Slices
Prepare
How do you prepare to go to church, or to meet with others to worship? Is it a purely physical and practical thing, or do you prepare spiritually as well?
Bible passage
The burnt offering
8 The Lord said to Moses: 9 ‘Give Aaron and his sons this command: “These are the regulations for the burnt offering: the burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar. 10 The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments next to his body, and shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. 11 Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean. 12 The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. 13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.
The grain offering
14 ‘“These are the regulations for the grain offering: Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar. 15 The priest is to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 16 Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast in the sanctuary area; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. 17 It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share of the food offerings presented to me. Like the sin offering and the guilt offering, it is most holy. 18 Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it. For all generations to come it is his perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord. Whatever touches it will become holy.”’
19 The Lord also said to Moses, 20 ‘This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to bring to the Lord on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening. 21 It must be prepared with oil on a griddle; bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken in pieces as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 22 The son who is to succeed him as anointed priest shall prepare it. It is the Lord’s perpetual share and is to be burned completely. 23 Every grain offering of a priest shall be burned completely; it must not be eaten.’
Explore
This passage is part of the instructions to priests, telling them how to deal with offerings, the remains of offerings, and the ceremony with which they are to be disposed. There’s also further detail about what can be eaten by the priests and what can’t. The reverence with which the offerings must be treated reminds us that if God takes what we offer to him seriously, then so must those who stand for him and conduct the ceremonies.
In the early chapters of 1 Samuel (2:12– 17 and 22–25), the sons of Eli are noted for their disrespect and disregard of these ceremonies, even when people tried to protest at their greedy behaviour. 1 Samuel 2:17 explains how great a sin in God’s sight this was, to treat offerings with contempt.
Whether we are making an offering or receiving it on God’s behalf, it’s part of how we worship. Goldingay remarks that in Leviticus sacrifice is a way of concretely expressing worship; that it’s not just words and feelings. While some sacrifices are atoning for sin, others may be to thank God, or just because someone wants to offer their love and worship to him.
Respond
Romans 12:1 reminds us that we are urged to offer our whole selves as a living sacrifice. Is there anything in your life you’re withholding from God? Is there something you could do to rededicate yourself to him?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Judges 3,4; Mark 1
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Mission Partner Christians in Calderdale Schools; for Chris Mason mentoring students in secondary schools, Robert and volunteers helping to bring a Christian perspective on curriculum subjects (through assisting with lessons), and for the distribution of It’s Your Move to 70 schools.
Equipping the church to reach the next generation
Across England and Wales, increasing numbers of children and young people are asking big questions about life, faith and meaning. Many are more open than we might assume – curious, thoughtful, and ready for conversations about Jesus, even when church isn’t part of their everyday world. For churches who have a heart for the next generation, this presents a real and hopeful opportunity.
Many leaders carry a deep desire to help the next generation encounter Jesus, but with full diaries and many responsibilities, knowing how to respond – or where to begin – can feel uncertain. That’s why we’ve created the It’s Time to Act guide.
It’s a simple, encouraging resource designed to help churches take thoughtful, realistic steps towards revealing Jesus to the next generation. Rather than offering big programmes or quick fixes, the guide focuses on what’s possible now – small, achievable actions that can grow over time. Inside, you’ll find practical ideas shaped by real church life that work alongside busy schedules and varied contexts. So, whether your church is just beginning to explore this opportunity, or already taking steps, the guide aims to meet you where you are and help you discern what comes next.
Our hope is that It’s Time to Act feels less like another initiative, and more like an invitation – to notice where God is already at work, and to take a next step, one step at a time.
If you’d like to explore the guide and see whether it could support your church, you can order a copy here.
