Catechism – Week 10 – Priesthood and Sacrifices

What is the Purpose of the Priesthood and Sacrifices?

There are many different jobs that priests did and many different types of sacrifices and we will only be able to deal with a couple aspects. This animated explanation may be very helpful:

Leviticus 5:17-18 (edited for brevity) – If anyone sins…though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity [guilt]. Then he shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish…and the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake…and he shall be forgiven. (ESV)

What does the priest do?
Because we are sinful we have become enemies with God. We need help. The priest brings us into a healed relationship with God.

Illustration: Have you ever been in a fight (with a sibling or classmate perhaps) and have needed a parent or teacher to come in to settle the argument and make peace? When you want different things sometimes you will argue and sometimes you or the other person gets their feelings hurt. The adult will come in and help settle the problem so that you can live in peace. In the same way, the priest helps on our behalf since we have offended God.

What is a sacrifice?
The sacrifice was a way of trying to make up for how we have offended God. It was a statement that said that for breaking the covenant we have with God, we deserve to die but God let us sacrifice an animal instead.

Hebrews 10:10 – For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus christ, once for all time. (NLT)

Why don’t we still sacrifice?
Jesus was both the perfect priest and sacrifice. We no longer need priests or sacrifices because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was enough for all the sins of the world.

Scripture Memory Verse:

Hebrews 10:10 – For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus christ, once for all time. (NLT)

What is the purpose of the priesthood and sacrifices?
The priesthood and sacrifices were given to allow sinful people to have a relationship with a holy God and help us look forward to Jesus doing it once for all time on the cross.

Adults and older students are encouraged to receive a fuller explanation from Dr. Tim Tennent (President of Asbury Theological Seminary) by clicking this link.