Formula For Peace & Joy

A Sermon from Leviticus 3 by Jim Hammond

Series Title:  Life Lessons from Leviticus? (For More In This Series )

Focus:  God designed us and tells us how to experience peace and joy.  Lasting peace and lasting joy cannot be found apart from a relationship with God.

JOY OF SALVATION

Dan is a pastor's son, pastor's brother, and pastor's brother-in-law who taught Sunday School, sang beautiful solos and led music in his church for many years.  But he lost his joy after a difficult divorce.  After several years away from the walk with the Lord, he met and later married Laurie.  Laurie was raised in a fully dysfunctional family, and was twice divorced. Dan and Laurie (a non-believer) attended church when visiting family members. While not openly against Christianity, she had no desire to pursue the relationship with God that other members of the family cherished.  When Dan's job transferred him to a new community, the pastor of a church in this community soon made a visit in Dan and Laurie's new home.  His witnessing added a dimension that others had failed to express the joy of salvation. His family members were well intentioned, but all they talked about was his sinfulness.  No one talked about the joy of salvation.  Within a few months, a transformation began in Laurie and Dan's lives.  Laurie prayed to receive Christ and was joined with Dan's rededication. The change in Dan and Laurie's personal lives was immediate.  Laurie redecorated the house with religious pictures and framed verses.  Their two children joined them in Sunday School, worship and becoming fully involved in the Christian life.  She took a part-time job in the Christian School, became a helper in Vacation Bible School, and then Sunday School.  Dan returned with a new fervor in music leadership and performances.  Christian music floods the house and the cars when they travel.  The joy of salvation was renewed in Dan's life and added to Laurie's. Laurie's question for the family was simple to ask, but difficult to answer.  "Why didn't someone tell me about the joy of knowing Jesus sooner?"[i]

I.  The Leviticus 3 Rite—(A Celebration Of Fellowship)

The Fellowship offering was like the burnt offering of chapter one in many respects, but quite unlike it in other respects.  This fellowship offering is called a peace offering, a freewill offering, an offering of thanksgiving, or a sacrifice of well-being, depending on the translation. 

As you read Leviticus 3 below take note of the differences and similarities to the burnt offering (chapter 1) & grain offering (chapter 3).

Leviticus 3:1-17

¹“‘If someone’s offering is a fellowship offering, and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the LORD an animal without defect. ²He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides. ³From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them, ⁴both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. ⁵Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

⁶“‘If he offers an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the LORD, he is to offer a male or female without defect. ⁷ If he offers a lamb, he is to present it before the LORD. ⁸He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. ⁹From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them, ¹⁰both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. ¹¹The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

¹²“‘If his offering is a goat, he is to present it before the LORD. ¹³He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. ¹⁴From what he offers he is to make this offering to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them, ¹⁵both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. ¹⁶The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’S.

¹⁷“‘This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.’”

Similarities to the Burnt offering and Grain offering:

v    All 3 offerings are Connected with the Covenant Provision for Peace/Fellowship

v    All three offerings produce “an aroma pleasing to the Lord”  (3:5, 16).

v    This like before is part of the shadow picture of the realities found in Christ (Hebrews 10:1).  The exchange symbolized in the sacrificial animal pictures the reality available to us because of Christ’s crucifixion.

Differences:

v    Whereas, the Burnt offering and the Grain offering were mandatory, the fellowship offering was optional.  Note the “If” (3:1, 6, 7, 12) as opposed to “When” in the instructions for chapters 1 and 2.  The Burnt offering and grain offerings were daily sacrifices in the temple every morning and evening for the nation.  The “Fellowship offering” was optional.  That is why it is sometimes called a “free will offering”. 

v    Unlike the burnt offering, nothing is mentioned of a provision for offering birds instead of larger animals.  We will see the reason for this in a moment.  

v    The biggest difference in the fellowship offering is discovered in Leviticus 7. 

Leviticus 7:11-21 ¹¹“‘These are the regulations for the fellowship offering a person may present to the LORD:

¹²“‘If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil. ¹³Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast. ¹⁴He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offerings. ¹⁵The meat of his fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; he must leave none of it till morning.

¹⁶“‘If, however, his offering is the result of a vow or is a freewill offering, the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day he offers it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day. ¹⁷Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up. ¹⁸If any meat of the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who offered it, for it is impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible.

¹⁹“‘Meat that touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up. As for other meat, anyone ceremonially clean may eat it. ²⁰But if anyone who is unclean eats any meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people. ²¹If anyone touches something unclean—whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean, detestable thing—and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.’

The biggest difference is that in this offering, the worshipper participates, not only in the confessing, and the transfer, but also in the eating of the feast.  In chapter 2, the priests ate the portion of the grain offering that was not part of the memorial offering, but here in the fellowship offering (chapter 3), the worshipper is to eat the offering feast.  Meat was a rare treat.  This offering included a festive feast.  See below. 

II.  The Leviticus 3 Lesson

A.  Everyone Needs Peace with God

Deuteronomy 12:4-8 (NIV) ⁴You must not worship the LORD your God in their way. ⁵But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; ⁶there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. ⁷There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Notice the attitude of rejoicing that the worshipper is to have in the fellowship offering.  Not only is he to eat the fellowship offering, it is to be a festive meal of celebration.  That is why there is no mention of small game like a pigeon for the fellowship offering.  It is too small for a feast.  This was to be a celebration feast and others were to be invited.  It wasn’t meant for individuals alone. 

Deuteronomy 16:10-11 (NIV) ¹⁰Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the LORD your God has given you. ¹¹And rejoice before the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites in your towns, and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows living among you.

Notice the attitude of rejoicing again, and also the fact that fringe people are to be invited to rejoice in the feast! Peace with God is to be celebrated in the context of fellowship with God’s people.

B.  Everyone Needs A Party

The Worshipper is to invite others to the Fellowship Offering Feast 

Invite those who are hurting, to your rare delicacy of meat when you have your celebration party.  Peace with God is not to be kept secret, or celebrated individually, but with others.  We are encouraged to include others and spread the good news, spread God’s goodwill, and spread the joy.

1.  Joyous Voluntary Celebrations Please God

This kind of reminds me of all the good feelings associated with a large Thanksgiving Meal, or a large Christmas meal.  There is a mood of festivity and goodwill in these celebrations that is like the mood of the fellowship offering.

CHRISTMAS IN APRIL

     Donald Castle relates the following story,
     “In June I was waiting in a clinic for my doctor's appointment when an older couple arrived. "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" the older gentleman greeted the room of people. His enthusiasm was infectious.
     Most of the patients ignored the outburst; I decided to return the greeting, "Merry Christmas to you, too!"
     Sensing a sympathetic ear, the wife of the well-wisher explained quietly: "It started this past year. For no reason, my husband would begin to get into the Christmas spirit. At first we dismissed it, but then we realized how much joy it brought him. So we started decorating the house, singing carols, having a spur-of-the-moment celebration. You know, after doing this a number of times, we look forward to it. Christmas can come any time, any place. It's always a pleasant surprise."[ii]

DO YOU HAVE BOUNCE IN YOUR STEP?

     One preacher several years ago, on a Saturday before Easter in another city, was struggling under how to try to preach the Easter message to all the varied people who would gather. He thought, “How do I tell that news?”  He relates the following story,
     I was out with my children wanting to take some quality time with them. But I was burdened under this sermon, and the kids were flitting away like butterflies on the loose, way down the road as we were walking through the neighborhood. Suddenly they called out my name. The shield went up a little bit, and they said, "Daddy, can you do this?" I looked, and my kids were skipping along the road. "Yeah, I can do that," I said, and went back to pondering this theological treatise.
     And they said, "No, Daddy, can you? I mean, really, can you go skipping? We've never seen you."
     "Well, of course, I can go skipping. Everybody's been skipping." "Well ..." You know what they said: "Then show us."
     I hate to be beaten by the kids. But I couldn't go skipping. I'm an adult, and I have a doctorate degree, and I pastor First Church, and we have members who live in this neighborhood. Neighborhood associations are worried enough when a preacher moves into town. It makes prices volatile in the neighborhood. But if he goes skipping around, well, that does it. I couldn't do that. What did they say? "Na-na-na-na-na. You can't do it." So I looked around, then I did it.
     I can't remember why I ever stopped skipping as a child. It's not hard on your knees. It's easier than jogging, and you can get a lot of distance. Maybe it's because adults just aren't that happy any more, not that carefree. Unless they get hold of Easter. Unless Easter gets hold of them.

CHILDREN KNOW HOW TO CELEBRATE

Matthew 18:3 (NIV) ³And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

2.  Connecting Gives us Reason to Celebrate

AN OUTSIDE CONNECTION
     One of those familiar humorous computer tech stories had a surprise ending that shed light on life itself. 
     A small business owner ordered a new computer but had difficulty making it work.  She called technical support. 
     “What’s happening to your computer?  
     The woman said, “It’s brand new, but it doesn’t work”. 
     “What does it do when you push the power button?”
     “Nothing.” 
     “What’s on the screen?”
     “Nothing, it’s black, that’s what I’m trying to tell you.” 
     Puzzled, the tech guy asked, “Are any of the power lights on”? 
     “No, nothing is running.  It’s silent and there are no lights.”
     “Are you sure the computer is plugged in?” 
     At this point, the owner is getting exasperated.  She replied in a huff, “Yes it’s plugged in, I’m not stupid.” 
     “That’s a bit odd,” replies tech support, “these computers are tested before they’re shipped.  We had better send someone out, to take a look at it.”
     “Thank you.”  She hangs up relieved.
     When the on site service guy came to take a look, it didn’t take him long to find the problem.  He discovered that the computer was indeed plugged into the surge protector, but the surge protector was plugged into itself!  
     That’s a great picture of the way many of us attempt to find peace and joy.  We plug into a closed system.  We try to plug into ourselves to find happiness.  Life is not meant to be lived from within a closed system.  God designed us to connect to a source outside ourselves.  God says you won’t truly find joy until you plug into me. 
     Show me someone who lives for self, and for pleasure, and I will show you someone who will eventually be miserable and bored.  Show me a someone who lives for God and I will show you someone who has found the secret to a fulfilling life with something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.  That person is plugged in, connected, and enjoying his or her connections. 
     How have you been plugged in?

LOSING PEACE AND JOY
Jill Briscoe recounts the following story,
     “I remember talking to a girl here in this church two or three years ago. She said, "Jill, I've lost my joy, I've lost my peace, and I want it back."
     "Where did you lose it?" I asked.
     "That has nothing to do with this," she replied. "Help me to get it back."
     "But where did you lose it?"
     "I don't want to talk about that."
     But eventually she did talk about it. She lost it when she moved in with her boyfriend. That'll do it.[iii]

We need to get plugged into God if we want peace and joy.  We’ve run out of time, so we will learn just How to Restore Peace & Joy to the Point of Celebration next week.