ENGAGE
I’m going to begin this morning by sharing a list of famous names and as I read each one, just shout out the first name that comes to mind:
• Tonto [Lone Ranger]
• Robin [Batman]
• Art Garfunkel [Paul Simon]
• Dr. Watson [Sherlock Holmes]
• Ed McMahon [Johnny Carson]
• Bert [Ernie]
By now, you’ve probably figured out that all of these people are sidekicks to someone famous, although in many cases they are just as famous as the person for whom they are a sidekick.
This morning, as we return to our journey through the Old Testament, we’re going to look at one aspect of the life of the man who was the sidekick to the most well-known and probably the most important figure in the entire Old Testament. And since we left off a few weeks ago with Moses, perhaps you’ve already figured out that I’m speaking of his brother Aaron.
TENSION
We’re first introduced to Aaron back in Exodus chapter 4 after Moses tries to weasel out of the task that God is entrusting to him by claiming that he is not an eloquent speaker. So God tells Moses that Aaron will speak for him to the people of Israel. And for a long time Aaron served God and Moses faithfully in that role.
But God has something even more important in mind for Aaron. His plan is to entrust Aaron with what is undoubtedly the most difficult job on earth, one that God has also given to every one of us who are disciples of Jesus.
Now there are a lot of jobs that are difficult and dangerous – many that none of us here in this room would want to take on. Like these Chinese workers building a walkway for tourists while wearing no ropes or safety harnesses of any kind. But I’m confident that I’ll be able to demonstrate this morning that the job that God give to Aaron, and to us, is far more dangerous than that. But the rewards that go with the job certainly make it worth it
TRUTH
After the people are freed from slavery in Egypt God calls Moses to meet Him on Mt Sinai while Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel were to wait at the foot of the mountain for Moses to return from receiving the commandments from God. During the 40 days he was on the mountain, God gave Moses commands concerning the construction of the tabernacle and all its furnishings. We’ll look at the significance of the tabernacle in more detail in a couple of weeks.
God also gave instructions regarding the making of the priestly garments and the procedures for consecrating the priests. Those instructions are recorded in chapters 28-29 of Exodus.
But the people got impatient waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain so they talked Aaron into building a golden calf. Although we aren’t told specifically what was in Aaron’s heart after that rebellion against his brother and, more importantly, against God, I have to believe that Aaron was heartbroken and was worried that God would now find someone else to take on the role of priest.
Perhaps you’ve felt like that at some point in your life. I know I certainly have. Three have been times in my life when I have failed God so miserably that I wonder how God could still possibly use me.
But by the time we get to Leviticus chapter 8, we once again find God’s grace and mercy at work as we read about Aaron and his sons being installed as Israel’s priests. In chapters 8 and 9 of Leviticus, we read that Moses carefully carried out the instructions given to him earlier as well as the instructions God gave at that time.
You’ll want to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to Leviticus chapter 8 so that you can follow along this morning. I promise that I’m not going to read all of chapters 8-10, but I will be calling your attention to several passages in those three chapters. The book of Leviticus is the third book in the Bible, right after Genesis and Exodus.
[Read Leviticus 8:1-13]
Although I’m going to stop here for now, beginning in verse 14 and going through the end of the chapter, there is a detailed description of the sacrifices that were made by Aaron and his sons as they prepared to enter into the priesthood.
One of the things we commented about on Monday morning is just how complex and complicated the commands in chapters 8 and 9 are. I’m reminded of the first time that I was selected to be a line judge for a PAC-12 volleyball match. In the training that we went through we were given some very detailed instructions about the protocol we were to follow – exactly where to stand for the national anthem and when the teams were coming on the floor, exactly when to give the volleyballs we were carrying to the ball shaggers, when to start walking to our assigned positions during a time out and then when to walk back to our assigned positions after the time outs. Those instructions weren’t nearly as complicated as the ones here in Leviticus, but even after working several matches, I was always worried I might do something wrong and lose my job. So I have to think these commands would have created a great deal of anxiety for Aaron and his sons, since the stakes were much higher for them.
Remember earlier I said that the job of a priest is undoubtedly the most difficult on earth? Before we look at this passage in more detail, let me show you why. Go ahead and turn forward a couple chapters to Leviticus 10 and follow along as I read just the first 2 verses.
[Read Leviticus 10:1-2]
We’re not told exactly what the “unauthorized fire” that Aaron’s sons offered was, but what we do know is that when they chose to not follow the commands that God had given, they were immediately consumed by fire from God. While it may be that some of you here have done something wrong on your job, and possibly even been fired for that, you obviously didn’t get “fired” the way that Nadab and Abihu did, or you wouldn’t be here today. So do you see why I’ve claimed that the job of a priest is the most difficult and dangerous here on earth?
When we read what happened to Aaron’s sons as a result of their disobedience and combine that with these elaborate procedures that Aaron and his sons had to go through in order to prepare for the priesthood, here is the main idea that we need to take away from this message today:
God takes sin seriously
and so must I
At least one of the reasons that these procedures to prepare Aaron and his sons for service as priests were so complex and complicated is because God wants to make it clear that preparing to serve a holy God is a serious matter that requires our utmost attention. And it also seems to me that the complexity of these commands are also intended to demonstrate why it is impossible for man to come to God based on anything he can do.
The good news for us is that Jesus has made it possible for us to deal with our sin in a far less complex manner, through faith in Him. But as we’ll see this morning, even though that is far less complex than these preparations that Aaron and his sons had to make, it still requires understanding just how seriously God takes sin and making sure that I do the same.
Since we are no longer required to go through this intricate process today, you might be wondering exactly why this passage is even relevant to us today. Let me give you two reasons:
1. While we are no longer subject to the practices that we find in the Old Testament, the principles we find there are still instructive for us. So even though we no longer sacrifice animals to atone for our sins, the principle that our sin must be atoned for still applies. And so by looking at the principles behind the practices that we see in these passages in Leviticus, we can find some relevant ways to apply them to our lives today.
2. If you are a disciple of Jesus, then you are also a priest.
Peter, writing to Christians, reveals that every believer is also a priest:
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ… But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
(1 Peter 2:4-5, 9 ESV)
While the nature of our jobs as priests no longer involves making animal sacrifices on behalf of others, we still serve the same function of the Old Testament priests as we offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God and proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
So with that in mind, let’s look at the steps that Aaron and his sons were required to take in order to prepare for the priesthood and how those five steps apply to us.
APPLICATION
PREPARATION FOR THE PRIESTHOOD
1. Calling
The first thing to be noted here is that Aaron and his sons didn’t just decide they were going to be priests. It is also clear here that God didn’t choose them to be priests because of some particular qualities that they possessed or because of something that they had done to earn that position. As I pointed out earlier, in many ways the man who had been part of making a golden calf could have easily been disqualified for this kind of service apart from the grace and mercy of God.
If you are a disciple of Jesus, you have also been called by God apart from anything you have done or anything of value that you have to offer to God. And for most of us, God has called us even though we have done things in the past that should have permanently disqualified us from being his disciples and priests. So, like Aaron and his sons, if you are a priest, it is only as a result of God’s grace and mercy.
2. Community
Notice that the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood was not done in private. God instructed Moses to gather the people of Israel together at the entrance to the tabernacle so that they could observe the entire process. Since the ministry of Aaron and his sons would take place within that community it was important that the entire community witness how they dealt with their sins before they could minister to the people on behalf of God. The fact that even the priests had to atone for their sins was one more reminder of just how seriously God takes sin.
That is why baptism is so important today. It is a public identification with Jesus that takes place within the community of faith we call the church. Baptism subsequent to a decision to place one’s faith in Jesus is an important public declaration within that community that a person has dealt with his or her sin through faith in Jesus. It is a reminder of the seriousness of sin and also an important reminder of the fact that as priests we don’t operate on our own, but rather with the community of other disciples of Jesus.
