Leviticus 21:16-24

“The LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.

No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.

No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the offerings made to the LORD by fire. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food; yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary.

I am the LORD, who makes them holy.' "

So Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites. “

– Lev 21:16-24

“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5

Lev 1 – 7 : The Priest is to Lead God’s people to the Rightful worship of God

Lev 8 : The Priest’s Right Ear, Right Hand, Right Foot were consecrated to God – He is to Hear (the Word), Do (act righteously), Walk (personal character) in

Holiness)Lev 10 : The Priest Teaches the difference between holy

and the common, unclean and clean – spiritual, moral and life issues

Lev 13 : The Priest Examines someone for sin, then Pronounces the person clean (after he/she

repents and receives God’s forgiveness) Lev 27 : The Priest is Responsible for the conduct of

worship to God. Serves in the House of God. Prays for other people.

Lev 1 – 7 : The ?? is to Lead God’s people to the Rightful worship of God

Lev 8 : The ??’s Right Ear, Right Hand, Right Foot were consecrated to God – He is to Hear (the Word), Do (act righteously), Walk (personal character) in Holiness)

Lev 10 : The ?? Teaches the difference between holy and the common, unclean and clean – spiritual, moral and life issues

Lev 13 : The ?? Examines someone for sin, then Pronounces the person clean (after he/she repents and receives God’s forgiveness)

Lev 27 : The ?? is Responsible for the conduct of worship to God. Serves in the House of God. Prays for other people.

?? = father / mother / more matured Christian / older sibling / small group leader / boss / workplace manager / team leader / pastor / full-time Christian ministry staff

“No man who has any defect may come near:

no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.”

– Lev 21:18-20

“No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.” – Lev 21:18-20

God is actually concerned with the inner

spiritual wholeness. The Physical shows the Spiritual. The External shows the Internal.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” – Matthew 23:27-28

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.”

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed”

– we should not be unsightly spiritually (we should not mis-represent Christ)

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed”

– we should not be unsightly spiritually (we should not mis-represent Christ)

– Let us live our lives as Good Testimonies; so that we will attract people to Christ and not turn people away from God because of us.

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or

who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.”

“no man with a crippled foot or hand”

– a Christian leader with a spiritually crippled foot or hand is one who does not DO God’s work faithfully, nor WALK in righteousness.

“no man with a crippled foot or hand”

– a Christian leader with a spiritually crippled foot or hand is one who does not DO God’s work faithfully, nor WALK in righteousness.

– Let’s DO God’s work faithfully, and WALK in righteousness.

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.”

“who is hunchbacked or dwarfed”

– One who lacks Courage and Integrity.

“I speak, at the risk of being burned at the stake by militant activists. But if we don’t stand for something, we will fall for anything. I was raised to believe in speaking out for what is right, good and true, no matter the cost. It is important in life not only to have a Brain, but a Spine.”

“who is hunchbacked or dwarfed”

– One who lacks Courage and Integrity.

– May we have the Spine to stand for God’s will and the courage and integrity to do as Jesus would in bringing love and grace, justice and faith to the distressed in this world.

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.”

“who has any eye defect”

– One with No Vision (Proverbs 29:18)

Vision is not just planning in advance, but to see with the Lord’s eyes, to hope in faith what the future would be.

Vision is not just planning in advance, but to see with the Lord’s eyes, to hope in faith what the future would be.

How do we get vision from God?• Seek the Lord diligently for it

Vision is not just planning in advance, but to see with the Lord’s eyes, to hope in faith what the future would be.

How do we get vision from God?• Seek the Lord diligently for it

• When we respond in faith to His Word, God will show us.

Ms Elim Chew has won numerous awards for her business success, as well as her work for youths.

Challenged by her church to give towards building 6 churches in Gujarat, India.

Elim’s vision from God: “if you give to God in faith, in response to His call, your works will literally stand the tests of even the worst disaster, and be used by God to bless the multitudes.”

“who has any eye defect”

– One with No Vision (Proverbs 29:18)

– Let us seek our Lord Jesus for vision, for every aspect of our life, and when God issues a faith challenge, let us respond too. Then we will truly see.

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores

or damaged testicles.”

“who has festering or running sores”

– The leader is not yet separated from sin.

“who has festering or running sores”

– The leader is not yet separated from sin.

Malcolm Muggeridge1903 - 1990

“who has festering or running sores”

– The leader is not yet separated from sin.

Malcolm Muggeridge1903 - 1990 Mother Teresa

“who has festering or running sores”

– The leader is not yet separated from sin.

– Let us flee from temptations; let us work with God to cut the sinful desires and sins from our lives.

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.”

What is spiritual fruit ?

Transformed lives – lives which are saved and then discipled, to become more like Christ. Starting from our own life. And then others.

“no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed;

no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or

damaged testicles.” – Let us abide in Jesus all the time, for

only then can we bear much spiritual fruit .

King Adonizedek of Jerusalem (and a coalition of 5 armies)

Vs Joshua (story from Joshua 10)

Joshua was facing an army easily a few times larger in size, with better weapons and better terrain knowledge, and defeat is not just going home discouraged.

Defeat for Joshua is annihilation of his entire people.

Joshua did God’s work faithfully and he walked in righteousness.

Joshua did God’s work faithfully and he walked in righteousness.

Joshua had the spine to stand up for God’s will, even at the potential cost of his life.

Joshua did God’s work faithfully and he walked in righteousness.

Joshua had the spine to stand up for God’s will, even at the potential cost of his life.

Joshua sought the Lord for vision and guidance for himself and the people of Israel.

Joshua did God’s work faithfully and he walked in righteousness.

Joshua had the spine to stand up for God’s will, even at the potential cost of his life.

Joshua sought the Lord for vision and guidance for himself and the people of Israel.

Joshua was quick to confess his sins.

Joshua did God’s work faithfully and he walked in righteousness.

Joshua had the spine to stand up for God’s will, even at the potential cost of his life.

Joshua sought the Lord for vision and guidance for himself and the people of Israel.

Joshua was quick to confess his sins.

Joshua abided in God as he meditated on God’s Word day and night.

Joshua did God’s work faithfully and he walked in righteousness.

Joshua had the spine to stand up for God’s will, even at the potential cost of his life.

Joshua sought the Lord for vision and guidance for himself and the people of Israel.

Joshua was quick to confess his sins.

Joshua abided in God as he meditated on God’s Word day and night.

Joshua had lived a life that glorified God. He was a good testimony of what it really meant to be a follower of God.

“10The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.” – Joshua 10:10-11

Let us Live our lives as Good Testimonies; so that we will attract people to Christ and not turn people away from God because of us.

Let us DO God’s work faithfully, and WALK in righteousness.

May we Have the Spine to stand for God’s will and Do as Jesus would do in bringing love and grace, justice and faith to the distressed in this world.

Let us Seek Him for vision, for every aspect of our life, and when God issues a faith challenge, let us respond too. Then we will truly see.

Let us flee from temptations, let us work with God to cut the sinful desires and sins from our lives.

Let us abide in Jesus all the time, for only then can we bear much spiritual fruit..

Memory verse – Leviticus 19:15

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”

Leviticus 21:16-24