Caught Between The Contradictions

I. I STORY ABOUT A BAD DAY

A. Song Lyrics “You had A Bad Day” – by Daniel Powter

Where is the moment we needed the most

You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

They tell me your blue skies fade to grey

They tell me your passion’s gone away

And I don’t need no carryin’ on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low

You’re faking a smile with the coffee to go

You tell me your life’s been way off line

You’re falling to pieces everytime

And I don’t need no carryin’ on

Cause you had a bad day

You’re taking one down

You sing a sad song just to turn it around

You say you don’t know

You tell me don’t lie

You work at a smile and you go for a ride

You had a bad day

You had a bad day

B. It Was A Bad Day For The Hebrews In The Wilderness

1. The setting was sometime just after the 10 commandments were given on Mt. Sinai – still encamped at base of Mt. Sinai

2. Leviticus is a pause in the wilderness journey – tabernacle instructions

3. Now it was their first time really sacrificing, making sin offerings

a. Leviticus 9:22-24 - it started out as a good day – offerings for priests came before offerings for the people

b. Lord accepted offerings, glory of Lord appeared to all people

C. Leviticus 10:1-17 – Things Started Going Bad Wrong

1. Two of Aaron’s sons (Nadab & Abihu) perish

a. “strange fire” – incense on it & offered “profane fire”

b. they did something different than what God had prescribed

2. BAD DAY - Flash fire / explosion – 1st day on the job - Lord killed them

a. terrible event – 2 out of 5 highest ranking priests knocked off

b. sin offerings for the people had yet to be completed

c. devastating – whole country in peril

d. Aaron & 2 remaining sons no mood to continue

3. Lord speaks through Moses (who quickly stepped in / damage control)

a. I am to be regarded as holy – “Aaron held his peace”

b. Moses calls near relatives to remove bodies

c. Illegal for Aaron or 2 remaining sons to touch bodies nor mourn

d. no time for mourning, get back on the job – critically unstable

B. Leviticus 10:16-20 – BAD DAY CONTINUES – They Hit A New Low

1. Goat (Sin-Offering) left on the alter – burned up

a. was supposed to be cooked up, but not burned up

b. was supposed to be eaten by High Priests & his sons

- consumed with holy attitudes because it was holy

- consumed w/ joyful attitude because it was celebration

c. but Aaron & 2 remaining sons had not eaten it

2. Almost see Moses trembling with Anger – BAD DAY not over!

3. Aaron & sons

a. deep in bottle up grief

b. fearing for their lives – paranoid temple service

c. questioning & second-guessing everything they were doing

4. Situation of walking on dangerous thin ice

a. feeling anything but holy, now to insist on eating holy meal?

b. feeling anything but joyful, now to insist on “be happy”?

5. Eat? It would have been only a mechanical routine rather than holy meal

C. They Were Caught Between Contradictions

1. Already 2 sons had died because of doing something contrary

2. Now Aaron & 2 remaining living sons caught between contradictions

a. not trying to be contrary, in fact that’s what they wanted to avoid

b. to not feast would have been a contradiction of God’s law

c. to feast dispiritedly (hypocritically) was dangerous too

3. Either way, they were condemned men – would fall through the ice

a. condemned if they feasted

b. condemned if they didn’t

II. HAVE YOU EVER HAD A BAD DAY - “CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CONTRADICTIONS”

A. By This I Mean:

1. No matter what I do, it’s wrong & I’m condemned

2. No matter what I do, someone’s going to find something wrong with it

3. No matter what I do, God’s not going to be totally happy with me

B. The Times I Feel “Caught In The Middle” or “Caught Between Contradictions”

1. Doctrinally – no two people think alike, because of that no 2 people agree

a. credentials interview in Alabama - Escatology

b. I believe in Heaven, Hell, 7-day creation, Trinity, End Times

c. Mostly - no creed but Christ, no law but Love, no book but Bible

d. Bible has no contradictions, people have contradictions

2. Morally -

a. some things I see clear-cut Biblically that you may not

b. some things you see clear cut Biblically that I don’t

c. when someone make an issue - caught between contradictions