So maybe you’ve heard it said, ‘read your bible’ so you tried the one year plan. You were faithful with the reading plan and then you came to Leviticus. You tried to read it but every time you picked up The Book it got heavier and heavier until you stopped picking it up. You gave yourself an out - not enough time, new schedule, lack of clarity in what you read and even an admission that this book didn’t seem all that helpful in your spiritual walk. All of which are understandable if this was an assignment from your High School English class to read Shakespeare But this is God’s Word curated over centuries detailing His nature, His will, the meaning of life and humanity’s historical interactions with Him. Seriously, the Bible details the hidden keys to the Kingdom. Hence, the reason we are reviewing a new book each week.
This week we move to Leviticus. The book where good intentions and obedience meet.
Moses probably wrote the book around 1400 before Christ and it was edited a few times by those who followed. The book describes a time in which the Israelites are waiting to move to the promised land. It’s written to give the Israelites instructions for worshiping God and living pure, holy lives in peace and in community with others.
Just as Exodus details God’s:
Involvement in human history
Concern for the oppressed
Power over nations
Commitment to reaching those He loves
and God’s willingness to forgive the shortcomings and failures.
Leviticus teaches us God longs for a relationship with you that is free from sin and all its consequences. It’s a book highlighting God’s desire for you to be holy - distinct for the world and set apart in every aspect of your life.
As you read the book, don’t get bogged down in all the rules. Scholars have debated these for a couple thousand years. It’s not about the rules.
Read leviticus for the big picture-to get a better understanding of God’s holiness and His gift of salvation. Also, remember that in the Old Testament, God shaped his Holy Nation with external laws; in the new covenant, God’s purpose is to create a redeemed people with His law written on their hearts.
This week let's dive into a small portion in Leviticus from 9:22 - 10:4.
22 Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down.
23 Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.
10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:
“‘Among those who approach me
I will be proved holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.’”
Aaron remained silent.
4 Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.” 5 So they came and carried them, still in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses ordered.
These scriptures use fire as both validation and condemnation. The contrast is striking. They point to the importance of intent in our relationship with God as well as our continual striving to be more like him. The lesson of the two sons teaches us is that as God emissaries to the places we live, work and play, we must be mindful of our roles.
Why do we need to be Holy? Verse Three tells us. In our becoming Holy (or set apart), He is revealed: His power, His Love, His Care.
The Bible teaches us, from both the Old Testament and the New, “to be holy, just as God is holy,” but how can we do that since we’re fallen creatures and our nature is anything but holy (Rom 3:10-12, 23; 6:23)?
Part of that growth toward holiness is not being conformed to this world (Rom 12:1-2) and is an ongoing lifetime process to be set apart for holy use. The churchy word for this is “Sanctification.”
The Apostle Peter writes, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:14-16) as “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” (1 Pet 2:5).
Peter appears to be quoting the Old Testament which says “’You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (Lev 11:44; 19:2). Since we are called to be holy as God is holy, we should “put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander” (1 Pet 2:1). As we learned last week, we 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 Pet 2:9) so we should live a life of holiness, at least as much as is possible with us.
BUT what does that mean? BE HOLY?
Now let me be clear, you can not make yourself holy. Don’t leave here with a laundry list of resolutions or changes you're going to make so you can tell everyone you're “holy.” We don’t do the work of setting apart. The Holy Spirit does the work, by working from the inside out. It is the Spirit who convicts. It is the Spirit who directs and guides. Our role is to connect to God, listen and obey. Jesus will tell you what is getting in the way of your usefulness and what needs to be repented of.
A good friend and I were speaking this week. We were talking about the challenge, in the world of fakes and phonies, how to be authentic. Jesus didn’t walk around trying to impress anyone. He lived compassion and love. If we want to be Holy, we need to be authentic and forthright. As my friend and I talked, we agreed that the world in which we live doesn’t know what to do when exposed to humility and direct communication. ‘When you say what you mean, and mean what you say’ and when your “yes means yes and your no means no”, people think you are playing some negotiation ninja mind game. Maybe we are watching too much netflix or conspiracy documentaries. I don’t know for sure but I do know it ain’t right.
The disciples knew it too. Peter even detailed the least like Christ or Holy actions getting in the way of the earliest church witness - malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander. These were the ones most rampant.
In opposition to your first Sunday school teacher or your first church legalist, Holiness is not the way to Jesus; Jesus is the way to holiness. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to make the children of God live holy lives.
We are not holy by nature or actions but wicked, evil and even our hearts can deceive us (Jer 17:9) but God knows we need a heart transplant but we have good news, as Ezekiel writes, “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezk 36:26). If you’ve received a new heart from God, Paul reminds us “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17).
Frankie came to me on Thursday night and showed a great video of a preacher detailing a young person coming to him and asking if he could be a Christian and smoke dope. The pastor said, “Yes.” The kid was so taken aback, he said it slower and added in the word marijuana because he thought the preacher didn’t understand. The pastor replied with a perfect illustration. He said to the young boy, “Do you take showers on occasion?” The boy said, “of course.” The preacher said, “when you take a shower are you dirty or clean?” The boy says, “Dirty”. The pastor asks, “how do you know?” The boy replies, “Because I learned that most people don’t want a stinky friend around.” The pastor replies” well son. its the same with the church, people don’t come to church knowing they’re dirty or unclean. It takes being around others you respect to learn what it means to be like Christ. Jesus loves you just as you are. But he longs for more for you and so do I.
Holiness is the result of Jesus' action to redeem our wicked hearts and the Holy Spirit’s continual interaction with us to guide us to be more like Christ as we listen and obey.
Before we come up for communion today, I’d like for us to take a moment and sit quietly before the Lord and just listen. Close your eyes and listen. Listen for the small still voice beneath today’s to-do list, the humming of your ears, the soundness of your breath, ask God what is getting in the way of your usefulness to the mission….
As you come forward today, I want you to reflect on what you heard and obey His voice
Https://communitycenter.life
Creative: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/leviticus) 8:17
References: Quest Bible Overviews, https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-does-it-mean-to-be-holy.html ,https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/what-is-the-biblical-definition-of-holy/#ixzz7qZRaHpmn
