Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 125 results

Leviticus 1:1-17

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God is receptive to the petitions of those totally consecrated to him. Understanding the Text Leviticus continues the story of the book of Exodus. Eleven and a half months after the exodus, Israel completes the tabernacle, and the “glory of the Lord” takes up residence there (Exod. 40:1, 17, 34–38). Leviticus instructs Israelites on using that tabernacle for burnt offerings (Lev. 1), g...

2. Voluntary Sacrifices

Leviticus 1:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Sacrificial Worship (1:1–7:38): According to Genesis, sacrificial worship and priesthood originated long before the Israelites departed Egypt (Gen. 4:3–5; 8:20; 12:7–8; 13:4, 18; 14:18; 22:13; 31:54; 46:1). In Leviticus some earlier categories of sacrifice (burnt offerings and “sacrifices”) continue. Also continuing are a number of aspects of sacrifice, such as the need for invoking divine accepta...

3. The Burnt Offering

Leviticus 1:1-17

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

The Manual of Sacrifice: We have noted the logical structure of the book of Leviticus. Since sacrifice is first offered at the tabernacle in chapter 8, instruction for offering sacrifice (chs. 1–7) precedes that act. These seven chapters comprise the first major section of the book, and they are aptly titled “The Manual of Sacrifice.” These chapters were probably composed over a period of time. T...

4. Grain Offerings

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: All people, rich and poor, can please God through giving their best. Understanding the Text Leviticus 1–7 gives Israel instruction concerning sacrifices at the tabernacle that Israel had just completed (Exod. 40). The instruction about the grain (or cereal) offering follows the burnt offering probably because it could serve as the poor person’s burnt offering. The sequence in the burn...

5. The Grain Offering

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Leviticus 2 provides instructions for offerings of grain. The Hebrew expression for “grain offering” here is a technical (more narrow) usage (2:3–5); in Genesis 4 the same term refers to the vegetable and animal “offering” or “tribute” of Cain and of Abel (cf. Judg. 3:15, 17–18). Numbers 15 specifies that burnt offerings and “sacrifices” (i.e., sacrifices from which the offerers eat) always requir...

6. The Grain Offering

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

This chapter describes the ritual of cereal or grain offering for the worshiper and gives alternative possibilities for the details of the offering. The first section on the cereal offering (vv. 1–3) presents the basic regulation for the offering, and the second section (vv. 4–10) gives additional instruction on cereal offerings baked in an oven, on a griddle, or in a pan. The procedure consists o...

7. Pentecost 24

Sermon Aid

CSS

THEOLOGICAL CLUE If a congregation happened to be following the readings listed in Lutheran Worship, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod's revision of the Roman Ordo and the LBW lectionary, the people would have caught the eschatological clue last Sunday; the Lutheran Worship lectionary follows the older Lutheran practice of abandoning the numerical progression of the Sundays in Pentecost and as...

8. The Fellowship Offering

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God’s people should express joy and gratitude to God for his blessings. Understanding the Text Leviticus 3 continues Leviticus 1–7’s instructions on sacrificial worship at the tabernacle. The fellowship offering (or peace offering) is the only animal sacrifice that has no atoning value. Its purpose is not to atone for sin but to deepen a person’s relationship with God by expressing gra...

9. The Fellowship Offering

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Leviticus 3 outlines the “sacrifice of well-being.” Unlike the burnt offering, the victim here can be female, only its suet (fat) goes up in smoke on the altar, the priest’s commission consists of edible portions (Lev. 7:31–34), and the offerer eats the remainder (7:15–16). There are no well-being offerings of birds because they are too small to be divided between the Lord, priests, and offerers. ...

10. The Fellowship Offering

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

This chapter, like chapters 1 and 2, contains three sections, each of which follows a similar pattern. The first section relates to an offering from the herd (cattle), the second and third concern offerings from the flock (sheep and then goats). Each section begins with a reference to the animal and distinguishes the tasks of worshiper and priest. The worshiper deals with the animal, and the pries...

11. The Sin Offering

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: There needs to be cleansing from sin before God. Understanding the Text The sin offering is the fourth in a series of five offerings found in Leviticus 1:1–6:7. Why are the sin and guilt offerings not treated with the earlier atoning sacrifice, the burnt offering? Probably because unlike the burnt offering, the sin and guilt offerings are obligatory.1The burnt, grain, and fellowship offe...

12. The Sin Offering

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

The Purification Offering: We come now to a different kind of sacrifice. We are still in the Manual of Sacrifice, but the concluding verse of chapter 3 prepares the reader for a section on the breaking of prohibitions. Those sacrifices portrayed in chapters 1–3 are voluntary. Chapters 4 and 5 consider sin, or purification, offerings and guilt, or compensation, offerings. While chapters 1–3 place t...

