WEBVTT 00:00:00.100 --> 00:00:04.480 Well, good morning, everyone. It is so lovely to have you with us this morning. 00:00:04.600 --> 00:00:12.540 Let me encourage you to grab a Bible and come with me to the third book of the Bible called Leviticus. 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:20.199 So as we kind of saw a few moments ago, we're starting an overview series of this book of the Bible. 00:00:20.500 --> 00:00:27.420 And it's designed really to help us see its central message and pull out its timeless truths. 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:31.300 So we're going to get going this morning on chapters one to seven. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:36.200 So maybe you want to have those chapters open in front of you. 00:00:36.300 --> 00:00:42.020 We're going to be dipping in and out, as you can understand, given the amount of text we're trying to get through. 00:00:42.100 --> 00:00:47.380 But I hope this hangs together and is just really helpful for us. 00:00:47.380 --> 00:00:59.640 So to get us going this morning, I want you to think about the famous lyrics to the famous song that Frank Sinatra released in 1955 or 56. 00:00:59.820 --> 00:01:03.700 I think it was. It was called Love and Marriage. 00:01:04.140 --> 00:01:06.640 Remember the lyrics? Got them in your head? Love and marriage. 00:01:07.500 --> 00:01:12.800 Love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage. 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:14.159 Right? You know the song? 00:01:15.420 --> 00:01:20.219 It's kind of the go-to place when it comes to talking about things that just go together. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:22.200 You know the kind of thing I mean? 00:01:23.099 --> 00:01:24.379 Two things that go together. 00:01:24.500 --> 00:01:25.599 So here's what I want you to do. 00:01:26.060 --> 00:01:28.519 A little mental exercise to get you thinking. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:31.659 Ten seconds on the YouTube chat. 00:01:32.179 --> 00:01:38.859 What first pops into your mind when you think about two things that naturally go together? 00:01:38.859 --> 00:01:42.680 What are those two things? 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:50.079 So, if you're a Brit, maybe you thought about fish and chips. 00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:52.700 There's a great Dream Team duo for you. 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:53.439 Fish and chips. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.780 Maybe you thought about salt and vinegar kind of flowing off the back of that. 00:01:56.900 --> 00:01:59.000 Or maybe you watch a lot of telly. 00:01:59.079 --> 00:02:01.280 You thought about DFS and sail. 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:03.700 Kind of always go together those two things. 00:02:03.780 --> 00:02:05.219 That sail kind of never ends, does it? 00:02:05.620 --> 00:02:07.920 Or maybe you're a 60s and 70s music fan. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:13.300 Maybe you thought of Sonny and Cher before my time. 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:14.340 But you can have that one. 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:20.680 Or if you're a 90s child like me, maybe it was Mario and Luigi came to your mind. 00:02:20.819 --> 00:02:24.360 Or the evergreen duo of Ant and Dec. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:33.719 Or if you're Scottish watching this, maybe the two things that go together are Scottish sport and glorious failure. 00:02:34.460 --> 00:02:36.960 Friends, nobody does it better. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:37.960 Okay. 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:41.240 Two things that go together. 00:02:42.920 --> 00:02:46.180 Here's what we need to see as we get into this book of Leviticus. 00:02:46.939 --> 00:02:54.020 This book introduces us to two things that most definitely do not go together. 00:02:54.020 --> 00:03:03.439 So get Sonny and Cher out of your mind and replace it with the image of water and oil. 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:05.000 Okay. 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:09.260 Two things that just cannot go together. 00:03:09.259 --> 00:03:13.560 So in this book of Leviticus, what are the two things that cannot go together? 00:03:14.139 --> 00:03:15.679 We have a holy God. 00:03:16.799 --> 00:03:18.139 Holy God, right? 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:21.699 Majestic in his perfection. 00:03:23.299 --> 00:03:26.139 Radiant in his purity. 00:03:26.739 --> 00:03:29.479 Unchanging in his nature. 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:31.819 We have a holy God on the one hand. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:34.179 And we have sin. 00:03:35.939 --> 00:03:36.239 Okay. 00:03:36.620 --> 00:03:40.919 Just two things that cannot go together. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:45.699 Now, let me try and help us see this in the kind of flow of the Bible story. 00:03:45.819 --> 00:03:50.479 If you jump back a book of the Bible, think about the book of Exodus, right? 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.840 We finish the book of Exodus with a bit of a conundrum. 00:03:54.739 --> 00:04:08.659 Because on the one hand, throughout the book of Exodus, God has made it clear that he has rescued his people from their Egyptian captors for an express purpose. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:09.139 Okay. 00:04:09.399 --> 00:04:15.159 Each time Moses goes to Pharaoh, what is that four-word refrain? 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:21.779 God says, let my people go. 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:23.680 Okay. 00:04:23.740 --> 00:04:24.879 Let my people go. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:29.339 Song made so popular by, I think it was, was it Louis Armstrong that sang that? 