Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Leviticus 2:11

Leviticus 2:11 says, “No grain offering which you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the Lord made by fire.”

Leaven in the Bible represents evil, sin, and corruption. Leaven ferments; it works quietly and stealthily in lukewarm conditions.

Jesus warned us about three kinds of spiritual leaven in Matthew 16:

-Leaven of the Pharisees, which is legalism

-Leaven of the Sadducees, which is liberalism

-Leaven of Herod, which is worldliness

The absence of leaven in this offering reminds us that we must present the Lord Jesus Christ in His purity.

The Bible also uses honey to represent excessive sweetness.

The popular “honey gospel” tells us God is love: inexpressible, infinite, eternal love; but that’s only part of the truth. When this half-truth becomes the whole truth, it is entirely untrue. Yes, God is love, but He is also a holy God who will not acquit the wicked or condone sin.

Adrian Rogers says, “Let us beware of loveless truth and truthless love.” The absence of honey in this offering reminds us that we must present the Lord Jesus Christ in His integrity.

Leviticus 2:13 says, “And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt…” We are to present the Lord Jesus with much salt.

Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?”

Salt decontaminates, prevents decay, and restrains corruption. It activates, preserves taste, heals, stings, and penetrates. And if you’re not careful, it dissipates; when salt loses its savor, it has no other use but to be tossed out on the roads.

The problem with our society is not the leaven, it is the salt-less saints. It’s time for salt to do its work.

Adrian Rogers says, “When the message we preach is bloated with leaven and dripping with honey, rather than supercharged with salt, friend, we have become good for nothing, salt-less saints.”

Apply it to your life

Are you cautious of the leaven and honey in your church and in your life? Do you bear the salt in which we have been called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ?