Leviticus – Idaville Church

A Side of Fries

A Side of Fries

I want to start this morning by giving you some words and I want you to say the word that goes with each one. Such as peanut butter and ________. (jelly). Salt and __________. (pepper). Batman and __________. (Robin). Romeo and __________. (Juliet). Hamburger and __________. (fries). For those who go to fast food restaurants which restaurant’s fries do you like the best? I am going to say the name of some restaurants and if they are your favorite, I want you to clap. Burger King. Wendy’s. Chick-Fila-A. McDonalds. Five Guys. I would say that most of you like _______________ fries the best. I went on Google and found three people who ranked the fries at these five restaurants. Then I took the average to come up with the following rankings. At #5 is Burger King. At #4 is Five Guys. At #3 is Chick-Fil-A. At #2 is McDonalds. And at #1 is Wendys. Now if you are the least bit interested, here are my own personal fry rankings: At #5 is Burger King. At #4 is Wendys. At #3 is Chick-Fil-A. At #2 is Five Guys and my favorite French fry is McDonalds. Alright now that that is out of the way. What do fries have to do with Leviticus 2?

Last week we finished with God instructing Moses on the first of five offerings the Israelites were to bring before Him in worship. The first offering or sacrifice was the burnt offering and God spelled out the rules and regulations the people and the priests needed to follow when they brought it before Him. Let me recap the major points of the burnt offering. The burnt offering came first in Leviticus because it was the most prevalent. A perfect male lamb was sacrificed on the altar first every morning and last every night. For the offeror, it symbolized total surrender and devotion to God. It was completely consumed by the fire and there was nothing left over for the worshipper, which made it very costly. The acceptable sacrifices were bulls, sheep, goats, doves and pigeons. The burnt offering atoned for sin, turned away God’s wrath, and brought reconciliation between God and man. When it was done according to God’s standard it was “a pleasing aroma” to Him. “A pleasing aroma” describes the rising smoke from the burnt offerings symbolizing that the sacrifice and the worshiper's heart was wholly pleasing to God. The burnt offering points us to Jesus Christ as He was the perfect, unblemished Lamb of God, who voluntarily sacrificed Himself on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. Just as the burnt offering was completely consumed on the altar, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross completely consumed our sins, once and for all. Jesus’ sacrifice was a “pleasing aroma” rising before God showing His pleasure in Christ’s perfect obedience and the reconciliation it achieved.

This morning, we are going to look at the second offering that God ordained to be offered in the worship lives of His people, called the “grain” offering. Now, not 100% of the time, but most of the time, the grain offering accompanied the burnt offering with the burnt offering almost always being offered first. This is because whenever you came before God in worship, your sins needed to be atoned for first. According to one person, the burnt offering was like a “hamburger”, and the grain offering was like a “side of fries.” While the burnt offering brought reconciliation between God and man, the grain offering was a gift of thanksgiving that acknowledged God's provision of their physical and spiritual needs. God had saved them from slavery in Egypt and had chosen them as His people, His royal priesthood, His holy nation and His special possession. And so, in thanksgiving and remembrance of that salvation, provision and covenant promises they were to bring an offering from the fruits of their labor, meaning their fields. It was to be the best that they had and was to be a token of their renewed dedication to keep the covenant the Lord made with them at Mt. Sinai. That brings us to our big idea this morning that God desires His people to offer themselves and the best they have to Him in dedication and thanksgiving.

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father, we desire to sit at your feet and hear with joy what you have to say to us today. Prepare and open our hearts and minds with the power of your Holy Spirit, that, as the Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we will be transformed. Silence every voice in us but your own, so that we may hear your word, and then obey it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our first point, “Uncooked” is found in Leviticus 2:1-3. This is what God’s Word says, “When anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour. They are to pour olive oil on it, put incense on it and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”

The first thing we can notice is that “anyone” can offer a grain offering. In chapter one the Hebrew word used was “mankind” and the word used here is “soul.” So literally any “soul”, man or woman, could bring a grain offering to the Lord. The Hebrew word for “grain offering” means “a gift”, “donation” or “tribute from an inferior to a superior.” This offering demonstrated their thankfulness for what their covenant king had done for them and for continuing to provide for them. They gave this gift to the Lord with joy and with the desire to rededicate themselves in relationship and communion with Him. This gift offering had to be given according to God’s standards in order for it to be accepted. They were to give their offerings in faith and with the right heart before God. This is because the offering pointed to Christ and what He would do for them and for us on the cross. The same is true for us. We must be one with Christ giving our offerings in faith and with the right heart or it will not be accepted. This same Hebrew word for “grain offering” is used for both Cain and Abel’s offerings, one being accepted and other one was not.

The first offering was an “uncooked” grain offering that was to consist of fine flour. The main flour cultivated by the Israelites was wheat flour and so this is what is probably in view here. It was to be “fine” flour, meaning, one, it was flour that has been finely ground and two, meaning it was the most purified flour and representative of the best they had. The grain offering is a picture of Jesus Christ as the first and finest grain of wheat that must be put in the ground and die to produce many seeds. We see that in John 12:24. This offering acknowledged that Jesus is the Bread of Life and that He gives eternal life to those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior. The grain for this offering was given by God to the people, but they had to do the work of grinding it into flour to be used in their worship of the Lord. Today, as we work, in whatever capacity, paid or volunteer, we are to work to the best of our ability remembering we are Christ-followers and we can only do what we do because God has given us the resources and ability.

Next, the worshipper was to pour a generous amount of olive oil on the flour. In God’s Word, oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit. By pouring oil on it and not mixing it in, it is a picture of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Again, this is a picture of Jesus who is the Messiah or the Christ, which means the “Anointed One.” After pouring oil on top, the worshipper put frankincense on it as well. Frankincense was expensive and so it was worthy of being offered to God and it was fragrant so its burning would give off a sweet-smelling aroma. This symbolized the offeror’s complete and fragrant act of devotion and worship ascending to the Lord as an acceptable and pleasing aroma to Him. It is also a picture of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and that His sacrifice on the cross was an acceptable and pleasing aroma to His Father. Jesus had acceptably fulfilled the work God sent him to do on the earth.

The offering was then taken by the worshipper to Aaron’s sons, the priests, at the tabernacle. This would have identified the offering as the worshipper’s much like the bird in the burnt offering was. One of the priests would take a handful of the flour and oil and all the incense and burn it on the altar. The priests as the people’s mediator, holy and set apart by God were the only ones who could burn the offerings on the altar. This points to our offerings being sanctified by Christ alone who is the mediator between God and us. This handful is called a memorial portion which comes from the word meaning “to remember.” The worshipper was to remember what God had done and was still doing for them. If the worshipper correctly followed the regulations for the grain offering and did it with the right heart it would be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Again, we are pointed to Christ as we are to “remember” His sacrifice on the cross for us and everything we “do” for the Lord should be done in devotion and thanksgiving to Him. The rest of the grain offering was to go to Aaron and his sons. The worshipper had given his offering in thanksgiving and gratitude for what God had done for him and so it would not have made sense for the worshipper to take any part of it back. As this offering was given to the Lord, he had the right to do with it what he wanted. Calling it most holy told the people and the priests that it had to be used in a “holy” way not in a profane or unholy way. Since the priests were set apart and holy to the Lord it went to them. In effect it was “wages’ for their work in the Tabernacle.

Our second point, “Cooked”, is found in Leviticus 2:4-10. This is what God’s Word says, “‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with olive oil. If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”

In contrast to the first offering being “uncooked” this section talks about “cooked” offerings. The first type of cooked offering was one that was “oven baked.” It also had to be made from their best and finest flour and without yeast. The worshipper could bring an offering of “thick” loaves or cakes with olive oil mixed in or “thin” loaves or wafers with olive oil brushed on. The olive oil being mixed in symbolized the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the oil being brushed on symbolizes being anointed with the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew word for “brushed” is the same word used to identify the coming Messiah in Isaiah 61:1 which says, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” This is a picture of Christ who was anointed to fulfill the Messianic prophecies in the OT.

