Playing in God’s Orchestra

I want you to imagine you are in a skilled orchestra, each musician playing their part under the direction of a conductor. The conductor doesn’t just wave a baton; they set the tempo, guide the dynamics, and ensure every note fits the composer’s intent. You and the other musicians, though talented, submit your individual preferences and timing to the conductor’s authority. When you do, the music is harmonious and powerful. But if even one musician decides to play out of sync or ignore the conductor, the entire performance suffers. In Leviticus 6, the priests were given detailed instructions for their service—how to keep the altar fire burning, how to dress and how to handle offerings. These weren’t arbitrary rules; they were God’s way of teaching Israel that worship and service must be done under His authority, with careful attention and reverence. The priests didn’t get to improvise or skip steps. Their faithfulness in following God’s commands ensured that the people could approach God, receive forgiveness, and live in His presence.

Living under the lordship of Christ is much like being a musician in God’s orchestra. Christ is our conductor—the Lord who sets the rhythm of our lives, calls us to obedience, and invites us to play our part in His grand composition. When we submit to His authority, our lives become a beautiful testimony of grace, unity, and purpose. But when we insist on our own way, we risk discord and miss out on the fullness of God’s blessing. Just as the priests’ daily routines, tending the fire, wearing the right garments, handling holy things, were acts of obedience that honored God, so our daily choices, attitudes, and actions reflect whether we are living under Christ’s lordship. The world may see these acts as small or insignificant, but in God’s eyes, every act of obedience is part of a greater symphony of worship.

Living under the lordship of Christ means surrendering our will, our plans, and our preferences to Him. It’s trusting that His authority brings harmony, purpose, and blessing—not just for us, but for those around us. Like the priests of old, we are called to serve with diligence, humility, and reverence, knowing that our faithful obedience allows others to encounter God’s presence and grace. That brings us to our big idea this morning that God desires His people to live under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray: Lord God, we thank you for this opportunity to gather and worship you, today. Open our hearts and minds to receive your Word. May your Spirit guide us as we listen, learn and grow in faith. Help us to apply what you teach us and share it with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our first point is, Keep the Fire Burning, found in Leviticus 6:8-13. This is what God’s Word says, “The Lord said to Moses: “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar. The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments next to his body, and shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean. The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.”

We have just finished a long section where God gave Moses and the Israelites instructions about how they were to worship Him. The offerings in Leviticus explained what the people needed to do to sustain and regain fellowship with God. After giving these instructions, God begins to explain to His servants, the priests, what their responsibilities were concerning these offerings or sacrifices. These regulations or laws were important for the priests to know so that they treated the Lord’s “holy things” properly with reverence and that they treated God with the respect He demanded and deserved. This section from 6:8 to 7:36 could be called a job description for the priests. There are some important points to keep in mind before we get to our passage. One, these instructions were not only given in the priests’ hearing but the people’s as well. Nothing was hidden; these were not secret rituals as some of Israel’s neighbors practiced. The authority of the priests over the people was limited by God and known by the people. In other words, the priests were in spiritual authority over the Israelite people, but they were under the higher authority of the one, true and living God. Two, pastors and church leaders today, are under the same standard of obedience as the priests were then. There should still be the same standard today, in worship, prayer, teaching and sharing the Word, etc. Three, just because these instructions seem to be for pastors and church leaders doesn’t mean that everyone else is off the hook. As has been said before, we all are a kingdom of priest, so we are all responsible for worshipping, praying, teaching and sharing God’s Word in the places where we live, work and play.

The first regulation that God commanded Aaron and his sons about was the burnt offering specifically the fire on the altar. The priests first responsibility was to keep the fire burning; it was to never go out. We know this is very important because no less than five times from verses 8-13, are the priests reminded of this. Every morning, the priest sacrificed a burnt offering on the altar and then all day long other sacrifices were being offered for various reasons. The fire would probably have kept burning all day because of the fat of the different sacrifices being burned. Then the last sacrifice of the day was another burnt offering and there were no ongoing sacrifices during the night. It was the priests’ job to keep it going probably by stoking the fire and adding wood when necessary. We may be wondering why this was so important that it needed to be repeated that many times? We aren’t told exactly but one reason that makes sense, as we will see later in Leviticus 9:24, is that the very first offering on the altar of burnt offering was lit by fire from heaven and it was to continue and not be allowed to go out.