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:31.259 Let my people go. 00:04:32.459 --> 00:04:38.659 But the thing is, people often forget the very next line of what Moses says. 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:40.420 So God says, let my people go. 00:04:40.420 --> 00:04:47.460 And it's followed by another four words, that they may worship me. 00:04:48.699 --> 00:04:49.140 Okay. 00:04:49.400 --> 00:04:50.960 That they may worship me. 00:04:51.100 --> 00:04:54.700 And this idea kind of snowballs through the book. 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:58.060 And you could argue it snowballs through the entire Bible as well. 00:04:58.060 --> 00:05:10.000 Because later on in Exodus, as God tells his people how to build the tabernacle, which is this portable temple that they are to carry with them through the wilderness on their way to the promised land. 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:12.439 That God may dwell with them. 00:05:12.500 --> 00:05:14.879 That's how they know that their God is with them. 00:05:16.100 --> 00:05:17.500 This is what God has said. 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:20.240 He wants to dwell with them. 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:27.600 So on the one hand, you've got God laying out his gracious and his good intention to live amongst his people. 00:05:27.939 --> 00:05:38.240 But on the other hand, the book of Exodus, if you go right to the end, it finishes with Moses not able to enter the place where God dwells. 00:05:39.060 --> 00:05:41.980 Because this God is too glorious. 00:05:43.540 --> 00:05:45.019 And here's the point. 00:05:45.019 --> 00:05:53.060 If you're into the Lord of the Rings, let me quote Boromir to you, if you know the line. 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:56.859 One does not just simply walk into Mordor. 00:05:58.419 --> 00:06:02.620 In a sense, it's the same here. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:09.240 Friends, because of our sin, our rebellion against our creator, 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:16.420 one does not just simply waltz into the presence of a blazingly holy God. 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:24.939 A sinful human being cannot just stumble casually into his presence and think that they can live to tell the tale. 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:25.519 Now, why? 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:29.540 Because the two do not go together. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:35.240 So how do you solve this Exodus conundrum? 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:43.199 How do you square the circle of God's desire and yet our sin problem against our creator, against the Lord? 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:46.340 Well, here's the thing. 00:06:46.420 --> 00:06:49.920 See, while the people are at the bottom of Mount Sinai making a golden calf, 00:06:51.860 --> 00:06:59.560 God is up the top of the mountain with Moses telling them how he has made a way for this to happen. 00:06:59.960 --> 00:07:00.300 Right? 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:04.400 And right there, that tells us huge things about who this God is. 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:05.819 The God of the Bible. 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:07.000 What is he like? 00:07:07.539 --> 00:07:09.620 That he would make a way for this to happen. 00:07:09.739 --> 00:07:14.159 Does that not tell us that he is a gracious, that he is a merciful, 00:07:14.620 --> 00:07:21.199 that he is a loving and a compassionate God who really does want to be God with us? 00:07:23.799 --> 00:07:25.579 God says this is how it's going to happen. 00:07:25.739 --> 00:07:28.179 Friends, Leviticus points us to the answer. 00:07:28.180 --> 00:07:34.079 And the key word for us to see this morning is this word sacrifice. 00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:34.680 Right? 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:37.400 It's the word that hangs over the theme. 00:07:37.699 --> 00:07:40.560 It's the theme of chapters one to seven. 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:41.960 Okay? 00:07:41.960 --> 00:07:45.500 And we get five of them laid out for us here. 00:07:46.220 --> 00:07:48.460 I'm going to quickly have a look at these together. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:51.819 We don't have time at all to go into any of the details. 00:07:51.819 --> 00:07:57.699 Instead, we're going to try and get to the heart of what their purpose was. 00:07:57.800 --> 00:07:59.699 Now, remember our Waitrose toy shop. 00:08:00.180 --> 00:08:00.360 Okay? 00:08:00.620 --> 00:08:01.259 Remember that. 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:04.779 What is the Lord teaching his people? 00:08:05.899 --> 00:08:11.759 So we can kind of roughly divide these five sacrifices, I think, into two groups. 00:08:11.860 --> 00:08:14.420 And these two groups are going to be our two headings today 00:08:14.420 --> 00:08:19.459 because these two groups tell us two wonderful truths about this God. 00:08:19.639 --> 00:08:20.680 Here's the first truth. 00:08:20.680 --> 00:08:21.379 You ready for this? 00:08:22.400 --> 00:08:29.079 The first truth about this God is that he is a God who invites us to know forgiveness. 00:08:30.379 --> 00:08:32.159 He invites us to know forgiveness. 00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:36.320 That's what three of the five sacrifices are to do with. 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:39.639 So we've got the burnt offering in chapter one. 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:43.560 We've got the guilt offering in chapter four. 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:47.019 And we've got the sin offering in chapter five. 00:08:47.019 --> 00:08:52.139 And each of them give us a different aspect of forgiveness. 00:08:53.139 --> 00:08:57.600 Now, look at chapter one with me, the portion of scripture that we read there. 00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:00.740 Here's the burnt offering of chapter one. 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:02.879 Dive in with me at verse three. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:07.000 Now, what can people bring as a sacrifice? 00:09:08.820 --> 00:09:13.120 Well, depending on who you are and what you have, this is kind of what you see developed through chapter one. 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:14.439 You can bring a bull. 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:15.460 Okay? 00:09:15.580 --> 00:09:17.039 You can bring a sheep or a goat. 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:21.179 Or you can bring a turtle dove or pigeon. 00:09:21.419 --> 00:09:25.019 Now, do you see how God has almost means tested this? 00:09:25.019 --> 00:09:37.199 So money and possessions, what you have, what you can afford to bring, this is no barrier to them knowing the joy of them having their sins forgiven. 00:09:37.699 --> 00:09:38.740 Do you see how God has provided? 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:43.699 So people would bring their sacrifice to the tent of meeting. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:45.079 They would kill it themselves. 00:09:45.379 --> 00:09:53.460 And the priest would sprinkle its blood on the altar, which you have to say is a pretty gory ordeal, is it not? 00:09:53.460 --> 00:09:59.920 Not too uncommon in this age in which we're looking at here, but this is a gory ordeal. 00:10:00.019 --> 00:10:05.320 I mean, if this was on the telly, it would most certainly be on after the watershed. 00:10:06.660 --> 00:10:08.759 But why is God asking them to do this? 00:10:08.820 --> 00:10:18.440 Well, I think here is the point, the principle, that for a life to be spared, a life must be given. 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:27.400 Now, notice with me, chapter 1, verse 4, that they are commanded to put their hands on the animal's head. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:27.980 Do you see that? 00:10:28.740 --> 00:10:31.860 Put their hands on the animal's head. 00:10:33.460 --> 00:10:39.280 As the people symbolically declare that this animal is taking my place. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:41.220 See it? 00:10:41.560 --> 00:10:43.100 It's the bull instead of me. 00:10:43.620 --> 00:10:45.440 It's the sheep instead of me. 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:47.340 It's the pigeon instead of me. 00:10:47.340 --> 00:10:51.780 I deserve death, but another's going to die in my place, and I'm going to go free. 00:10:51.920 --> 00:10:52.600 I know forgiveness. 00:10:52.820 --> 00:10:53.460 I know life. 00:10:53.540 --> 00:10:55.379 The animal here is a substitute. 00:10:56.759 --> 00:10:56.879 Right? 00:10:56.940 --> 00:10:59.860 We're familiar with that word in our day today. 00:10:59.980 --> 00:11:00.060 Right? 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:03.940 If you're a sports fan or whatnot, do you know what made me think about the word substitute this week? 00:11:04.340 --> 00:11:06.759 About how we used to get Tesco home delivery. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:12.080 Ever had that experience where they come and they give you a list and the guy says, 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:14.940 good news, there's only one substitute this week. 00:11:15.560 --> 00:11:15.700 Okay? 00:11:15.800 --> 00:11:19.420 And it's something like we put in cherry tomatoes instead of plum tomatoes or something like that. 00:11:19.780 --> 00:11:21.020 There's only one substitute this week. 00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:25.420 We took something that had to come off the list and something's gone on in its place. 00:11:26.220 --> 00:11:26.600 Yeah? 00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:28.560 The word substitute. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:32.439 The animal here is a substitute. 00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:36.619 And notice what the substitute sacrifice does. 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:37.439 Verse 4. 00:11:38.779 --> 00:11:40.599 It makes atonement. 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:46.000 Now, that's one of the key words, not just in the book of Leviticus. 00:11:46.119 --> 00:11:50.759 It's one of the key words in the whole Bible story. 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:55.200 It literally means at one make. 00:11:56.539 --> 00:11:57.860 At one make. 00:11:57.939 --> 00:12:07.500 In other words, because of this sacrifice, God's right anger, his wrath against sin has been satisfied. 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:13.100 And you can know that you are right with him. 00:12:13.100 --> 00:12:23.220 It seems to be the big lesson of the burnt offering, that for you to be right with this God, atonement needs to happen. 00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:34.320 And its effect, if you want to come again to verse 9, is that the sacrifice becomes a pleasing aroma in the sight of the Lord. 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:37.580 In other words, it works. 00:12:38.940 --> 00:12:40.200 It works. 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:45.600 You kind of see a similar thing with the sin offering at chapter 4. 00:12:46.980 --> 00:12:47.220 Right? 00:12:47.300 --> 00:12:47.740 Chapter 4. 00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:50.200 When do you need to bring this sacrifice? 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:51.759 Chapter 4, verse 2. 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:54.759 And again at verse 13. 00:12:54.920 --> 00:12:56.840 And again at verse 27. 