The second type of cooked offering was one that was prepared on a griddle. Again, it was made of the finest flour mixed with oil and without yeast. The worshipper was to crumble it or break into pieces and pour oil on it. This is to remind us of Christ’s body being broken for us as we partake in Holy Communion. The oil again pictures the anointing of the Holy Spirit on Jesus. The third type of cooked offering was one cooked in a pan. Again, this offering had to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. In all three baked offerings we see Christ and the purity of his life saturated with the Spirit of God. He is fully human and fully God and His goodness overflows to those who offer themselves and the best they have in dedication and thanksgiving to Him (Big Idea). Just like the uncooked offering, these three cooked offerings were to be brought to the Lord at the tabernacle and presented to the priest who was to take it to the altar.

The priest would again take out the memorial portion and burn it on the altar. The Hebrew for this action by the priest means “to raise or exalt.” The memorial portion of the offering is raised above the rest and is to be burned as a sweet aroma to the Lord. The word for “burn” means more than “to consume.” It indicates a fragrant offering of incense. Again, by following God’s regulations for the offering it will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord as it was consumed on the altar. This is another picture of Jesus Christ raised up on the cross and exalted before the Lord. Jesus was the memorial portion given by God so that humanity could be saved. The Israelites brought the grain offering to show their dedication and gratitude to the Lord for saving them. They were to live obedient, holy lives in relationship with Him. Again, the rest of the offering was to go to Aaron and his sons as it was the most holy part of the food offering presented to God.

Our third point, “Further Regulations”, is found in Leviticus 2:11-13. This is what God’s Word says, “Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the first fruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

In this section, we get some further regulations on the grain offering. God prohibits every grain offering from being made with yeast and they were not to burn any yeast or honey on the altar in a food offering presented to the Lord. What was wrong with yeast or leaven and honey and why couldn’t their offerings be made with it or why couldn’t they be burned on the altar? Leaven was symbolic of pride, malice and hypocrisy and honey was symbolic of worldly sensual pleasure. And so, their offerings, meaning their lives, had to be free from those evil influences. And because the altar was holy, yeast and honey representing sin and evil, could not be burnt on it as a food offering presented to the Lord. Jesus lived a life that was directly opposed to what leaven and honey symbolized. And as Christ-followers, we are also to live our lives free of pride, malice, hypocrisy and sinful worldly pleasures. When we live lives filled with leaven and honey it keeps us from bringing ourselves and the best we have to the Lord. We can’t be wholly devoted to our Savior and Lord and thankful for what He has done for us if we are living our lives full of leaven and honey. That brings us to our first next step which is I will live my life free of yeast and honey.

In verse 12, it seems that God still allowed His people to bring yeast and honey to Him as "first fruits." Their first fruits offering was to be the first and best part of their harvest. This offering acknowledged God as the ultimate source of their harvest and demonstrated trust that He would provide the rest of their crops and blessings. The first fruits were to be presented differently and could not be burned on the altar for a "sweet aroma." When we remember the altar symbolizes Jesus sacrificing Himself on the cross and that His sacrifice was a pleasing aroma to the Lord, we understand why yeast and honey had no place on God’s altar. Then God commands them to season all their grain offerings with salt. They were not to leave the “salt of the covenant” of their God out. We see the importance of salt as it is commanded three times in verse 12. First, salt was valuable in the ancient world. it was so valuable that Roman soldiers were paid with it (hence the saying “worth your salt”). Second, salt has the opposite effect of leaven and honey. Instead of corrupting the offerings, salt strengthened and preserved it. Salt can never be destroyed and so it is the perfect picture of the covenant between the Israelites and God. He always keeps His covenant, and it will last forever. It can never be broken until the Lord ends it himself. The salt is also a picture of Christ’s incorruptible nature.

It seems that salt could be used without limit symbolizing Jesus as infinitely incorrupt and that His followers would be infinitely acceptable to God because of his sinless life and work on the cross. Also, God is infinitely faithful, and he can infinitely preserve those who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. By putting salt in their offerings, it would remind the Israelites to be faithful to their covenant as God is faithful to the covenant. For us it symbolizes our commitment to live under the lordship of Christ, to worship Him the way He commands and to be fully dedicated and faithful to Him. Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Salt is a flavor enhancer and so as Christians we are to be the “flavor of God” to the world. If we are to be the “salt of the earth” we must show the world the tangible impact of God’s presence in us. When we are in Christ, we will demonstrate what true power, love, peace, healing and forgiveness looks like. This means we will be different and must not compromise our faith for the sake of fitting in. Just as salt is the opposite of leaven and honey, we are to be the opposite of the world. Van Meter says, “Note that we are not called to make a difference; we are called to be different, and this will eventually make a difference.” That brings us to our second next step which is I will be the “salt of the earth” and spread the “flavor of God” to the world.

Our fourth point, “First Fruit Regulations”, is found in Leviticus 2:14-16. This is what God’s Word says, “If you bring a grain offering of first fruits to the Lord, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain offering. The priest shall burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as a food offering presented to the Lord.

An offering of first fruits was to be crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. “Roasted in the fire” symbolizes purification by fire. Jesus suffered the fire of God’s wrath for sinners and was crushed for our sakes. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Kaiser says, “As the grain was bruised and crushed to make the sacrifice for the ancient Israelite, so the living Bread was bruised and crushed for all who would believe.” First fruits in the Bible are a picture of Jesus Christ and those who are in Him. It symbolizes Jesus’ resurrection and our new birth. Jesus is the best and perfect "first fruits" offering of God's spiritual harvest, meaning His resurrection is the guaranteed promise and first taste of the future resurrection and eternal life for all believers. 1 Corinthians 15:20 says, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” They were to again put oil and incense on their offering symbolizing the presence of the Spirit. The works of Christ and those who are in Christ, are sufficient to please God. The incense would be a fragrant offering of those who are obedient to the covenant. The priest would again burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil together with all the incense. Again, this offering was not only consumed on the altar, but it was also a sweet aroma. Jesus Christ was the memorial portion offered on the altar by which the Father kept and keeps His covenant. And it is on this basis that we are motivated to keep our covenant with Him.

I will conclude with this illustration. George Whitefield, the famed evangelist and companion of John Wesley, preached a farewell sermon to the passengers of the ship Whittaker, anchored near Savannah GA in 1738. It was entitled thankfulness for mercies received, and necessary duty. After four months of open seas, sailing from England, he characterized their adventure this way: “At God's almighty word, we have seen the stormy wind arise, which hath lifted the waves thereof. We have been carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep, and some of our souls melted away because of the trouble; but I trust we cried earnestly unto the Lord, and he delivered us out of our distress.” But it was telling what Whitfield acknowledged about the character of human ingratitude: “numberless marks do man bear in his soul, that he has fallen and estranged from God; but nothing gives a greater proof thereof, then that backwardness, which everyone finds within himself, to the duty of praise and Thanksgiving. Those on the ship were not inclined to give God praise and thanksgiving for their safety and their lives.

Luke’s gospel recalls the healing of 10 lepers by Jesus, but only one returned to give him thanks. The Lord remarked on the ingratitude of the other nine and the one who expressed Thanksgiving alone received Jesus confirming grace: “rise and go your way your faith has made you well.” Are you in the habit of saying thank you? Have you ever thought that thank you goes a long way in God's book? Let’s be people who show our gratitude to the Lord for who He is and for what He has done for us by offering ourselves and the best we have to Him. Let us be people who continually bring our “grain” offerings to the altar, with love, dedication, gratitude and thanksgiving for Him. I hope the next time you sit down to eat a side of fries that you will be reminded to dedicate yourself anew to the Lord and be grateful for how He saved you and provides for you. That brings us to our last next step which is I will offer myself and the best I have to the Lord as a token of my dedication and gratitude.

