Lecviticus 1: 1-17

Let me invite you to turn in your Bibles to Leviticus 1

[Read Chapter Leviticus 1]

Background: Today we will deal with only a few important aspects of this passage. I do not intend to break this chapter down, nor do I intend to deal with the Jewish background of dealing with the Law. I will not, therefore, deal in depth with the offerings or the process of them. When going to a passage such as this, and preaching from it, I am concerned with the church, you the congregation, and most of all Christ. For an in-depth study of the offerings and the Law given here I would need a great deal of time and it is something that should be taught elsewhere. I want it understood that since we are not Jews we are not reading this as original Jews at the original time. Therefore, I will look at this passage with the church and our congregations today in mind.

In light of the New Testament, mainly the book of Hebrews, I will show you the significance of the two key messages of this text. I have read this chapter in Leviticus over and over, and not one time did I come away with a different focus. The focus of the chapter concentrates on the LORD, and secondly the offering that is to be given to the LORD. Listen to me when I say this, for this is the key to my message today. I am not going to give you the significance of this passage in its Biblical theology. But my plan today is to look at its systematical importance in the whole of Scripture, which our church has been given by the LORD, in Christ, and through the Holy Spirit. I might add at this point that my dispensational brother would probably become hard of hearing from this point on. For I know and understand his hermeneutics on Scripture is based only on preaching the Word in its original form, from its original writer, to its original hearer. None of us should allow ourselves to be so shallow in our reason to stud. Do not allow the system or methods you use to be the only way. Secondly, the Prophets did not and could not fully understand their writings let alone their readers at given times (1 Peter 1: 10-12). So, why would I continue to only use one verse, one chapter, and one book of the Book, when the LORD has given us all of His cannon? We have more than the original readers of this passage so that we can see how this passage fits into the light of all passages that have been given to the church. Thirdly, I cannot preach just the Law! For we the church live not under the Law but in the covenant of Grace! For me to leave out, forget about, and not mention how this chapter in Leviticus deals with Grace would only belittle our Christ and what He has so willingly done for His bride.

So, therefore, I plan to look at the two major thoughts of this text that I have brought to you. The first issue is the LORD and what he is commanding to be done. The second issue dealt with is the offerings and how they are to be given to the LORD. The passage here shows the intended guidelines of the brunt offerings that were to be given to the LORD. We have listed in this chapter how to give the offering of a bull from a herd (verses 3-9), how to give sheep or goats from a flock (verses 10-13), and lastly the offering of turtledoves and pigeons from birds (verses 14-17). We see the methods in which how the LORD’s people are to go about offering gifts, and what His people are to bring for the sacrifices. We see what the priest and his sons are to go through and what exactly they have to do in the process of these offerings. And lastly the Lord gives direction regarding the mode of the slaying of the offerings.

As the church considers this text in Leviticus, may we compare this with that of Christ! May we look at the Law and how it foreshadowed Christ. May we see the offering in the Law and how it reminds us of the one-time perfect offering of Christ. May we see the blood which had to be spilled for the covering of sins and have it only point us to the perfect blood spilled on Calvary nearly 2,000 years ago for you and me! Most of all, may we look at the difference between these offerings and that of our one-time offering, Jesus Christ.

Propositional Statement (Number, Noun, Application, Action)

I have three key elements to mediate on when looking at our offering in Christ.

I. Instructional Points- the first element is a twofold process; we must look at the offering without blemish, and secondly the blood that must be spilt.

A. Illustration- what does the Bible gives us?

What we have in our text is a way that the LORD makes for man to come to Him. The offerings given to the Jews were merely a hint of what humans should have taken on for eternity. These acts of offerings by the Jews were done willingly on the part of the man in coming to correct worship before the LORD their God. The placing of the hand by the individual was an act of identification with the victim of the sacrifice. The wealth of the man did not matter, for the LORD gave a way in which either rich or poor could partake in this act of worship with the LORD. For the poor a turtledove or pigeon was acceptable. For the Lord has given His people a way to come before Him, no matter their means of wealth.

