Read: Leviticus 1:1-3:17; Mark 1:29-2:12; Psalm 35:17-28; Proverbs 9:13-18
There were different kinds of offerings you could bring to the Lord. The first was the burnt offering. It stands for salvation. Jesus was our burnt offering who gave it all on the cross. We offer this offering when we give up our lives to follow Christ. There were different things they could give for this offering: bulls, sheep, goats, birds and grain. It depended on what they could afford, but it all resulted in the same end. We all come to Christ broken and we bring what we have. We are all accepted!
The life (blood) of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the altar and the rest was burnt. Our lives are a living sacrifice holy and acceptable. Our flesh is what the fire of trials burns away.
The fellowship offering was voluntary. It was a burnt offering of thanks. We offer this offering when we praise the Lord and sacrifice our time and energy to spend time with the Lord.
In Mark, Jesus demonstrated that he had boundaries and wasn’t there to please man but to please God. Everyone was looking for him in Capernaum, but he left and went to some smaller villages to preach. A Jewish man came to him with leprosy and he healed him. He told him to go and present himself to the priest so they could see the miracle. Healing a Jewish leper was one of the criteria the religious leaders had set as one of the three miracles the Messiah would do when he came. Jesus wanted them to see this as a sign to them so they might believe, but instead this man didn’t go to the synagogue but spread his good news to everyone.
Jesus came back to Capernaum and preached in a house. It was so crowded that some men who were desperate to get their friend healed, opened the roof and lowered him down in front of Jesus. Their faith prompted him to forgive his sins. The teachers of the law were astounded that Jesus would think he could forgive sins. Jesus knew what they were thinking and challenged them with this question: “Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk? But that you my know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” The man did just that!
Jesus was proving his words by his actions. What could they say to that? Our faith is going to prompt us to say things that we don’t understand or even know if we believe, but if we will say them in the name of Jesus, he will do amazing things through us.
Lord, help us to speak from faith not fear and see the great power that you have put in us. We offer our lives as a burnt offering to you.
No comments:
Post a Comment