St. Aidan's Anglican Church
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • RSVP for a Service
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering

the  Preachers  blog

Blogs are posted every Wednesday

Leviticus 11, 12, 13 (By Rev. Deacon Margaret Friesen)

2/2/2021

 
OBSERVATION
In these three chapters we find the description of which animals, birds and sea animals are considered “unclean” for food. Animals which have both split hooves and chew their cud are clean, and those who do not chew their cud and/or do not have split hooves are unclean. Similarly, if sea animals have both scales and fins, they are clean and if they are missing one or both, they are considered unclean. Among birds, those that are called birds of prey – vultures, raptors, owls, herons – are considered unclean.
The readings for today also talk about being unclean regarding bodily fluids (especially blood), and skin diseases, and ceremonial purification in order to be able to worship God in the temple.
 
INTERPRETATION
Three New Testament references shed some light on how we are to think about food that is considered kosher (clean) or non-kosher (unclean). Jesus said (Matthew 4:4) to the devil when he was being tempted – “one does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”. In other words, food is secondary to life—believing and following God is primary. This is supported by Jesus’ words in Mtt 6:25 “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink…”. Jesus also says that it is not food which enters the body via the mouth but that which comes out of the mouth—i.e. evil words from the heart which defile a person. The evil that has taken hold in our minds and our hearts is what we must deal with –confess, repent, and be forgiven; be made clean by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just a note: Food is not unimportant. It is that we consider the source of our food–God–to be the most important in our lives.
 
APPLICATION
Perhaps that last sentence I wrote is also the application of this Bible text: The source of all that is good is God. We look to the Holy Triune God—Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit—as the source of true life and holiness. Becoming clean is what happens when we ask God to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from wrong-doing. Going through purification rites – while not wrong, is not what will ultimately make us clean and pure. It is God’s forgiveness and God filling us with the Holy Spirit that makes us pure or righteous.  
 
QUESTION
  • Are you feeling that some things you do are un-holy or unclean? In what area of your life is God asking you to come to himself and be cleansed and made holy?
 
PRAYER
Oh Lord God, we pray that your Holy Spirit would reveal to me areas of wrong-doing, especially those that make me feel unclean, so I can repent. Forgive us oh Lord, in our distress and cause us to forgive those who have sinned against us and whom we’ve sinned against. Forgive the guilt of our sin, (Psalm 32:5). Our times are in your hands oh God. Save us in your steadfast love, (Ps.31:14-16).

SONGS
No Longer Slaves
How Deep the Father's Love For Us

Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture

    Preachers Blog

    In 2023, each week's blog is a follow-up reflection written by the preceding Sunday’s preacher to dig deeper into the sermon topic and explore engaging discussion questions.

    ​Thank you for joining us as we journeyed through the Bible in a Year in 2021 and the Psalms in 2022.  All past blogs remain available if you wish to catch up with any days missed.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Who is Jesus?
At St Aidan's, it's our desire to know our Real God,
to grow as a Real Church and
​ to live Real Lives for Him.

Picture
St Aidan’s Anglican Church
274 Campbell Street | Winnipeg, MB R3N 1B5
Phone: 204.489.3390 Email: staidans.churchoffice@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • RSVP for a Service
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering