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LEVITICUS 10:1-3

"STRANGE FIRE"


Intro: The occasion.

I. WHY SUCH SEVERE JUDGMENT?
        A. God so loved the world. He wanted world to know His love.
                1. He chose a nation out of the world through which reveal Himself.
                        a. He gave them His law, His will for man.
                        b. If a man will obey and follow, he will know God's blessings upon
                           His life.
                        c. He wanted this nation as an example to the whole world.
                2. Out of the nation He chose a priesthood.
                        a. Priest to stand before God to represent people, then he stood
                           before people to represent God.
                        b. Important that priest be right, people get wrong impression
                           of God.
                                1. Corrupted priesthood meant or corrupted people thus
                                   corrupted witness before world.
                        c. We must never forget we are God's witnesses.

II. WHAT WAS THE STRANGE FIRE?
        A. Fire from some other source than God's kindling. 
                1. Lev. 16:12, "On the occasion of the death of Aaron's sons."  Fire for
                   incense to come from altar which God had kindled.
                2. God does not want service from any fire that He has not kindled.
                        a. We need to examine our motivations for our work for God.
                                1. Our works one day will be tried by fire, what sort
                                   they are.
                                2. Matt. 6:1.
                        b. Paul said, "for the love of Christ constrains me." That is the
                           true motivation for serving God.
                3. There is a lot of strange fire being offered to God today.
                        a. Churches or para-church organizations are using all kinds of
                           motivational gimmicks to get people to give.
                        b. Intro. to spring enlargement program by supervisor.
                                1. How tragic, if most of our members are carnal why not
                                   seek to make them spiritual rather than to cater to
                                   their carnality? 
        B. Verse 9 hints that they may have been slightly intoxicated.
                1. They were serving God under the influence of a false stimulant.
                2. God wants service from a clear mind and a willing heart.
                        a. "That they might put the difference between the holy and unholy."
        C. Verse 3 indicates they perhaps were seeking to draw attention to themselves.
                1. God had just revealed His glory, people awed.
                2. They were seeking to get in on the act.
                        a. We are gathered here to worship God and learn His word.
                                1. He wants nothing to distract you from Him.
                                        a. If I should dress in such a way to distract one's
                                           mind from God to my dress, I am wrong.
                                        b. Should I seek in any way to draw men's attention
                                           to me, I am wrong.