Lord, thank you for the opportunity to be in your house this morning and to study your Word. I pray that as we purpose to live according to your Word, we will live lives free of yeast and honey; free of those sins that weaken our relationship with you. May we be the “salt of the earth” and spread your “flavor” to everyplace we work, live and play. Let us be people who daily offer ourselves and the best we have to you in dedication and thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

December 7, 2025/by Office

Putting One Foot in the Basket

Leviticus Leviticus Sunday Morning Marc Webb Authority, Life, Relationship with God, Sacrifice, Work

Putting One Foot in the Basket

David Vetter was born in Texas on September 21, 1971, with severe combined immunodeficiency disease. He was forced to live in a specially constructed sterile plastic bubble from birth until he died at age 12. After 20 seconds of exposure to the world, David, nicknamed "Bubble Boy”, was placed in a plastic isolator bubble and spent his entire life in "bubbles" designed by NASA engineers (picture). When he was six, David took his first steps outside of the “bubble” thanks to NASA designing a special spacesuit so he could walk and play outside. Every time David used his suit, helpers had to complete a 24-step pre-excursion hookup and a 28-step suit-donning procedure to keep his environment sterile. Although the process of putting on the spacesuit was complicated, it was worth it for both David and his mother - who was able to hold her son in her arms for the first time on July 29, 1977 (picture). Through his bubble he could see people, talk to them, and come close to them, but he could not touch them except through the specially made spacesuit. His body had to be protected from the outside world as he would have died if he had ventured out of the environment that isolated him from germs.

We see the same kind of controlled environment in the Israelite tabernacle. It made interaction possible in spite of the divine human separation that had resulted from sin. In the tabernacle behind the veil separating the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place God came as close to His people as possible. Just as the boy in the bubble had to be isolated from disease God had to maintain a pure environment separate from the world of sin outside. Unlike the condition of the boy in the bubble, God's holy glory was lethal to people outside. But God made a way for His people to draw as close to Himself as possible and this was done by the bringing of ritual offerings before the Lord. This God-ordained ritual was a bridging mechanism that was able to span the gap between God and humans. When the ritual was performed correctly God and the Israelites could interact with each other. The first ritual offering that God put in place was the whole burnt offering, which symbolized the worshippers complete surrender of themselves to God which would result in a sweet-smelling pleasing aroma to Himself. That brings us to our big idea this morning that God desires His people to be a whole burnt offering which results in a sweet-smelling aroma to Him.

Let’s pray: Almighty God, we gather here today in humble reverence, seeking Your presence among us. Open our hearts and minds to Your wisdom, by the power of your Holy Spirit. And as your holy Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, may we hear with joy what you want to say to us today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Three weeks ago, we started our study of Leviticus, looking at chapter 1 verses 1-4. We learned it was a continuation of what was happening in Exodus 40, where Moses had finished constructing the tabernacle and God had come down to inhabit it. We learned that Moses couldn’t go in because now even he needed to come before the Lord with the proper offering or sacrifice. In Leviticus 1:1, the Lord calls to Moses from the tent and starts to give him instructions about how the sinful Israelites could approach a holy God in worship. It was imperative that God’s chosen people follow His instructions to the letter or they would be in danger of being destroyed. In the first five chapters, God will give instructions for five different offerings that the people were to bring to Him. The first offering, the whole burnt offering, may not have been the most important, but it was the most prevalent. A whole burnt offering was sacrificed every morning and every evening to the Lord. The Israelites would have been familiar with this offering as we see them in the book of Job and in the book of Genesis. The whole burnt offering was completely offered to the Lord except for the skin of the animal. It all literally went “up in smoke” before the Lord.

We learned that the main purpose of the burnt offering was to show complete devotion and commitment to God, but it was also given to make atonement for the worshipper. This was not a sin offering but because every person is inherently sinful, their sin must be dealt with. There needed to be reconciliation between God and man before they could approach Him in communion and worship. The whole burnt offering would have been the most expensive offering to bring because it was completely burned up and the worshipper received nothing in return. It also had to be a male animal without defect or blemish from the worshippers domesticated herd, flock or birds. It was a freewill offering to the Lord and had to be the best the person could offer. God began His instructions with the most expensive animal to be sacrificed - a male cow or bull from the worshipper’s herd. The ritual had regulations that had to be followed by both the worshipper and the priest in order for the worshipper to be atoned for and their offering to be accepted. First, the worshipper brought the bull to the door of the courtyard, and it was inspected by the priest. Then it was brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting which was before the Lord. These regulations would have reminded the worshipper that their sin must be dealt with before approaching God's presence.

Last time we were in Leviticus we saw that the first step to ensuring the offering was an acceptable sacrifice was for the worshipper to “lean with all one’s weight” on the head of the sacrifice. This symbolized that the worshipper was depending on their voluntary, wholehearted and extravagant freewill offering to bring them atonement and acceptance with God. Now we pick up God’s instructions in Leviticus 1:5. As we move forward, we want to notice that the responsibilities are shared between the worshipper and the priests. The second step to ensuring the offering was an acceptable sacrifice was that the worshipper had to slaughter the young bull before the Lord. This ritual was sacred because it happened in the Lord’s presence. The word used for slaughter did not mean indiscriminate or inhumane killing. God’s Word promotes the care of animals and not abuse, so God ordained that the slaughtering of their sacrifices be quick and rather painless. Try to imagine the scene. All the worshipper’s senses would have been engaged in their worship of God. There would be touch as they leaned on the animal. There would have been sight as they looked into the animal’s eyes as they slit its throat and it died at their feet. There would be sound as the animal died and sounds of other livestock in the courtyard to be sacrificed. Also, even though it is not mentioned, the worshipper would not have remained silent. As they slaughtered their sacrifice, they were probably, one, simultaneously confessing any sin they had in their hearts or had committed and, two, praying and or singing songs and hymns. This would not have been a quiet scene. There also would have been smells as the worshipper smelled the blood of their sacrifice. It would have been a very moving ritual that should have impacted the worshipper with the extent of their sinfulness and the penalty that had to be paid for them to be atoned for and reconciled to God. It would also have given them a profound sense of God’s holiness in that they could not be near His presence without the shedding of blood.

Next, the priest had the responsibility of collecting the blood of the sacrifice as the animal bled out. The blood was sacred and was not to touch the ground and become defiled. We are reminded that the only Levites who could be priests at the altar and tabernacle had to come from the lineage of Aaron. They were given this sacred responsibility because they had been set apart by God to fulfill these duties. Anything to do with the holy altar and tabernacle, which was set apart for God’s use, had to be attended by those He had set apart to do His work. After collecting the blood, the priests would take it and “splash” it against the sides of the altar at the tent of meeting. Most versions say “sprinkle,” but the word used means a more forceful application. It refers to large amounts of blood being “thrown” against the sides of the altar. By throwing the blood on the altar, the priest presented the animal’s lifeblood to the Lord, making atonement possible for the worshipper. Next, the worshipper was to skin the animal and cut it into pieces. Again, this was done humanely and not sloppily and haphazardly, kind of like butchering today. As the responsibilities again alternated to the priest, they would put fire on the altar and arrange the wood on it. This doesn’t mean they started the fire on the altar each time a sacrifice was brought, but that they “stoked” the fire to get it hot and ready for the sacrifice. Again, the priests were responsible for this because the altar was sacred and set apart. In Leviticus 9:24, fire came out of the presence of the Lord and consumed Aaron’s first offerings and that fire was to never be extinguished as commanded in Leviticus 6:13. It was to be kept burning because it was a sacred gift from heaven. It was a reminder of God’s holy presence, judgment against sin and the constant need for their atonement through sacrifice. The divine fire represented God’s acceptance of the sacrifices and his ongoing relationship with His people. It also pointed to the eventual sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Next, the priests arranged the pieces of the animal, the head and the fat, in an orderly fashion on the wood on the altar. Since God is a God of order, the priests had to lay the pieces out the same way it would have looked alive, from its head to its feet. The responsibilities again alternate with the worshipper. Presumably while the priests are arranging the head and the fat on the altar, the worshipper was to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, probably from the bronze laver. They were washing the dirt and filth off the animal that had accumulated from grazing and being slaughtered. This was done because the sacrifice had to be cleansed before being put on the holy altar before a holy God. It symbolized purity, preparation, and removal of anything undesirable or sinful from the offering. This reminds us of our need for spiritual purification and to have our hearts cleansed before we come into the presence of God. Lastly, the priests were to simply burn all of the offering on the altar. By burning all of it as a food offering, the Israelites demonstrated their gratitude and acknowledgment of God as their provider. When we think of the worshipper’s senses, this offering would have smelled like a backyard BBQ that makes your mouth water. It smells pleasing to you and you can’t wait to devour it. It was the same for the Lord as the food offering was a pleasing aroma to Him, which was the ultimate purpose for the whole burnt offering. The phrase “a pleasing aroma to the Lord” highlights how such offerings were metaphorically accepted by God, signifying His approval and pleasure of His people’s worship of Him. Now fellowship and relationship could take place.

This scripture underscores the importance of reverence and proper preparation in our worship. We should strive for purity in our own lives. When we offer our time, talents, treasures or praise, glory and worship to God, it must come from a place of preparation and readiness. When we worship the Lord, we must come before Him, serious about our commitment and relationship with Him, giving ourselves wholly, and holding nothing back. (Big Idea). God is more interested in our heart and the intentions behind our offerings than the physical gifts we bring before Him. We must examine our motives as it says in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Next, we see instructions for those who didn’t have the means to offer a bull for sacrifice. It could also be an offering from the worshipper’s flock, meaning a goat or a sheep. An animal from the flock would not have been as costly as one from the herd but would have been costlier than the third allowable offering of a bird. What God was conveying was that no one was exempt from offering their sacrifices to him and everyone had the means to come before Him with a sacrifice. There was no excuse because you couldn’t afford it. If you couldn’t afford a young bull, you could offer a sheep or a goat, and if you couldn’t afford that, you could offer a bird instead.

The instructions for the sheep or goats are shorter than for the young bull, because some of the instructions would be assumed to be the same. New instructions are given, and the most important parts are repeated. The important parts that are repeated was that it had to be a male without defect and Aaron’s sons the priests were to collect the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar. The worshipper was to cut the animal into pieces, the priests were to arrange the pieces on the altar, the worshipper was to wash the internal organs and legs with water, and the priest was to bring the pieces to the altar and burn it up completely. The only variant is that the sheep or the goat was to be slaughtered on the north side of the altar which seems to be different than where the bull was to be slaughtered. In most of the offerings, scripture says the bulls were to be killed “before the Lord” and the sheep specifically on the “north side” of the altar. The slaughtering of the bulls seems to be connected to the presence of the Lord in the tabernacle, and the slaughtering of the sheep seems to be connected to the altar. Whereas the bulls symbolized power and respect seen in God Almighty, the sheep symbolized service to God seen in the altar. This section ends the same exact way the previous one did; with it being called a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to God, again meaning that the worshipper and their sacrifice was acceptable to Him.

Finally, the third type of burnt offering could be from the bird family, a dove or a pigeon. An offering of a bird would have been for the poorest Israelite or Israelite family. Both sheep and the turtledoves or pigeons would have been prevalent. Sheep were used for sacrifice so much that later on that there was a gate going into Jerusalem called the Sheep Gate. According to Isaiah 60:8, doves were domesticated. They were prevalent in the hilly regions of Palestine and were easily caught. Pigeons were available all year long and their nests with their young could be easily found. Notice again that God’s instructions for the birds are shorter than for the sheep and the goats. Again, some of the previous instructions are assumed, the most important parts are repeated and new instructions are given. This time the responsibilities change somewhat. The worshipper’s identification with the offering is seen in handing the bird over to the priest to be sacrificed. The priest pretty much does everything in sacrificing the bird as the burnt offering. This is probably because of the size of the offering. The priest, instead of the worshipper, was to bring the bird to the altar and kill it by wringing off its head. Removing the head of the bird would have been the equivalent of cutting off the head of the other burnt offerings. This would have made it easier for the priest to drain out the blood on the side of the altar.

Next, the priest was to remove the crop and the feathers. Removing the feathers would have been the equivalent of skinning the bulls, sheep and goats. The crop, the internal organs of the bird, were not burnt on the altar because they could not have been washed properly and thus were not considered pure. The priest would then take the crop and feathers and throw them down east of the altar. That was where the ashes from the offerings were kept. Once the pile got too large, the ashes would be taken by the priest to an area outside the camp to a ritually pure place. God is concerned with holiness even with items considered unclean. After wringing off the neck of the bird and removing the crop and feathers, the priest was to tear the bird apart by the wings but not divide it completely. This was probably to help it burn easier on the altar. Then lastly the priest would completely burn the bird on the wood that was burning on the altar. This section ends the same way the previous two did, calling the sacrifice a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to God.

All of the meticulous preparation taken in bringing their sacrifices before the Lord foreshadowed Jesus Christ and what He went through on the cross as He was crucified for our sins. Jesus is also seen in the sacrifices that God ordained for the burnt offering. The Israelites used bulls for breeding and oxen for pulling heavy loads as it says in Psalms 144:14. They are seen as well-laden and strong to labor symbolizing their patient, untiring labor and service. Jesus in Matthew 11:28 said to come to Him all who are weary and heavy laden and He will give them rest. Jesus was also patient and untiring in His service to His heavenly Father. Sheep were docile animals and totally submissive to the shepherd and so we also see uncomplaining submission of Jesus before His Father. Isaiah 53:7 says, “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” Lastly, the dove was considered clean, gentle and inoffensive. A dove does not retaliate when attacked and is the international symbol of peace. Jesus was gentle and did not retaliate. 1 Peter 2:23 says, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” A dove was also innocent. In Matthew 10:16, Jesus says he was sending His disciples out into the world as “innocent” as doves. The word “innocent” means “free from evil and guile.” Guile means deceitful cunning, duplicity, or treachery. Jesus was innocent and free from evil and guile, which speaks to the way Jesus conducted Himself. Jesus was the equivalent of all that the God-ordained sacrifices symbolized. We are also to conduct ourselves in the same way as Jesus. That brings us to our first next step: I will live my life as a whole burnt offering to the Lord as I labor tirelessly, submit uncomplainingly and conduct myself free from evil and guile.

The good news of Leviticus is that God will accept with pleasure anyone who comes into His presence by substitutionary atonement through the shedding of blood. The worshipper secured access to God by grace through faith. They showed their faith by bringing the proper sacrifice and pressing their hand on its head. As Christians the burnt offering points to the voluntary sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. His death completely satisfied the wrath of God against all sin. As Christ-follower we are ones who by faith accept Jesus Christ as their whole burnt offering and gives themselves completely to God as a living sacrifice that results in a sweet-smelling aroma before the Lord. The Christian finds favor with God through the shed blood of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God. Apart from the shed blood of God’s perfect sacrifice there is no entrance into His presence. Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only life and no one can come to the Father except through Him. The only way to salvation is by receiving God’s perfect sacrifice, believing in the person and work of Jesus Christ and submitting to His authority. Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, there is no reason why anyone should not come and share the benefits of expiation through Jesus, the whole burnt offering. Jesus is calling everyone to come to Him. There is no reason to say no to Jesus. So, if you are ready to say “yes” to Jesus for the very first time for your salvation, this second next step is for you: I will receive God’s perfect burnt offering, believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ and submit to His authority.

