Teaching Notes

Jesus came to earth, walked the shores of Galilee and called mankind to come to his Father. He came to die for your sins and mine. Have you accepted his gift?

What Should I Know About Jesus?

"Then tell the People of Israel, Take a male goat for an Absolution-Offering and a calf and a lamb, both yearlings without defect, for a Whole-Burnt-Offering and a bull and a ram for a Peace-Offering, to be sacrificed before God with a Grain-Offering mixed with oil, because God will appear to you today." - Leviticus 9:3-4 (The Message)

1-10 The old plan was only a hint of the good things in the new plan. Since that old "law plan" wasn't complete in itself, it couldn't complete those who followed it. No matter how many sacrifices were offered year after year, they never added up to a complete solution. If they had, the worshipers would have gone merrily on their way, no longer dragged down by their sins. But instead of removing awareness of sin, when those animal sacrifices were repeated over and over they actually heightened awareness and guilt. The plain fact is that bull and goat blood can't get rid of sin. That is what is meant by this prophecy, put in the mouth of Christ: You don't want sacrifices and offerings year after year; you've prepared a body for me for a sacrifice. It's not fragrance and smoke from the altar that whet your appetite. So I said, "I'm here to do it your way, O God, the way it's described in your Book."When he said, "You don't want sacrifices and offerings," he was referring to practices according to the old plan. When he added, "I'm here to do it your way," he set aside the first in order to enact the new plan—God's way—by which we are made fit for God by the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. - Hebrews 10:1-10 (The Message)

Notes: The scripture today are long, but they are vital to us seeing the importance of Jesus' sacrifice for sin. The first scripture gives an example of what the priest had to do. They were required to make offerings often before the Lord. The requirement was an animal without blemish or spot. It was also to be the male animal that was sacrificed. The second scripture from the New Testament tells that this old system of offering did not get rid of the sins of the people but was a shadow of what was to come. It did not cleanse the people.

Question: If the sacrifices in the Old Testament did not really cleanse the people of their sins, why do you think God asked them to be done?

Answer: If you read in the New Testament scripture it was to bring to the minds of people that they needed something else. It brought the awareness of sin to the minds of the people. So that they began to understand and to seek the need of a messiah for their lives. Jesus then came in flesh so that he could be that one last and final offering. He took on flesh so that he could be that male, without blemish to sacrifice himself for the sins of the world. The scripture says Jesus was the sacrifice once and for all. The last time one would be needed and it would cover all that would come and accept him as savior. What should you believe about Jesus? He is the Son of God. He was with God in the beginning. He was the Word become flesh so that he could show us the mind of the Father. He became the true sacrifice that would give men and women the right to come to God, the Father. Just as in past times the requirement for sin offerings was the blood of a male animal without blemish, Jesus became the final offering that truly would cleanse sins because of his blood.

Prayer: Lord, today we seek you to be our savior if we have not already done so. Help us to accept that Jesus is the way to you. Help us to hold firm to who you are. Give us this day your power to stand firm in the truth of your word. This we ask, in Jesus name. Amen.