Preschool
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life (John 6:35).
A New Testament
Memory Verses
Primary
I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger (John 6:35).
Junior
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst (John 6:35).
Background Scripture: Hebrews 9
Lesson Scripture: Hebrews 9:13–20, 23–24, 27–28
Introduction
God established a covenant with man which proclaimed that all those who followed his law could obtain redemption through a promised Savior. Generations of men came and went, living under the law and clinging to the hope of a Messiah. Then out of the darkness there sprang a light, Jesus Christ, the promised Redeemer. A new covenant was given to mankind through Christ’s death and resurrection.
We have the privilege of being born in the era of time after Christ has come to earth and redeemed mankind. He offers freedom from the bondage of sin and the inescapable judgment of the law of God. We now can be cleansed from sin through acceptance of his sacrifice. How glorious is the plan of salvation!
Key Verse
For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious (2 Cor. 3:11).
Lesson Scripture
Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Studying the Lesson
There has not been a more transformative event for mankind than the death and resurrection of Christ. His death paid the price for all the sin of the world, and his resurrection gave us power over death and sin. Christ fulfilled the first testament by becoming the promised Savior, redeeming those who followed the law and leaving a new testament for all mankind.
When a man leaves a will, it becomes valid upon his death. In this same way, the testament Christ left us was validated by his death and is both his covenant and his will. His will outlines the way of redemption, and his covenant promises heaven if we follow his way.
Sin requires a payment in blood. Under the old covenant, this payment was an animal sacrifice which was an outward and symbolic sign of the cleansing that would come through Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. It took Jesus’s blood to pay the price God’s law required for sin. Those who were faithful who lived under the old covenant and those who are now living under the new covenant and are born again are saved by the precious sacrifice of Jesus.
Following the law was the only way man could fulfill his part of the original covenant with God. The law defined sin and showed mankind his desperate need for a redeemer. Where once God’s law was only outward commands, it is now spiritually written in our hearts. The law speaks bondage to those without the Holy Spirit and the inward transformation that comes through redemption.
The testament of Jesus Christ fulfilled God’s original covenant and set forth a new covenant for all mankind. The gospel way brings complete cleansing from sin, Christ’s blood purges our conscience from dead works, and we are made clean from the inside out. Where once we were helplessly ruled by our sinful desires, we now live in the freedom of the Spirit. To claim Christ’s sacrifice as payment for our sins, we must accept Him as Lord and King and follow his will. Spiritual healing that allows for a sinful, corrupted man to receive the Holy Spirit into his heart through redemption and turn from his sinful ways comprises the basic outline of Christ’s will and testament.
Where once there was only justice, there now is mercy because Jesus has become our High Priest and sits at the throne of God interceding for us. The woman caught in adultery whom the Pharisees brought to Jesus was given judgment in a different way than the Pharisees anticipated. She was judged worthy of being forgiven and shown mercy because Jesus saw her heart. Today, the door of mercy stands open for any repentant heart. What a blessed consolation it is to know that Jesus intercedes on our behalf!
Practical Truths for Today
What does it take for us to follow the New Testament way? Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). The inheritance of heaven and an abundant life await us if we follow his instructions.
Self-denial is the necessary, everyday struggle of the Christian and centers on obedience to God’s will rather than our own. If we think of self-denial as living a life full of rules, we need a spiritual enlightening. Self-denial is not forbidding ourselves to do something but rather is submitting control of our self to God. The gospel of the New Testament is not a way of bondage but of liberty through the Spirit. When we follow the Holy Spirit’s direction, we recognize that living by our own standard of righteousness is not self-denial at all. True self-denial is the complete and total surrender of every vestige of self.
We live in an era of time where self-indulgence is rampant. It is very easy to indulge ourselves by spending hours on an electronic device because it is available in a moment. We gravitate toward material possessions that gratify our flesh. We like to be dressed in the latest trending style. Our flesh wants to do whatever it pleases without regard to the consequences. These desires bring us into bondage because we are allowing our desires to control our decisions. On the surface, it may seem confusing and paradoxical, but Christian liberty is not self-indulgence. Our true liberty comes through self-denial.
Taking up our cross is the choice to accept Christ’s sacrifice and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. It is the laying down of our own will, our dreams, and our desires, and often it is a daily choice. The moment we reach for the phone and realize we have not had our devotions, we must make a choice. When the baby is crying and we have so much work to get done, what choice do we make? Following the way of the cross means that we endure the temporary discomfort or pain caused by denying the flesh in exchange for eternal joy and peace.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have some means to follow and get direction for Christian living, such as a GPS or a map? A GPS, however, may not always be accurate and can sometimes give faulty instructions, and a map can become outdated. For the Christian, the Bible is our map, and the Holy Spirit is our GPS. The Bible will never become outdated, and the Holy Spirit is always true. To follow Jesus, we must be obedient to the Spirit and follow the instructions in the Bible. This road will not be easy, but it is the only way to obtain our eternal inheritance.
The gospel way is a way of abundance. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). This is not an abundance of material things, but rather abundance of mercy, grace, love, joy, and hope. An abundance of material things hinders spiritual life, but every struggle and trial we face is for our growth. Life may not be easy, but we can all choose to live abundantly.
Death is appointed to all humanity, and after that we will be judged. Will you be ready to meet Jesus? Are you leaving behind a testament to the Lord’s work in your life, or are you squandering your opportunities one by one and giving in to selfish whims? Let the Holy Spirit work in your life to sanctify and purify you, and then someday you will obtain your eternal inheritance of heaven.
Questions
- The New Testament proclaims a transformed way of life. What is wrong if our actions do not line up with how we believe?
- Do we appreciate the Old Testament enough? Why is the Old Testament important?
- How can we see the hearts of those around us like Jesus did rather than judging them by their sin? Would we treat others differently as a result?
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).