In conclusion I want to share this illustration from Robert D’Alessandro. He says, “I heard a sermon where the pastor gave this example of giving ourselves as a whole burnt offering and living sacrifice that results in a sweet-smelling aroma to God.” He said it probably was not a true story, but it could have been. It happened back in the days of the Pilgrims, and the story goes that at one of the first Thanksgivings an American Indian went to a church service. And as the service progressed, there was an offering that was taken. The offering basket was passed through the congregation, and it came to the Indian who was meditating on what he just heard in the message. As the basket came to him, all eyes were on him wondering what he going to do with it? The Indian put it on the ground, stood up, and put one foot in the basket. That was his way of saying, I'm giving my life completely to God. God desires His people to offer themselves as whole burnt offerings and living sacrifices to Him and the result will be that our lives will be a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord (Big Idea). Let us be people who appropriate Jesus Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross for ourselves. Let us be people who strive to live as living sacrifices, striving for holiness, for total dedication and for doing everything wholeheartedly for the Lord. Let us be people who don’t hesitate to “put one foot in the basket” and give our lives completely to God. That brings us to our last next step which is I will “put one foot in the basket” offering myself as a burnt offering and a living sacrifice so that I become a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord.

As the praise team comes to lead us in a final song and the ushers prepare to collect the tithes and offerings, let’s pray: Heaven Father, we thank you for your son, Jesus, who was a whole burnt offering given by you to us for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation. We are amazed at your love for us. Lord help us to desire to give ourselves as a whole burnt offering and a living sacrifice to you which will results in a sweet-smelling aroma to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

November 30, 2025/by Office

Up In Smoke

Leviticus Leviticus Sunday Morning Marc Webb Commitment, Extraordinary, Reconciliation, Salvation, Sin, Trust, Trustworthy

Up in Smoke

One of the most common decisions we make on a daily basis is whether or not to commit. There are lots of things that require our commitment – from our work responsibilities, family gatherings and special occasions, to taking care of our kids, our pets and ourselves. Regardless of what the commitment is, there’s always something that we take away after fulfilling every commitment, that can lead us to a new place of growth and maturity. Maybe you’ve made a commitment to completing your education. It’s a struggle. It’s hard. But you follow through with your commitment, and you grow as a result. Marriage is a commitment. You make the choice to love your husband or wife, “till death do us part”. It’s a lifelong commitment. And when things are hard or challenges come, you keep working your way through them, because you made a commitment. Commitments are important. When you look at the life of Jesus, He was constantly calling people to make a commitment. He seldom left them the option of just coasting. You were either going forward with Him or moving in the other direction, there was no middle ground.¹

But Jesus was also committed. He was committed to the world. He was committed to the disciples, and He is committed to us, His followers. The world is starving for the security of a loyal person, a person in whom they can put their trust. And we can fully trust in Jesus and surrender our lives to Him because He is worthy. He has given Himself to us voluntarily, wholeheartedly, and extravagantly with his sacrificial death on the cross. In turn he demands that his people commit themselves wholeheartedly to him in worship. Worship always requires commitment, complete surrender and total devotion to the Lord. It must also be voluntary which reflects the worshippers' willing spirit to acknowledge the lordship of Christ. When we are committed to worshipping the Lord properly it shows a loyal and devoted heart toward Him.

This morning, we will see the first of the five offerings God spoke directly to Moses. God will be instructing Moses in how the people were to draw near to Him with acceptable worship and enjoy His presence. In Genesis and Exodus, we learned about who the Israelites were to worship as Yahweh revealed Himself to them, saving them from slavery in Egypt, bringing them through the Red Sea and giving them the law on Mt. Sinai. Now after the Israelites failed to keep the law by worshipping the golden calf, it was time for God to reveal His divine instructions for proper worship and for bringing sinful human beings back into a right relationship with Himself. As we study the whole burnt offering, we will start to see the basic needs we have as God’s people: commitment to God, communion with God and cleansing from God. Apart from worshipping the Lord, voluntarily, whole heartedly and extravagantly, God’s people could not draw near to Him and could not enjoy fellowship with Him. The same is true for us today. That brings us to our big idea this morning, which is that God desires His people to be voluntarily, wholeheartedly and extravagantly committed to Him.

There are two points this morning. The first is, Invitation, found in Leviticus 1:1-2. This is what God’s Word says, “The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.”

Let me begin by reminding ourselves where we are in the narrative. The tabernacle, God’s tent among the Israelites’ tents, has been built and at the end of Exodus God and His glory took up residence in it. And because the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle Moses couldn’t go inside. It was surprising that Moses was not allowed to enter, but now that the tabernacle, the epicenter of their worship, was completed, sinful human beings were not allowed to draw near to God without the proper offering. To do so the holiness of God would have struck even Moses dead. But the Lord did not forget Moses in fact He called to him from inside the tent of meeting, which shows us that Leviticus is a continuation of Exodus. The tent of meeting would be the place where God would meet with Moses, the priests and His people. This is the fourth time Moses has specifically been called by God. The first was at the burning bush when God commanded him to go to Pharaoh to ask him to let God’s people go.

The second and third times were on Mt. Sinai when God was giving Moses the law, the Ten Commandments. And this time as God begins to give instructions about how He is to be properly worshiped and how they can come into a personal relationship with Himself. This is the only recorded time that God spoke from inside the tent of meeting to anyone outside of it. Moses, as the mediator between Yahweh and the Israelites, was to pass on God’s instructions on worship and sacrifice not only to the priests but to all the Israelites. Everyone would need to know how to properly worship the Lord so as to not violate his holiness. Because Moses and the people were sinners there were requirements in order for them to approach the Lord. In these requirements we see the grace of God as he allows sinful people to draw near to Him. Notice the Lord is inviting His people to bring their offerings to Him. The Lord says, “when” not “if” anyone brings an offering. When sinful Israelites broke fellowship with the Lord and wanted to be restored and to draw near to Him in worship, it necessitated the people to bring an offering or sacrifice to Him.

The word for offering is translated as “to come near” or “to approach” and is used 79 times in Leviticus. The Israelites could not “come near” or “approach” God in worship without first presenting an offering to Him. There were many reasons besides their sin as to why they would bring an offering to the Lord. It may have been to show their thankfulness to the Lord, or to praise the Lord or to commune with or be in fellowship with the Lord. Leviticus would have been the first book taught to Israelite children, and we can see why. Everyone from the youngest to the oldest would need to be fluent in the language of worship and offerings. The offering being instructed in this chapter was to be a voluntary, free-will offering and was to come from their livestock – from their herds or flocks. The proper animal for this offering from their herd would be cattle, or from their flock would be sheep or goats. We already see a picture of Jesus Christ here in that we can only draw near to God because of Jesus’ voluntary, wholehearted and extravagant offering on the cross for us (Big Idea).

That brings us to our second point, Instruction, found in Leviticus 1:3-4. This is what God’s Word says, “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord. You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you.”

The first offering that God gave instructions to Moses about was the “burnt offering” also called the “whole burnt offering.” The Israelites would have already been familiar with this sacrifice. In Job 1:5, Job sacrificed burnt offerings for each of his children for any sin that may have been in their hearts. In Genesis 8:20, Noah sacrificed burnt offerings in thankfulness to the Lord for his gracious salvation from the flood. And in Genesis 22:13, Abraham sacrificed the ram in the thicket as a burnt offering to the Lord who provided it instead of his son, Isaac. The term “burnt offering” literally means “to go up” or “to ascend” which refers to the smoke of the sacrifice as the entire offering is consumed on the altar. The whole “burnt offering” literally went “up in smoke” to the Lord. With this offering the entire animal was burnt on the altar, except for the skin, which was given to the officiating priest, as seen in Leviticus 7:8. The “burnt offering” was the most frequent of the offerings. Every day, twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, a sheep was sacrificed as a burnt offering to the Lord. There were also other times in the life of their worship where they were to present burnt offerings, including special days and festivals.

