Sacrifices: How Appropriate

The third time we met with this class and the lesson is Sacrifice. It's a two part session. 

I have to start off with a huge thank you. RJ, thanks for calling me out for not studying my lesson. I am woefully incapable of a valid excuse. So, starting today, I will use my lunch break to study my last lesson and my next lesson. Maybe you, the reader, can benefit from what I gleen from this. 

The first thing this lesson touched on was  PLEASING AROMA. We're talking about the burnt sacrifice in Leviticus 1:9. Every time before this meeting, I never imagined that this could have smelled good. But close your eyes and imagine the smell of unadulterated meat and fat over a fire. Great cheese and crackers that had to smell good! Now imagine how that sacrifice, the best goat you had, prepared in great tradition and ceremony, offered to Him because He commanded it. 

The burnt sacrifice was because God commanded it, it was the removal of sin by fire. The grain sacrifice was for thanksgiving and dedication-restoration to service. This was because we wanted to sacrifice. It was a voluntary action, an outward diaplay of faith, much like Baptism. 

We MUST have attonement to reconcile our relationship with God-Gospel Project Lev.3:1-5; Eph.2:13

The final offering was the fellowship offering. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20 ESV). We have to reconcile with those who we have wronged before coming to God. 

Why is God so concerned with how we treat those around us? 

I can tell you for a fact that how the church acts, how church leaders act, how Christians act can either pull someone to want to hear more about Christ or drive them farther from Christ. I hope one day he'll change his mind, but I know of one that said he'll never step foot in a church again. 

Day One of a New Beginning

Today was our first visit to the LEO/Military Life Group. Wow. I cannot begin to tell you how much of a difference there was in that little room and the storm of ideas and theology that was shared. There wasn't any sense of superiority, no feeling of being put on the spot. It sincerely felt like we were a common group with common ground. There were couples there who weren't raised in church, either but love God. So often people quote scripture so glibly and freely that it seems more mechanical than something that was etched in their heart.

Our lesson today was about Abraham being tested by God. Specifically when he was asked to take Isaac to the mountain for a burnt offering.

We discussed how we would handle being tested in such a way. Could you knowingly go into the wilderness with your only child to sacrifice him for God? Trusting that God would provide for you if you obey? Abraham didn't have to trust that he was strong enough to obey God's will. He only had to have faith that God was strong enough to fulfill His promise.

So often, we believe that if we work hard enough, if we do the right things, if we work in the church, (I can do this all day,) that we will have an easy life. Even better, we will have our place in heaven.

The Bible tells us that this is not only untrue, but is an eternally deadly notion. It is by His grace only that we enter the kingdom of heaven.