Jesus Is Our Perfect Priest (Hebrews 7)
Dear families,
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.
Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.
FAMILY TALKING POINTS
CHRIST CONNECTION
This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.
- Babies & Toddlers: Jesus is the perfect Priest who gave His life for us.
- Younger Preschool: Jesus is the perfect Priest who gave His life for us. Everyone who trusts in Him has forgiveness and life with God forever.
- Older Preschool: Jesus is the perfect Priest who gave His life for sinners. He is the true and final sacrifice for sin. Everyone who trusts in Jesus has forgiveness and life with God forever.
- Kids: Jesus is the perfect Priest, the high priest who interceded on behalf of the people by laying down His life to be a once-and-for-all sacrifice for sin. Everyone who trusts in Jesus has salvation from sin through His perfect life, death, and resurrection.
BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER
This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.
- Younger Preschool: How is Jesus the perfect Priest? Jesus gave His life for us.
- Older Preschool: How is Jesus the perfect Priest? Jesus gave His life as the perfect sacrifice for sin.
- Kids: How is Jesus the perfect Priest? Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for sin, and He speaks to God the Father for us today.
KEY PASSAGE
This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.
- Babies & Toddlers: Jesus never sinned. Hebrews 4:15
- Younger Preschool: Jesus lived a perfect life. Hebrews 4:15
- Older Preschool: For we … have a high priest … who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15
- Kids: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15
** Next week: Jesus Was Put on Trial (Matthew 26–27; Mark 14–15; Luke 22–23; John 18)
Imago Dei Church Kids Ministry 