The purpose of the burnt offering was to express sincerity, devotion and their commitment to God. This was shown by their willingness to bring a sacrifice that was valuable and costly. The first type of burnt offering was to be a male without defect or blemish from their herd. This type of offering would have been the most expensive and would have been given by people of means. It was literally a high price to pay. And this offering was to come from their domesticated animals, not wild animals. They would have invested much financially and with their time on their domesticated animals whereas wild animals took no investment at all. They would have cared for and raised these animals so their family could have food to eat and other necessities. The fact that food was not readily available in ANE or in the wilderness for that matter would have made this offering more costly to them. There would also have been some emotional investment in these animals, as well. The willingness to freely give these offerings to the Lord showed their sincerity, devotion and honor for Him.

The burnt offering always had to be a male and one without defect or blemish. Why a male animal? First of all, males in God’s economy depicted leadership and dominion. Second, there was also a practical reason for using male animals for sacrifice. Fewer male animals than females were necessary for the survival of their flocks and herds. The females produced the offspring and also provided milk. Third, the male sacrificial offering more accurately pictured Jesus as the perfect sacrifice. “Without defect” is from the same verb that means “to be complete.” The animal had to be physically complete or perfect. It could have no defects such as blindness, lameness or sores. Why did it have to be without defects or blemishes? It had to be a perfect animal because it was the only kind of offering worthy of being sacrificed to the Lord in worship. To bring a sick or infirm animal would have been an insult to Almighty God. Imagine getting a gift for Christmas from a family member or good friend that was broken or being given someone’s leftovers because they felt they weren’t good enough for them anymore.

The burnt offering had to be the best that the person could offer. Again, we see a picture of Jesus Christ here. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” Tidball writes, “Worship that costs nothing means nothing. Worship that is cheap leads to cheap, superficial and diminished experience of the living God.”² We see this played out in the life of King David in 2 Samuel 24. He was commanded by the Lord to “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” When he arrived at Araunah’s threshing floor, Araunah wanted to freely give King David his threshing floor and the animals to make sacrifices to the Lord with. But in verse 24, King David says to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.” Incidentally, the threshing floor mentioned here became the site for the temple that Solomon, David’s son, later built.

God desires the same faith, devotion and dependence from us. Do we have to admit at times that our offerings to the Lord sometimes become trivialized and cheap, not costing us very much? Jesus said we must take up our cross daily and follow Him. But don’t we at times do it grudgingly or half-heartedly or sparingly? What would be an extravagant offering for us today given totally to the Lord, not looking for anything in return? Maybe it’s our time or our talents or our treasures given sacrificially to the Lord and for His pleasure. It comes down to our hearts. We know if what we are giving as offerings to God are costly to us or not. Let us be people who strive to give God our whole burnt offerings that are voluntary, wholehearted and extravagant (Big Idea). That brings us to our first next step on the back of your communication card which is I will offer to the Lord sacrifices of my time, talents and treasures that are voluntary, wholehearted and extravagant.

Next, the burnt offering sacrifices were to take place at the entrance or doorway of the tent of meeting, where the bronze altar was situated. The worshipper was probably met at the door of the courtyard so their animal could be inspected. Once it passed inspection, the worshipper would enter the courtyard and proceed to the bronze altar. The bronze altar would have been the first object a worshipper saw upon entering the courtyard, symbolizing that the problem of sin must be dealt with before approaching God's presence. We are reminded of John 14:6: Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The reason for bringing the offering to the door of the tent of meeting was so that the worshipper “may be accepted” or “be pleased with.” Even though this was not a sin offering, because human beings are inherently sinful, there needed to be reconciliation between God and people so their offering could be accepted. In being accepted by God the worshipper was offering themselves wholly and completely to the Lord. Notice these sacrifices were made publicly and in the open; not hidden or done in secret. Again, we see a picture of Jesus as he was paraded through the streets of Jerusalem and crucified on the top of a hill for everyone to see.

Next, we see the proper preparation for an acceptable sacrifice. We will notice in these offerings both the worshipper and the priests were involved in presenting the offering. Israelite worship of the Lord was interactive. The first step was identification. The worshipper was to lay their hand on the head of the animal being sacrificed. The word translated as “lay” or “put” means to “press down upon.” This was not just lightly laying your hand on its head but “leaning with all one’s weight” on the head of the sacrifice. “Leaning” implies dependency meaning the worshipper was depending on their voluntary, wholehearted and extravagant offering to bring them acceptance with God. By laying their hand and leaning on the head of the animal, the worshipper was identifying publicly that they were the offending party, and that this was their offering. No one could go into the tabernacle courtyard and make a sacrifice for someone else. This was an extremely personal act between the offender and the offended party, who was God. The worshipper was asking God to accept this sacrifice in their place and transfer their sin to the animal.

Jesus Christ is the only one who can soothe the wrath of God and satisfy the justice of God. He is the perfect fulfilment of the burnt offering in Leviticus. If you want the salvation of Jesus for yourself this morning all you need to do is lean on the Lamb for His salvation. This is what God wants for all people. That brings us to our second next step which is for those who are seeking salvation for the first time. I will lean on the lamb, casting all the weight of my sin and trust upon Christ alone for my salvation. It was very important to come not only with the proper physical animal offering but the proper heart offering as well. Paul in Romans 12:1-2 says to present your body to God as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service or worship. Maybe you are already in a saving relationship with Jesus today but would like to rededicate yourself to Him. If so, the third next step is for you. I will lean on the lamb, laying my all on the altar, recommitting myself to a deeper relationship with Jesus.

The reason that it was important for the sacrifice to be acceptable and accepted was because it was to make atonement for the worshipper. The Hebrew word for “atonement” is found at least 58 times in Leviticus and can mean a couple of things. First, it can mean “to cover.” It is translated “pitch” in Genesis 6 describing what Moses used to cover the ark so it was waterproof, shielding the water from coming in. This gives the sense of God shielding Noah and his family from the “waters” of His wrath. Again, this points to Jesus Christ who shields those who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior from God’s holy wrath. Second, it gives the sense of “purging” or “cleansing from sin” or “paying” the ransom to free someone. “Atonement” is the means by which the estranged worshipper can be reconciled to a Holy God.

Also, the burnt offering was to make atonement for sin in a general sense not for committing specific sins. Those would be atoned for by making the sin offering, which we will see later in Leviticus. The burnt offering was necessary because the Israelites were born sinful human beings and couldn’t even draw near to God in communion and fellowship until they had been cleansed or atoned for. Atonement would have resulted in a deeper commitment to the Lord. The result of this acceptable sacrifice was that, as Wenham says, “peaceful coexistence between a holy God and sinful man [was] a possibility.”

In conclusion, in Philippians 2, Paul tells us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but to be humble and to value others above ourselves looking to their interests instead of our own. This is the commitment that Jesus Christ had for us as he became like us in human form. He made himself nothing and took on the very nature of a servant and humbled himself by becoming obedient to death on a cross for us. We are called to imitate Christ in the sense that we sacrifice our desires to God for the good of other people. God desires that we be voluntarily, wholeheartedly and extravagantly committed not only to Him but to each other as well.

Lough Fook, a Chinese Christian, pitied those of his countrymen who had become slaves in African mines. He wanted them to enjoy the hope of the gospel, but how could he gain access to them? His solution was to sell himself as a slave for a term of five years. He was transported to Demerara, where he toiled in the mines. While he worked, he told his fellow laborers about the Lord. And before he died 200 of them were liberated from despair by accepting Jesus as their savior. By doing the unthinkable and humbly taking the role of a slave as Jesus did he reached the unreachable.³ Two questions this morning as we close: What do you need to repent of and change in your life to be voluntarily, wholeheartedly and extravagantly committed to the Lord? And how can you live out voluntary, wholehearted and extravagant commitment to others as you live your life for the Lord?

Kenneth A. Mathews, Leviticus: Holy God, Holy People, ed. R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009), 55.

https://brackenhurstbaptist.co.za/first-things-first/ Derek Tidball, The Message of Leviticus

Leviticus, Numbers (The NIV Application Commentary) Hardcover – December 12, 2004

by Roy Gane (Author)

November 9, 2025/by Office

Ultimate Tag

Pursuing Holiness Leviticus Sunday Morning Marc Webb Holiness, Love

ULTIMATE TAG

Ultimate Tag is a reality show where competitors must vault, dodge, tumble and dive their way through several different three dimensional courses with one person trying to tag the other person. It is billed as the fastest, craziest, most intense game ever.