Their second responsibility was to remove the ashes that had accumulated as the fire consumed the sacrifices and place them beside the altar. It seems that the priests placed the ashes on the east side of the altar as this would have been closest to the courtyard exit making it easier to carry them out. Seeing the ashes lying by the altar, the people would have known that the flame had not spared their sacrifice but had completely consumed it, assuring that their offerings had been accepted by God. Notice the priests were to be dressed properly. They were to be dressed in their linen clothes and linen undergarments whenever they approached the holy altar. They were to wear their priestly garments that included a tunic, sash, turban, and pants. These white linen clothes represented dignity, honor, holiness and purity. In Exodus 28:42-43, we learn that they were to wear linen undergarments as they approached the altar or they would incur guilt and die. The priests of other nations would perform their rituals in the nude and would sometimes be sexual in nature. The Israelite priests were to be different and were not to expose themselves before the Lord.

Next, the priests were to change their clothes from their holy clothes to common clothes to carry the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place. This changing of clothes would teach the Israelites that the closer one came to the tabernacle, the closer they came to God and His holiness. Taking the ashes outside the camp symbolized the complete removal and separation of their sin and impurity from the holy tabernacle area. The people would also have understood that God had completely forgiven their sin, and removed it from their sight, to be remembered no more. The third responsibility of the priests were to add firewood and arrange the morning’s burnt offering on the fire. To keep the fire burning there had to be a continual supply of firewood which the priests probably were responsible to gather. We can imagine this would have been a difficult job in the wilderness and with no chainsaw. It would also have been a labor intensive and dirty job, but they were still required to wear their white linen clothing emphasizing God’s holiness and the sacred duty the priests had in serving as God’s mediators.

The burnt offering symbolized the worshipper’s total dedication and complete giving of themselves and their life to God, with nothing held back. It acknowledged their sinfulness and their need for atonement. It satisfied God’s wrath through the innocent animal's death, allowing communion with God. It was offered daily for the nation for thanksgiving, healing, and gratitude for God’s continued presence. So, what can we learn from this section to keep the fire burning? First, God’s presence is always with His people, then and now. Second, we need God 24/7. As the hymn says, “we need him every hour.” We need his forgiveness, help, favor, grace, love, and we need to be continually dependent on Him. Third, we need to be ready to serve Him in all ways that He calls us to, because He is the only one worthy of all our love and obedience. Fourth, we should be motivated to holiness and modesty in our witness to others. Fifth, and arguably most important is we need to keep the atoning work of Jesus Christ first and foremost in our hearts and minds. We must be Christ focused and gospel focused, teaching and preaching Christ and Him crucified as Paul told the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 says, “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

Now how can we apply this idea of “keep the fire burning” to our lives? I like what Ross says, “No one should ever come to the sanctuary and find the fire out or the priests unavailable.” For me, as a pastor, it means to always keep Christ and his atoning work on the cross first and foremost in all our hearts and minds. I must continually preach the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, that He was crucified for our sins, He died, was buried and resurrected and then to call others to surrender their lives to Him. But I am not the only one. We are all called to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. We are all called to pursue, grow and multiply disciples. This is the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We “keep the fire burning” by continually preaching the gospel to ourselves so that we can preach it to those who don’t know Him as their Lord and Savior and then we allow the Holy Spirit to do the work in their hearts and minds. That brings us to our first next step which is I will keep the fire burning by pursuing, growing and multiplying disciples, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all people.

That brings us to our second point, Keep the Example, found in Leviticus 6:14-23. This is what God’s Word says, “These are the regulations for the grain offering: Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar. The priest is to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast in the sanctuary area; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share of the food offerings presented to me. Like the sin offering and the guilt offering, it is most holy. Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it. For all generations to come it is his perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord. Whatever touches them will become holy.” The Lord also said to Moses, “This is the offering Aaron, and his sons are to bring to the Lord on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening. It must be prepared with oil on a griddle; bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken in pieces as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. The son who is to succeed him as anointed priest shall prepare it. It is the Lord’s perpetual share and is to be burned completely. Every grain offering of a priest shall be burned completely; it must not be eaten.”

