Tues.’s Devo - The Offerings

Read: Leviticus 6:1-7:27; Mark 3:7-30; Psalm 37:1-11; Proverbs 10:3-4 To sin against a person is to sin against God, whether it is extortion, lying under oath or robbery. Restitution must be made in full plus 20 percent. Then a trespass offering must be made to the Lord by the priests. *** Today, if we do a crime against a person the same is required. We make restitution and are charged a fine on top of that. Then we must ask God to forgive us and Jesus atones for us with his blood. *** The fire on the altar was to be burning continually and the ashes taken every morning to a clean place outside the place. Once they built the Temple, they would take their ashes to the Kidron Valley. *** The grain offering was given to cleanse a sinner from their guilt. Some of it was given to the Lord as a burnt offering every morning and at night, and some was eaten by the priests in a holy place. If the priests offer a grain offering, it must be completely burned on the altar. *** The Sin offering was offered if a person had committed an offense or a sin. It must be offered by people who have been sanctified. If it is boiled in a vessel, then that vessel had to be broken. If it is boiled in a pot, then the pot had to be scoured and rinsed with water. It is made to remove impurity from the person and the sanctuary. *** The trespass offering was also referred to as the guilt offering and was given if a person violated the property of God or the property of another person by falsely testifying. In today’s language that could be crossing a boundary someone set to protect their privacy. God said this one was most holy. The fat from the most intimate parts of the animal was to be offered on the altar and eaten by the male priests. The priest that offered it would get the animal skin. If it was a grain offering given in a pot, the priest who offered it would get the pot. *** The peace offering was given with gratitude and thanksgiving. The people could offer unleavened cakes and leavened bread. This is a tribute of thanks for Jesus’ death and resurrection. If an animal is given, it must be eaten by the third day. Any time after that the offering is an abomination. Jesus finished his work on the third day. *** In all sacrifices the blood and the fat was the Lord’s. *** In Mark, news of Jesus had spread far and wide and people traveled for miles to hear him and be healed. The disciples had to have a boat ready to whisk Jesus away if the crowds got aggressive. People who came possessed by evil spirits would fall before him shrieking and saying he was the Son of God. Jesus had to command them not to tell who he was. *** Jesus went up on a mountain to hear from his Father about who would be his disciples. God gave him the list: Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas Iscariot. *** The teachers of the law showed up and said that he was possessed by Satan and that was where he got his power to cast out demons. Jesus called them over and gave them a demonstration. He asked them how Satan could cast out Satan. Any family that fights within will fall apart. If Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? It takes a stronger man to take the goods of a strong man because he would need to tie him up to steal his goods. *** Then Jesus warned them against saying he had an evil spirit. This kind of talk would cause them to lose their salvation. *** Lord, may we stand on your truth and agree about the important things that have to do with salvation. Thank you for offering yourself on the altar to take care of our sin past, present and future.