If I was ever asked to give a reason for the way we structure the church service in the way that we do at Lochee Baptist Chapel, the chapter in the Bible I would turn to might not be immediately obvious, but it is this- Leviticus 9.

What might be more obvious would be Acts 2 where we see the birth of the new covenant church and the two are very connected. Let’s consider the link.

First Acts 2. The disciples having received the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost preach the Word of God, telling of the mighty works of God to every nation gathered in Jerusalem. The gospel was preached by Peter, the gospel of Jesus’ resurrection and victory over death and his establishment as Lord and King.

This news requires a response, and the people cry out to Peter asking, “What shall we do?” Peter tells them that they are to repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin that they might to receive the Holy Spirit. Peter continues to exhort them saying, “Save yourself from this crooked generation.” Come out from the world and be sanctified to Jesus. Made holy and set apart.

In baptism those who responded were added to Christ, added to His body, the church. They became members of the new covenant church.

And what did this body of believers begin to do? They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, a common life together, to the breaking of bread, that is, the Lord’s supper, and to prayer. In addition they brought their tithes into the body for the supporting of the poor, so that whether members gathered little or much, all would have what they needed. As a result of this service of God and service of one another there was a joy in the community, and the people were looked on favourably by outsiders.

At the heart of all this was the worship of God that then overflowed out into the week. This worship on the Sunday took a particular shape that is often called liturgy which means our “public work”, our “public service.”

Many of the elements of worship laid out here in Acts are familiar because we find the same liturgy in the Old Covenant. This demonstrates the continuity between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. But more than this, there has been a transformation because Christ has come and fulfilled the Old Covenant. Not a change of essence but of degree. Fulfilled not abolished. We are still God’s people called to worship him, to serve him in the same way. And so, we can go back to the liturgy of the Old Covenant in Leviticus 9 and see the continuity and the transformation.

Just like we see in the New Covenant, in the Old Covenant, worship was put in place before the taking of the land. It is out of right worship that cultural transformation flows. Our worship on the Lord’s Day is a covenant renewal liturgy, or service. The salvation event forms the community, and the covenant and its subsequent renewals binds us together as one.

Like with marriage we only have one marriage ceremony where vows are exchanged and then the pastor pronounces the man and women as husband and wife. The new household is formed but it is in the consummation, that the one flesh is acted out. And the repeated consummation is a covenant renewal. The husband and wife are not getting re-married but are rather renewing their vows and commitment together to be one flesh. This is what Sunday services are, a one fleshing of the church body. A looking back to our covenant vows made in baptism and a recommitment to one another to be in unity, to be on mission together.

This is the job of the Lord’s supper within the liturgy, a consummation, a binding of the many into one. Baptism binds the one to the many, the member to the body and the Lord’s supper binds the many into one, the diversity of gifts under the submission of our head who is Christ.

We see these elements of the liturgy, in Leviticus 9.

Notice what day this service is enacted. The 8^th day which is a Sunday!

First, we see the call to worship v5 as the congregation gathers, often with trumpets. This might be a good argument to bring back church bells! Anyway, I digress.

Next, we see the sin offering v15. This looks forward to the final sacrifice of Jesus for our sin and forgiveness. So, we no longer sacrifice a goat, but rather we come to Jesus in confession looking back to his once for all sacrifice and receiving his forgiveness of our sin. This is the confession and assurance part of our service.

Next, we see the burnt offering, or what is better translated the ascension offering v16. Here we present ourselves before the Lord, to hear from him now that we have been forgiven of sin. Our heart and mind are in the right place to hear our orders. This points to our total consecration, to be made holy, to be transformed. This is the reading and preaching of God’s Word, the Bible. Where God’s Word cuts us up and we become a sweet-smelling aroma, a living sacrifice, our spiritual worship.

Next, we see the ‘grain offering’ or perhaps a clearer translation the ‘tribute offering.’ v17 This is the offering of the fruit of our work to the Lord. This corresponds to the collection of tithes and offerings. Mixed with this is the incense offering which is our prayers and praise that we offer to the Lord.

The final offering is the peace offering v18. This is the covenant renewal meal, the Lord’s supper where God invites us to his table, the wedding supper of the lamb where we can be at peace together, in communion together, made one together.

Finally at the service end we see the benediction v22. Where Aaron lifts up his hands and blesses the people.

It was after this, right and appropriate worship, that the glory of the Lord came down and fire comes out from the Lord’s presence and consumes the offering. The Lord blesses the covenant renewal with his presence that brings a fruitfulness to the oneness of the body. A Spirit empowered life from the body. As the consummation of marriage brings the fruit of children so the oneness of the church body brings victory in the world, in our service of the Lord, fruitfulness and dominion, the growth of the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. As the life of God’s spirit flows out of His church, as the rivers flow out of the garden of Eden the wilderness is transformed, the desert begins to bloom, and the Knowledge of God cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

Amen

Pastor Dave Dickson | 01/03/2026