February 17
Lev 4:1-5:19 | PS 36:1-12 | Prov 10:1-2 | Mark 2:13-3:6
Why is my child acting out? What in my past has caused me to struggle so much with a particular sin? Why are those people so angry and throwing bricks through windows and destroying police cars? I could add many more questions which the world deems important, but that God does not. God gets to decide morally what is right and what is wrong. When you do something wrong according to God’s moral standards, it is wrong, no ifs, ands, or buts. As a teen, my primary concern when doing something wrong was not that I would be disappointing my perfect God (I was not in a relationship with Him at this point), but it was getting caught by my parents. So if I drank too much I tried to fake it when I talked. When I got home later than I was allowed I tiptoed up the stairs hoping (always unsuccessfully) that they would not hear me. If you look around at our society which is literally crumbling before our eyes, it is because as a nation we have lifted up man’s terrible standards over God’s perfect standards. It is because sin is not condemned but instead reasoned with, explained away psychologically, or in many cases applauded. Ignorance never has been and never will be an excuse. If you are unaware of God’s moral standards, that is on you. If your children are unaware, parents that is on you. God’s holy standards don’t change. His ways have always been and always will be perfect.
When we come to the sin offerings, pay close attention to Leviticus 4:1-2, “ Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them,”. These were all unintentional sins. These were either done in ignorance or without knowing. Yet, sin matters. God did not have a counseling session with them as they delved into their inner psyche. Wrong behavior must be confessed, repented of, and brought before God for forgiveness. We read a bit further of the trespass offering in 5:4, “‘Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.” Pride, self will, etc. are what prevents this. When we raise our moral standards above God’s the results are disastrous. Realize what was written above concerned unintentional, not intentional sins. This latter category will be discussed later with swift judgment and response often the prescribed solution. This is why Jesus began His “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5:3-4 with these words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” It is the absence of pride which enables one to see sin for what it is. Once you see sin for what it is, you can’t help but mourn over your past and present sins.
We read in Mark 2:15-17, “Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”” The scribes and Pharisees had lost touch with God’s holy standards as they raised up the words of men (their previous and present religious leaders) over the words of God. Jesus was teaching them that sinners who seek forgiveness and repentance can be healed, while those who can’t see it (often due to pride) cannot be healed. We read in today’s reading in Psalm 36:1-2, “ An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes,…”. So in your own life, as you watch the news, etc. look at things through the lens of God’s perfect Word. Where you miss it, fall short of the mark, which is what sin means, confess and seek His mercy.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: