SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Don’t Become Unclean (21:1-15)
(2). Don’t Have Imperfections (21:16-24)
(3). Don’t Defile the Priest’s Food (22:1-16)
(4). Don’t Corrupt the Lord’s Offerings (22:17-33)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Question: What is the common link with these jobs?
• A Lector, A Knocker upper, A Gandy dancer, A Caddy butcher
• A Pinsetter, A Lamplighter, A Leech collector. A Scissors grinder.
• An Elevator operator. A Switchboard operator. A Video rental associate.
• Answer is they are all jobs that don't exist anymore.
• They are jobs that came and went, they have no relevance to our modern times.
• TRANSITION: When it comes to the title of today’s sermon, ‘Instructions for priests’
• There will be many Christians as well as UnChurched friends,
• Who might say, “What is the point at looking at that?”
• Like that list of jobs, Old Testament priests don’t exist anymore!
• It is just not relevant.
But studying any part of God’s Word is always relevant.
• It will help us appreciate the blessings that we have ‘in Christ.’
• And there are always principles or examples that we can learn from.
Ill:
• We have already noted in our communion time.
• That that the Old Testament system of approaching God is over, it is finished.
• We approach God the Father by, “a new and living way”.
• We come with confidence/boldness through our Jesus Christ our Lord.
• (Hebrews chapter 10 verse 20)
• We no longer need any animal sacrifice,
• Because Jesus Christ, “sacrificed himself, once and for all.”
• (Hebrews chapter 7 verse 27).
• And the book of Hebrews teaches that,
• Jesus is both our perfect High Priest as well as our perfect sacrifice!
• (Hebrews chapter 7 verses 26-28 & chapter 10 verses 1-4)
• So, these rituals are types and shadows in the book of Leviticus,
• Are to prepare us and teach us about the Messiah who was to come.
• And they all find their fulfilment in Jesus Christ.
Note:
• Although the old system is finished or rather fulfilled.
• There are many parallels for us as Christians today.
Ill:
• If I asked you for an alternative term to the name, ‘Christian?’
• What would you say?
• Disciple,
• Believer (2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 15)
• Nazarene (Acts chapter 24 verse 5)
• Follower of the way (Acts chapter 24 verse 14)
• Saint (Ephesians chapter 1 verse 1)
• The Elect (Colossians chapter 3 verse 12).
• Another description in the New testament is Priest.
• (1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5)
• In fact, the New Testament says every Christian is also a priest.
e.g. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5 the apostle Peter reminds his readers,
“…you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices (Note our sacrifices are, ‘spiritual’ not ‘physical’) acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
e.g. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9 the apostle Peter reminds his readers,
“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 marvellous light.”
e.g. Revelation chapter 1 verses 5-6 the apostle John reminds his readers,
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
• TRANSITION: In Christ we are called priests.
• Salvation is not merely “fire insurance,” an escape from hell.
• Salvation is also a call to serve him, like an Old Testament priest served him!
• As Evangelical Christians,
• We are keen to point out and highlight nobody is saved by good works,
• But don’t fall into the trap of being saved and then not doing good works!
• i.e. As priests we serve one another in the Church using our spiritual gifts and talents.
• Every Christian is called to service!
• We looked at this recently in our teaching series on the Church.
• i.e. And as priests we remind those outside the Church of how to be reconciled to God.
• And every Christian is called to evangelise!
• We care given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 17-20).
“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
Ill:
• Bruno was a mining engineer for most of his life.
• In his free time–and later during retirement,
• He spent his days browsing the shelves of a local bookshop.
• Every single square foot of his house was covered in books.
• Bruno’s library contained over 70,000 books,
• He also built the furniture cases for all the books himself.
• The sad part of the story is until Bruno Schröder passed in early June of 2022.
• No-one knew about.
• It only came to light when the 88-year-old German man died.
• TRANSITION: The private library might have blessed him,
• But by storing all those books away he robbed the world of them.
• Just think how valuable, helpful and needed libraries are!
• But sadly, how easy it is for us as believers to the same with the gospel.
• When shall we all learn that the Good News needs not just to be cherished,
• But needs to be shared! All people need to hear it.
