The Curse is Broken!
At the dawn of time, Adam’s choice to disobey God in the Garden of Eden brought a curse of death upon himself and the entire human race. But in the fullness of time, the Son of God came down from heaven
so that he could restore humanity’s hope of “life to the full” (John 10:10). This was a costly transaction for God’s Son. It required him to leave the glory he had in heaven, to be born in a human body, and
finally to die on a cruel cross. Through his sinless life and his death on the cross, the Bible says Jesus became a “new Adam.” He reversed the curse that had fallen upon us because of Adam's first sin.
He destroyed Satan’s hold over the fallen human race and delivered a mortal blow to the head of the Serpent. Through the cross, Christ won a cosmic victory over the powers of darkness.
Through his death, Jesus gained eternal life for all who would believe in him. Because of the cross, death no longer has a hold on us. Christ’s victory over sin and the grave has broken the power of death for all
who trust in his finished work of salvation on the cross. As John 1:29 declares, Jesus truly is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” To everyone who believes, he gives the sure and certain hope of the resurrection,
and the promise of eternal life.
Because of the cross, what was lost has now been found. Because of the cross, we have a hope and a future. Because of the cross, we can have life to the full if we walk by faith in the blood of the Lamb. For
all who believe in him the curse of death has been replaced with the gift of eternal life. All because of the blood shed for us by the Lamb of God! Let us give thanks, now and forevermore, to the Lamb!
Dave Korinek
In full and Then Some!
Growing up my friends and I would trade baseball cards and it might have been more fun than actually playing baseball at times. Sometimes the trades were even, occasionally it was a favorite player swap, and sometimes we would try to trick the other person into making a horrible trade. We would dangle their favorite player (knowing their card was not valuable) so we could get something of higher value. Then we would feel cheated, get mad at each other, and say some unkind things to one another. Of course, we expected baseball to be super valuable now. Really we were deceiving each other to try to get what we really wanted, and I am pretty sure at times it broke the rules of Leviticus 6.
As I thought about deceit and how things in our society work, a line in Leviticus 6 stood out. Verse 5 has a simple phrase that I pondered for a while, “restore it in full”. The goal was not just apologizing, but actually restoring the wrong. In fact, an extra 5th of value was added to the amount. If I followed that practice, I would not have boxes of baseball cards with little value now. In life, we act like this principle is not important, but it is vital to keeping our community healthy and following the Lord. The goal was to make sure people were right with the Lord, but also right with one another. Bitterness from being wronged would lead to division, anger, and separation of God’s people, but that is not God’s plan. He leads with restoration and in this way we should follow his lead!
So here is the point of the devotional where I have to ask, is there anything you need to bring to Jesus? Is there somewhere in these verses where your life and your actions cross the line? If the answer is yes, talk to Jesus today, he loves you. The second part is there someone you need to restore in full and maybe add a 5th? Can you do that as well?
PS- Casey if you are reading this sorry about the Ken Griffey Jr. trade, you can have it back and I will throw in a Nolan Ryan card too.
Pastor Jeremy
Do It Now!
“...on the day they realize their guilt..” Lev. 6:5
“..if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that you
brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front
of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your
gift.” Matthew 5:23-24
When I understood that God was telling me to ask forgiveness from
someone I sinned against before meeting with Him, I realized
something about myself. It is easier to ask God for forgiveness than
to ask it from someone else. Perhaps because He already knows and loves
me anyway but to admit I am wrong to someone else? I hate that. When
I was six years old and in first grade, this was true even then. One day in
class, between the rows of desks, there was a large prized eraser on the
floor; I had always coveted one. I picked it up and took it back to my
desk. For some reason, I got out my blunt-edged safety scissors, cut it
into large chunks, and handed several out to some friends. I don’t
remember what happened in class but it was clear after dinner that my
teacher told my parents. They sent my brother and sister out of the
room and firmly lovingly tried to get me to tell them what I had done. But
I would NOT admit it. I knew they knew and they knew I knew they
knew!! But I kept my lips tightly closed and shook my head ‘No’ over and
over. I never did admit it and don’t remember how this ended, but I do
remember the awful feeling! Clearly, it is an event I have not forgotten and
a reminder that admission of guilt can still be a struggle.
Why is it that this command has a sense of urgency to it? Sin hurts the
innocent and festers to cause more hurt if not confessed and forgiven.
Perhaps it is to encourage humility, to free us from sin’s tentacles, or
because God loves to fix broken people and broken relationships! Mostly I
think it is to help us understand the high painful price the LORD Jesus paid
by shedding His blood for us. Regardless of the reasons, He wants us to
keep short accounts of these debts! When the Holy Spirit awakens our
memories of sins committed, we are to immediately go. Confess. Ask
forgiveness. Be reconciled. We are not to wait. It is one of the pathways
to more intimacy with the LORD and characteristic of an “altared life”.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart…Point out anything in me that
offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalm 139:23-24
Francie Overstreet
Initiate
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” Matt. 5:23-24
“It doesn’t all depend on you, but as much as it does, seek to make it right.” Romans 12:18
“I’m sorry.” Two simple words that have so much power to make a difference in our lives and others. It’s best to say them sooner rather than later, but it’s never too late!
