Listen up, little ones
Listen for the word atonement.
Reading
Leviticus 16:1-34-Making atonement
Optional Reading
Hebrews 10:1-18
Keys for kids
- We can't reach God by ourselves.
- God made a way for us to be right with Him.
- Jesus's perfect sacrifice is that way.
Questions
- Why does it matter how to come into God's presence?
- Why did the high priest need to make atonement for himself?
- Why do God's people need atonement to be made for them?
Notes
(See Saturday for authors.)
How can sinners come close to God? Only when God invites us and only when we follow His instructions.
In Leviticus 16, God reminds Aaron about something that happened earlier. Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, tried to come to God in a way God did not allow. They thought it wasn't a big deal, but it was. They died because they disobeyed God. So when God told Aaron when he could enter the Most Holy Place and how he had to do it, Aaron listened very carefully.
Why did Aaron go into the Most Holy Place? To make atonement - that means making things right between God and His people. Sin separates people from God, so they needed to be made "one" with Him again. Only God could make that happen.
God told them to do this once every year, on the Day of Atonement. First the High Priest had to make atonement for himself and his family, and then for all the people.
How is Jesus different? Aaron had to make sacrifices for his own sins. But Jesus never sinned. He didn't need to make atonement for Himself. Because He lived a perfect life, He could make atonement for His people, not once a year, but once for all time. If Jesus has made you "one" with God, you can rejoice - because He has done everything needed to bring you close to God forever.
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 40a, 51a
Prayer
- Ask God to give you a sense of awe at coming into His presence.
- Pray for a specific application from yesterday’s sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.