Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

THANK GOD FOR ANSWERED PRAYERS

DRINKS ON ME!

Lev 3

Fat = ALL THE FAT IS THE LORDS

SO my belly is all the Lord’s

Fat = valuable, tasty, and aromatic

IT IS WHAT MAKES BOY MEET GRILL A LOVE STORY

So the best of the best is reserved for the God, along with the blood, the life

BUT LET’S FOCUS ON THE MEANING OF THE OFFERING

OFFERING IS VARIOUSLY TRANSLATED AS PEACE OR WELL-BEING

Definition 8002

8000.

שְׁלַם shelam (Chald.),

shel-am´; corresp.

to 7999; to complete, to restore:—deliver, finish.

8001.

שְׁלָם shelâm (Chald.),

shel-awm´; corresp.

to 7965; prosperity:—peace.

8002.

שֶׁלֶם shelem, sheh´-lem; from 7999; prop.

requital, i.e. a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks:—peace offering.

8003.

שָׁלֵם shâlêm, shaw-lame´; from 7999; complete (lit.) or fig.); espec.

friendly:—full, just, made ready, peaceable, perfect (-ed), quiet,

So this is a peace sacrifice, or a sacrifice of well-being

VOLUNTARY, FREEWILL

THIS IS THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF FREEWILL OFFERINGS

I have been atoned for, I MAKE AN OFFERING FROM PROSPERITY (what I need) from God

Now, I make an offering in communion with, and at peace with, God, and I share in the offering

There are significant differences between this and the previous two sacrifices, though all three were made by choice, not by command.

Once atonement had been made and thanks given through the burnt and grain offerings, the offerer could enjoy the presence of God, so this sacrifice might be viewed as a goal toward which the first two were reaching.

Also, unlike the burnt offering, female animals were accepted as well as males (cf.

1:3, 10), and there were no age restrictions—other indications of the openness of this sacrifice.

Some suggest that the inclusion of female animals here is significant, since the females could be seen as more valuable than their male counterparts, and since they produced not only milk but also the next generation.

Thus, more of them were needed than male animals (see Gen 32:15–16; Ruane 2005).

It is more likely that female animals are included since the offering itself is not as restrictive as the previous two: Rather than going completely to God, like the burnt offering, or to God and the priests, like the grain offering, this one was partly eaten by the offerer (see Deut 12:7).

FIRST WEEK, COMPLETELY BURNED UP

LAST WEEK WE SAW A PORTION OF THE OFFERING GO TO THE PRIESTHOOD

THIS WEEK, WE GET TO EAT A PORTION

LET’S SEE HOW THAT WORKS

Deut 12

GOD IS TEACHING HIS PEOPLE HOW TO WORSHIP

THEY HAVE NOT LEFT MT SANAI YET

THAT OCCURS IN NUMBERS, TWO YEARS LATER

WE ARE A DIFFERENT PEOPLE

THIS IS HOW

SO HE COMMANDED THEM TO DESTROY THE PAGAN ALTARS AND IDOLS

AND GO TO THE PLACE THAT GOD CHOOSES - NO TEMPLE YET, SO WHEREVER THE TABERNACLE IS SET UP IN THE DESERT

THAT IS WHERE GOD MEETS THEM

SO GO AND EAT THERE

IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

WITH YOUR HOUSEHOLD

REJOICE IN YOUR BLESSINGS

IF THIS IS FREEWILL, WHAT MIGHT BE THE REASONS TO OFFER THIS?

Reasons for the offering

There were three occasions for this offering as mentioned in 7:11–18 (see comments there): thanksgiving (7:12, 15), fulfillment of a vow, or spontaneous freewill (7:16).

In this celebration of peace and fellowship, there was communion between God, priest (7:34), and offerer (7:15–16, 19; Deut 12:7), all of whom shared the meal.

Such table fellowship was not for strangers and enemies, but for those who had established a close, even covenantal relationship (see Gen 14:18; 31:54; Exod 24:11).

Since animals were economically important, representing a sizable portion of one’s disposable wealth, slaughtering and eating them were not part of daily life.

This contrasts with the meat that forms a regular part of the diet of many in the developed world today.

When meat was eaten in Israel, it was an event to be joyfully shared with friends and family (cf.

Exod 12:4), and in this case, with one’s God.

The national joy was shown by the mass celebration accompanying this offering when Solomon completed building the Temple (1 Kgs 8:62–66).

THREE REASONS GIVE ME JUST THREE GOOD REASONS

TRACY CHAPMAN

THANKSGIVING - GRATITUDE

VOWS = ANSWERED PRAYER

SPONTANEOUS FREEWILL = MEATS ON ME!

IN THIS CONTEXT, THE MEAL WAS FOR FAMILY AND THOSE IN COMMUNION OF GOD

WE HAVE JUST CELEBRATED A FEW DINNERS TOGETHER HERE IN THIS CHURCH

THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT SHARING A MEAL IN COMMUNION WITH GOD IN GOD’S PRESENCE AND HIS PEACE

BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN SHARED WITH SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS

IT TAKES TIME TO PREPARE AND SERVE AND ENJOY

TIME IS SO PRECIOUS THESE DAYS

BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO CELEBRATE RELATIONSHIPS MADE WHOLE BY AND THROUGH GOD

LET’S STOP AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE FORESHADOWING OF CHRIST HERE

Since the peace offering was not made for atonement, it could be viewed as the joyful response to atonement already won and a relationship made whole.

God still wants Christians’ celebratory thanksgiving, not through animal sacrifice, but through other things important for life, our very bodies (Rom 12:1) or our time, one of today’s most precious commodities.

Furthermore, the communal aspect of the feasting celebrated in this sacrifice finds parallel in Christian communion.

There, reconciled friends enjoy a meal of flesh (= bread) and blood (= wine; John 6:51–58; 1 Cor 11:23–26).

Though blood was banned in Leviticus, it is required in symbolic form as part of Christian communion.

Both communion elements give life (cf.

17:11).

The Old Testament shows that life in the form of bread and blood must be returned to God, who is its source, but the New Testament shows that he gives life back to his human creatures through these same symbols.

The blood of the new covenant should remind Christians of the blood of the old covenant—blood Moses sprinkled on the people (Exod 24:8) and blood that was taken from both burnt and peace offerings (3:5).

The act that communion symbolizes (Christ’s death on the cross) was the ultimate peace and atonement offering and is what finally brings people into a state of peace through being in a right relationship with God.

CAN YOU CONNECT THE PEACE OFFERING OF A LAMB, WITH THE PEACE OFFERING OF JESUS

CAN YOU CONNECT TODAYS OFFERING WITH BEING RESTORED TO RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS

IMPORTANT POINT TONIGHT

Christ has already made peace for us

HE IS THE FIRST FRUITS, THE FIRST RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE FIRST BORN, JUST LIKE THE GRAIN OFFERING

AND HE MADE PEACE FOR ALL THINGS, THROUGH HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS

SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO

So we sacrifice

WE HAVE TLAKED ABOUT THE HOLINESS OF OUR BODIES AS TEMPLES OF GOD

NOW LET’S FOCUS ON THE SECOND VERSE

Do not be conformed to this world - we are a different kind of people

WE DO NOT WORSHIP IDOLS

REMEMBER, WE WORSHIP WHAT WE FEAR, AND FEAR WHAT WE WORSHIP

AND WE ARE OFFERED PEACE THROUGH HIS OFFERING

YOU EVER THOUGHT OF THANKSGIVING AS A SACRIFICE

Sacrifice of thanksgiving

Note: or make thanksgiving your sacrifice