we can't. Two aspects:
- Recognize that God can change your plans for his reasons. Things might not work out like you hope. (see Psalm 115:3)
- Rely on God's providential provision for what you need for your plans to succeed. (see Psalm 104)

"If the Lord wills" recognizes that God is good and works for our good, in contrast to a pagan notion of "if God wills" where God may be arbitrary and capricious. When God changes plans, it is always for our ultimate good.

5. In everything, seek to honor and glorify Jesus.

Regen Reflection
1. Share a time when things didn't work out like you had planned. How did you respond? In hindsight, how can you see God in that situation?

2. What are your personal plans for the next year? for the next ten years? How can you submit those plans to the Lord?

3. Submit these things to the Lord in prayer.

A Geometric Missional Model

Joe Thorn and Steve McCoy, two young SBC pastors whose blogs are on my regular reading list, have worked out a missional paradigm for their churches based around three aspects of church life: the table, the pulpit, and the square. Joe has a nice diagram:

Instead of copying Joe's full description of the three parts, I refer you to his own explanation. The gist of it is this:
The Table, represented by a circle, is the hospitality and friendship aspect of personal and corporate ministry. Steve's explanation fleshes this out as ranging from neutral third-place relationship-building to private dinners or coffee with people.
The Pulpit, represented by a triangle, is the gathered activities of the church, including corporate worship, equipping ministries, and community groups.
The Square, represented by a square, is the civic engagement aspect of personal and corporate ministry.

I like this paradigm for a few reasons:
1. Every aspect of life is involved.
2. It is doable. Everyone and anyone can sign on.
3. It is memorable.

This really isn't all that much different from the connecting, maturing, and unleashing mission of Bear Valley. One could even propose the following one-to-one relationships:
Connecting = The Table
Maturing = The Pulpit
Unleashing = The Square

Maybe that can give us some food for thought—or at least a clearer mental model.

Reflections on the Church & Young Adults

Trevin Wax has written a chapter-by-chapter summary of the book After the Baby Boomers: How Twenty- and Thirty-Somethings are Shaping the Future of American Religion. His concluding thoughts about the book and the subject are interesting and possibly worth discussing.

1... 2... 3... GO!