3. Cleansing
In verse 6, we see that Moses washed Aaron and his sons with water. Other than once a year on the Day of Atonement, where the high priest bathed his entire body before entering the Holy of Holies, this is the only time the priests were required to bathe their entire bodies. The rest of the time, they only needed to wash their hands and feet before carrying out their priestly duties.
There are a couple of important things to note about this cleansing. First, the washing itself did not remove the sins of Aaron and his sons. It was only symbolic of their trust in God to remove their sins. Secondly, you’ll notice that Moses washed Aaron and his sons, they did not wash themselves. They received a washing.
Several parallels to our calling as priests are quickly apparent here. We really can’t read this passage without immediately making comparisons to baptism. Although it is not apparent in our English translations, it is clear that the washing here involved immersing the entire body in front of the entire community, exactly the same way every single baptism in the New Testament was done. But in the same way that cleansing did not cause the sins of Aaron to be removed but was only symbolic of what God had already done for him, the act of baptism does not save us from our sins, but is only a testimony of what God has already done for us in Jesus.
The other important thing we need to consider is that we can’t possibly wash ourselves of our sin. There is nothing we can do to remove our sins or cover over them by anything that we can do. The words of Paul to Titus remind us that only God can wash us through Jesus:
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
(Titus 3:4-6 ESV)
4. Clothing
Before Aaron and his sons could minister before God, they had to take off their own clothes and put on the garments given by God. Those garments had been made for them based on the detailed instructions that God had given in Exodus 28. Aaron and his sons did not have to pay for the garments or even make them. They simply had to put them on
Obviously today, we don’t need to wear any special clothing in order to carry out our roles as priests. However, in the New Testament both Peter and Paul write frequently about the need to take off the old and put on the new and to clothe ourselves with the garments that Jesus has provided for us at His own cost.
This is an important reminder that because God takes sin seriously, even after I have been cleansed through faith in Jesus, it is important that each day I remove the sin that is part of my old nature by confessing that sin to God and that I put on the things that are part of my new nature - things like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12)
The relationship between cleansing and clothing was best demonstrated by Jesus on the night before His crucifixion. Remember that when Jesus was washing the disciples’ feet, Peter insisted that Jesus wash his hands and head, too? And here is how Jesus responded:
“The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”
(John 13:10 ESV)
Peter and the others, except for Judas, were already clean because of their faith in Jesus. So they didn’t need to repeat that cleansing over and over. But as they walked through their lives, their feet would get dusty and dirty – a picture of the fact that they would still sin. And because God takes sin seriously, they would need to deal with that sin, not by putting their faith in Jesus over and over again, but by daily confessing that sin and putting on their new nature.
5. Consecration
The consecration of Aaron was comprised of two elements. The first is that Moses poured the anointing oil on his head. Oil was used in that culture to indicate that something or someone was set apart for service to God. That is what the word consecrate means – to set apart. Once the tabernacle was anointed with the oil, it was no longer just a tent – it was the place set apart for the worship of God. Once the altar was anointed with oil, it was no longer merely a fire pit – it was an instrument to be used in the process of atoning for sin. And when Aaron was anointed with that oil, he was no longer his own man – he was set apart for the purpose of ministering to God’s people.
The second part of the consecration was the offerings and sacrifices that Aaron and his sons participated in in order to atone for their own sins. This complex ceremony included having the blood of the ram spread on the right ear, thumb and big toe and being sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifices.
Today, we don’t need to be consecrated with oil in order to serve as a priest. Instead, we are anointed with the Holy Spirit, who sets us apart and empowers us to serve God.
And we no longer have to make sacrifices over and over in order to deal with our sins. The writer of Hebrews describes how the blood of Jesus sanctifies us.
So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.
(Hebrews 13:12 ESV)
The word sanctify there means exactly the same thing as the word consecrate that we saw in Leviticus 8. Both mean to be set apart.
