SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 22
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” [Matthew 23:25-26]
In today’s reading, we see that doing the right thing is not enough, doing it for the right reason matters too.
The Lord challenges the people to do the right thing – that is, offer the sacrifices in a proper, honourable way – and to do it for the right reason – that is, to honour the Lord and respect Him as holy.
Some people think that good deeds are enough, others think that good motivation is enough.
The Lord wants us to aim for both.
The Lord is reminding the leaders and the people again and again to take Him and His laws seriously.
Its not about going through the motions, or doing ‘just enough’ to appease Him.
Its about a love for God and people that shows itself in obedience, sincerity, loyalty, compassion.
This goes against the natural inclination of our sin-twisted hearts.
We naturally look for ways to serve ourselves, make ourselves look good.
And so the reminder again and again in the bible is to remember God, honour God, obey God – from the heart.
These commands are a part of the old arrangement with the nation of Israel, before Jesus came.
We are now a part of the new covenant.
We are to learn and obey what Jesus taught us.
His commands, which are less specific than the old covenant laws, are nevertheless more important.
Jesus means it when He says to love, forgive and serve our neighbour, to be merciful, patient, humble, compassionate, generous, etc.
These are not just suggestions, they are the new (and better) arrangement with God.
He loves us, so we can love Him.
He forgives us, so we can forgive others.
The Lord is not just looking for occasional good deeds, to appease Him.
He does not care what we look like on the outside, so much as how we look on the inside.
He wants our whole life to be offered to Him as a living sacrifice, this is how we worship Him today [Romans 12:1-2].
The same challenge for old testament concern for sincere obedience applies today.
PRAYER:
Lord, obeying You in the old covenant took serious and sincere effort. Help me to be even more serious, and sincere, in how I honour, love and obey You.
Once again the command to follow and keep the commands of the Lord. Do this and live. Do this and you will be holy. Do this and remember who brought you out of Egypt. Do this for I am the Lord your God.
To be made holy meant to follow. Obedience. Obedience meant to do as was prescribed. It was no small matter. What was offered and how it was offered all mattered. That reminds me of Cain and Abel and their sacrifices – in what spirit is the sacrifice given? Out of obligation/duty or with a willing spirit, a sacrifice of praise. It is what’s on the inside that counts. And what is on the inside will come to the outside because we are heart driven people. From the heart come the issues of life.
All that I am I owe to Thee,
Thy wisdom, Lord, has fashioned me;
I give my Maker thankful praise,
Whose wondrous works my soul amaze.
Ere into being I was brought,
Thine eye did see, and in Thy thought
My life in all its perfect plan
Was ordered ere my days began.
Thy thoughts, O God, how manifold,
More precious unto me than gold!
I muse on their infinity,
Awaking I am still with Thee.
The wicked Thou shalt surely slay,
From me let sinners turn away;
They speak against the Name divine,
I count God’s enemies as mine.
Search me, O God, my heart discern,
Try me, my inmost thought to learn;
And lead me, if in sin I stray,
To choose the everlasting way.
God demands my all in all – heart soul mind. Not the way of the son who stayed home in the prodigal son parable. He too was a prodigal son because his heart way not in the right place as he ‘served’ his Father.