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Bible Study: November 19, 2017


NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.

This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Explore the Bible curriculum.

Bible Passages: Leviticus 16:3-10, 29-30

Discussion Questions:
— To what length might a person go to cover a stain on a shirt, carpet, or upholstered chair? Why might a person go to such lengths to cover a stain?
— How does the scapegoat of the Day of Atonement point to Christ?

Food for thought:

A stain can overwhelm us. We notice a stain on our shirt and become self-conscious, believing everyone will notice. We may even put on a jacket in an effort to hide the stain. The more we try to hide it, the more obvious it becomes to us. The stain becomes our obsession. We might wear the shirt inside out if we thought no one would notice, as if inside out is better than a stain! We can hardly wait to change shirts. Stains do that to us.

In Scripture, our sin is compared to a stain (Jeremiah 2:22). Try as we may, the stain of sin cannot be removed on our own. We know that stain exists, making us self-conscious. The Israelites met annually to deal with the stain of sin — the guilt. On the 10th day of the seventh month, the high priest was to take two goats, with one being sacrificed and the other being released into the wilderness. One paid for the sin, while the other carried the sin off into the wilderness never to be seen again. This imperfect practice (required annually) pointed to the perfect work of Jesus.

Jesus served as both the sacrifice and the scapegoat. He paid for our sin and carried the guilt of that sin into the wilderness never to be seen again. His death removed the stain of sin for those who believe. Once we accept Jesus as our savior, we no longer need to try to hide the stain because that stain is no longer. We can be grateful that He paid the price for our sin, and we can be confident that He carried the sin away. He is our forever perfect sacrifice and our forever perfect scapegoat.

Explore the Bible
Explore the Bible is an ongoing Bible study curriculum that helps groups dig into the key truths of each Bible book, while keeping the group on pace to study through the Bible books in a systematic way. More information can be found at LifeWay.com/ExploreTheBible.

Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool or ordered at LifeWay Christian Stores.

    About the Author

  • Staff/Lifeway Christian Resources