Serving Priesthood Series

Serving Priesthood

Leviticus #5

I. Introduction

A. The Pioneer 10 Probe

1. Launched by NASA in 1972

a) Primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and beam data to earth about the planet.

b) At the time of the launch it was a bold plan.

c) No probe had ever reached a planet that far away

2. Keeps going and going

a) The probe reached Jupiter in November of 1973.

b) The gravity of the planet hurled the probe at a high rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system.

c) Since passing Jupiter, Pioneer 10 has passed Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

d) It is currently close to seven billion miles from the sum.

3. Still providing service.

a) The Pioneer 10 is still transmitting data back to earth via an 8-watt radio transmitter.

b) The Pioneer 10 was designed for a useful life of three years.

4. Eight Watt Service

a) God has assigned us to serve Him as His priest.

b) Like Pioneer 10, God can accomplish great things with servant that will stay with Him.

c) Even with abilities that might not seem mighty.

B. God’s Priesthood in Leviticus

1. Consecrated – Hands Full (Chapter 8)

2. Serving – Steady in God’s Work (Chapter 9)

3. Obedient - Serving God’s Way (Chapter 10)

4. Tonight – Chapter 9

a) How to serve God.

b) Reveal His Glory

c) Six Keys to Serving God

II. Six Keys to Serving God as Priest

A. Purity of Life (9:2-4)

1. Aaron and his sons were to make sacrifices to the Lord.

a) Fist to make themselves pure from sin (2).

b) The sacrifice itself was to be without spot or blemish (2, 3)

2. Personal Purity is Required of New Testament Priest.

a) Keep Pure – 1 Timothy 5:22

b) Flee Impurity – 2 Timothy 2:22

c) Keep Unspotted – James 1:27

d) We are made pure by the blood of Jesus – Revelation 7:14

3. The Reason for Personal Purity

a) We are now the living sacrifices made to God – Romans 12:1

b) We must keep pure in order to approach God – 1 Timothy 2:8

c) We must keep pure to properly aide those that are struggling for purity – Matthew 7:1-4

B. Public Service (5-6)

1. The sacrifices were made before the congregation.

a) That others might know the purity and work of the priest.

b) To bring glory and honor to God’s appointment of the priest.

2. We are to serve openly.

a) Not ashamed of the gospel – Romans 1:16,

b) Not ashamed of Jesus and His servants – 2 Timothy 1:8

c) Not seeking glory for ourselves – Matthew 6:1-4

d) Bringing glory to God – Matthew 5:16

e) To win souls – 1 Corinthians 9:22

C. Personal Service (7)

1. Aaron was to make two types of sacrifices.

a) One for himself.

b) One on behalf of others.

c) Both were for the good of people.

2. As God’s Priesthood we offer personal service.

a) We are to save ourselves (Acts 2:40) and work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12).

b) This does not mean we are self-serving, but rather we are taking personal responsibility for our souls.

c) Secondly we are to serve others.

a. Jesus was a servant first and foremost – Matthew 20:28

b. He left a great example of serving others – John 13:14-16

c. Though he served on a universal scale (Titus 2:11), He served each of us personally.

d. The Lord is MY shepherd – Psalm 23:1

D. Perpetual Service (8-20)

1. The priesthood of God was to serve continually.

a) Part their service was to bring offerings a sacrifice to God on a regular basis.

b) Not were they sacrifices to be regular, they were to follow a methodical process.

c) The priesthood was to offered a variety on continued to service to God in both the tabernacle and the temple.

2. The Priesthood today is to serve in a like manner.

a) We are to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord – 1 Corinthians 15:58

b) Continuing to do good for to others – Galatians 6:9-10

c) 2 Corinthians 4:1 – “Therefore, since we have received this ministry,…we do not lose heart.”

d) Romans 12:11 – “…not lagging in diligence…serving the Lord.”

E. Pleasing Service (21b)

1. “…Aaron waved as a wave offering before the Lord, as Moses had commanded.

a) The key was as Moses commanded (Lord’s desire).

b) We see this attitude in the priesthood in Leviticus 9:36.

c) “So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.”

2. Our Service is to Be Pleasing to the Lord.

a) Therefore it must service motivated by faith in the Lord – Hebrews 11:6