The Bible 20/20 - Week 5: "Called Out"

God is holy. We say that a lot, but do we really grasp the meaning? His holiness means that He is set apart and unique; He is unlike any other. God’s holiness deserves perfect holiness in return, but we are unclean because of our sinful nature and the presence of death in our world. However, God calls us to be holy. This week’s reading in Leviticus shows us how seriously God takes being unclean, but it also points us to the great work that Jesus did for us on the cross. It reminds us that apart from Him is death, but with Him, we can be a part of the holy presence and family of God. Key verses: Lev. 19:12, 20:26, 18:24-25, 16:8-10, Isaiah 53:4-6 and 11-12, and Matt. 27:50-51a Bible Reading questions/discussion prompts: 1. Have a member of the group summarize one key story from the reading until you have covered them all for the week: who are the main characters, where does the story take place, what are they doing, and why. 2. What does this week’s reading teach you about God? 3. What does it teach you about mankind? 4. How does this reading point to Jesus or our need for Him? 5. What did you learn this week about God or about the Bible that you didn’t know before? 6. What did you learn from the sermon that you maybe missed or didn’t know from the reading? 7. What lessons can you take from this reading and apply to your own life today? 8. What remaining questions do you have about this passage? Sermon Questions: 1. What does it mean that God is Holy? How does he call us to be holy? 2. What lessons can we learn from Leviticus about how God views sin and uncleanness?What do we learn about how God views morality and social justice? As Christians, do you think we still view morality and social justice with the same severity that God does? Why or why not? What needs to change within the church to get closer to the standards that God has set for us? 3. The Israelites needed the priest, the people, and the tabernacle to be cleansed before they could atone for their sins. How does Jesus cover all of those for us? 4. What is the significance of the scapegoat in Leviticus 16:8-10? How is that a picture of what Jesus did for us? 5. Does your reading of Leviticus and this sermon about holiness give you a new or different appreciation for the cross? Why?