The second regulation that the Lord commanded Aaron and his sons about was the grain offering. The priests were to bring the grain offering before the Lord, in front of the altar, symbolizing the worshipper’s dedication and thanksgiving to God and acknowledging that God was their provider. The priest was then to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering brought by the worshipper and burn it on the altar. This handful was called a “memorial portion” because the worshipper was to remember God’s provision to them and that He was sufficient to meet their needs. It also remembered God’s covenant and sovereignty over their lives. It was called an “aroma pleasing to the Lord” signifying God's acceptance and delight in the worshipper’s sincere offering. Then we see two specific commands regarding the grain offering. One, how to handle the priest’s portion and two, how to handle the grain offering of the High Priest.

Once the priests had offered the memorial portion to the Lord, Aaron and his sons were allowed to eat the remainder of it. Because the priests had no allotment of land in which to cultivate their own food, the Israelite community was to supply it. One of those ways was through certain offerings. This was effectively their wages for serving God and the people in the Tabernacle, allowing the priests to focus on their spiritual duties. They were to bake it into unleavened cakes. We see the importance of this as it is mentioned twice. Leaven was symbolic of sin and impurity, and the grain offering was considered “most holy” like the sin and guilt offerings. It was “most holy” for a couple of reasons. First, it was God’s offering. Notice our scripture says, “I have given it.” Second, God then gave it to His servants, the priests, setting it apart for them as their portion. Being holy it had to be eaten by people God had set apart as holy. This reinforced the priest’s role as God’s mediator before the people.

And third, it was to be eaten in a holy place, meaning the Tabernacle courtyard probably near the altar and the entrance to the Holy Place. Also, because it was considered most holy and God’s property, Aaron and his sons had to treat it with the utmost respect. One of the ways they showed respect for God and His grain offerings was to obey His instructions to the letter. Some of the other offerings could be eaten by the priest’s families but this offering could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons. They not only showed respect and reverence for the Lord, but they modeled respect and reverence for the Lord to the people, as well. The priests were to keep the example of obedience, reverence and dedication for God before the Israelites. Eating the remainder of the worshipper’s grain offering assured the worshipper that God had accepted their acts of dedication and loyal devotion to Him and He was pleased with it. For the priests, accepting the worshipper’s grain offering and eating it was a serious matter. If the priest had any qualms about the worshipper’s devotion to God or his heart in giving the offering, he wasn’t to accept it or eat of it. Again, respect and reverence of God is seen here as the priest’s needed to use wisdom and discernment in performing their duty.

This portion of the grain offering was to be their perpetual share for generations to come. Perpetual means “to the vanishing point.” The vanishing point came and the law ended once Christ came and fulfilled the law. Then we see the phrase “whatever touches them will become holy.” The meaning of this phrase is not given but there are two views. One, only someone or something already holy was allowed to meet the grain offerings. Two, if someone or something touched the offerings, they became holy and set apart for God’s service. Now this could be problematic because if a common Israelite, one not holy and set apart, touched the Lord’s “holy things” they would be subject to punishment even unto death. At the very least, if it was inadvertent touching, they would have to bring a reparation offering to the Lord.

The second command regarding the grain offering was about handling the grain offering of the High Priest. We know this is talking about the high priest because it says, “the offering they are to bring to the Lord on the day he is anointed.” The high priest was considered the “anointed one.” Once the seven-day ordination ceremony was completed, the high priest was to bring a grain offering every day to the altar. Half of it was to be offered in the morning and the other half in the evening. This was the sole responsibility of the high priest. He was to prepare it exactly as God instructed: It was to consist of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour. This was the equivalent of an omer, which was as much as one person would eat in a single day. If you remember back in Exodus when God sent manna in the wilderness, the Israelites were to collect only one omer per person per day.