As we look at just this one event in the life of Aaron, we certainly see that…
God takes sin seriously
and so must I
But when we get to the end of chapter 8, Aaron and his sons still aren’t finished. Everything they have done so far is only to deal with their own personal sin. In chapter 9, Aaron and his sons begin their ministry on behalf of the people. They are instructed to carry out a whole other series of sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. That was because God takes sin so seriously that He would not appear before the people until their sin had been taken care of. Once that was done, God finally appeared to the people.
[Read Leviticus 9:22-24]
Once again we see evidence that…
God takes sin seriously
and so must I
This is a truth that cannot possibly be understated. Until a person or a people deal with their sins, a holy God will have nothing to do with them. But once they do deal with their sins in the manner that God prescribes, His glory appears in a powerful way and the people fall on their faces before Him.
INSPIRATION
You and I have been given the most difficult and dangerous job in the world as priests of God. Fortunately for us, because of what Jesus has done for us, we no longer have to fear that if we make a mistake that God is going to immediately strike us dead like Nadab and Abihu. But there are still risks that come with the job. Jesus warned us that if we choose to follow Him the world that hates Him will hate us, too.
But when we carry out that task in the way God has prescribed by placing our faith in Jesus and letting him call, cleanse, clothe and consecrate us in the midst of this community, then that job is also the most joyful and fulfilling job we could possibly ever experience. And the rewards are literally out of this world.
ACTION
As we’ve seen this morning, in the same way that God provided all that was necessary for Aaron and in his sons to become priests, Jesus has provided all that we need to become to be His priests. But it is also true that just as Aaron and his sons actually had to obey what God commanded them to do in order to receive what God wanted to entrust to them, we also have some responsibilities as Jesus’ priests.
Here at TFC we’ve summarized those major responsibilities in terms of next steps that are part of our Discipleship Path. And since we haven’t taken a look at that for a while I want to remind us of that path this morning so that each one of us can use it to determine the next steps we need to take and disciples and priests of Jesus.
• The fact that you’re here this morning means that all of you have taken that first step to come and be introduced to Jesus.
• The commit step could involve several possible actions:
o Being cleansed by making a personal commitment to Jesus and trusting in Him alone for the cleansing of your sins once and for all.
o Testifying to that cleansing through baptism subsequent to your decision to say “yes” to Jesus.
o Become a part of this community by becoming a member of TFC.
• If you’ve already taken the commit step, will you take the next step this morning and take just one concrete step to grow in your relationship with Jesus? Maybe that means staying and being a part of our Bible Roundtable on Sunday mornings. Maybe that means joining one of our small groups that meets during the week. You can find a list of those groups in the bulletin and on the church calendar on our website. I know for me, the one step I’m working on right now is being more consistent and effective in my prayer life.
• Some of you need to take the next step and begin serving somewhere in the body. For the men, we have a work day coming up in just a couple weeks to serve one of the families in our church. We still have a need for some more people to serve in our Children’s Church on Sunday mornings. And if you’re not sure what your gifts might be or where to serve, just talk to one of our elders and we’ll help get you plugged in.
• Finally, if Jesus has made you His priest, then one of the responsibilities that goes along with that is to tell others about Him. As we saw earlier, priests of Jesus we are to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
As we close, I’m going to give you a few minutes to pray about what next step you need to take and then to write that step down on your bulletin insert and put that in a place this week where you’ll be reminded of the commitment you’ve made to Jesus this morning.
[Prayer]
Discussion Questions for the Bible Roundtable
1. What are some things in my life that might be evidence that I am not taking sin seriously?
2. What event that was similar to the death of Nadab and Abihu do we find in the New Testament that is evidence that God is serious about sin? Should we worry that something like that could happen to us?
3. What are some of the privileges and the responsibilities that go along with being a priest of Jesus? What questions do you have about what it means to be a priest?
4. What kinds of sacrifices does God expect from us as disciples of Jesus? (Hint: See Romans 12:1-2) What does that look like in “real life”?
