Sermon Central
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Jesus Our Perfect Sacrifice
Contributed by Ralph Juthman on Nov 3, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: This is a sermon preached on communion sunday.
TEXT: Jesus Our perfect Sacrifice and High Priest
Text: Leviticus 1:1-8; 8-9, 21
THEME: communion
P.S. The sacrificial system, was given to point man to the way to God is through Blood of a perfect substitute. This substitute is Jesus.
Introduction:
There are all kinds of warnings in life.
Most products we purchase have labels warning about improper use. I found a great list of these kinds of warnings. Believe it or not, these are all real.
- a label on a snow sled which says: "Beware: sled may develop high speed under certain snow conditions."
- a fishing lure, with a warning that reads: harmful if swallowed.
- A warning on an electric router made for carpenters cautions: ““This product not intended for use as a dental drill.””
- A warning label found on a baby stroller cautions the user to ““Remove child before folding””
- A container of underarm deodorant says, ““Caution: Do not spray in eyes””
- A cartridge for a laser printer warns, ““Do not eat toner””
- A cardboard car sun shield that keeps sun off the dashboard warns, ““Do not drive with sun shield in place””
We can laugh about these, and think, who would be foolish enough to need such warnings?
Yet this is the exact attitude many people have towards the Bible, and especially the Old Testament. And can you blame them?
The title OT, suggests something antiquated and out of date.
Some suggest that the OT is irrelevant since Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the law.
And what about all that blood and sacrifice. Surely, God does not intend for us to revert to that form of ritual?
But I would suggest to you that the OT is more than an ancient book of history. It has relevance beyond quaint SS stories for kids.
The Old Testament is powerful and effective. As Paul wrote to timothy, All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The Word Paul was referring too, was the Law of Moses or what we today call the OT>
So what does the book of Leviticus have to tell us. It is a book of sacrifice and blood.
P.S. The sacrificial system, was given to point man to the way to God is through Blood of a perfect substitute. This substitute is Jesus.
Well, to begin, it is part of the Pentateuch, or the first five books of the Law, along with Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy and Numbers.
It was written by Moses, during the period that the nation of Israel was in the wilderness.
This book derives its name from the tribe of Levi. The Levites were the priests, who were responsible for the administration of the tabernacle and the ministration of the sacrifices.
The key thought of Leviticus is Holiness. Crucial to the understanding of the Book of Leviticus is that holiness is not some abstract theological concept, but an actual foundation for the power of God’s presence at work in the life of an individual or nation. The word “holy” appears more than eighty times in the book.
The call of God in the Book of Leviticus is for the people of God to be holy and pure before God. (Hayford)
It is divided into two main sections. In chapters 1-10, we find the Way to the Holy One. In chapters 11-27, we find the Way of Holiness. In the first part we find a God who says, ¡¡§§I am holy¡¡ ̈. In the second half, we find a God who says, ¡¡§§therefore, you shall be holy¡¡ ̈.
But what is the way to the Holy One. We find the first answer to the question in chapters 1-7. We find in chapters 1-7 that the Way to the Holy One is through sacrifice. The second answer to the question is found in chapters 8-10. The Way to the Holy One is through the Priesthood.
Running concurrent throughout this book you will find Jesus,
1. The Way t o the Holy One is through SACRIFICE: (1-10, specifically 1:1-9)
““He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him””
Why all the blood in the O.T. system of worship? (NIV Study Bible) It is understood that the O.T. sacrifices were specifically prescribed by God and received their meaning from the Lords covenant relationship with Israel. Each offering is a gift expressing love between the worshiper and Jehovah.
As well as being considered a ‘gift’, each offering was an act of dedication, communion, atonement and restitution.
Two things are in view with the sacrifices, Atonement (Being reconciled to God) and substitution (the worshiper gave the best he had in place of his sin and families sin)