Everyone has probably played the childhood game of tag at some point in their lives. I can remember playing tag on the playground growing up. I remember one time in second grade being chased in a game of tag and I tried so hard to get away that I slide under a fence. I ended up ripping my shirt and actually getting stuck under the fence. And I got tagged which upset me more than ripping my shirt did.

This morning we are going to be talking about ultimate tag as it pertains to a command given us by God himself. In ultimate tag the object is to pursue another person trying to tag them so they are “it.” In the command given to us by God we are to be holy as he is holy. We are to pursue holiness daily so that we can abide in his presence. This is the ultimate tag of life because we must be relentless in our pursuit of holiness. We can’t take a day off. It must be an every second of every day pursuit.

Holiness is not just about keeping the commands of God. We can’t earn our holiness as we can only be holy through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Without his sacrifice we could never be holy. But after our justification we can be sanctified through pursuing holiness which means the way that we show our holiness to the Lord is by keeping his commands and obeying his Word. This morning we will be studying Leviticus 19 and we will see parallels with the Ten Commandments given by God to the Israelites. If we follow the Ten Commandments our relationship with God and with others will be in good standing. That brings us to our big idea this morning which is our holiness can be seen in our relationship with God and others.

Before we begin our study this morning let’s dedicate this time to the Lord. Dear Heavenly Father, as we study your Word this morning help us to be attentive to you Spirit. Help us to hear your voice and what it is you want us to learn and share with those we come in contact with this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Before we look at Leviticus, I want to give you some background information. First, what is holiness? The Hebrew word for “holiness” is a word that highlights the realm of the sacred in contrast to everything common and profane. It refers to God and what belongs to him. The word holy is used more than 600 times in the Bible. It describes something or someone that is set apart for God. We will see in Leviticus 19 that God was calling his people into a relationship with himself and he wanted them to not only to survive the experience but to be nourished by it. But for that to happen, they needed to know the ground rules, they needed to come to him on his terms not their own.

What or who can be holy? Anything can be holy, time, space, objects, and people, all can become holy if they belong to God. The temple in Jerusalem was considered a holy space, and the objects used in worship were holy objects. The Sabbaths and feasts of Israel were considered holy days or seasons. And the Israelites were called God’s holy people because he had chosen them and they belonged to him. To be holy literally means to be set apart. The Israelites were to be set apart from the other nations that they were going to be living among in the Promised Land and today we are to be holy and set apart from the world that we live in, meaning those who are against God and don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. To be set apart means we are to live differently from the world. When the world looks at us they should see a difference between us and themselves. If they don’t then we are not living a holy life as a child of God.

As believers, we are literally set apart, made holy, because of our relationship with the one who died on a cross for our sins and brought us back into a right relationship with a holy God. How does Jesus do this? If you remember the story of King Midas, everything he touched turned to gold. Something like that happens when we come into relationship with Jesus. He is the one who entered the holy of holies in heaven to heal the rift that sin had created in our relationship with God. Jesus is the one who makes us holy, enabling us to stand in God’s presence and join the angels as they sing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord.” It starts with our justification, our accepting of Jesus as our Lord and Savior and it continues with our sanctification.

What is sanctification? According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, sanctification is “the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” It is a continuing change worked by God in us, freeing us from our sinful habits and forming in us Christ-like affections, dispositions, and virtues. It doesn’t mean that we will never sin again, but it does mean that we strive to be more Christ-like every day and when we do sin we confess and repent. This is sanctification and it is a real transformation, not just the appearance of one.

So our holiness starts with the work of Jesus on the cross and continues as we pursue the holiness of God in our everyday lives, which brings us to our scripture this morning. It is found in Leviticus 19:1-2 but we will be talking about the entire chapter. I also want to reference Leviticus 20:7-8 and 26 in the scripture reading this morning. This is what God’s Word say from Leviticus 19:1-2: The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. And in Leviticus 20:7-8, 26: “‘Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy. You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

We see the concept of holiness played out in these verses. First, we are to be holy because God is holy. Second, God is the one who makes us holy. Third, God has set us apart from the nations to be his own. And fourth, to be holy we need to keep God’s decrees by following and obeying them. The rest of those two chapters are God-given guidelines on what it practically meant for the Israelites to be holy. If they obeyed these decrees they would be different from the nations around them and would be in a close relationship with God. Another benefit from obeying these commands was that not only would they be in a close relationship with God but they would be in close relationships with each other. That reminds us of our big idea that our holiness can be seen in our relationship with God and others.

Leviticus 19 has been called the Old Testament Sermon on the Mount. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, Jesus was laying out for His disciples His rules for those who would be subjects of His kingdom. Those whom Christ saves are to display a life that is different from the kingdom from which they have been delivered. They are different because they are pursuing holiness and striving to be holy as God is holy. The same was true for God’s covenant people. If they were pursuing holy living their lives would demonstrate that they were different from the nations living around them.

The important thing for us to remember is that holiness is definable, it is practical, and it is even measureable. But even further than that, when it comes to holiness, those who have been redeemed by the grace of God are responsible. It is our responsibility to pursue the practice of holiness in our lives. And because of God’s saving grace, we have the power to do so. If we pursue holiness, in the power of Christ, then we will find ourselves experiencing the abundant life that Jesus talked about. The pursuit of holiness is also a profitable pursuit. We will see all of this in Leviticus 19.

Our first point is the Principles of Holiness. The first principle is that holiness is a commanded responsibility. In vs. 1-2, God commanded his chosen people to be holy as he was holy. It was not merely a good suggestion but rather a covenant obligation. This is why we have been saved. We are not to be corrupted by the world around us but are to live in loyalty and obedience to the Lord who has saved us. We are to be like Him. Harris says, “The character of God is behind all his commandments. Among the sensual and foolish deities of antiquity, no god could ground all moral duty in his divine character; only the God of Israel could.” Jonathan Edwards once said that if we do not love God for His holiness then it is doubtful that we love Him at all. Think about it: we will know that we love Him for His holiness if we answer His command to pursue holiness. Every week in our worship-based prayer, we seek the face of God as we praise him for his many attributes such as his holiness, but you know what, they are empty words if we don’t answer his command to pursue holiness. It works the same way for all his attributes. If we say we love God but don’t love others our words are meaningless. If we praise him for his graciousness and mercifulness towards us but we are not gracious and merciful towards others our praise is meaningless.

Our second principle is that holiness is a countercultural responsibility. God was concerned that the people whom He had redeemed not be corrupted by the practices of the people whom they would soon encounter. They were to be holy and therefore their lifestyle was to be characterized by holiness. God is different from His creation and as believers we are called to model him. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Harrison says, “God’s holiness is to be taken as a model for individual and community life.” Currid defines holiness as “the imitation of God.” Jesus taught this principle when He said, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” in Matthew 5:48. When God called His people to holiness, He was calling them to a lifestyle and an existence that was to be different to those around them. He is calling us to the same thing today.

Christians and non-Christians are similar in many ways. Rarely can you look at someone and just from the outside tell whether they are a Christian or not. The difference is related to someone’s desires, beliefs, values and aspirations. We should be different from the culture we live in and honestly we should unapologetically be offending the culture around us. There should be a difference in our behavior that is noticeable to them. We will examine examples of that behavior in the rest of chapter 19.

Our third principle is that holiness is a communal responsibility. God’s command to be holy as he is holy, was given in the context of community. Moses was commanded by God to command the entire assembly to holiness. No one was exempt from holy living, not even the stranger or the foreigner in the assembly. This means that everyone here in our congregation of Idaville Church has a part to play in being holy and the responsibility of ensuring that holiness is part of their everyday lives.

