Sunday, August 5, 2018

Preaching from Leviticus

Leviticus 10 is right in the centre of the five books of Moses or better known as the Law. I preached from the first 11 verses on Friday night to the College community. We don't usually hold services on a Friday night but 20 visitors from Keningau district asked that they could worship with us. So I preached about 50mins with plenty left in the tank when I finished. The title was taken from Ezekiel 44:8 "keep charge of my holy things says the Lord". Aaron's two older sons Nadab and Abihu did something strange by offering strange fire in the tent of meeting something the Lord had not commanded. And fire came from Lord and consumed them. I spoke about how as pastors and leaders we are spiritually priests and the Lord has charged us to keep his holy things.
I told the congregation that we have a high calling but grave responsibity because we served a great King the God most high. We have been commanded to offer sacrifices and proffer worship unto Him in a way pleasing to Him and not take any task small or great lightly because these are holy things of the Lord. So back to the text where I explained Nadab and Abihu were privileged to see God (Exod 24) but yet they did not fully obey the Lord in offering sacrifices. They had taken incense and put it into the censer and presented that to the Lord but the Lord considered that as strange fire either it was not offered at the right time or that the incense was made elsewhere and not from a prescribed source. I shared important it is to do the Lord's bidding exactly what the Lord had commanded more so in reference to worship. In the NT worshippers of the Father worship Him in spirit and in truth. Whatever that is not spiritual is not worship and I explained that worship must be internal and not external or putting up an apperance either in dress or attire though it must be appropriate and decent. But it was said that the two sons of Aaron laid dead in the tent of meeting still in their priestly garments which were untouched by the fire of the Lord. This tells us the Lord looks right into the heart during worship and God judged Nadab and Abihu because their actions flowed from their disobedient hearts. Fire consumed them but not their clothes. Aaron and his other sons were told not to mourn because of their duties in the tent requiring that priests abstain from mourning or attending to the dead while serving. Further they were told not to leave the door of the Tent so that they might not die because the anointing oil is upon them. This tells us the seriousness of those in the Lord's service because our God is holy ane He will show himself holy to those close to Him. I shared with my College and visitors how more than 2 years ago I delayed in returning to KK at the news of my father passing away because I was scheduled to chair a faculty meeting and preach later at night. 

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