Finding Jesus in Leviticus

In one paragraph

Week two of "Two Men Enter, One Man Leaves" looked at two back-to-back fire events in Leviticus 9 and 10, one that produced worship and one that killed two priests on their first day on the job. Brian used those two moments to press into a hard question: how does a perfectly holy God express love for sinful people without compromising who he is? The answer lands on Jesus, and why that answer is...

Read together

1. Leviticus 9:18-24 read aloud by congregation members as the first main passage, describing Aaron's sacrifice and the fire of God consuming the burnt offering
2. Leviticus 10:1-6 read aloud by congregation members, describing Nadab and Abihu offering unauthorized fire and being consumed by fire from the Lord
3. Psalm 2 briefly cited as the passage where nations shake their fist in rage at God
4. Luke 12:47-48 read aloud by a congregation member about servants who know the master's will and the principle that much is required of those given much
5. Hebrews 9:27-28 read as the closing New Testament passage connecting Christ as the once-for-all sacrifice to the Leviticus offerings, and pointing to his return

Talk about it

1. Brian said that asking God 'why' is a normal human question, but not always the most productive one. What question do you find yourself more naturally reaching for when things go wrong, and what does that reveal about where you are with God right now?
2. Michelle suggested shifting from asking God 'why did you let this happen' to asking 'what do you want me to learn about you in this situation.' Has there been a time in your life when that kind of question actually changed something for you? What happened?
3. The sermon described God as a consuming fire who will never compromise holiness for love. How does holding both of those things together, the warmth and the danger, change the way you think about your relationship with him?
4. Connor said the dilemma is that we will never be holy on our own, so something has to bridge the gap. Before you land on the Sunday school answer, sit with that dilemma for a moment. What does it actually cost you, emotionally or personally, to admit you cannot close that gap yourself?
5. The sermon ended with the idea that God often waits for us to give him permission to consume an area of our life. Are there areas you are still holding back from him, and what is making it hard to hand those over?