NOW, THIS MORNING WE HAVE TWO CHAPTERS (57 VERSES).
• So, we obviously are not going to do a verse-by-verse study.
• Instead, we are going to look at the big picture.
• What key points did God want from his priests in the Old Testament,
• That we can look at and then apply those principles in our lives today.
Note: The Structure of Leviticus 21 and 22
• Chapters 21 and 22 divide into six sections,
• With each segment having three sections.
• You will have noted from our collective Bible reading earlier on.
• That each section is marked off by the statement, “I am the LORD, who makes you holy,”
• (chapter 21 verses 8, 15, & 23; and chapter 22 verses 9, 16 & 32).
• This expression occurs six times in these two chapters,
• So, the theme of these chapters is not rocket-science – it is a call to be holy!
Ill:
• In the seventeenth century in England there used to be a preacher,
• Who travelled around the countryside on a horseback,
• But he only seemed to have one message,
• Whenever he preached, he spoke on holiness.
• One day somebody heckled him,
“What’s the matter with you?” they shouted,
“Every time you open up that book you preach about holiness!”
The preacher replied,
“I don’t have to open the book,
it has it printed right here on the cover - ‘Holy Bible!’”
• TRANSITION:
• Holy is how God describes himself,
• (1 Samuel chapter 2 verse 2 and Isaiah chapter 6 verse 3)
• Holy is how the Word of God is described.
• (Psalm 19 verse 7, 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 21),
• Holy is what God wants his people to be!
• (Exodus chapter 19 verse 6 & 2 Timothy chapter 3 verses 16-17).
• That means God wants his people to be different from the other nations,
• Set apart, distinct, unique,
• He does that by giving them specific regulations and differences to govern their lives.
Note:
• Having told you this chapter divides into six sections,
• For the sake of time, I am going to combine the first two sections together.
• So, we will quickly look at 5 sections not 6.
(1). Don’t Become Unclean (21:1-15)
“The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean for any of his people who die, 2 except for a close relative, such as his mother or father, his son or daughter, his brother, 3 or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean. 4 He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage,[a] and so defile himself.
5 “‘Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies. 6 They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the food offerings to the Lord, the food of their God, they are to be holy.
7 “‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God. 8 Regard them as holy, because they offer up the food of your God. Consider them holy, because I the Lord am holy—I who make you holy.
9 “‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.
10 “‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt[b] or tear his clothes. 11 He must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even for his father or mother, 12 nor leave the sanctuary of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil of his God. I am the Lord.
13 “‘The woman he marries must be a virgin. 14 He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, 15 so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the Lord, who makes him holy.’”
“‘No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it. 11 But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food. 12 If a priest’s daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions. 13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father’s household as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat it.
14 “‘Anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value to it. 15 The priests must not desecrate the sacred offerings the Israelites present to the Lord 16 by allowing them to eat the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt requiring payment. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.’””
Note: as mentioned, these verses (1-15) are two sections I have joined together.
• To help us in our understanding, let’s put this section into a modern-day context,
• Section 1: To the priests – think of that as to the congregation (vs 1-9).
• Section 2: To the High Priest – think of that as the Church Leaders (vs 10-15.
• Now don’t miss understand me,
• I am not saying that you have to follow all these rules.
• I am just liking the priests to the congregation and the High Priest to the leaders.
Section 1: To the Priests (congregation) (vs 1-9).
• There are two instructions:
• (a). Priests were told not to touch any dead body (vs 1-4).
• (b). Priests were told not to marry just anyone (vs 7-9).
• (a). Priests were told not to touch any dead body (vs 1-4).
• Priests were told not to touch any dead body.
• (It was okay if the corpse was a close relative but no-one else).
• Bible commentaries give many reasons why,
• e.g. to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
• e.g. It represented spiritual truths about sin and death.
• e.g. It maybe to symbolise the fact God is the God of the living and not the dead.
• It could be for any of those reasons or none of them.
• (b). Priests were told not to marry just anyone (vs 7-9).
• All priests had to come from the family/tribe of Levi.
• Therefore, his wife's life had to be a pure life,
• Ans so that no-one could question the future priest's right to serve in the priesthood.
• They were given very detailed instructions who they could and could not marry.
