20230820 6PMp RI Holy God gives atonement for his people.

Leviticus Series. In family life, when one has nothing, someone gives. When we realise that we have nothing, we need someone else to give.  We have seen in Leviticus, God has given this offering system that allows them to remain with God but it doesn’t fix the core of the issue.  The central point is that when Israel has nothing, God gives. In this sermon, we see God gives atonement to his people who have nothing to give. Atonement is God’s gift; it is not something they are doing to appease him.  It is something God is giving to them.

In the details, we find God has prepared meaningful links to other aspects of need.

Blood is associated with Life. Sin leads to death. Purification is given by God. 

Symbolically, Aaron is transferring the sin of the people to the scapegoat.  The goat is then sent into the wilderness – going to the East.  The psalmist says, As far as the East is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions from us. 

Followers of Jesus understand that Jesus has become the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Once and for all, obtaining eternal redemption. We can do nothing for it. Nothing more is needed, Jesus has done it all.

Speaker: Ron Irving.

2020813 DT 6PMp A special people to a Holy God

Fourth in our series on Leviticus. Physical Training, singing, studying may be of some value to us, now and in the future, but how does one become “fit for God”? In Israel, there were 3 levels, sinful, ritually unclean, and ritually clean.   Laws and rules about foods and behaviour were given, some seemingly arbitrary, some with health relevance: but many were different to the rules for the peoples around them.  In each family, there are some specific rules that are applied to members of the family, and this may make the family distinct.  The Lord reminds the Israelites that he rescued them and brought them out of Egypt, to be his people, and says to them, “Be holy for I am Holy!”.   Thus they are different from the people around them.  Now, what about us?  for those who believe in Jesus, Christ has made the sacrifice for us. 

Can people tell that you are committed to Christ? Principle:  The whole life is committed to it.  “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”.  Training, music, etc… can be of some value, but, do people around you see you as different?  Do people see this?  Are you fit for God?

Speaker: David Tyndall.

20230806 CD 6PMp The priest is a go-between to reach a Holy God.

Third in our series on Leviticus:  reaching the Holy God. How good, in life, it is to have a go-between, to speak, advise or act on our behalf.  Physically and also spiritually, this seems fairly universal, in many and various cultures. In Leviticus 8-10, we see Moses, then Aaron and his eldest sons in this role of priests through sacrifices, and rituals to reach the Holy God. But even as these are accomplished, the system breaks down through human sinfulness.  Yet it foreshadows Jesus, the High Priest of the second covenant, our go-between and perfect sacrifice, and how all believers are priestly go-betweens to reach the whole world. 

Speakers: Chris Donald, Bri Parsonon.

2nd sermon in series on Leviticus

Readings: Leviticus 3:1-17. Romans 12:1-2

Ambiguity in conversation or in a relationship is difficult but clarity is much easier. Three principles help us to understand Leviticus for us today.  Leviticus was written first as the terms of a covenant agreement between God and ancient Israel, and to understand it we need to see it the light of Jesus actions for us.  Leviticus defines how an unholy, imperfect people can live with a Perfect and Holy God.  Separation from God is a life and death matter, sacrifice of animals is costly, sin is costly. Leviticus chapters 1-7 define 5 types of voluntary sacrifices: 1. Burnt offering, 2. grain offering, 3._Fellowship offering, 4. sin or purification offering and 5. Guilt offering.

These can be associated with 5 summary words : 1. Reverence, 2. Reclgnition, 3. Relationship, 4. Repentance, 5. Restitution. In Isaiah and through David, it is made clear that God does not just want sacrifices from the people of Israel. He wants relationship, he wants their hearts.  And he wants our hearts too.

Considering these 5 summary ideas in relation to ourselves, how do we stand in relation to God? Does he have our hearts?

We need a sacrifice made on our behalf, too. A perfect sacrifice, without blemish, provided for us by God.   Jesus, on our behalf, gave himself to restore our relationship with God. God wants our hearts. We are urged to present our bodies, our lives as a living sacrifice to him (Romans 12:1-2)

Speaker: Chris Donald.

First in our series on Leviticus.

20230723 AM/PM CD  Leviticus: Its place in the bible.

How shall we describe Leviticus? A book of Rules? Difficult Book?  ... Foundational!  Leviticus provides understanding of items throughout the bible, e.g. loving our neighbour, atonement, Jesus our high priest, holiness, kingdom of priests.

What is the context of Leviticus?  How describe the whole bible?  The story of God who seeks and saves to create a people with whom he can have a relationship.  We see this story developing in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers …

Unresolved distance, Leviticus begins. 