00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:58.520 When do you need to bring this? 00:12:59.580 --> 00:13:03.120 Well, when you find yourself having sinned unintentionally. 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:04.640 Unintentionally. 00:13:05.220 --> 00:13:05.580 Right? 00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:07.080 When you've done something accidentally. 00:13:07.520 --> 00:13:09.220 Or when you've admitted to do something. 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:12.180 And chapter 5, verses 1 to 4. 00:13:12.259 --> 00:13:15.000 When you find yourself having sinned intentionally. 00:13:16.560 --> 00:13:18.780 And who needs to bring the sacrifice here? 00:13:18.820 --> 00:13:19.920 I think this is fascinating. 00:13:20.020 --> 00:13:20.840 Who needs to bring it? 00:13:21.100 --> 00:13:24.300 Do you see how it's all stratas of Israel society? 00:13:24.540 --> 00:13:26.920 So it's the whole gang, if you like. 00:13:27.020 --> 00:13:29.000 The elders, verse 15. 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:30.679 The rulers, verse 22. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:33.559 And the ordinary people, verse 27. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:42.059 In other words, what they need to see is that all sin is serious in God's sight. 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:45.419 And that all people are caught up in this. 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:55.440 And that sin is all more encompassing in this God's sight than I think we often think it is. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:58.020 Do you find yourself doing that? 00:13:58.060 --> 00:13:58.960 I find it all the time. 00:13:59.020 --> 00:14:02.740 We tend to think of sin almost like a grading system. 00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:04.100 Okay? 00:14:04.180 --> 00:14:06.140 In our fridge at home, we've got a star chart. 00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:09.580 For the kids, the rules are really simple. 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:11.000 You behave well. 00:14:11.560 --> 00:14:12.660 You gain a star. 00:14:13.660 --> 00:14:14.880 You do something naughty. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:16.320 You lose a star. 00:14:17.580 --> 00:14:19.419 And it always ends up with this debate. 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:25.840 Was what I did really, was what I did wrong really worthy of losing a star? 00:14:25.879 --> 00:14:30.179 And you start to grade behavior based on how we think about things. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:33.000 And it's kind of, Dad, is it really a red card offense? 00:14:33.500 --> 00:14:33.600 Right? 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:35.740 Is it a really red card or is it a yellow card offense? 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:37.679 Can I go to VAR on this one? 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:41.759 Friends, we try and do that with our sin. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:43.639 Don't we try and grade it like that? 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:50.699 Is what we've done or what we've not done, is it worthy of losing a star? 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:53.039 I mean, gossiping behind someone's back? 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:53.779 Yeah, okay. 00:14:53.939 --> 00:14:56.419 But it's not murder. 00:14:56.779 --> 00:15:01.419 My anger problem that exists in my heart that comes out at home and nobody sees it? 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:03.419 Yeah, it's not stealing. 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:10.120 Friends, this is what author Jerry Bridges calls respectable sins. 00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:16.980 Take it we need to learn from this that sin is way more all-encompassing in the sight of this holy God 00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:20.440 than we ever tend to stop and think about. 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:30.120 But I want us to see here the call from this God to come to him in honest confession 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:32.880 and know the joy of sins forgiven. 00:15:34.380 --> 00:15:34.540 Right? 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:40.880 There's a story told about a church in England who, back in 2013, they received a package in the post. 00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:41.380 Right? 00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:45.659 So they opened the package and it's an old Bible from way back in the day. 00:15:46.439 --> 00:15:47.439 Nothing there with it. 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:51.019 And they do a bit of digging to find out what is going on with this. 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:58.080 Turns out it was from a man who had 42 years earlier stolen that Bible from the church. 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.519 And he never thought to give it back. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:07.600 And all of a sudden, it kind of came to a climax that it haunted him all those years. 00:16:07.659 --> 00:16:08.840 He couldn't live with it anymore. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.079 And he sent it back. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:21.460 Friends, here's a call from God to come and know the joy of sins forgiven. 00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:27.040 And here's a call from this God to come and come clean with him 00:16:27.040 --> 00:16:31.900 and to know that he has provided a way for you to be right with him 00:16:31.900 --> 00:16:33.920 and to live in that and to know life. 00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:40.320 And the good news, I take it here, is that God has made a way for forgiveness to be available for everyone. 