The fine flour was to be baked on a griddle or flat pan with oil. The oil was to be mixed in well or “soaked” in oil. Once it was baked it was to be broken into pieces and offered “as an aroma pleasing to the Lord” meaning that God accepted their offering. These offerings of the high priests were probably offered along with and on top of the morning and evening burnt offerings signifying repentance before thanksgiving. They were also the Lord’s perpetual share which was to continue until Christ came and fulfilled the law. Because it was the Lord’s share it was to be burned completely and none of it was to be eaten. The high priest and the other priests were not allowed to benefit from their own sacrifices. Only the Lord could accept it. The high priest brought their grain offering to the Lord on behalf of himself and the priesthood as an act of consecration and dedication to the Lord. It acknowledged God’s continued presence and their dependence on Him. It symbolized the high priest’s sinfulness and need for daily repentance and forgiveness. The priests also needed the favor and grace of God and were grateful for the Lord’s provision to them. It also signified the spiritual integrity of the priestly office. The priests couldn’t expect the Israelite people to do what they wouldn’t do. They were to keep the example daily before the people. Also, serving the Lord required a cost not just from the people but from the priests as well. There was no place for spiritual pride. The priests were to live under the lordship of God in every way the common Israelite was to and more (Big Idea). This offering also prefigured Jesus who gave Himself entirely and completely on the cross, once and for all, in obedience and dedication to the Father.

What can we learn and how can we apply “keep the example” in our lives? In word and life God’s people are to live respectfully, obediently and in holiness before God. We are to daily acknowledge God’s presence and our dependence on Him for forgiveness, provision, favor, etc. The leadership of Idaville Church and I are to keep an example of all these things before you, the congregation. And the congregation, which includes all of us, are to keep the example before the world and those who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This reminds us of 1 Timothy 4:12. Paul is talking to Timothy about how he is to live as a young pastor, but it is appropriate for all Christians as well. It says we are to “set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” And I would add that we need to keep the example, as witnesses of Jesus Christ, to the lost world around us, as well. We are all to live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every way. That includes our workplaces, homes, communities, entertainment, raising children, interaction with all people, and in our time, talents and treasures. Our Heavenly Father wants and deserves our all. Let’s be people who are totally committed to our Lord and Savior in every and all ways. Let us be people whose lives are a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Let us be people who are keeping the example of living under the lordship of Jesus Christ to everyone we meet. That brings us to our second next step which I will keep the example of living under the lordship of Jesus Christ in all ways and with all people.

I want to conclude with this illustration: Modern furnaces have taken the work out of keeping warm in cold climates. We simply set the timer on the thermostat, and the house is warm when we get up in the morning. But in former days, fire was carefully tended and fuel supplies were closely monitored. Running out could be deadly. The same is true spiritually. If we think our “spiritual fire” can be ignited as easily as a modern furnace, we risk losing our fervor for the Lord. In ancient Israel, the priests were instructed not to let the fire on the altar go out. This required a lot of work, not the least of which was collecting firewood in a land not known for its dense forests. Some scholars see the fire on the altar as a symbol for the flame of our devotion to the Lord. Spiritual passion is not something to be treated lightly or taken for granted. It will grow cold if we fail to keep it supplied with fuel. To keep the fire of our devotion burning strong, we must continue the hard work of stocking our fuel supply with hope, patience, steadfast prayer, generosity, hospitality, and humility. Hess said, “O God, my heart is the altar and my love for you is the flame; I’ll keep the fire burning for You, Lord, and I will rejoice in Your name.”

As Roxey comes to lead us in a final hymn and the ushers prepare to collect the tithes and offerings, let’s pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for this time we have spent in your Word with like-minded people. Help us by your Holy Spirit to obey and to share what you have taught each of us this morning. Help us to keep the fire burning focusing our hearts and minds on Christ and His Gospel. Help us to keep the example of living under the lordship of your son, Jesus, in every way and with all people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Closing: https://www.preceptaustin.org/leviticus_sermon_illustrations

Playing in God’s Orchestra

God desires His people to live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

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