It is essential that I pursue holiness, but it is also essential that we all pursue holiness so that together we are holy. This requires an awareness of accountability. Moses gave these commands from God to the people publicly so that they were without excuse. There was a built-in accountability factor that no one could easily escape. It is the same for you and I. We sit here and hear Pastor Stuart preaching and teaching us directly from God’ Word every Sunday. We go to Sunday school and hear teachers teaching from Word of God. We read God’s Word for ourselves at home. We are now held accountable by God but also by each other to obey what God’s Word says. That accountability is part of pursuing holiness.

Our fourth principle is that holiness is a comprehensive responsibility. In Leviticus 19:3-18, Ross says, God gave the Israelites a “rapid, panoramic tour” of what it meant to be holy. The laws he gave covered every major sphere of daily life. They started in the home, and then with the sanctuary and then with society at large. Also, each of the Ten Commandments seem to be alluded to here. We are called to be holy and obedient in every area of our lives. Sometimes we are guilty of pursuing holiness in one aspect of our lives but not worrying about holiness in another. This may be played out in loving God but not being willing to love others as ourselves. We can’t love God if we don’t love others like us who are made in his image.

That brings us to our first next step which is to obey God’s command to be holy, different from the world we live in, individually and as a church community, in every part of our daily lives.

Our second point this morning is the practice of holiness. The pursuit of holiness is a practical pursuit. There are things that we are to do as well as things that we are to avoid. First, holiness is a concrete responsibility. There is a very definite behavior that God expects of those who claim Him as their Father and there should be concrete differences in our living compared to the world around us. And, this behavior is not beyond our reach; it is attainable. Tidball says, “Holy living involved goals that were manageable, by God’s grace, rather than goals that were so far out of reach that people were condemned to perpetual failure.” James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” The pursuit of holiness is practical. It can be demonstrated, measured and attained.

In chapter 19, verses 3-18, we see what was required in the daily pursuit of holiness. The first thing that was required was to love God, and this was shown practically in several ways. First, we are to respect our parents because God has put them in authority over us. Two, we are to remember the Sabbath. Holiness begins in the home and remembering the Sabbath benefits our family life. When we have a respect for God we will have a respect for those he puts in authority over us such as our parents. And three, we are not to have any other gods before us or worship any idols. It is interesting how these are related. If you don’t remember the Sabbath and the worship of God then it won’t be long til you start to worship idols such as money, possessions, people, etc. Holiness is demonstrated in whom we worship. We were created for worship. Everyone worships; the only question is whom and how we worship.

David Foster Wallace delivered a commencement address at Kenyon College back in 2005. He makes no profession to faith in Jesus Christ, but at one point in his address he made the following statement: “Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what we worship. And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing to worship . . . is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.” Anything you worship other than the God of the Bible—money, fame, sex, etc. will eventually eat you alive. If we do not want to be eaten alive by that which they worship, we must teach and model a remembrance of the Sabbath and a respect for God and parents. God is the only one worthy of our worship. Everything else is worthless.

Lastly, to love God was shown practically by obeying the rules. This is seen in Leviticus 19:5-10. The first rule had to do with the peace offering. The peace offering was the culmination of all of the sacrificial rituals. It was a meal in which God shared with His people. It celebrated reconciliation with God. It was a statement expressing fellowship and oneness with Him. The second rule had to do with gleaning which was a God-prescribed means for caring for the poor among His people. When a landowner harvested his field he was not to reap in the corners of his fields or to harvest every grape and olive. He was to leave some for the poor to harvest. It was a means of feeding the poor while at the same time guarding their dignity. In other words, they could find food but they had to labor for it themselves.

What was important about these two rules being together? The peace offering was also a thank offering, in which the worshipper would bring a sacrifice to express gratitude to God for His goodness in giving them a harvest. And this thankfulness was to spill over into their lives as they went back home to their fields. They were in community together and this was a practical way to have compassion for others just as God had compassion on them.

The second thing that was required in the daily pursuit of holiness was love for their neighbor and these practical things are found in Leviticus 19:11-18. The first is honesty. If oneness, fellowship and unity were to be maintained in the community, there must be integrity among the people. To deceive others is to dishonour God and to destroy communal holiness. We should expect and even demand honesty from those who have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and call themselves Christians. Second, we are not to take advantage of others. We are not to cheat our neighbor or withhold from someone what they have earned. We are not to take advantage of the disadvantaged or the disenfranchised. The Israelites were to be compassionate and sympathetic towards those who were in such a predicament. They were not to take advantage of those who did not know or could not perceive what was happening to them. He mentions the blind and the deaf. God can see and hear how we treat others even if they can’t. Third, we are to practice justice towards others. God’s people are to be characterized by justice, truthfulness and fairness. We are not supposed to stab people in the back. Lastly, a practical way to love our neighbor is to be constructive not destructive. Verses 17-18 means that we are to be passionately concerned for the spiritual welfare of others. We are to love our fellow believers so much that we will do what is necessary to help them live differently and to be holy. We don’t love others when we refuse to hold them accountable to personal holiness, or hold a grudge against them instead of reconciling and restoring fellowship with them.

Why is holiness important especially in our relationship to God and with others? Because if we obey these concrete laws of holiness commanded by God then good will be the result. Our homes will be blessed, our church will be blessed and the overflow is that our society will be blessed. Imagine what our world would look like if we obeyed the command in Leviticus 19:17-18 to love and not hate each other. How different our communities would be if we lived by this simple yet demanding rule.

That brings us to our second next step this morning which is to love God and love my neighbors so that our homes, our church, and our society will be blessed.

I want to say one last thing about this holiness. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Does that scare you? Which one of us can be perfect? Only Jesus was perfect and perfectly lived out these laws we see in Leviticus 19. The good news is we have the power as Christians to be perfect, to be holy. It is because we are Christians, not in name but in nature, that we have the power to pursue holiness. We need to be born again as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3. Apart from being born again, all our attempts to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with our God will be nothing but self-righteousness. Of course, we can never be perfect even though we are called to be perfect. But the key is when we aren’t perfect and we do sin, we confess our sin and repent from it and we turn to Christ alone for forgiveness and for the ability to seek his righteousness and to live a holy life. Christ through his sacrifice gives us the power to daily pursue holiness and live holy, obedient lives.

In conclusion, I want to introduce the 2021 Spiritual Life Journal to you. Our theme for 2021, if you haven’t figured it out is Holiness. In 2020, our theme was Unity, and hopefully you all feel as I do that even though 2020 was a difficult year, we come into 2021, more unified than in the past, even though we spent a little over three months apart and are spending some time apart even now from our friends here at Idaville Church. But as Pastor Stuart and I were talking about 2021, we felt that a next logical step was a pursuit of holiness. I have been praying that we as a congregation pursue holiness and I have prayed that it would start with me. We spent 2020 working on our relationships with each other and now in 2021 we want to spend time on our relationship with God and in growing closer and staying close to him.

When you look through the Spiritual Life Journal you will see the same main headings with holiness in place of unity, such as, Holiness in Prayer, Holiness in the Word, Holiness in Service, Holiness in Giving, Holiness in Relationships, Holiness in the Gospel and Holiness in Worship. There are commitments that can be made for each section and Bible verses for each section as well. There is also a daily Bible reading plan and monthly memory verses that we as a congregation will recite together on Sunday mornings. I want to challenge everyone to sign the commitments this year that are in the Journal and I want to challenge everyone to do the daily Bible reading plan and to memorize the monthly memory verses. If we all make this commitment to God and to each other and hold each other accountable we will attain a goal of holiness this year not only personally but as a community of faith as well. That brings us to our last next step which is to make a commitment to holiness in prayer, in the Word, in service, in giving, in my relationships, in the Gospel and in worship and to daily Bible reading and memorization.

As Gene and Roxey come to lead us in our final song, let’s pray: Holy God, I pray that we who call Idaville Church home would pursue holiness every day and I pray that it would start with me. Help us to hold each other accountable and to strive to be better in our relationships with you and with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

January 3, 2021/by Office

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