And he shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD: Restitution and the penalty that went with it had to be made the same day of his trespass offering. This powerfully demonstrated that one could not get right with God without also making the wrong right with men.
Ephesians 4:28 expresses another aspect of restitution when the thief repents of being a taker and becomes a giver: Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
We know that when we’ve offended, God expects us to admit it and make it right but why is it so hard to do? It is easier to admit our sin/offense to the Lord and ask His forgiveness than to go to our friend, neighbor, spouse, or child and say I’m sorry, how can I make it up to you. Yet, when we do, the relationship with that person is usually restored and most importantly our relationship with the Lord is even closer. So why is it hard? Maybe admitting that we’re wrong or a lack of humility is a factor. Maybe, fear of rejection or appearing weak to the one offended. Whatever holds us back, if we understand how the Lord looks at our trespass and if we value our relationship with Him above all, we are compelled to take the initiative. And when we act in obedience, God’s power is released to work in the situation to bring restoration. We are still required to forgive the offender though, even if there is no “trespass offering,” to maintain our close relationship with the Lord.
Can you think of someone you need to start the process of forgiveness with? Pray and ask the Lord to reveal any trespass that might need your initiative. If we want to be more like Jesus we need to remember that He was our ultimate trespass offering.
Deb Hill
Tears of Apology could be the Sweetest
A lot of humans struggle to apologize, but God’s people are supposed to make things right with one another. In Leviticus chapter 6, the Lord lists sins. The list ends with this line,
—in any of all the things that people do and sin thereby— Lev 6:3b.
This is a catch-all, a way of making sure some things don’t slip through the cracks. The phrase makes me smile because it lumps all possible sins and all possible people into a wad. “All the things that people do.” We do sin thereby, but it’s our job to make it right. Leviticus 6 makes that clear and other parts of Scripture do too. One’s connection with people affects their connection to God; we are interconnected.
1 John 4:20 —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.
Matthew 5:23-24 —Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Human connections reflect our worship.
On the last night of Summer Camp, youth groups are given some time to be together to connect as a church. One of my favorite practices during that time is to celebrate communion, but before we do, I remind or inform students of the importance of stopping to apologize to each other. After a week of living together, people have a tendency to be hurtful or rude or to have done “any of all the things the people do and sin thereby.” So, students are encouraged to be honest about that and to confess to each other and apologize. It is good to practice apologizing and being honest with each other before the Lord. The students do it. They move around the room, seeking out people, confessing their sins, apologizing, and offering forgiveness. Usually, hugs begin to happen and tears start to flow because there is something sweet about confession, forgiveness, and restoration of relationships. Then the group celebrates communion and remembers Jesus in close fellowship with each other. It is a sweet time.
Apologizing to each other and making relationships right is nothing to be feared. It is a sweet time to be hurried into.
John Riley
Jr. High Pastor
Integrated Worship
Series: Altared Lives | Text: Leviticus 6:1-7
Speaker: Pastors Ryan Paulson & Esteban Tapia
April 2, 2023: On Palm Sunday, Pastors Ryan Paulson and Esteban Tapia completed our recent teaching series, Altared Lives. We hope you enjoyed this study of God's Word.
Outside the City
When the Lord spoke to Moses concerning the sins of the anointed priest, he commanded the anointed priest to offer sacrifices for his own sins before he could offer sacrifices for Israel. He was to bring a young bull without blemish as a sin offering. The bull was butchered. Its parts were carefully separated as each served a particular function in the sacrifice. Its fat was collected and burned completely on the altar. Its blood was captured. Some were spread on the horns of the altar of sweet incense. Some of it was flicked seven times before the veil of the sanctuary. The rest of the blood was poured out. Its carcass was then taken outside of the city and burned on a ceremonially clean ash heap. The treatment of the bull—an object unlike us, sacrificed for our sins—evokes a greater sacrifice on our behalf by our brother and sinless High Priest who was made just like us in all things (Heb 2:17).
The writer of Hebrews calls attention to the fact that the blood of bulls and goats only covered sins and could not take them away (Heb. 10:1-18). He said in a later place, “Jesus also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood.” (Heb 13:12). In tying the two things together, he exhorts us, saying that since he himself bore our reproach, “So then, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.” (Heb 13:13).
The effect of Jesus’s suffering outside of the city was to make His people holy. He bore our reproach so that we might bear his. No more blood sacrifices are required in light of Jesus' sacrificial death on our behalf. To bear his reproach is to offer praise, to do good to others, and to share with others what God has done for us.
Leroy Hill
The Sin of Omission
“If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible."