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:41.780 There's no one excluded here. 00:16:42.400 --> 00:16:43.900 This is for everyone. 00:16:46.379 --> 00:16:47.960 And thirdly, we get the guilt offering. 00:16:48.060 --> 00:16:49.280 Do you see that in chapter 5? 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:54.519 Think here's a sin offering for when you realize that you have done wrong, 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:57.059 particularly when it concerns others, right? 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:00.799 So when you've wronged your neighbor in some kind of way, when you've lied or cheated, 00:17:01.579 --> 00:17:06.859 here's a way that you can make good with them. 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:12.940 You see, again, that word, chapter 6 and verse 7. 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:15.879 Offer the sacrifice. 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:20.900 You know that atonement will be made and forgiveness will be given. 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:25.760 So there's three sacrifices that tell us this key truth, okay? 00:17:26.340 --> 00:17:30.960 The burnt offering here, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. 00:17:31.040 --> 00:17:32.100 What do they tell us? 00:17:32.580 --> 00:17:40.660 They tell us that this is a God who longs for us to come to him and to know forgiveness. 00:17:40.660 --> 00:17:46.360 And the remaining two sacrifices, the grain offering, which is at chapter 2, 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:48.940 and the peace offering, which is at chapter 3, 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:55.160 they tell us that this is a God who invites us to come and show gratitude. 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:58.480 Okay, so you've got the grain offering here. 00:17:58.600 --> 00:18:04.880 So the people are invited to bring, verse 1 of chapter 2, choice flower, right? 00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:06.900 Verse 1 of chapter 2, follow with me, choice flower. 00:18:06.900 --> 00:18:09.320 In other words, they're invited to bring their best. 00:18:10.900 --> 00:18:11.300 Why? 00:18:12.900 --> 00:18:14.019 What's the point in this one? 00:18:14.100 --> 00:18:14.820 What's going on? 00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:22.860 Well, I take it they're invited to bring their best purely as a way of showing their love for the Lord. 00:18:22.859 --> 00:18:30.159 After all, he is the one who has rescued them from slavery in Egypt. 00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:34.099 He is the one who has provided grain for them in the first place. 00:18:34.179 --> 00:18:37.299 He is the one who's provided all these cattle for them to bring. 00:18:37.799 --> 00:18:44.859 And most importantly of all, he is the one who has made a way for them to have their sins forgiven. 00:18:44.859 --> 00:18:56.619 And so here's the lesson that the Lord's mercy is supposed to flood their hearts and lead to thankfulness. 00:18:57.379 --> 00:18:58.559 Thank you, Lord. 00:18:59.439 --> 00:19:01.159 Thank you for who you are. 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:09.099 And so the people are invited here to come and just show their love for this God. 00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:11.199 Thank you, Father. 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:12.079 Thank you. 00:19:12.459 --> 00:19:16.719 And you see, notice verse 2, that this is a pleasing aroma in the sight of the Lord. 00:19:18.719 --> 00:19:23.740 And similarly with the peace offering in chapter 3, and we're going through this at a hair's pace. 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:25.579 I realize this, but stay with me, okay? 00:19:25.719 --> 00:19:27.919 The similarly the peace offering at chapter 3. 00:19:29.159 --> 00:19:32.119 Peace there just arrived from that Hebrew word shalom. 00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:33.459 Right? 00:19:33.460 --> 00:19:37.140 We know it takes place after the burnt offering. 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:43.240 So the people would bring an animal, it would be killed, and the fat would be offered as an offering. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.140 You see, we hate fat in our culture. 00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:46.720 Hate it. 00:19:47.360 --> 00:19:49.539 It's always the bit of the meat, isn't it, that goes in the bin. 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:51.620 You've cooked a stir fry, you find some fat. 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:52.700 Ugh, that's going out. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:53.660 Don't want that in my system. 00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:59.700 But these people in this day really simply, the fat is the best bit. 00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:01.660 It's the best bit. 00:20:01.660 --> 00:20:08.040 So here is an offering where people celebrated that they were right with this God. 00:20:09.100 --> 00:20:10.080 They celebrated it. 00:20:10.120 --> 00:20:11.340 It's a cause for great joy. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:19.900 And we learn from chapter 7 that the rest would be shared in a fellowship meal with the priest and the fellow sinners. 00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:28.660 And so throughout the Bible story, these are times of great joy, of great unity, and of great celebration. 00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:37.620 As together you celebrate the fact that atonement has been made, has made a way for you to have communion with this God. 00:20:37.619 --> 00:20:42.539 So friends, five sacrifices. 00:20:44.479 --> 00:20:45.379 Two truths. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:50.500 Here is a God who invites us to come and know forgiveness. 00:20:51.639 --> 00:20:55.739 And here is a God who invites us to come and just show our gratitude. 00:20:55.740 --> 00:21:00.880 And you might say, well, that's all well and good. 00:21:01.620 --> 00:21:04.519 But what does that have to do with me? 00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:12.339 Well, let's move from the purpose of the sacrifices to see their fulfillment. 00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:14.680 Right, now there's a phrase. 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:15.819 Let's just stop for a minute. 00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:16.940 We've been running fast here. 00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:18.680 We should pause for a minute. 00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:22.120 And let me just take you to the first of fourth. 00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:27.980 There's a phrase that people in Scotland use all the time. 00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:30.660 And it's the phrase, painting the fourth bridge. 00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:32.960 Have you ever used that before? 00:21:33.019 --> 00:21:34.620 I've heard that tons of times before. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:40.000 And it's this phrase that we use to talk about a never ending task. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:42.220 Right, just never ending task. 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:49.500 And I take it, if you think about it, it originates from the time that the people first painted that bridge. 00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:53.720 So you can imagine there is on the screen that the one end of the bridge with their can of red paint. 00:21:54.420 --> 00:22:02.299 And they'd slowly, slowly, slowly start going all the way to the other side of the bridge until they make it to the other side. 00:22:02.360 --> 00:22:08.640 But the problem was by the time they got to the other side, the side that they'd started at was in need of a repaint. 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:11.920 So they'd go back to the start and they'd start again. 00:22:12.020 --> 00:22:16.480 And they'd paint from the side that they started at all the way to the other side. 00:22:16.540 --> 00:22:20.280 Except when they got to the other side, the problem was that the side that they started at needed repainted. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:23.480 And over and over and over this process went. 00:22:23.580 --> 00:22:28.680 Can you imagine the feeling of desperation if you were a painter working on that bridge? 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:31.160 This is never going to end. 00:22:31.280 --> 00:22:32.220 Here we are again. 00:22:32.340 --> 00:22:33.400 Here we go again. 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:40.120 I imagine that's a thought that must have crept into the minds of your everyday Israelite. 00:22:42.380 --> 00:22:43.080 Imagine it. 00:22:43.100 --> 00:22:46.759 There you are at the gates of the tabernacle again. 00:22:47.320 --> 00:22:48.580 Bull in hand. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:50.860 Ready to do your thing. 00:22:52.040 --> 00:22:53.519 Knowing life well enough. 00:22:53.660 --> 00:22:55.660 And knowing your own heart well enough. 00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:59.019 To know that in no time at all you'll be back. 00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:04.500 And you'll be saying in your heart of hearts, here we go again. 00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:09.259 Well friends, remember our waitress toy shop. 00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:14.440 Getting kids ready for the real thing. 00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:19.339 You see, this is what the, of Leviticus as the toy shop. 00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:23.940 Here is what the writer to the Hebrews tells us about the real thing. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:25.480 Okay. 00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:31.440 Day after day, every priest stands and performs his religious duties. 00:23:32.039 --> 00:23:33.360 Again and again. 00:23:33.480 --> 00:23:34.259 Do you hear that language? 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:34.940 Fourth Bridge. 00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:40.400 He offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. 00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:42.000 And otherwise it was never about this. 00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:43.360 It was about where this was pointing. 00:23:44.519 --> 00:23:48.579 But when this priest, and he was talking about Jesus. 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:56.359 When this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins. 00:23:57.139 --> 00:23:59.500 He sat down at the right hand of God. 00:24:00.539 --> 00:24:04.519 And since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 00:24:05.460 --> 00:24:14.699 For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 00:24:14.700 --> 00:24:21.539 So friends, do you see that Jesus is, this is the whole argument to the book of Hebrews. 00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:28.620 Jesus is everything that the Levitical sacrificial system pointed to. 00:24:29.460 --> 00:24:31.019 This has all been about him. 00:24:31.420 --> 00:24:32.519 And what he would do at the cross. 00:24:32.600 --> 00:24:37.360 It's why the New Testament makes such a big deal of Jesus' sinlessness. 00:24:37.600 --> 00:24:38.600 His perfection. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:40.700 He's the perfect sacrifice. 