09/12 – 09/16/2016Leviticus 27: Vows & Promises
Update:On first reading, Leviticus 27appears to be a very strange anticlimactic way to end Leviticus. In fact, it can seem that way after several reading. When we understand that it’s really about our responding to God and “keeping our word/promises” to him and realize just how central that is to our relationship with him and our role as priests in this word, then Leviticus 27 is a very fitting end to such a monumental book. NB If you weren’t in the sanctuary this Sunday, I would really encourage you to listen to the sermon first. You can do that at our website.
If you are not familiar with the content and rituals of Leviticus already, because it contains so many things that are foreign or alien to us, I would strongly encourage you to:
1)Have a Study Bible on hand when you are doing the devotions – especially if you are haven’t yet listened to previous Sunday’s sermon. We’ll try to touch base on some “explanation” in the Reflections Questions section, but we can’t cover everything.
2)Keep up with the sermons on-line if you are out of town on a Sunday. It is worth it, but Leviticus requires a lot of work. In the Daily Devotions, we won’t be able to cover all the details, explanations, and reasons. You’ll have to lean on the sermons for those. If you have difficulty downloading the sermons from our website, just let me know.
Song for this week– Take my Life and Let it be
Contemporary-
Traditional -
Where possible we will use songs that are live recordings of our worship singing at Church of the Redeemer. You should be able to access them by clicking the link. You can also download them to your computer, phone, etc. (Please copy & paste rather than drag & drop).
Some Recommendations
The goal of the study/reflection questions is to help you get into the text and meet Christ in it, i.e., to worship and meet with God. Avoid engaging with these questions as if it’s a “quiz” where the goal is to get the “correct answer” and then move onto the next question. My prayer, goal, and hope is that the questions will help open up the Word of God – what it means and what it is saying – in order that you might meet God, experience Christ, and hear from the Holy Spirit.
1) I do recommend the full liturgy for each day.
2) The “Bible Study” reflection questions for each day of the week are inserted towards the end of this document. Most often the questions will require time of reflection and pondering in order to find answers or to let the answers sink in to our souls. Be prepared to not rush through them. The goal is to experience/hear from God.
3) Sing the song! (Really) Each week we focus on two songs. Download them to your phone or iPod so you can listen repeatedly during the day. When we sing, our mind, body, heart, emotions, and will are all engaged in worship! If this week’s songs do not appeal to you, substitute a personal favorite.
Opening Prayer
O God, Eternal King and Father of all mercies,
whose light divides the day from the night
and turns the shadow of death into the morning:
To know you is eternal life
and to serve you is perfect freedom:
Drive far from us all wrong desires,
incline our hearts to keep your law,
and guide our feet into the way of peace;
that we may do your will with cheerfulness during the day,
and when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks;
through Jesus Christ, our risen and reigning Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Confession(1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.
Most holy God, you call us to be holy as you are holy. But we fall short every minute of every hour of every day.
We do not wholly honor you with our lives, but instead we make excuses for our sin and presume upon your forbearance and mercy.
We presume upon your forbearance and mercy by not taking your holiness seriously.
Forgive us for leaning upon such cheap grace rather than realizing that sin requires death.
You desire for us to consecrate ourselves to you completely so that you might purify us in your holy fire, ridding us of all our sin.
Most holy God, accept our humble confession, consume it as our sacrifice to you, and direct our hearts to the Cross of Jesus Christ where your holy wrath was poured out wholly and completely so that we might be accepted before you.
Absolution(2 Corinthians 9:8-9)
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiencyin all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
Intercession
Pray this week for your own self, your community, church, city, and this world to know the resurrection of Jesus in accepting the good news of the gospel. Pray by name those you want God to bring into his kingdom.
Scripture Readings & Reflection
For the next year our Vision Focus will be on growing into our Core Value of Awe. Leviticus 26 certainly helps with that. The modern Western Christian Church has devalued and therefore lost its experience of the true holiness and awe-someness of God.
COTR Core Value #1: Awe
Because we have been restored to relationship with a God whose nature, character, and deeds are staggering, we value seeking, waiting on, and responding in reverent awe to his presence in all that we do. This means we recognize the transformative nature of experiencing him personally and our role in helping each other experience him.
2 Corinthians 3:18 & Psalm 46:10
Please review the comments at the beginning of this document. At its core, Leviticus 27 is about our seeing God as holy, taking he promises and vows we make to him seriously, and understanding that there’s a cost and a consequence when we don’t. We have made vows aned promises to God (at conversion, baptism, church membership, in times of struggle, wedding vows, etc., etc.). When we do not keep our vows and promises, we regard God as not very holy, our relationship with him is impacted, and the people around us learn that God’s not worth taking seriously.
MONDAY:
1)Lectio Divina – Divine Reading, where the reader follows four rhythms for the purpose of hearing God’s word for them that day.
ReadLeviticus 27focusing on how holy God is and how this should impact his people. Read the Core Value above and then read the passagefour separate times, following the instructions below. First, ask God to speak to you as you read, and then enter in.
- READ – Read the passage, paying attention to words or phrases of scripture that stand out most to you. After reading, write them down.
