5th Sunday after Pentecost (Prop 10 – C)
Leviticus 18:1-5
July 13, 2025
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The text I have chosen for this morning’s sermon is the OT reading from Leviticus.
During the interrogation of Jesus, Pilate asked Him: “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Pilate thought he decided whether Jesus would live or die. This was just an illusion. Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.” Pilate could only do what God allowed because God is the only one with true and undeniable authority. It wasn’t just Pilate who needed this reminder, all people need to know that He is the ultimate authority, that His authority is second to none. He emphasizes this repeatedly in the Old Testament reading when He declares, “I am the Lord your God.”
“I am the Lord your God” means that He’s the one who decrees what people should and should not do. This is especially true for believers. When Israel camped at Mount Sinai they were between homes. Egypt was behind them and Canaan, the Promised Land, was just ahead. But God knew the dangers that lay just over the horizon. He says, “I am the LORD your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.” Pretty clear, right? They cannot imitate the unbelievers which surround them if they’re to remain faithful and have a good relationship with God.
The Israelites lived in Egypt for 400 years. They witnessed the worship of Ra the sun god, Osiris the god of the underworld, Horus the god of war. They saw the temple practices and the sacrifices to earn the gods’ favor. Slavery was prevalent, the Pharoah was divine, and magic and sorcery were common. The true God, the God of Israel, was nowhere to be found, so to fall back into the ways of Egyptians was to reject the God. To worship as the Egyptians did was to actually re-enslave themselves. It was to reject the freedom God gives for the slavery of sin and death.
While the Egyptians could be considered civilized, the Canaanites weren’t even close. The Promised Land was soaked with the blood of children who were sacrificed to the gods. Incest, marriage and sexual acts between family members polluted the air. Homosexuality, voluntary and involuntary prostitution, and bestiality utterly ruined bodies, hearts, and minds. There was such a glut of sin that the Lord said, “the land [would vomit] out its inhabitants.” They were cursed through their demonic practices. As a result, they disappeared beneath the sands of the Middle East. They didn’t disappear soon enough however, for hundreds of thousands of Israelites participated in their abhorrent practices and died, sometimes violently, because they imitated the very ones God warned them about.
“I am the LORD your God. [You shall not do as they do in the United States or Iowa or Lake View.”] What do you think? Am I out of line? Can I honestly say we’re as immoral as the Canaanites of old who threw their children into fires? Maybe, maybe not. But we can’t kid ourselves. The places we live aren’t innocent. You’re not innocent! I’m not innocent! We do imitate, or at least approve of, the evil we see. Now some of what I say might not apply to you, but it does affect you. You see this isn’t rant about the world out there, it’s a wake-up call and a warning to the Church in here! We’re not magically insulated from Sin or the influence of others. As God warned the Israelites because they were His chosen people, He also warns you because you too are His people.
Are children still sacrificed to the Canaanite god Molech? They are, only the god now goes by the name of Planned Parenthood. Children were sacrificed to appease the gods, to ensure a good harvest, or whatever other reason they could think of. Children are sacrificed to the gods of I’m not ready and I don’t want to and My baby is handicapped. Men sacrifice their unborn children because they don’t want to be tied down or pay child support. We’ll never know if the Canaanites sacrifice 1.14 million babies. We did.
Forced and unforced prostitution was a part of Canaanite culture. Forced and unforced prostitution is part of American culture. It is! Did you read about the horrible woman in Sac City who sold two young teenagers to some men for their amusement? It’s happening Lake View too. Or the pornography epidemic that’s ruining our boys, girls, men, women, family, marriages, and health. Porn is prostitution, and in many, many cases, the prostitute is under duress. When you watch pornography there is no way, absolutely no way, to know if the individual is willingly taking part. Porn isn’t romantic, it’s hatred. It’s not harmless, it’s destructive. It’s a satanic demon to whom Americans are sacrificing themselves every, single day. We don’t even want to talk about child pornography, but it’s out there too. Now, you might think that you’d never, ever look at child porn. But the longer you look at pornography, the darker your mind naturally goes, and eventually you find yourself looking at things you said you’d never look at. I’m sure some of the Israelites were initially appalled by the Canaanites until their hearts darkened.
I think I’ll stop here. You’re all well aware of the hatred, violence, and venom in society. You’re also well aware of the sins that are transforming society and the Church, and not for the good. And why is all this happening? Because the authority of God has been rejected. We think we can do it our way. We think we’re immune to the dangers of certain sins. We want to make up our own rules of life. And how has that worked out for anyone?
“I am the LORD your God. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God.” This isn’t a suggestion from a dusty, old, out-of-date book. It’s God Himself speaking with His divine authority. The voice which said, “Let there be light” now says, “Keep my statues and walk in them.” Keep His statues because it’s best for the family and society when we do. When society stops accepting sins as normal, it will be transformed. When our minds aren’t polluted by pornography or hatred, our families thrive. Can anyone be damaged by giving up pornography or speaking for the victims? Will it hurt anything to speak for the unborn and to the scared and overwhelmed mothers and fathers? Walking in God’s statutes will only and will always lead to good things, especially a right standing before God.
Saint Paul says that Jesus has delivered you “from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13-14). By divine decree, God has called you to be His holy people, and He has made you His people. Do you think God is caught off guard by anything we do or any vile thing that occurs in our world? Of course not. His authority is always rejected by the unbelievers and frequently rejected by Christians. When we struggle and sin, as we rebel and try to live by our own authority, we remain trapped in spiritual darkness. But what do we have through Jesus? Paul says redemption and the forgiveness of sins! Jesus puts it this way: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18). We push against God’s authority, constantly, and yet, what does He do? He sent His Son, who by His own authority, willingly takes the cup of the vile, disgusting, nasty garbage produced by the sinners of this world and drinks it down. In this He shows His authority over sin and death. He shows His authority of porn and addiction. He shows His power over those who abuse and neglect the vulnerable, while giving the victims the peace that He alone can give.
Paul says in the Epistle: “Be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Col 1:10-11). God gave the Israelites plenty of tools and guidance to help them remain faithful, and they refused them. God has given you the Holy Spirit, the one who helps you fight your battles by reminding you constantly of God’s love and forgiveness, and of His authority over everything. He gives you His tools, the gifts of this Christian Church, to aid you in your walk. He has given you all you need to speak for the victims and defend those who cannot defend themselves. When you fail, which you’ll do, God is there to lift your eyes to heaven and receive forgiveness. When you repent, then sin, and repent yet again, God still hears your cry. He sees your guilt and shame and then by His authority casts them in the deepest seas. He looks at you by looking around His Son on the cross and says to you “I am the Lord your God” and in that authoritative statement is everything we need to know to be His people.
Amen
Now the peace which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen