We confess to you, our Father, that we have left many things in our homes undone—office work pending, house work pending, clothes and vessels pending washing—and we have come to take care of the one thing needful. We have come, our Father, so that we might tend to our souls. We have come like Mary to sit at the feet of our Savior, and we pray, our Father, that we would hear His voice. We ask that we would see His face, and may it be that He would do good to our souls.
All of you who are reading through the whole Bible this year will notice, especially in Exodus and Leviticus, that you get stuck with the minute details of the temple and worship. There are huge chapters and thousands of verses full of instructions on worship. One main theme God was drilling into our minds through all these minute details is the great importance of worship. All these details are not merely personal, but pertain to corporate temple worship.
If you trace the theme of worship through the Bible, the first five books of the Law are full of rules about worship. Then the books of history show what happens if you worship properly as commanded, or if you do not worship properly. The whole book of Psalms, with its 150 chapters—the longest book in the Bible—is a songbook and manual for worship, while the prophets warn against false worship. Jesus said the Father seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The Apostles were equally careful about church worship. In 1 Timothy, Paul cannot come immediately, but he urgently writes and warns Timothy across multiple chapters with instructions for church worship, explaining that he writes these things so that Timothy may know how one ought to conduct oneself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
The Book of Revelation shows that heaven is characterized by eternal worship. Even our forefathers were so careful about worship. Many gave their lives, their families, and even left their own countries to worship God properly. So many books upon books have been written on worship. Our confession summarizes this in a chapter on the regulative principle of worship, outlining the acceptable way of worship, the object of worship, and the elements of worship: the reading of the Scriptures, preaching, and hearing the Word of God; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord; as well as the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It further outlines acceptable prayer, the substance of prayer, the place of worship, and the designated day of worship.
One thing is clear: a great deal of care went into all of this regulation of worship. It was not as it is so often today, with everyone doing what is right in his own eyes through personal initiative and innovation. When you see all of that, you must ask the question: Why is worship so important? Remember that question as we look today at Leviticus.
We saw that after giving general rules, Leviticus 21 and 22 describe priestly consecration. For the priests, the chief priority of life was God’s worship—how to maintain their personal body and soul in a holy way without any disease, defect, or defilement, so that they could minister before Him. Chapter 22 gives rules for the priests in the worship of God. We saw last time in verses 1 through 16 that it talks about restrictions concerning holy gifts in the temple—how carefully they should handle the holy offerings brought by the people to worship God, warning them to be careful not to profane His holy name. God threatened the worst curse and death for those who failed to do so. There were strict rules on who could and could not eat those holy offerings. We also saw New Testament applications regarding how we are to steward God’s resources.
Let us finish this chapter today under three headings regarding the sacrifices offered in the worship of God, found in verses 17 through 28: What kind of sacrifices they should offer, who should offer them, and when they should offer them—the what, the who, and the when.
First, regarding what sacrifices to offer, we see the need for unblemished excellence. We find this instruction given in verses 19 and 20: for you to be accepted, your offering must be a male without defect, from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats. Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted on your behalf. You see, it is clear that the priests were to stand at the doorway of the tabernacle and act as inspectors. If somebody brings a burnt offering or a peace offering from the flock, it is to be examined to make sure these animals are males without defect.
In verse 22, we see the disqualifications for any beast: animals that are blind, fractured, maimed, or having a running sore, a bruised foot, or a crushed foot. Any imperfection is disallowed.
A herdsman in the ancient world would have a particular number of livestock. A man knows his livestock; he knows every square inch of each and every animal he owns. If a believer is truly grateful to God for his redemption and is full of gratitude, how will he express that? When he plans to come to the sanctuary, will he choose the weak or the defective animal? No, he will choose the absolute best, because it is for the living God. Therefore, there is a clear demand for unblemished excellence.
Imagine what a shame it would be when someone comes to the threshold of the tabernacle, and the priest says, “Look, there is a crookedness in the leg of this particular bull.” It is not just about the animal; it manifests the condition of the heart. It reveals an ungrateful person who has failed to remember all that God has graciously done for him and has been careless about his offering. What a shameful thing to bring such a sacrifice to the living God! It demonstrates a terribly ungrateful, non-worshipping heart.
So the first command regarding what one sacrifices is unblemished excellence.
Second, who should offer the sacrifice? The second command demonstrates that not everyone can bring a sacrifice to the living Yahweh, nor are everyone’s sacrifices accepted by Him. Only the sacrifices of God’s covenant people are accepted by Him. Notice what verse 25 says: you shall not accept any such offering from the hand of a foreigner to offer as the food of your God, for their corruption and defect are in them; they shall not be accepted for you.
This is remarkable. Let us say a man comes in bringing 500 six-foot bulls. He is very muscular and strong, and among all those animals, you cannot find a single blemish—each one is perfect. Can the priest accept it? No. Why? There is nothing wrong with what he gives, but there is something wrong with who gives it. He is not part of God’s covenant people. It is not to be accepted. No matter how beautiful or massive the gift is, God sees it as defective and never accepts sacrifices from him. It is declared to be corrupt in the eyes of God. Verse 25 notes that their corruption and defect are in them. God views that outwardly impressive gift as something deformed and contorted.
Third, when should they sacrifice? Verses 26 and 27 state: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall be seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day and thereafter it shall be accepted as an offering made by fire to the Lord.'” Here it is provided that no creature should be offered in sacrifice until it was eight days old complete. Why the eighth day? We see time and again that the eighth day emphasizes and points toward the Christian Sabbath day. We know that children were brought for covenant purification and rites on the eighth day.
So we have these three commands:
- What should be given? Unblemished excellence. What shouldn’t be given? Anything with a blemish.
- Who should give? Only God’s covenant people. Who shouldn’t? Unbelievers and outsiders.
- When should it be given? Not before the eighth day.
I want to bring a few applications from these three rules, and then answer the question of why worship is so important.
First, as New Covenant worshipers, our sin offering possesses unblemished excellence. The only way to approach God is through a burnt, guilt, or sin offering. That is the entrance to the temple, as we have previously studied. There is no other way. By God’s abounding mercy and grace, He has fulfilled the shadow of the Old Testament offerings in the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as those sheep were brought to the priest for examination, our sacrificial Lamb of God was bound and brought before Annas, the former High Priest, who could find nothing wrong with Him. He was sent to Caiaphas, and the whole Sanhedrin could not find any valid charge against Him. They could produce no consistent witnesses and had to distort His own truthful statements to accuse Him. Even Pilate could find no fault, confessing, “I find no fault in Him.” He was perfect and passed every test. He was not offered as a small infant, nor did He offer Himself merely by human initiative; He was appointed and anointed by God as our High Priest, offering Himself at full maturity. We do not have to wonder whether His sacrifice was accepted, for God has given historical testimony by raising Christ from the dead, proving that our sin offering is perfectly acceptable.
First Peter 1:19 reminds us that as a royal priesthood, the New Covenant church, you have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Peter is explaining that Christ has substituted His perfectly holy person for the sinner’s contorted, unholy wretchedness.
When you and I want to come to God today to experience His favor and blessings, if we come by our own self-righteousness, we will be turned away. But when we come to the entrance of the house of God by trusting in that one sin offering of Christ, instead of being turned away without hope, we are accepted in the Beloved because Christ’s blemishless righteousness has been imputed to us. You are viewed as holy and perfectly righteous in the sight of God. Whatever you may feel—however miserable or guilty—when you place your trust in Christ, relying entirely on His once-for-all sacrifice, heaven opens, and God looks upon you with favor.
The Book of Hebrews emphasizes that far more than in the Old Testament, we are welcomed and can come with full confidence. Hebrews 9:14 says that the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, will cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Hebrews 10:19–22 encourages us: “Having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.”
Hebrews 4:15–16 tells us: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Look at what encouragement we have because our sin offering possesses unblemished excellence! We are perfectly accepted. That is the glorious blessing Christ purchased for us, and knowing this truth will liberate your burdened conscience.
We must remember the terrible condition we were once in: hell-deserving sinners who deserved to be banished from the presence of God to weep and wail. Yet God not only saved us, but even as we walk through this defiled world—struggling, weary, and facing daily trials—when we come into God’s presence, the cross of Christ cleanses us, removes the poison of sin, fills our hearts with His love, and allows us to meet Him face to face. Blessed be God the Father for our sin offering. Because Christ died for us, whatever our state may be, it is well with our souls.
Second lesson: Unsanctified offerings are unacceptable. This lesson shows us what a marvelous privilege we have. In the Old Testament, a man could be the richest person in the world or the greatest king like Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar, possessing all power, and he could bring thousands of flawless bulls and lambs, yet they would not be accepted because he was outside the covenant.
In the New Testament, this points to God coming to us when we were spiritually dead, granting us new life and raising us out of our fallen condition. When you see yourself as a bankrupt sinner and come to the foot of the cross where Jesus died as an atoning sacrifice, the Holy Spirit transforms your heart, giving you a regenerated soul. Where you were once dead to God, you are now given a desire to know, obey, love, and reflect Him.
Only those whose hearts have been transformed by grace can offer acceptable sacrifices to God. Someone might say, “I am going to completely reform; I will do all kinds of good things to show God that I love Him. I will fast constantly, attend church daily, give half my earnings, and distribute alms.” Yet all those external deeds, if they come from a heart that has not been renewed by grace, cannot satisfy divine justice; they remain spiritually deficient in the eyes of the living God. Your heart must be renewed. You must place the full weight of your soul upon Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, for He alone can take away the sins of the world.
Our confession of faith notes regarding good works: Even the good works of the unregenerate fall short of God’s holy standard. While works done by unrenewed men may be things that God commands and of good use to themselves and others, they do not proceed from a heart purified by faith, nor are they done in a right manner according to the Word, nor to the right end—the glory of God. Therefore, they cannot truly please God or merit His grace. Yet, for an unregenerate person to neglect good works is even more sinful and displeasing to God.
Conversely, regarding believers, the confession notes that because believers are accepted through Christ, their good works are also accepted in Him. It is not that their works in this life are wholly blameless in God’s sight, but that God, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, even though accompanied by many weaknesses and imperfections.
So we see these clear lessons: as New Covenant worshipers, our sin offering is of unblemished excellence. Furthermore, God accepts only the spiritual sacrifices of His redeemed people, and the emphasis on the eighth day points to our New Covenant day of worship.
What should our response be to this truth? If God has provided such a sin offering and made us His redeemed children—a rare and glorious privilege—how should we respond? Just as an Old Testament worshiper brought grain and peace offerings as an expression of gratitude for atonement, so Paul instructs New Covenant believers in Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
What kind of spiritual offerings do we bring to God’s house? What is a reasonable sacrifice? Ask your conscience: if God did not spare His own beloved Son, but poured out the penalty of our sin upon Him until He suffered and died, what kind of offerings ought we to bring when we gather publicly as living stones in this temple to worship God? What kind of devotion, reverence, and gratitude should characterize our worship?
If we were an ancient herdsman strolling about in the field, what kind of sacrifice should we bring? The answer would be the best—and only the best—because our Savior has died on our behalf, and our Heavenly Father has not spared His own Son. Our temple grain offerings must be an offering of whole-souled, unblemished excellence.
If, in the Old Testament, God severely rebukes and places a curse upon those who bring lame and blind sacrifices, consider His holy anger in the book of Malachi when His people fail to offer good sacrifices. In Malachi, God exposes their double standard: He asks if they would ever dare present such defective livestock as tax payments to their earthly governor. You would never offer such things to a governor, would you?
Consider what you would do if you had an appointment with a prime minister, a chief minister, or an esteemed official—an appointment at 10:00 AM to spend an hour with him in his office. Would you offer excuses about traffic or delay in getting ready? No, you would wake up four hours early and leave an hour ahead of time to ensure you are not late. Recently, in a client meeting, I arrived just two minutes late, and I felt so terrible about it. Why do we not feel that same gravity before God? Furthermore, even if you could not sleep the night before, would you allow yourself to fall asleep or grow drowsy while an earthly dignitary was speaking to you? No, you would do everything possible to remain attentive; you would drink coffee or stir yourself up to pay full attention to that man.
How much more, then, when we bring the sacrifices of our affection and attention into the house of God, ought our offering to be our absolute best, without blemish—not that which is bruised, fractured, or diseased?
Brothers and sisters, if we have any sense of the greatness of our salvation and gratitude toward God, let us resolve to offer a sacrifice of whole-souled, unblemished excellence.
Consider a half-hearted, “lame” prayer life: I must resolve not merely to show up on time, but to arrive early, preparing my heart and mind in silent prayer. Does not your soul need time to prepare its sacrifice and arrange it fittingly before the gates of the sanctuary open for worship, so that your mind may be lifted up from earthly distractions to heavenly worship?
Picture a herder who desires to express his love to God through a peace offering. He selects the finest bull, combing and brushing it so that when he brings it to the priest, the priest remarks, “This is a magnificent sacrifice, fitting for the God of heaven.” In the same way, I will arrive early. I will not arrive late to disturb the worship of others or drag them down by bringing the disorderliness of the world into the sanctuary. I will prepare my heart so that I may give my full attention to God’s worship, guarding my mind against wandering. I will offer not only my physical presence, but my mind and spirit will be fully engaged in worship.
We must resolve to do this and refuse to bring “blind” sacrifices—sitting in church while our minds are elsewhere. How insulting to the God who knows our innermost thoughts! To sit present in body while remaining absent in mind is to offer “lame” worship.
In prayer, we must not tune out or dislodge our thinking when we bow our heads. Rather, we should be actively engaged, even speaking an audible “Amen” alongside the one praying, assisting our brother who serves as our mouthpiece.
Nor should we bring “lame” singing. When we sing, we ought to be meticulous—meditating on the words, engaging our spirits, and offering our best sound rather than merely what is left over. We have set aside time in the evening to practice hymns, but we should dedicate even more effort to practice songs together. I will also regularly write songs that we can sing.
Neither should we bring a “blind” reading of the Scriptures. Sometimes, while a brother is reading the Word, people fail to open their Bibles, follow along, or pay attention, so that if asked afterward what was read, no one can say. May that never be the case among us. We should ensure liveliness and engaged attention during the reading of God’s Word. When we give a brief contextual introduction to the passage, it helps the entire congregation listen with rapt attention.
Likewise, we must avoid “deaf” hearing of the Word of God or half-hearted participation in the sermon. When a preacher spends hours preparing a message to explain deep truths and give you new spiritual insight, you must not tune out. Instead, you ought to push back mentally against the preacher’s mind—like a bull leaning its weight forward—pressing your mind to grasp the light of God’s Word. In a generation accustomed to short digital clips, true transformation requires the deliberate renewing of the mind.
When I am preaching, you are not meant to be in neutral. You should be actively engaged, maintaining mental focus so that you may benefit from the Word of God. This involves keeping your eyes on the text and on the preacher, opening your ears to hear God’s Word, and demonstrating engaged body language. It may involve an “Amen” or an audible sign that you are tracking with the proclamation of the truth. How encouraging that is to a preacher! It is discouraging when people stare blankly without any reflection of engagement on their faces.
Furthermore, when worship concludes, do not simply rush off into the world so that the seed of the Word is snatched away by the wayside. Quietly pray for a few minutes, asking God to deeply implant His Word in your heart to bear fruit. Then, fellowship with your brothers and sisters—greeting them and getting to know the church body where God has placed you. As you get to know people, you learn their needs, and God will show you how you can serve within the local assembly. Is this not the basic gratitude we owe to God for all He has done for us? Is this not an offering of whole-souled, unblemished excellence?
Yet we do not only offer sacrifices to God when we are gathered together as a church. This principle extends into our personal lives. We ought to cultivate a life of unceasing prayer—continually offering our sacrifice through praise, thanksgiving, and supplication.
Romans 12 commands us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. In everything we do through our physical bodies, our daily life is depicted as an offering. We offer sacrifices every moment of every day: in the way we rise in the morning, and in the way we speak to our spouses and children. What kind of sacrifice was that recent conversation you had with your spouse? You are called to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
We offer sacrifices through our physical bodies when we refuse to make room for the lust of the eyes—not allowing a wandering glance toward forbidden things, but keeping our gaze fixed straight ahead. We offer sacrifices when we guard our speech against lying and sin, learning to control our tongues rather than speaking rashly. We must also resolve to keep our minds pure in that internal dimension where no human eye can see, but where God sees all. We demonstrate this by keeping the Sabbath holy—even if it costs us greatly—as well as through love for the brethren, open-handed generosity, unflagging hospitality, and a faithful devotional life.
The Lord knows what we bring every moment in our daily lives. We can say, “Lord, You know what is in my herd. Others may not see it, but You know what I am bringing.” If we are truly God-fearing, we will bring Him our very best.
Why Is Corporate Worship So Important?
Why is corporate church worship emphasized so heavily in Scripture? Consider five primary reasons:
- It Pleases God: Having saved His people through the marvelous work of His Son, the Lord declared that the Father seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Such worship is a sweet-smelling aroma that brings pleasure to God.
- It Is the Index of Spiritual Health: The public worship of a church is one of faith’s vital signs. It serves as an unmistakable marker of spiritual health or spiritual sickness. Whether a congregation truly loves God or has grown cold, whether it is filled with faith or unbelief, obedience or disobedience, can be seen in the form, spirit, and energy of its worship.
- It Guards Against Unauthorized Worship: Scripture reveals the grave dangers of man-made, inventive worship. False or careless worship is a severe sin that corrupts the heart, invites judgment, and dishonors God.
- It Fulfills Human Purpose: We were created to worship, and a created entity functions properly only when fulfilling its intended design. Human beings are inherently worshiping creatures; if we do not worship God, we will inevitably worship something else—whether wealth, entertainment, career, family, or self. Furthermore, we inevitably come to resemble whatever we worship.
- It Transforms Our Character into God’s Likeness: There is a spiritual law that we absorb the attributes of whatever holds our ultimate devotion. If we worship money, we become cold and transactional; if we worship self-indulgence, we become shallow. But if we worship the holy God, we are gradually transformed into His likeness—growing in love, joy, and righteousness. Biblical worship is the primary instrument of spiritual growth.
In the modern world, places of commercial entertainment and consumerism function as secular temples, conditioning people to admire and devote themselves to luxury, material acquisition, and personal gratification. But Psalm 115:4–8 issues a solemn warning regarding false devotion: idols made by human hands have mouths that cannot speak and eyes that cannot see, and “those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”
The most fundamental question of human life is: What does a person worship? Proper worship shapes the human soul into its right ordering. The person who worships worldly icons develops one kind of character; the person who worships Jesus Christ develops another. Every Lord’s Day, as we gather, we reorient our desires, purify our motives, and set before ourselves the true purpose of our existence. True worship brings the peace and joy that human beings seek, shifting our focus away from self to God, from guilt to God’s forgiveness, and from temporal problems to God’s sovereign provision.
In the corporate sanctuary, the true pattern of heavenly worship is taught. Through regular, deliberate acts of confession, praise, and hearing the Word, our minds and hearts are shaped over time. Just as family routines and discipline shape the character of children over many years, so the repeated spiritual rhythms of the Lord’s Day form the deep structure of our spiritual lives.
This is precisely how the Lord prepares His people for heaven. In the Book of Revelation, heavenly worship is presented as corporate worship—the gathered church honoring the Lamb. Proper biblical worship, offered from a sincere heart, produces individuals who are reverent, humble, grateful, loving, and obedient.
That is why King David, who enjoyed deep intimacy with the Lord in private, nevertheless declared in Psalm 27:4:
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.”