Section 2: To the High Priest (Church Leaders) (vs 10-15).
The High Priest was expected to live to a higher standard than everyone else!
• The conditions for him regarding dead bodies was even more restrictive.
• He was not even allowed to show the normal signs of mourning,
• The conditions for him regarding who he married was even more restrictive.
• He must marry a virgin,
• This was to assure the nation that the next High Priest was without doubt his son.
Ill:
• Today people can have a DNA paternity test,
• In a court of law, a couple who are casual lovers or divorced,
• Might argue over who the biological father of a particular child might be.
• A DNA paternity test come quickly give an answer to that dilemma.
• TRANSITION:
• That was impossible in the days when Leviticus was written.
• And so, these laws were given to make sure,
• Everyone knew that the child born was the High Priest’s actual son.
APPLICATION:
• The instructions in this chapter are quite specific,
• They apply specifically to Aaron and his sons (the priests).
• The other tribes who were not priests had laws to obey,
• But God called his priests to a higher standard than the rest of Israel.
Ill:
• Two men were arrested for committing the same crime,
• One was an unemployed man, and the other was a lawyer.
• The judge sentenced the lawyer to ten years, the unemployed man to two years,
• The judge said that the lawyer was given a greater sentence,
• Because he should have known better,
• As a lawyer he should be living to a higher standard than the general public.
• i.e. in our society we expect our politicians, our judges, our police-force,
• To live a higher standard than the average person.
• And if they fail to meet that higher standard,
• Then we expect them to resign or to be held accountable for their failings.
• TRANSITION: So too with the priests/the people of God – you & me!
• We are expected to live with better morals than those who have no faith.
• Jesus described as being light and salt in a world of darkness and corruption.
(2). Don’t Have Imperfections (21:16-24)
“The Lord said to Moses, 17 “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. 18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; 19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, 20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. 21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. 22 He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food; 23 yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.’”
24 So Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.”
Ill:
• You remember that any animal sacrificed had to be, ‘without blemish.’
• That meant the animal should be free from any physical imperfections,
• The quality of the animal was critical in the effectiveness of the sacrifice.
• Perfection symbolized the purity of the sacrifice,
• The outward physical perfection was symbolic of inward perfection.
• TRANSITION: Likewise, the priests also had to be ‘without blemish.’
• Without a disability.
• e.g. So sorry to Colin who is blind – you could not be a priest.
• e.g. So sorry to Derek who has hearing difficulties – you could not be a priest.
• e.g. So sorry to anyone with a walking stick or wheelchair – you could not be a priest.
• e.g. So sorry to anyone with damaged testicles (vs 20) -
• You have our sympathy and sorry you could not be a priest.
Ill:
• Now today Moses would be taken to court for preventing a ‘disabled people.’
• From doing this particular role.
• TRANSITION:
• But this is not disability victimisation – it is symbolism, imagery,
• Physical perfection, symbolized the purity of the priest,
• A pure unblemished sacrifice offered by an unblemished priest,
• To a pure and perfect holy God.
APPLICATION:
• The New Covenant is the promise,
• All are welcome, God will forgive sin and restore fellowship,
• With those whose hearts are turned toward Him.
• In the New Covenant there is no discrimination.
• Jew/Gentile, Men/Women, Adults/Children – all are welcome.
• In fact, Jesus (Matthew chapter 11 verse 5) came for those with disabilities…
“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
• We are not under the Old Testament Law but under grace!
• And the good news of the gospel is, ‘anyone’ is welcome,
• ‘Anyone’ can be accepted in our perfect priest and perfect sacrifice Jesus Christ!
(3). Don’t Defile the Priest’s Food (22:1-16)
“The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the Lord.
3 “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord.
4 “‘If a descendant of Aaron has a defiling skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen, 5 or if he touches any crawling thing that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. 6 The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water. 7 When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food. 8 He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, and so become unclean through it. I am the Lord.
9 “‘The priests are to perform my service in such a way that they do not become guilty and die for treating it with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.
“‘No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it. 11 But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food. 12 If a priest’s daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions. 13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father’s household as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat it.
14 “‘Anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value to it. 15 The priests must not desecrate the sacred offerings the Israelites present to the Lord 16 by allowing them to eat the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt requiring payment. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.’””
Note:
• If we had read these verses in another Bible translation,
• Such as Young’s literal translation,
• You would have noticed the repetition of a certain word.
• In the first 16 verses, the Hebrew word for “holy” occurs in some form 17 times!
• In addition, words with opposite meanings such as “defiled” and “unclean”.
• Show up 10 times in this section.
• Emphasising, underscoring, highlighting for us God wants holiness.
• The point being keep things separate from unholy things.
Ill:
• We are used to seeing this sign in cafes & restaurants.
• (Food hygiene ratings scheme).
• We even had one hanging up in the buildings when we ran the lunch club.
• Now one local Indian Restaurant in our area was recently given 1 star,
• Which is the lowest rating!
• You will not be surprised to know I do not by my take-aways from there!
• I want good tasting food, but I also want hygienically prepared good tasting food!
• TRANSITION: That is the idea in these verses.
• The priest must “treat with respect” the holy things of God.
• The priest must avoid unclean things,
• And be very careful how they dispensed holy things.
• The priest must “treat with respect” the holy things of God.
(4). Don’t Corrupt the Lord’s offerings (22:17-33)
“The Lord said to Moses, 18 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you—whether an Israelite or a foreigner residing in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfil a vow or as a freewill offering, 19 you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf. 20 Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. 21 When anyone brings from the herd or flock a fellowship offering to the Lord to fulfil a special vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable. 22 Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores. Do not place any of these on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord. 23 You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox[b] or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfilment of a vow. 24 You must not offer to the Lord an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn or cut. You must not do this in your own land, 25 and you must not accept such animals from the hand of a foreigner and offer them as the food of your God. They will not be accepted on your behalf, because they are deformed and have defects.’”
26 The Lord said to Moses, 27 “When a calf, a lamb or a goat is born, it is to remain with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day on, it will be acceptable as a food offering presented to the Lord. 28 Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.
29 “When you sacrifice a thank offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. 30 It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning. I am the Lord.
31 “Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord. 32 Do not profane my holy name, for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, who made you holy 33 and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.””
Ill:
• When you give a gift,
• The quality of your gift ought to fit the importance of the person:
• i.e. If it was your birthday, I might give you a birthday present.
• But everyone here would be shocked and surprised,
• If the gift I gave you was of the same value that I gave my wife on her birthday!
• Because Penny is my wife, the gift she receives should be of a higher value,
• Then a gift given to a friend or acquaintance.
• TRANSITION:
• So, what kind of quality should we be thinking of,
• When we’re talking about giving gifts to God?
• I’ll help you out,
• The gift has to be costly, and it has to be perfect!
The writer of this book tells us what God requires.
• The gift cannot have any imperfections/blemishes.
• The gift must be acceptable.
• The gift cannot have any imperfections/blemishes.
• These verses go into detail as to what a blemish, what an imperfection is.
• e.g. “blind, the injured or the maimed” (vs 22)
• The gift must be acceptable.
• 7 times in this passage we are told what is acceptable to God.
• (vs 19, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27 & 29)
Ill:
• I felt cheated this week!
• Cheated by a bar of soap.
• This one of an unopened three-pack,
• When I open it, you can see that it is curved, and a lot of the soap is now missing.
• I have paid for a full bar and only have a three quarters bar of soap.
• Now the soap was not expensive,
• But it is the principle that annoys me.
• TRANSITION:
• As priests/Christians let us not sell God short.
• God always deserves the best!
• And we dare not bring him that which is blemished!
• The blood of a blemished sacrifice cannot atone for sin!
REMEMBER in all of this!
• These sacrifices are a picture, a type of Jesus Christ.
• And he is our perfect sacrifice.
• (Hebrews chapter 9 verse 14 & Ephesians chapter 5 verse 27).
And Finally: The chapter closes with a reminder (vs 32b-33).
“I am the Lord, who made you holy and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.””
God gives us the reasons that should motivate us to genuine service.
• He has called us to be his special people.
• He has set us from bondage, the slavery of Egypt.
• He has called us to be different (holy) to the other nations.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=2yEkuvtOr6Y0hIosIBqETtwFKtJwfiSg
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/ULYzG8pfZY0