13. The Guilt Offering

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: The guilt offering shows how to repent. Understanding the Text Leviticus 1:1–6:7 is addressed to the laity, giving them instructions about five types of sacrifices. It is organized around those that the layperson could voluntarily choose to offer (burnt, grain, and fellowship offerings), followed by those that the layperson must offer whenever certain offenses have occurred (sin and gu...

14. The Guilt Offering

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Leviticus 5:14 introduces the reparation offering. This unit naturally follows the preceding one because the Hebrew term for “reparation offering” is a technical usage of the word that can mean “remedy” or “penalty for guilt” (cf. 5:6–7). The procedure itself is reserved for the additional instructions in 7:1–7. The reparation offering teaches several concepts: 1. Only after sinners make wrongs ri...

15. The Guilt Offering

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

Just as in 4:1, the introductory formula of 5:14 signals a shift. The next two paragraphs (Lev. 5:14–19 and 6:1–7) treat the guilt or compensation offerings for inadvertent and deliberate sins respectively. The relationship with Yahweh has been breached, and the community must make a sacrifice. The second paragraph concentrates on times when items are obtained by deception. 5:14–16 This text is co...

16. The Priestly Portions of Sacrifices

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God’s ministers help people to worship, and they deserve to be paid. Understanding the Text Leviticus 1:1–6:7 discusses the five basic sacrifices from the layperson’s point of view. Leviticus 6:8–7:38 changes the audience to priests: “Aaron and his sons” (Lev. 6:9, 25). This unit emphasizes portions of the sacrifices to be given to the priests. It anticipates Leviticus 8–10, on the ord...

17. The Burnt, Grain, and Sin Offering

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

6:8–7:38 Review · Additional Instructions Regarding Sacrifices:The earlier basic instructions were for all Israelites (Lev. 1:2; 4:2), but here the priests receive additional guidance regarding their role (6:9, 14, 20, 25). The unit on well-being offerings, which were also eaten by the people, is logically reserved until the end (7:11–36). Burnt Offering ·Instructions regarding the burnt offering ...

18. The Burnt Offering (II)

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

Verse 8 initiates a new section of the Manual of Sacrifice that deals with the priestly administration of the sacrifices and so proceeds from that perspective. The material, which may seem repetitious to the contemporary reader, complements what has come before. The text moves from practical instruction for the worshipers to practical instruction for the people who administer the offerings. This f...

19. The Grain Offering (II)

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

Overview: 6:8 initiates a new section of the Manual of Sacrifice that deals with the priestly administration of the sacrifices and so proceeds from that perspective. The material, which may seem repetitious to the contemporary reader, complements what has come before. The text moves from practical instruction for the worshipers to practical instruction for the people who administer the offerings. ...

20. The Sin Offering (II)

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

6:24–30 These verses present additional instruction on the sin offering as described in Leviticus 4:1–5:13, and particularly on the disposal of remains. While the earlier instruction on sin offering describes offerings brought for different people, the offering of the present passage is specifically for a leader or member of the community. In these cases, however, the priest can representatively c...

21. The Guilt Offering

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Leviticus 7:1–7 outlines the procedure of the reparation offering, which is similar to the purification offering, except that the blood is dashed on the sides of the outer altar. Its suet serves as a food “gift,” even though the sacrifice is mandatory, because it follows payment of reparation to the wronged party. Verses 6–10 specify priestly ownership of reparation-offering meat and summarize pri...

22. The Guilt Offering (II)

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

7:1–7 The discussion of offering disposal continues with the guilt offering. The torah, or “instruction,” here revisits sacrifices in the ritual of Leviticus 5:14–6:7. While the guilt offering is similar to the purification offering, its blood is dealt with differently. The blood is to be sprinkled against the altar on all sides. The earlier instruction focuses this rite on restitution from the of...

23. The Fellowship Offering (II)

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

7:11–15 This section describes the disposal of the fellowship offering and the various reasons for bringing it. It may be a thanksgiving offering, votive offering, or freewill offering. When the offering is given as an expression of gratitude, it should also contain unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened cakes spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour soaked with oil. Contrast this instruction...

24. Eating Fat and Blood Forbidden

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

7:22–27 This section is addressed not only to the priests but also to the Israelites. People should not eat fat. Fat from any animal which could be sacrificed is prohibited; as the best part, it is dedicated to God and thus holy. Even fat from animals found dead may not be used for food, but for other purposes, such as fuel for lighting, polish, or grease. Fat was important to the sacrificial syst...

25. The Priests' Share

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

7:28–36 The text now returns specifically to disposal of the fellowship offering that was treated in verses 11–21. The passage seeks to standardize practice about what parts of the animal are the priest’s portion. This teaching again addresses the Israelites. Part of the offering is burned on the altar. The worshiper takes clear responsibility for bringing this holy portion to God as a wave offer...

Showing 1 to 25 of 125 results