May seem just like a bunch of laws  … but actually telling a story:

We can best understand Leviticus when we understand that living for God is NOT about a set of rules, but about a relationship with God.  Being a Christian is NOT about a following a set of rules, but about having a relationship with God. 

The question: HOW to Resolve the problem about how an unholy person can have a relationship with a Holy God, and live in relationship with him. And this indeed is the message of the Bible: that God wants a relationship with us, that he sent his Son to enable the restoration of that relationship. 

Leviticus is about God’s people learning how to be holy, so they can relate to a holy God, reflect him to each other and reveal him to the world. Our aim this year is to be a people of grace and a place of grace, where God is being reflected and revealed again and again.

But the story of the bible is not over, it is continued through the birth of a son, Jehoshua, Immanuel, who saves and who is God with us.

Speaker: Chris Donald

God's grace is seen in resolving immediate issues for Boaz, Ruth and Naomi, both in the timing and in the outcome of events.  Ruth is incorporated into the people of God, and through a child, blessing flow both to Ruth and Boaz, and also to Naomi.  

And God is at work preparing the way through the child Obed, Jesse to king David, (by-passing Saul), and subsequently to Jesus, who is also born in Bethlehem! 

In our families, we too, through Jesus, can be assured that "nothing in all creation shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus." (Rom 8:38).

The lineage of Boaz, is traced via Perez from Tamar, (a Canaanite) and Judah.  The Lineage of Ruth (a Moabitess), is traced back through Moab to Noah's daughter with her father. 

God's extraordinary grace reaches beyond the Israelites to all nations!

Speaker: Ron Irving.

20230709 6PM

Again we see that God’s extraordinary grace is unleashed in the ordinary routines of life, in daily needs, in hopes and prayers of his people.  It was the beginning of the barley harvest, and Ruth, with her mother-in-law’s approval, goes to glean in field after the harvesters, as it happens, in one of the fields owned by Boaz, who is a relative of Naomi’s husband Elimelech. Boaz notices Ruth and though she is an outsider, he treats her well, inviting her to his table. He knows of the blessing (“hesed”) she has provided to Naomi. 

God unleashes his grace in many of the ordinary matters of life, and we may recipients of that grace, or, indeed, instruments of that grace to others. How do we, in our lives, show kindness to others, to the needs of others.   There is so much hesed in this story.

And there are parallels for us… we get extraordinary grace, released to us, in Jesus.

Speaker: Ron Irving.

The Book of Ruth and God’s Grace

In what situations does God meet us with his Grace?  What is our experience of God’s Grace?  This question is considered as we begin our series of sermons on the Book of Ruth. After moving to the land of Moab from their place in Bethlehem, Judea, because of famine, Naomi experiences the death of her husband, and then of her two sons who are married to Moabite women. Though with a severe sense of bitterness she sets out to return to Bethlehem, she tells her daughters-in-law, for their own welfare,  to return to their original homes and people. Orpah does so, but Ruth holds firmly in her resolve to go with Naomi, to adopt her people and her God.  Naomi’s bitterness may be seen  as form of lament.  A parallel to this may be where we see Jesus’ crying out on the Cross.  Even there, God is not missing. God still clings to his people!  … more to come next week.

Speaker: Ron Irving.

A further sermon in or series on the Means of Grace. 

Hospitality and the means of Grace

Biblical Hospitality what is it? What is it NOT? Not like King George III, who knew how to hugely over cater for his guests, thinking that popularity would flow from that.   This isn’t the popularity that God holds out for us.  Jesus calls us to a different hospitality.  In the bible, hospitality is associated with two Greek words: “phile-o” (brotherly love) and “xenos” (a stranger), to lovingly invite into your life, someone who doesn’t belong.  When we show hospitality, we get to show God’s generous “stranger-love” -- love of the stranger. Isaiah 55 tells us of the Lord’s invitation “to come!” Hospitality is the very heart of the gospel because of Jesus. It’s a practical way to invite the “stranger” into our life.  People can get to experience how generous, kind and caring God is. .    This is a means of grace, when we get to show His love, we get to know His love! 

Speaker: John Batten.

 20230618 6PM CD Gratitude as a means of God’s Grace.

Starting with an anecdote on saying “Please” and “Thank You” this sermon explores how showing gratitude becomes a means of God’s grace.  Five ways giving thanks may help us to grow in grace:

• We notice grace more

Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Corrie Ten Boom provide great examples of gratitude leading to Grace. Gratitude opens us up to grace.