Read: Leviticus 1:1-3:17, Mark 1:29-2:12, Psalm 35:17-28, Proverbs 9:13-18
If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects.
(Leviticus 3:1)
Relate: From the title and picture above, you probably already know that I am talking about perfection today. I know that some of you, the perfectionists, are rubbing your hands with delight. I know who you are. You’re the ones who will be sending me an email because I forgot to set the scripture reference link to open up in a separate tab or because I switched tenses between my “relate” and “react” sections and you will have a list of rules for why I shouldn’t have done so. I’m half tempted to leave ten mistakes in this post. Let’s see if you can find them all.
The rest of you, the ones like me, are probably rolling your eyes and thinking, “Oh great. Here we go again.” You have heard pastors preach on perfection from Matthew 5:47 or holiness from 1 Peter 1:16 more than enough times already. You are sick and tired of people demanding a standard that you know you can never meet, and that they aren’t meeting either. You will hear me say that God demanded from the Israelites a perfect sacrifice. Also, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. And if we are to be like him, then we also should offer ourselves as a perfect sacrifice. Each statement is true, but in each case, the presentation of perfect has a different meaning.
We use perfect many ways in English. I can say, “this room is perfect for you” or “they are the perfect couple.” I am not saying that the room is absolutely flawless or that the couple never has any fights, arguments, or misunderstandings. I am saying that one thing is perfect, or highly suitable, for something else. I can tell my students that I want them to translate this using the present perfect tense. As one student pointed out, there is absolutely nothing perfect about the English language. I just answered, “I know English is tough. Though it can be understood through thorough thought.” She just threw up her hands and walked through the door.
Some of my football friends still talk about the Superbowl where the Giants ruined the Patriots’ perfect season. Does that mean that every play in every game was performed flawlessly? No. It simply meant that they had not (yet) lost a game until David Tyree’s helmet catch left the world in awe. By the way, any time an announcer talks about a “perfect” catch, comparisons are made to this one. But any coach trying to get his high school players to play to perfection would chew out anyone trying to replicate it. So is it perfect or not? What is perfect?
React: In Malachi, God takes the Hebrew people to task because they were not following up with the requirements for a sacrifice God laid out here in Leviticus 3. They were offering an imperfect sacrifice and then they were wondering why God was not blessing them. It is in this context that one of the most commonly used Bible verses for the offering appeal pops up: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” (Malachi 3:10)
What are we offering to God? One person might say, “Yeah, I can volunteer at the church on Saturday. It’s not like I was doing anything at that time anyways.” They might as well say, “If I am going to throw it away anyway, I might as well throw it God’s way.” Another person can make the same exact sacrifice and yet it is their best. They could say, “Saturday afternoons are the only free time I have all week. It is the only time that is my time and the best thing I can do with it is to give it to God.” For one person giving a five-figure offering is no big deal. They need to find a tax-deductable location to get their write off and the church is a better place to give it than the Red Cross (who are horribly inefficient with their financial donations, Be wise and just give them blood, not ever money). For another person, giving twenty dollars in the plate means they will have to be choosing between gas and groceries until their next paycheck comes in. It is a more perfect sacrifice. What sacrifice is perfect for you to give? What does it truly cost?
Respond:
Dear God,
The best I have to give You is all of me. I know that I am far from perfect, but I am the perfect offering. It is a complete offering, with nothing more that can be added. It is a highly appropriate offering, it is the best that I have to give. So I know that even though I am far from perfect, in Your hands I can be used perfectly. So I give myself to You.
Amen
The River Walk is a devotional created by Two Rivers Church. To visit or to watch a message online, please click here.
To read previous years devotionals taken from the February 16th please click below:
THE RIVER WALK 
A painting in candle light may seem flawless. But in the light if day reveals its imperfections. To be with God who is perfect one must be perfect. But the lesson of hope for us all, but those who seek not God’s forgiveness, is in the precious metal, gold. Until the dross is burned away it is not in its purist form. So too it is with us. Held up to Light Of The World, at judgement, we too are as exposed as the painting. But like the gold, there is a process that God grants to those who are neither worthy of heaven nor hell at the time of our judgement. Purgatory cleanses away the smudges of un-amended sin on our souls until purged completely. Then we will be ready to be in the presence of God. In making purgatory we have made heaven.
-Alan
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive in Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us. He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14
The cross is enough. The shed blood of Christ has made us perfect in God’s sight and there is no need for anything more.
Only if the measure of mercy we receive from Him is equally measured to others by us. Christ put the Ten Commandments of God concisely in two commands: Love God with all your hearts, mind and soul. And Love your neighbor like yourself. When we fail to do so as often Christ eluded to in word and deed when he forgave the sinner in saying: :Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more.” Many fall back into sin over and over again. God is merciful. But He is also Just. Mercy follows. The good thief, admitted that he deserved his sentence, and that Christ did not. Then he asked Christ to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Christ then tells him that today you will be with me in Paradise. The good thief had enough regret for his sins and enough faith in God that his confession was accepted by Christ, forgiven and rewarded for acknowledging the just man in Christ. But, he like we must ask. We can’t remain in God’s good grace with the soil of sin on our souls unless we seek forgiveness and be resolute in amending our ways: “Go and sin no more.”
Even after forgiveness, the good thief remained a thief, for he stole heaven.
-Alan
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