It is difficult to comprehend the gospel’s richness without understanding Christ’s role as perfect priest. Because we do not live in the same religious and sacrificial system that the early church was so familiar with, we may struggle to savor the nuances of all this divine position entails.
Throughout the promises of the old covenant, priests were necessary to represent the people before God and make atonement for sin. However, because these priests were not sinless themselves, they could not fully and perfectly pay the price for the sins of their fellow man. For this reason, the greater, perfect Priest—Jesus—was needed, and only He could satisfy the wrath of God on our behalf.
Only Christ held the power of an indestructible life, having been crucified and raised again for all eternity. Whereas earthly priests could only serve for the duration of their lifetimes, Jesus holds this position forever, now seated at the right hand of God the Father. The promises of God through Jesus were perfected and completed through His eternal, all-encompassing sacrifice.
In Christ alone we find salvation and relationship with the Father. When we trust in Jesus by faith, we are made righteous and find peace with God; these are the promises foreshadowed by Melchizedek, whose name means king of righteousness and of peace (Hebrews 7:3). Jesus, the perfect Son of God, is even greater than this priest who blessed Abraham and reminded him of the victory God granted him in battles before. Explain to kids that in Jesus we find complete forgiveness and victory in the war against sin and death. He rose again that we would experience the promise of eternal life that only comes through faith in Him. No earthly priest was able to accomplish such a feat. Without His work on our behalf, we would remain condemned by the law. Through Jesus, we are held back no longer, fully alive and set free to love the Lord with all we are.
Listen to the Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids
Every week, members of The Gospel Project for Kids team offer guidance to help you as you prepare to teach every session to preschoolers and kids.
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