Leviticus 5:1
Our verse today covers the sin of omission where the witness of sin keeps quiet about it when called on to testify. We can see an example of this in the story of Achan in Joshua 7. He took some of the plunder that God had forbidden anyone to take and he and his family kept quiet about it hoping God wouldn’t notice. God exposed Achan’s sin to Joshua and had Achan and his entire family stoned to death as a result.
This is the letter of the law. On one hand, we like laws, they provide order and allow us to have justice and we can segregate and separate from the lawbreakers. On the other hand, we don’t like the law because we find that we ourselves are lawbreakers too. We didn’t even mean to…
I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.
Romans 7:10-11
Praise the Lord for we are saved! There is no condemnation for those in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1) We can now approach the Law from a place of gratitude and security rather than fear. The price for your biggest sin yet to come has already been paid and you have been elected in spite of the sum of all your sins. Now we get to testify to the world of his great mercy, instead of being guilty of omitting truth.
Jonathan Duncan
Returning to God’s Word
Our God, full of grace and mercy, understands that His people sometimes slip into sinful behavior and attitudes out of ignorance. When we realize this has occurred, God calls us to confess and repent. He also expects us to do whatever we can to return to the center of His will, especially as revealed to us through divine scripture.
We see a remarkable example of this from the life of Judah’s King Josiah. Somehow, over the centuries following their conquest of the promised land, the Jews forgot the covenant God made with them during the time of Moses. Even the words of that divine covenant – as recorded in the holy scriptures – were lost and forgotten by God’s chosen people! As a result, they wandered far from God’s will and absorbed many evil practices from the pagan culture around them. Although they were far from God’s will they didn’t know it. However, in 2 Kings 22:8, the Jewish high priest made a startling discovery one day and sent a message to King Josiah to inform him that the book (scroll) of the covenant God once gave to Moses had been found somewhere in the temple of the LORD. It seems the book had been forgotten and ignored, just sitting in some dusty place for generations. It may have been forgotten by man, but it was not forgotten by God. His covenant – with both blessings for the Jews if they obeyed and curses if they disobeyed – was still in effect just as in the time of Moses.
When King Josiah read the Book of the Covenant, divine words not heard before, his heart was grieved over Israel’s sins. He tore his royal robes as a sign of repentance and as the representative of the Jewish people, his sign of repentance extended to the whole nation. But Josiah did not stop there for he realized how far the Jews had drifted from God’s will. Josiah next called all the leaders and the people to assemble before the temple of the LORD and hear God’s words for themselves. As they stood together before the LORD they renewed their commitment to the Book of the Covenant. This was an act of national repentance and turning from pagan culture back to God. In the months that followed, Josiah made good on that commitment by cleansing every pagan religious symbol and practice he could from the land.
This example of repentance by an entire nation should challenge us too. As today’s people of God, we should examine ourselves to see if there’s any way that we’ve drifted from the center of God’s will. Are there secular values and practices we’ve absorbed from our modern, pagan culture? What should we do if we find values or lifestyle choices that contradict God’s Word? Let’s pray we will follow Josiah’s example and seek to truly repent and reform our lives, our community, and our nation. It was the right thing for them and it’s the right thing for us to do. May you always lean into Jesus, the living word of God, so your walk be pleasing in God’s sight.
Dave Korinek
The Weight of Leadership
In Leviticus 4, there is one set of instructions for “the anointed priest,” another set of instructions for a “leader,” and yet another for “the common people.” With each step “downward” in influence, the value of the prescribed sacrifice goes down. Is this because leaders are more valuable to God? Is it true that a priest is worth a bull, but a common person is only worth a goat? No! These differences in sacrifices don’t correlate to the differences in the value of the person, but to the differences in the influence that the person has over God’s people. In fact, I would suggest that the reason that leaders are held to higher standards is actually that the people who are led are so valuable to God. Let me see if I can explain.
Let’s start with Luke 12:48, which says, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." The idea here is that those who have been given more resources, gifts, talents, or opportunities are expected to use them wisely and for the greater good. This applies not only to material wealth but also to positions of leadership and influence.
Leaders have been entrusted with much, especially in the way of influence, and therefore much is expected of them. They have a responsibility to use their power and influence for the benefit of those they lead, to make decisions that reflect Jesus’ way and heart, setting an example of integrity and accountability.
So this principle about the weight of leadership, "to whom much is given, much is required," reminds us that leadership is not just about having authority or being in charge; it is about stewardship and service. Leaders must be willing to sacrifice (yes, isn’t that a great word for this) their own interests and desires for the sake of others.
So, what about you? Who do you have influence over? Is it kids, family, friends, employees, or any number of relationships? I still haven’t met someone who doesn’t have any influence, and that is because I believe that everyone can lead in the area of their giftedness. So whether you like it or not, that means that you are a leader. That is a weighty task, but I pray that you will be able to stand up under that weight. The promise is that in the end, those who have been entrusted with much and have fulfilled their responsibilities with integrity and wisdom will be rewarded with more responsibility and influence. I pray that your influence will only grow!
Josh Rose
Discipleship Pastor