I want to look now at the key aspects of this passage. We see in the offering of the bull and sheep that the offering must be given to the LORD without blemish or imperfection. This offering is to be complete and sound in the fact that it must be the best and perfect pick from the herd or flock. We also see the blood of the bull, sheep, goat, turtledove, or pigeon must be spilt to cover the sins of the one who is making the sacrifice.

B. Application–what does this mean?

It did not matter if the blood was thrown against the sides of the altar at the entrance of the tent, thrown on the sides of the altar, or drained out on the side of the altar. The importance was that there needed to be the spilling of the blood for the covering of man’s sin. Perfection! The LORD calls for and gets perfection! Blood! Oh! What an image of the perfect sacrifice! Do I dare to remind you today that God called for perfection and His Son Jesus Christ willingly gave! Our LORD called for blood to be spilled for your sins, and Christ willingly gave! The means of sacrifice has changed! Oh, worship and praise be given to the One who made the means of our New Covenant. The sacrifice here in this passage we read of is only but a shadow of the true perfection. The sacrifice is without blemish and complete in all of its self, for Christ was not only in perfection but His pure blood was spilt for you! For me! I plead for you to think on these things! Look at your sacrifice this day and cast all your cares on the cross of Christ. You will need no more. No more bulls, no more goats, sheep, or birds, for Christ has sacrificed Himself so that you could come to Him this day in perfection before the LORD and worship.

C. Interaction-what would that look like?

I read to you as a reminder of what the writer of Hebrews told his listeners in Hebrews 9:17-22:

“For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

May you look upon this and remember what Christ has done for you. Remind yourselves that you are now a living sacrifice to the one who took your place, took your shame, your guilt, your cross, and drink every last drop of the cup of wrath from our Lord. For this is the only means we by which we can come to God. This is the way Christ took in all of you and how you can come here today and worship your God. This brings me to the second element.

II. Instructional Points- the second element of this offering I want to look at is the fact that God makes a way to come to Him.

A. Illustration- what does the Bible give us?

In light of the passage in Hebrews, I want to look now at not only what Christ has done for us but how He accomplished it. For the sacrifice in the Law, and even more today by Christ, we have a way to our God. For with Christ’s perfect blood is the acceptance of the covenant. These sacrifices in the Law were the way that man could come to worship with the LORD. The giving of perfection and the spilling of blood was to cover the sins of man. So, therefore man could now come before the LORD knowing his sin, in all of its guilt, was forgiven and could stand before Him in His entire splendor. For these means of perfection and blood bring about the mode which man is to come to God. This is hard! It is hard to understand why God would allow sinners to come to Him. For man to stand in the presence of the LORD is hard to even comprehend, to even think about. It almost seems unjust for God to allow sinners to come to Him. But these are the means in which God has given us our mode. And our mode is to stand in awe and be happy, be blessed, find our joy, and worship our Lord. Don’t try to grasp these hard, intellectual, uncomprehending measures that almost seem unjust. Just stand in awe and worship God for allowing you–a sinner that was bound to eternal death–to stand in awe of your Savior today.

B. Application–what does this mean?

Hebrews 9:20 says, “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” God commanded the Law so that His people could come to Him. Might I say, “Oh” again, Oh how the LORD has given His Son in today’s New Covenant. For there is no need of this command or this Law anymore! I do not say forget the Law in the sense of its need to be fulfilled, but forget the Law, forget the command in which God told His people before. For there is no reason any longer to carry out these commands. God has prepared you a new way to come to Him. It’s Christ! Christ is now our way to God. This way is complete and stands apart from all the sacrifices. For today you have no reason to bring your sheep; we have been given the perfect sheep so that we can come before the Shepherd this day and worship! May we stand in awe once more of our perfect Shepherd which laid down His life for His sheep? Once more we have another shadow here in Leviticus of the way to God. For the Law’s way to God was but a shadow of what we have today. It was only a shadow of what our perfect Savior would provide for us! Let me remind you again that there is no more need for bulls, goats, sheep, or birds, for Christ has sacrificed Himself so that you could come to Him this day in perfection and worship the LORD. And I might that the only way to come to God is through His Son, and it will be the only way you will ever come to God.

B. Interaction-what would that look like?

I hope that you have thanked God today for what He gave you. Thank Christ for giving Himself for you. I hope you have thanked the Spirit for giving you the heart to partake in this. Listen to these words written down long ago from the writer of Hebrews, in chapter 9:23-28.

“It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: ²⁵ Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; ²⁶ For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: ²⁸ So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Christ’s necessity for the payment of sins is your necessity to stand in worship of the LORD. Have you thought on that this morning? For it is not what you have done today that brings you to God. Look upon the hope and foundation of your faith. May every heart and soul bow before the LORD this day in humble adoration of Christ who shed His blood for your sins. Look upon the ultimate sacrifice, for that is where your hope, joy, and redemption lie. Your way to God is through Christ’s death, his cross, and his perfect, pure, sacrifice on the cross. May praise and honor be to Him who has allowed His people to come in communion with the almighty Lord.

III. Instructional Points- the last and final element I want to look at is the significance in Jesus Christ, our sacrifice.

A. Illustration- what the Bible gives us?

We have looked at the perfect sacrifice. We have looked at the pure blood in being spilled for His people in that sacrifice. Secondly I have discussed that this pure blood has allowed us to actually stand before the LORD, and stand firm in our salvation before the LORD. But most or all, Jesus Christ death was different than these sacrifices here in the Law.

First of all, Jesus’s sacrifice was not a continual process. Christ died once! Secondly, there is now no need to having individual sacrifices. Christ’s sacrifice was enough to cover the sins of many sinners! There are many differences between the Lord and that of the Law, and I do not have time to continually break them all down at this time. It is so much more satisfying to find redemption in the blood of Christ than in some system that you have to continually do. And how great is the cross, for from His sacrifice only grace, mercy, and love flowed. Love flowed before, but the Law caused all men to fall short of God. Here Christ’s cross and His sacrifice brought us something we did not deserve. How merciful it is for God to pass judgment on us and give us everyday grace to live in Him! The love of Christ gives us joy and hope in time of need and in time of happiness.

B. Application–what does this mean?

Have you thought about the cross of Christ this week? When was the last time that you read Leviticus and thought of the shadows that Christ not only came to fulfill but to destroy? Let me ask you, hearer of the Word, have you turned your eyes on Christ this morning? Is Christ’s death the center of your life? For this act of sacrifice far surpasses that which is of the Law. Christ came to fulfill the Law, so that you might be fulfilled in Him this day! Think about that! Many of us find contentment in other activities such as sports, TV, movies, music, or whatever might be idolatry in your life. We look for contentment in lust, adultery, pornography and other sexual sins; we look for happiness in ourselves. Look at Christ now! Look at the cross! Look at the sacrifice! Why would you ever find contentment in any other image than the cross? Christ’s image on the cross should be enough to change your heart. May your image be found in Christ alone. May you hold firm to your groom and be satisfied in Him alone. And never place anything or anyone in front of your devotion to Christ, no matter who, what, where, when, why, or how you think you can. We are called to be a living sacrifice. This sacrifice calls for more than bringing something to the altar; this sacrifice makes you a living sacrifice to Christ everyday. May you continue to look to Christ in all of his splendor and glory! For your Christ, my Christ, our Christ, accomplished what bulls, goats, sheep, and birds could never do!

C. Interaction-what would that look like?

Please, I pled with you to look at Christ this day and give him all you have! If you do not know him then there is no better day than today. And if you do, praise Christ today for what He’s done for His people. At this time I can do nothing more to end this sermon than use the words once more from Hebrews in 9:11-14:

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”