Jesus intercedes on our behalf as the ultimate sacrifice for  our sin.

Scripture: Hebrews 7:23-28; 9:11-14 

Central Truth

The high priests of Israel were the only ones who could offer sacrifices for sin. But these priests were human—they weren’t perfect, and they also sinned. Jesus is our final Priest—the Highest Priest. He is without sin and is the only One who could save us completely and permanently.

Key Question

For centuries the people relied on a priest to atone for their sins. How do we sometimes rely on others to be right with God? Why is this thinking harmful?

Keep in Mind

Some students who have grown up in church can struggle with falling into a trap of legalism. Because they know most of the dos and don’ts, they can at times do all of the right things but be far from God, not truly knowing Him on an intimate level. It’s important for students to rightly understand the Pharisees’ relationship to the law. The Pharisees obsessively followed the law, and in doing so, they missed seeing their need for a Savior. Jesus admonished them on several occasions, exposing their wrong thinking. Our students aren’t immune to the same line of thinking: “If I follow all of the rules, I will be right with God.” But all people need a Savior­—an intercessor and a Messiah. Our students are no different. Because none of us are righteous on our own, we all need Jesus to act as our intercessor to the Father.   

APPLICATION

Why is it dangerous to rely on our own perfection in keeping God’s law instead of relying on Christ’s perfection?

THE WIN

FOR THE STUDENT: We want our students to know they need Jesus. When they rely on their own ability to keep God’s law, they are no different than these religious leaders, operating out of pride and ignoring the truth that they desperately need Jesus. We want to encourage reliance on Jesus instead of perfection in following rules. 

FOR THE LEADER: God commands us to be holy, but He also knows we can’t be holy without Him. We’re never going to reach perfection in any sense, but because we are covered by the blood of Christ, we can come near to God. This should motivate us to strive for holiness, fully depending on the Holy Spirit to help us as we model seeking Jesus for our students.