A lush, rolling green pasture sits at the feet of the towering West Maui mountains. The entire scene is bathed in the deep blue Hawaiian sky and in the distance you can see the South Pacific ocean rolling out to the far distant horizon, seemingly stretching into eternity. The perfect day to go hunting for waterfalls. You see, waterfalls are not as easy to find as you would think on the islands. Sure there’s a few you can drive by, but not the good ones. The good ones require effort. Every island has a wet side and a dry side. We lived on the dry side so to find waterfalls, you had to take a journey to “da oddah side”. As the rain falls on the wet side, it rushes down the steep mountains and results in a waterfall, gravity just does what it does.
This particular day we were searching for an epic fall we had heard about, but you needed good directions to get there. Park by mile marker 15, hike south for 15 minutes, cross 2 fields (watch out for the bulls) and jump the white gate kinda directions. The cool thing about waterfall hunting was as you neared, you knew. The unmistakable roar of rushing water would call to you through the thick foliage. As soon as you could hear the fall, you simply followed your ears. Pushing through the jungle like some 19th century explorer in a pith helmet, nearing his long lost treasure. But this day as we neared the fall, we froze. The white gate in our directions had a huge sign on it…No Trespassing.
To trespass means to invade. To enter without permission. To allow yourself access where none is allowed by the rightful owner. We sat there and looked at that sign and thought deeply. Now, take into consideration, we are in the middle of the South Pacific on a tiny island. And on this tiny island, we are a mile off the road, in the middle of a cow pasture about to enter the jungle. More than likely we’re the only people in 5 square miles. Huh, the gears are definitely turning. Jump the fence and find our 25’ movie perfect waterfall and go for a swim? I mean it seems such a huge waste to turn back now after all this work. If we trespass and don’t get caught, then no big deal, right? I mean if you don’t get caught then who does it hurt? But on the other hand, what if you do get caught? Some angry Hawaiian farmer comes busting through the palms waving a machete. Well, that’s highly unlikely, but if found trespassing he might yell at you.
Think about this scenario as this morning we look at none other than the trespass offering in Leviticus chapter 5. This is the fifth different offering we’ve seen God show us in Leviticus following the burnt offering, the meal offering, the peace offering and the sin offering. Folks, sin is a serious issue to God, and He required each and every one of these offerings in order to atone for the various sins of the people. If I’ve learned anything at all about myself and others, it’s that we’re very good and very creative at sinning against God and others. In fact, this is one of the few offerings that atones not only for your sins against God, but also against other people. You see a trespass is the invasions of rights of either God or man.
In the King James translation it’s called a trespass offering, but in more recent translations like the NASB, ESV and NIV it is translated as a “guilt” offering. More specifically trespass translates as “for his guilt.” In fact, in my ESV Bible the word guilt is used a whopping 8 times in chapter 5. God has alot to say to us about trespassing against Him and others.
We live in a very odd time in America. Everybody has tons of rights but inevitably if we freely exercise them, they are bound to violate someone else’s. Quite the conundrum our forefathers probably never considered. I’ve heard it said that you’re free to swing your fist in any direction you please, but your freedom ends where my nose begins. Brutally poignant. You see people protesting, burning stuff and rioting in the streets because they have been trespassed against. How ironic that as they do so they are trespassing against many more than had originally trespassed against them. Side note on rioting: I always think it’s bitterly funny when people protest by burning down their own neighborhood. I’ll give them an A+ on violent protesting but an F on forethought.
As you move through life today you will find yourself facing many big white gates with big signs that say “No Trespassing.” This sign means that you have choices. You can do what you want and trespass or you can respect the owner’s wishes and turn back. You see, God is the owner of that property. It’s His world, He made it, He runs it, He is the owner and the operator. In order to protect us from the ravages of sin in our life, He posts signs all around us. No Trespassing, Danger, Caution, Warning, Keep Out. You see God knows exactly what’s on the other side of those signs and He desires to keep us from all harm, danger and damage in our lives. All we need to do is read His signs and follow their messages.
As you walk this world today, I pray that you heed the signs that God puts up in your life. Ultimately, it’s your choice though. As you see that No Trespassing sign directly in the path of where you were planning to go, you’ll find yourself quickly looking around. Is anybody watching? Will I get caught? Maybe I can get away with it. But folks, God owns the land and God sees all. He’s just watching to see what you’ll do. Integrity is defined as doing the right thing even when no one is watching. And God says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” Pro 10:9.
Walk securely today as you walk in integrity before the Lord and before others. Oh, and by the way, we never did see that waterfall…it would have been trespassing.
If you’re reading this, you’re being prayed for.
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