Sunday, August 30, 2015
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GOD’S PLAN FOR MAN’S REDEMPTION - 2
This morning we began a study of God’s plan of redemption.
Our purpose in this study is to step back and consider the whole
picture of the Bible so that we can better understand what Jesus did and
why. NOTHING about Jesus
coming to this earth and dying was an afterthought.
Through Israel and the Old Testament we can see clearly that it
was in God’s plan, even before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 3:11 speaks of such things being, “according to the
eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This morning we address the fall of man and a seed promise that was
introduced following that.
We followed that seed promise through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and
David. We also noted the
significance of blood and water in God’s plans.
Finally we addressed briefly His prophetic word.
Tonight we want to put this all together.
a.
Ephesians 1:10,
“In Him we
have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom
and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according
to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the
dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in
one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on
earth—in Him.” (Ephesians 1:7–10, NKJV)
b.
Galatians 4:4–5,
“But when the fullness of the
time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the
law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the
adoption as sons.”
c.
The “fullness of time”
is an expression that means the time was right.
It was right because of geo-political circumstances (roads,
language, relative peace, development of writing materials, including
the translation of the Old Testament into Greek (LXX),
etc.) as well as the exact time God intended for Jesus come and
die. NOTHING about that was
an accident.
a.
Matthew 1:1 – Jesus, the
Son of David, the Son of Abraham.
The very first verse of the NT declares Jesus to be a descendant
of the seed.
There is another genealogy in Luke 3:23-38.
There are some differences in the two genealogies.
One probable explanation is that one (Matthew) was attributed to
Joseph, while the other (Luke) was attributed to Mary.
In Luke’s gospel we read again of Abraham (3:34) and David
(3:31). Jesus was OF
the seed of David.
b.
Later Paul would
emphasize this to the Galatians
i.
Gal. 3:8-9 – Genesis
12:3 is quoted.
ii.
Gal. 3:15-16 – Jesus is
clearly identifies as “the seed” singular.
c.
The throne of David –
i.
We have already seen
that Jesus is a descendent of David.
Romans 1:3 says, “concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,”
ii.
In Luke 1:32-33 as
Gabriel appears to Mary announcing that as a virgin she would give birth
to Jesus we read, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and
bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and
will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him
the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of
Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.””
iii.
Acts 2:29-36 finds Peter
on the day of Pentecost, the day the church began, preaching.
The concluding point of his sermon is to declare that Jesus IS
sitting on the throne of David.
Note the text.
iv.
We also learn that Jesus
is reigning on His throne in heaven – Mark 16:19 tells us He was
received up and sat down at the right hand of God.
Acts 5:31, “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and
Savior…”
Colossians 3:1 calls for us to seek those things above where Christ is,
sitting at the right hand of God.
Hebrews 10:12, after He offered one sacrifice for sins forever, He sat
down at the right hand of God.
Heb. 12:2 tells us He sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God.
v.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28
indicates that He must rain till He has put all enemies under His feet
including death.
vi.
Through a series of
passages, we learn that the ONLY way Jesus can sit on the throne of
David is in heaven. Toward
the end of the earthly dynasty that began with David (19 kings) Coniah
(Jeconiah) is removed. He
was wicked. Jeremiah
22:28-30, “Is this man Coniah a despised, broken idol— A vessel in
which is no pleasure? Why are they cast out, he and his descendants, And
cast into a land which they do not know? O earth, earth, earth, Hear the
word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord: ‘Write this man down as
childless, A man who shall not prosper in his days; For none of his
descendants shall prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling
anymore in Judah.’ ”” This
defeats the theory that says Jesus is to come back and reign in
Jerusalem on the throne of David.
vii.
Furthermore, Jesus
serves as both King and Priest.
Something else not possible physically on earth.
The Hebrew writer attests to this in Hebrews 8:4, 7:14 which
notes that Jesus was of the tribe of Judah.
This is within a context that explains why the Old Law had to be
done away with and a new testament (law) put into force.
a.
Blood has always been
important to God as we saw in our previous lesson.
i.
After the first sin, a
tunic of skin was prepared for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness
(the fig leaves they had prepared were inadequate) – Gen. 3:21.
ii.
In addition to this,
during the patriarchal period animal sacrifices were regularly offered
to God.
iii.
