1/10/12 REGULAR TIMES OF WORSHIP

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Numbers 28:1-31
Key Verse: 28:2

“Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time my food offerings, as an aroma pleasing to me.”

Dear Lord heavenly Father thank you for loving me and helping me to live as your shepherd. Forgive me of despairing and taking my focus off of you and focusing on me and my own hopes and dreams. I pray that I may know that “Conquering a campus with the gospel” means to conquer one heart with the love of Jesus. It means that the banner of Christ stands high and exalted over the campus. It means that my own heart and my house church (family) prays “God’s kingdom come” and stands firm as servants of Christ. I pray that you may bless Jenn’s campus search. I pray that you may lead her along the best route to serve you and grow spiritually and to find out there path in this world. Lord, help me to receive your word in my heart today. I pray in Jesus’ holy name. Amen!

1. Daily, Sabbath, and monthly offerings (1-15).

Verses 1-15 read, “ 1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time my food offerings, as an aroma pleasing to me.’ 3 Say to them: ‘This is the food offering you are to present to the LORD: two lambs a year old without defect, as a regular burnt offering each day. 4 Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, 5 together with a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin[b] of oil from pressed olives. 6This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD. 7 The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the LORD at the sanctuary. 8 Offer the second lamb at twilight, along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you offer in the morning. This is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 9 “‘On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[c] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 11 “‘On the first of every month, present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 12 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah[d] of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; 13 and with each lamb, a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD. 14 With each bull there is to be a drink offering of half a hin[e] of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin[f]; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon during the year. 15 Besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.[g]

I can see Christian worship here in this passage. It is right, what we are doing here in regards to worship times. We have daily devotionals. We have some evening times of devotion. We keep Sunday as the Sabbath Day, we have communion on the first Sunday of each month. We offer up our first fruit offerings the first of the month. This is basic, weekly Christian life together. I pray that we may keep the basic regimen, but not only keep the schedule but also keep the meaning of it all.

A burnt offering of a year old lamb without defect and a portion of grain was made twice a day. The fire from this burnt offering was never to go out (Lev 6:12). This served as a constant reminder that God was to be worshiped daily and to offer the required blood. Additionally, specific burnt offerings were made every Sabbath and first of the month. These helped God’s people to remember his grace each week and month and to praise and worship him. The animal offerings point to Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His sacrifice on the cross makes animal sacrifices obsolete and gives us all the more reason to worship and praise God.

Each time we come together to worship, Jesus must be our focus. The Gospel must be revealed and upheld. We must remember God’s grace each week. God’s grace is abundant. I need Jesus’ grace and forgiveness and Christ’s redeeming hope for my life and my ministry here on earth. Without Jesus I would just feel inadequate and condemned and headed along a fruitless path. But Jesus’ saves me each day and he raises me up. I can live a victorious life in him. I can have something to offer others and something to contribute. I can have confidence in the love of Jesus and my eternal standing as his Son. All of our worship is to help me grow in faith and maturity. Thank you Lord for basic Christian life together.

2. The Passover and Festival of Weeks (16-31).

Verse 16-31, “ On the fourteenth day of the first month the LORD’s Passover is to be held. 17 On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days eat bread made without yeast. 18 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 19 Present to the LORD a food offering consisting of a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 20 With each bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 21 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 22 Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. 23 Offer these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. 24 In this way present the food offering every day for seven days as an aroma pleasing to the LORD; it is to be offered in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 25 On the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work 26 “‘On the day of firstfruits, when you present to the LORD an offering of new grain during the Festival of Weeks, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 27 Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 28 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 29and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 30 Include one male goat to make atonement for you. 31Offer these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect.”

The Israelites were to celebrate the Passover and the Festival of Weeks (Pentecost). The Passover celebrated God’s deliverance of his people from bondage in Egypt. The Pentecost was a time to thank God who provides and to offer firstfruits. These holidays helped God’s people to gather together and worship him.

I thank God for our holidays, especially for Easter. It is time to really understand the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is holiday from the Lord. I pray that we may worship together and celebrate together with Milwaukee UBF and DuPage. I pray we may reach a deeper understanding of Jesus suffering, death and resurrection.

We need to make a first fruits offering. For us this has become the tithes. It is monthly. God has instituted these offerings so that the church can have the resources to be a blessing and serve God’s world mission purpose. I thank God for Julie who helps me to be faithful to giving a world mission offering. I pray that my kids may also be faithful in giving their world mission offering.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the forgiveness of sins in Jesus. Help me to worship you daily.

One Word: Worship and thank God daily