06/27 – 07/01/2016Leviticus 21:Raising The Bar
Update:It’s unfortunate that we often skip over passages like Leviticus 21 because we can’t immediately see any relevance or applicability for our modern lives, i.e., we don’t have an OT priesthood or High Priest anymore, so what relevance can Leviticus 21 have for us? While thinking like that is understandable, there is much that we lose out on when we skip books and passages like Leviticus 21. This week’s passage confronts us with the astounding, terrifying, and “awe-ful” holiness of God. We need passages like Leviticus 21 to remind us of the reality of God’s true holiness. When so many of the details and laws of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus, we can grow numb to
a)The holiness of God, as well as
b)The astounding grace of God in Jesus which allows us to come close.
Each day this week we will reflect on various passages which reveal God’s holy nature and grace.
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.
3)Trust that, as the week unfolds, the devotions will cover/explain many of the things in the passage, i.e., don’t get paralyzed by having to understand what everything means on Monday.
Song for this week– All I Have is Christ (
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 Peter 1:17-19)
17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
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.
Father God, lead us into silent confession. Search our hearts.
Absolution (Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
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
Please see the introductory comments above in yellow.
Monday
1)Tomorrow we’ll turn our attention to Leviticus 21, but today we’ll spend some time in a New Testament passage that’s equivalent to Leviticus 21. Read 1 Peter 2:9-25
2)Consider the following as you reflect on the passage:
- According to v9-10:
- Who are we?
- What’s the appropriate response?
- Go through v11-25 and consider
- What being holy and set apart entails by way of sacrifice, service, etc.
- What would it look like to apply v11-25 today (consider equivalent principles/applications where appropriate).
3)Ask God to speak to you about your next steps today, this week, and the weeks ahead in being part of his royal priesthood and his holy nation.
4)Conclude with the Closing Prayer below.
Tuesday
1)Read Isaiah 6:1-13.
- Picture the scene.
- What does Isaiah’s reaction tell you about what it means to meet God?
- v9-11 Let these verses sink in.
- What do they tell us about the character and holiness of God?
- Do most Christians today have an appreciation of just how holy God is? How about you?
- What would change if we saw God as Isaiah did?
2)Having considered the true holiness of God, how is your understanding of Leviticus 21:1-24
impacted/affected? i.e., if you hadn’t read Isaiah today, how might you have reacted to Leviticus 21? Take some time considering your answer(s). What do they reveal or suggest about your relationship with God?
a)How might these things impact your
- Worship?
- Obedience?
- Spiritual vitality?
b)Ask God to meet you and speak to you about these things.
3)Enter into the Closing Prayer below.
Wednesday
1)Read Leviticus 20:1-27.
2)Reflect on the extreme sacrifices the High Priest must make:
- v11-12
- v13-15
- What does this tell us about the character of God and what it means to come near to him?
3)As you readHebrews 4:12-16, reflect on how our time in Leviticus impacts your understanding and appreciation of things like:
- The character and work of Jesus.
- Worship
- Gratitude
- Humility
4)How will you enter this day differently having met with God?
5)Sing/enter into the lyrics of this week’s song before the Closing Prayer today.
THURSDAY
1)Read through Leviticus 20:1-27.
2)In Hebrews 12:18-29we are reminded of the what happened at Mt Sinai when God came near to his people. While it’s written in the negative, takes some time to let v18-21 sink in.
- What is it like to come near to God?
- How was Moses impacted?
3)Now read through v18-24 and celebrate the depth and impact of the work of Jesus.
4)v25-29 Reflect and mediate on what it means to live in relationship with the Holy God of Mercy & Grace.
5)Respond to God in worship, prayer, or in whatever way your heart is moved.
FRIDAY
1)Read Leviticus 20:1-27 one last time. Don’t let familiarity with it tempt you to skim over it.
2)Read, reflect, and meditate on each of the following verses. Ask God to speak to you and respond to him.
- Romans 12:1-2
- Luke 9:28-36
- Matthew 16:24-27
3)Close with the Closing Prayer below.
Song-All I Have is Christ (
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.
10/26-10/30 2015Reviving Mortification: Complacency vs Adventure
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that you would own
A rebel to your will
And if you had not loved me first
I would refuse you still
But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace
Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
Now, Lord, I would be yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way you choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is you
To be transformed by God's mercy and grace into a community of priests engaged in his redeeming work in Atlanta and the world.
10/26-10/30 2015Reviving Mortification: Complacency vs Adventure
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.