- REFLECT – Read again, and reflect on what is stirred or touch in you personally from this reading.
- RESPOND – Read again, and ask what you want to do in response to this reading.
- BE or REST – Read again, and then sit in silence to let God further speak to you through the passage.
2)Write down what you experienced from God today.
TUESDAY:
1)Centering Prayer – A form of brief grounding prayer that can be prayed as a form of greeting the Lord, a returning to him, or as a cry for help. Centering Prayers should be prayed regularly through the day consider setting alarms to remind you. Often, centering prayer is particularly helpful when we find ourselves stretched, challenged, or troubled. Rather than lose our tempers and default to our normal way of dealing with conflict or difficulty, in those situations, using a Centering Prayer can be an exclamation for help.
- Read Leviticus 27 (don’t miss the grace in v8)
- Now take what you’ve received from the passage and form it into a brief prayer. For example, “Jesus’ obedience is mine. I am complete in him.” “God doesn’t loath me” “He is holy, worship him.” “Lord, make me rely on you” or “Lord, help me give up control.”
- Pray this prayer now and use it throughout the day and week, especially when you feel the pull of temptation. Don’t just pray it once and move on. Take some time to actually communicate with God. To speak and to listen.
WEDNESDAY:
Today we use the Examen which is a spiritual discipline relate to “anticipating.” It is a form of journaling where one examines his day and recalls, briefly, the events throughout the day where God has been evident or surprising. After making note of where God was present and what he was doing, offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for his Presence throughout your day.
- Take some time to think back over the current day (if it’s evening) or previous day (if it’s morning) and reflect on where God showed up for you in special ways.
- Did he meet you as you prayed centering prayers?
- Did he bring you into situations where this week’s passage was particularly applicable?
- Did he show up in other unexpected ways to speak to you or provide for you?
- Meditate on Leviticus 27 and thank God for who he is.
- Close with the Closing Prayer below.
THURSDAY:
Today’s focus is on “Repentance.” The meaning of the Greek word we translate as “repentance” is to change direction, to turn around. It’s not just a mental activity, but includes an act of the will.
Consider the consider the necessity of confession, entering into repentance, and experiencing forgiveness. NB: Do not limit your consideration to just “acts,” but let Leviticus 26 guide you as you consider your thinking, relationships, attitude towards God, etc. Consider: Are there any relationships or areas of your life where you need to repent?
Consider the following questions and read Leviticus 27 with them in mind. Answer them as you go and/or after you’ve read.
- What is the cost in your relationships with God or your relationships with others of your lack of repentance?
- What is keeping you from repenting?
- Talk to God about those relationships or areas of your life and ask him to change your mind and purpose to walk in obedience to him.
- Close with the Closing Prayer below.
FRIDAY:
Forgiveness – One of the keys to discern how much we have actually accepted, received, and enjoy God’s forgiveness is “how forgiving am I?” In its simplest and literal Greek form, forgive means to send away, release, or let go.
- ReadLeviticus 272 Corinthians 5:20-21.
- Consider first: Have you experienced the deep forgiveness that this passage articulates, i.e., When God sees you, what’s the expression he has on his face? Disappointment or delight?
- Are there any people who come to mind whom you need to forgive? (People who steal your rest, people [or things] who require you to over-work, people you are performing for hoping to win their approval/acceptance etc.,)
- What is the cost in your relationship with God and your relationships with others of your lack of forgiveness?
- What is keeping you from forgiving?
- Pray to God and forgive people the ways that they have wronged you. Ask him to help you truly release the pain and find freedom in forgiving and being forgiven.
- Close with the Closing Prayer below.
Song of Commitment-Take my Life and Let it be
Contemporary-
Traditional -
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.
08/08 – 08/12/2016Leviticus 25: Ambassadors of Reconciliation
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as You choose.
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.
Take my will and make it Thine
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own
it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.
08/08 – 08/12/2016Leviticus 25: Ambassadors of Reconciliation
Closing Prayer
O God, Eternal King and Father of all mercies,
whose light divides the day from the night
and turns the shadow of death into the new morning:
Show me this day what sin and shame looks like in my life:
that I might be freed from its ugliness, lies, and loneliness,
that I might grow in appreciation for the Cross of Christ.
Guide my feet in the way of humility so that:
forgetting about myself I may serve others,
owning your grace, I might be more gracious,
entering into the resurrected life you secured for me, I might more fully alive.
Create in me a new and contrite hearts so that,
I may receive from you full pardon and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
List of Deep Desires
Distorted/Deceptive Desires
- Distorted desire: you long for impact and you take control or manipulate to get it or you long for intimacy and you look to pornography
- Deceitful desire: when you look to any material, experiential, positional, or relational desire to satisfy a deep desire.
- Only God can truly satisfy a deep desire.
Godly Deep Desires
- Purpose, to be part of something larger, transcendence
- Relationship: to love and be loved, to pursue and be pursued, community, family
- Impact, significance
- Honor, respect, valued, understood
- To protect and provide, to be protected and provided for, security
- To come through: duty, to hear “well done”
- Beauty and creativity
- Justice and freedom
- Peace, wholeness, completion, home
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.