Furthermore, when the
people made a covenant with God at Mt. Sinai, Moses took blood and
sprinkled it on the altar, on the book of the Law that he read and on
the people themselves (Ex. 24:3-8, see also Heb. 9:18-22).
It was referred to as the “blood of the covenant which the LORD
has made with you…”
iv.
Under the Law of Moses
sacrifices were offered daily (morning and evening) and as we discussed,
for the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) where a yearly sin offering was
made for the people of Israel.
v.
In dealing with sin, God has demanded a price be paid.
Romans 6:23 tells us the wages of sin is death.
THAT price involves the shedding of blood – hence Heb. 9:22, Lev.
17:11. Under the Law of
Moses God accepted the sacrifice of those animals for their sins.
However, Hebrews 10:4 declares that it is not possible for the blood of
bulls and goats to take away sins (permanently).
Therefore another sacrifice was needed – one that God planned
before the foundation of the world.
The death of Jesus provided that sacrifice.
b.
The sacrifice of Jesus –
i.
John 1:1 declares that
Jesus was eternal and God.
What He would accomplish is far greater than any animal sacrifice as He
came to this earth as both God and man (Immanuel – Matt. 1:22 (cf.
Isaiah 7:14). In every sense
He could be a go-between (an intercessor).
ii.
Jesus lives His life
without sin – 1 John 3:5, Hebrews 4:15 – tempted in all points as we
are, yet without sin.
iii.
Jesus died on the cross.
1) The death of Jesus is a gift of God’s grace – Eph. 2:1-10.
He did for us that which we could
not do for ourselves – i.e. we could not save ourselves.
He showed us mercy by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus for our
sins. Romans 6:23 continues,
“But the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
2) John 1:29, records John the Baptist introducing Jesus by saying, “Behold,
the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.”
The lamb was an animal that could
be offered for the sacrifice of sins.
A study of the life of Jesus clearly indicates that John’s point
was Jesus was to be the sacrifice we need.
1 Peter 1:18-19 – declares that we were not redeemed with corruptible
things like silver and gold, “but
with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot.”
iv.
3) Many passages
describe how Jesus provided the sacrifice that God accepted.
Isaiah 53:3-12 describes the significance of His sacrifice.
Isaiah is prophesying some 700+
years before the event.
1 Peter 2:24 – He bore our sins in His own body
2 Corinthians 5:21 – God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that
we might become the righteousness of God.
Matthew 20:28 – He gave His life a ransom for many
Exactly what the process
of the sacrifice of Jesus in God’s eyes involved is a subject of great
debate. But the ultimate
point is that Jesus paid that price that God demanded for our sins!
And God accepted His sacrifice once and for all
c.
The blood of Jesus.
i.
When Jesus came to
earth, He offered a sacrifice that would once for all time take care of
the demand of blood for remission of sins (Heb. 10:1-4).
Jesus offered Himself ONCE for the sins of mankind – Hebrews 9:23-28.
God accepted HIS sacrifice once and for all.
ii.
Hebrews 9:12-14 tells us
He entered heaven (the perfect tabernacle) with His own blood “once
for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
iii.
1 John 3:5, He appeared
to take away sins
d.
Throughout the New
Testament we find references to the blood of Jesus
i.
Matthew 26:28 as Jesus
instituted the cup of the Lord’s Supper He said, “This
is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for the remission of sins…”
ii.
Romans 3:25 we are
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through
faith…” 1 John 2:2
iii.
Romans 5:9- we are
justified by His blood
iv.
Ephesians 1:7, ”In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins…”
v.
Ephesians 2:13, by the
blood of Jesus we are all brought near (Jew and Gentile alike)
vi.
Hebrews 13:12 – we are
sanctified with His own blood
vii.
1 John 1:7,
if we walk in the light with Him,
His blood cleanses us from all sin
viii.
Revelation 1:5, He has
washed us from our sins in His blood.
ix.
Acts 20:28, even the
church was purchased with His own blood
e.
All of this was
accomplished by Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.
Truly in Christ we can see the importance of blood to God.
Concerning sin, there is NOTHING we can do for ourselves – God
has ALWAYS demanded blood to atone for sins.
Now, He has accepted the blood of Jesus for the remission of our
sins.
f.
Each week as partake of
the Lord’s Supper, we remember His blood and the sacrifice He made for
our sins.