Mon Sep 28

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the word jubilee.

Reading

Leviticus 25:1-17 (or 1-55)—Year of Jubilee

Optional Reading

Luke 4:14–30

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

Every 7 years God told his people in the OT to let the land rest.
Every 50 years God said to proclaim freedom in the land.
In Jesus alone, we find freedom and rest.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

Why did God say to let the land rest every 7 years?
What was to happen every 50 years?
How can we receive the Lord’s favor?

Catechism

WSC 82

Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

(Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8, 10; Galatians 5:17; Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; Romans 3:9-21; James 3:2-13)

Notes

(See Saturday for authors.)

God directed His people to set aside each seventh year as a Sabbath year. In this year they were to let the land rest from normal farming activities but were free to eat what the land produced on its own. God said that the land was His (v. 23).

Every seven cycles of Sabbath years were to be followed by a Year of Jubilee—a year of the Lord’s favor. Though Leviticus uses different language than Isaiah, this was to be a year of the Lord’s favor as Mark quotes from Isaiah 61:1-2. In this year, again the land would lie at rest, but they could eat what it produced on its own. Property that had been sold was to be returned to the original owner. Slaves were to be freed.

This year was a year of God’s favor to His people. It was a year to proclaim liberty throughout the land (v10). Though we no longer grow all our own crops, we still need the Lord’s favor. And we still need to proclaim the Lord’s favor and salvation. We read in another place in the New Testament, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.” … now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! 2 Cor 6:1–2 (CSB). God’s favor is available in the salvation that Jesus purchased.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 96a, 119v

Prayer

Rejoice in God’s favor shown in His salvation.
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.