00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:47.880 It's why the New Testament makes such a big deal of Jesus' death being an atoning one for sin. 00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:56.559 It's why in the Gospels the writers are so explicit in telling us about the darkness that fell over the land when Jesus hung on the cross. 00:24:57.400 --> 00:24:59.840 Symbolizing God's judgment against sin. 00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:08.559 So friends, we do not need to offer a daily sacrifice for our sins. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:16.220 Praise God that the perfect sacrifice, Jesus made it on our behalf on the cross. 00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:17.599 Remember the idea of substitute? 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:20.539 Him for me. 00:25:21.319 --> 00:25:22.359 Him for me. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:24.240 Him for me. 00:25:25.079 --> 00:25:26.119 He died. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.399 I live. 00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:30.399 He took the death penalty that I deserved. 00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:31.799 I get his life. 00:25:33.419 --> 00:25:34.839 He was right with God. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:35.619 He died. 00:25:35.879 --> 00:25:37.740 I was wrong with God because of my sin. 00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:39.579 There's been a great exchange. 00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:41.620 I am right with God. 00:25:42.579 --> 00:25:44.200 And you see what's driving all of this, friends? 00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:45.259 Remember back in Exodus. 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:46.500 What's driving all of this? 00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:49.140 It's God's desire to dwell with his people. 00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:53.779 His longing to be God with us. 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:55.799 And he's going to make a way for that to happen. 00:25:56.140 --> 00:25:58.559 And he's done it through the cross of Jesus Christ. 00:26:00.019 --> 00:26:01.579 It's fulfilled in him. 00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:03.299 It's all about him. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:05.180 We're not thankful for that. 00:26:05.180 --> 00:26:12.480 If you this morning don't know the joy of sins forgiven, the joy of life with Christ, then come to the cross and know forgiveness. 00:26:13.580 --> 00:26:15.840 It's incredible what's going on here with God. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:20.560 The lengths that God would go to rescue us, to save us. 00:26:20.580 --> 00:26:24.519 Because I'm right there with the people at the bottom of Mount Sinai making that golden calf. 00:26:24.600 --> 00:26:25.220 That's me. 00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:29.059 And yet this God sent his son to die in my place. 00:26:32.600 --> 00:26:34.440 And what about showing gratitude, right? 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:35.759 Is that one done away with as well? 00:26:37.100 --> 00:26:38.360 Well, here's what we need to see. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:42.160 We don't need to bring a grain offering anymore. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:46.259 But the principle still wonderfully stands. 00:26:47.860 --> 00:26:48.040 Okay. 00:26:48.100 --> 00:26:52.480 We started by thinking about two things that don't go together. 00:26:52.700 --> 00:26:53.200 Remember that? 00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:55.000 Two things that don't go together. 00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:59.360 A blazingly holy God and sin. 00:26:59.620 --> 00:26:59.779 Right? 00:26:59.840 --> 00:27:00.620 We thought about that. 00:27:00.940 --> 00:27:06.060 Let me just finish with two things that the New Testament tells us do go together. 00:27:06.059 --> 00:27:07.059 Okay. 00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:10.119 Here's what Paul writes in Romans chapter 12. 00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:15.359 And see if you recognize where he is getting his language from. 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:16.539 See if you pick this up. 00:27:16.639 --> 00:27:16.779 Okay. 00:27:17.079 --> 00:27:18.139 He writes this. 00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:19.179 Romans chapter 12. 00:27:19.319 --> 00:27:24.079 Having expounded 11 chapters of wonderful gospel truth. 00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:24.899 He writes this. 00:27:25.899 --> 00:27:29.019 Therefore, I urge you, his readers. 00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:30.379 I urge you, Christian. 00:27:30.639 --> 00:27:31.679 Brothers and sisters. 00:27:31.879 --> 00:27:35.419 In view of God's mercy. 00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:41.679 To offer your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:45.480 Holy and pleasing to God. 00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:51.200 This is your true and proper worship. 00:27:51.399 --> 00:27:53.179 Now, do you recognize the principle? 00:27:53.339 --> 00:27:54.980 Do you see where he's got this from? 00:27:55.099 --> 00:27:57.000 What are the two things that go together? 00:27:58.879 --> 00:28:01.419 Mercy and worship. 00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:03.700 Mercy. 00:28:03.899 --> 00:28:05.879 Knowing what our God has done for us. 00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:07.440 Knowing who he is. 00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:11.520 Friends, it should lead us to worship him. 00:28:12.760 --> 00:28:16.120 And to not just offer a day of the week to the Lord. 00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:18.700 Or X amount of hours of a week to the Lord. 00:28:18.820 --> 00:28:19.260 Policy. 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:20.840 And throw yourself on there. 00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:23.000 That paradoxical phrase. 00:28:23.100 --> 00:28:23.940 A living sacrifice. 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:25.340 Throw yourself on there. 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:27.580 Offer yourself to him in light of who he is. 00:28:27.579 --> 00:28:28.259 Your time. 00:28:28.259 --> 00:28:28.839 Your time. 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:29.460 Your money. 00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:30.359 Your energies. 00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:31.079 Your job. 00:28:31.159 --> 00:28:31.779 Your family. 00:28:32.159 --> 00:28:33.419 Everything you do. 00:28:35.399 --> 00:28:36.939 View it as an act of worship. 00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:40.839 In view of the mercy of your God. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:43.059 You can call him Father. 00:28:43.299 --> 00:28:44.480 You can know his love. 00:28:44.899 --> 00:28:46.139 You can know his care. 00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:47.699 Mercy. 00:28:48.419 --> 00:28:48.720 Worship. 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:49.279 Mercy. 00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:50.460 Mercy. 00:28:50.579 --> 00:28:50.860 Worship. 00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:52.600 You know, there's a famous story told. 00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:53.640 And with this, we'll close. 00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:56.420 Of pig and chicken standing in a field. 00:28:58.420 --> 00:28:58.519 Right? 00:28:58.680 --> 00:29:00.500 Best buds standing there looking out. 00:29:00.579 --> 00:29:01.900 It's a lovely night in the field. 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:04.000 And a bus passes them by. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:07.140 And on the side of the bus, it just reads. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:07.820 Sorry. 00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:10.480 There's a picture of eggs and bacon. 00:29:10.860 --> 00:29:13.120 And underneath it reads, eggs and bacon. 00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:15.120 The great British breakfast. 00:29:15.320 --> 00:29:17.259 And chicken turns to pig and says, pig, look. 00:29:17.320 --> 00:29:17.880 We're famous. 00:29:17.940 --> 00:29:18.800 We're going to be famous. 00:29:18.800 --> 00:29:19.700 Can you believe it? 00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:22.080 And pig turns to chicken. 00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:25.759 And he says, that's easy for you to see. 00:29:25.860 --> 00:29:27.600 You only need to make a little contribution. 00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:31.200 I have to give my whole life. 00:29:32.900 --> 00:29:36.000 And that's exactly what Paul is saying here, isn't it? 00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:37.519 Mercy. 00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:38.519 Worship. 00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:43.080 Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice. 00:29:43.259 --> 00:29:46.360 You know those lyrics that Isaac Watts penned all those years ago? 00:29:47.840 --> 00:29:51.340 Where every realm of nature mine. 00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:53.880 My gift was still far too small. 00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:56.800 Love so amazing, so divine. 00:29:57.560 --> 00:29:59.240 Demands my soul. 00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:00.880 My life. 00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:02.500 My all. 00:30:03.580 --> 00:30:04.600 Let's pray together. 00:30:09.820 --> 00:30:13.760 Our Heavenly Father, thank you so much, Lord, for who you are. 00:30:14.620 --> 00:30:16.980 A God of blazing holiness. 00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:20.440 With whom there is no shadow due to change. 00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:25.279 And yet you are a God through Christ who bids us to come and know you. 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:27.779 And know the joy of sins forgiven. 00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:30.000 And knows the joy of life eternal. 00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:32.039 And life with you. 00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:34.940 Lord, I pray for those watching this here today. 00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:37.920 Perhaps who might not know Jesus as their King and their Saviour. 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:40.660 Maybe they've wandered over the years away from him. 00:30:40.660 --> 00:30:45.360 Lord, this morning through your Spirit at work. 00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:49.900 Would you remind them, Lord, woo them back to the cross. 00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:57.120 Lord, will your mercy and your love fully displayed in the person of your Son. 00:30:58.400 --> 00:31:01.360 And Lord, I pray for us who do know you. 00:31:01.580 --> 00:31:05.300 Lord, help us never to lose the wonder of your mercy. 00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:13.759 And help us to respond with lives that are all out in worship of who you are. 00:31:14.579 --> 00:31:17.359 So, Father, thank you for our time together this morning. 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:21.359 And we thank you that you do hear us. 00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:26.779 Because we pray in Jesus' precious and in his worthy name. 00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:27.559 Amen.