Key passage is Leviticus 16:1-22.

Sermon Discussion Questions

1. The scapegoat was a term used to describe the goat that would take on your sins and then be sent away. That term has come to mean anything that takes the place of your personal sin or shame. What or who are some of the scapegoats in your life?
2. Jesus loves both the victim and the oppressor. How do you love victims? How do you love oppressors? How is it good news that Jesus loves both?
3. What are some ways you can resist the urge to shift blame onto a scapegoat during conflict? Can you think of an instance when you successfully did this? When are you most tempted to shift blame?
4. What do you think God thinks of you when you sin? Why?
5. Jesus is the goat, both sent away and killed to pay for our sins. Where in your life do you need freedom from sin, pain, and hurt? Do you believe Jesus’s death and resurrection has the power to bring about your freedom? Why or why not?