AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE (PART 2).
We saw last time that the JEWS had to offer “a lamb without defect” as their Passover sacrifice, (Ex12:5)
And that for us CHRISTIANS, JESUS
(THE PERFECT LAMB OF GOD) died as our Passover substitute.
BRIEF RECAP..
AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE (PART 2).
THE LORD has sacrificed so much for us to free us from sin and its penalty now it is our privilege to offer ourselves freely to HIM in return we are not our own, we belong to HIM, HE wants us to follow HIS example now as (followers of CHRIST).
Ephesians 5:1-2.
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved
children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God
God died for us so
that we could
live for HIM,
and live like HIM,
and in the end,
live with Him
for eternity.
Romans 12:1-2.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test
and approve what God’s will is,
his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Sacrifice is not a popular word in the Christian dialogue, especially in the Western world, but for the believer who recognizes GODS’ ownership, it must become a way of life.
LET US SEE WHAT SACRIFICES THE LORD ACCEPTS!
Hebrews 13:15-16.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Praise.
Good works.
Sharing with others.
We will deal with these later
The reason why I wanted to wait before
I deal with (GOOD WORKS) is that
I don’t want anyone to make the
mistake of thinking that our
good works are what save us,
as that is made abundantly
clear in the SCRIPTURES,
going back to when sin
originally entered the world.
Additionally, I have recently dealt with (PRAISE) in my ministry series
(be still and know that I AM GOD), and we saw that GOD is not wanting lip service from hearts that are far from HIM.
TO PRAISE.
TO PRAY.
TO PROCLAIM.
THE TONGUE IS PREPARED FOR A PURPOSE.
PURIFIES US.
PROTECTS US.
PREPARES US FOR A PURPOSE.
MAN HAS A HEART PROBLEM THAT MUST BE DEALT WITH FIRST.
The solution to man’s heart problem is
GOD'S WORD
(a large dose regularly)
THIS IS MADE CLEAR AFTER MANS’ FALL IN EDEN.
Genesis 3:7.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
9 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
MAN ATTEMPTED TO COVER
HIS NAKEDNESS [SIN] WITH GOOD WORKS.
People still make the mistake today of trying to hide behind fig-leaves.
Hiding their nakedness with the work of their own hands didn't work for Adam and Eve and it won’t work for you or me.
9 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Ephesians 2:8-9.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no
one can boast.
Isaiah 64:6.
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness's are like filthy rags.
Genesis 3:21.
And the Lord God made clothes out of animal skins for Adam and his wife, and HE clothed them.
Innocent blood had to be shed to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness (SIN)
Pointing to when JESUS would die to clothe us in robes of righteousness.
Revelation 7:14.
And he said, These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
THE GREAT MULTITUDE.
Revelation 19:7-8.
Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.
MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.
THE FIRST ACCOUNT OF AN OFFERING BY MAN
IS THAT OF CAIN AND ABEL, AND ONCE AGAIN
WE SEE THAT GOD HAD ESTABLISHED A
PATTERN THAT WE SEE FOLLOWED
THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT, AND IT
REINFORCED BY THE LAW THAT WAS GIVEN TO
MOSES, AND THAT WAS (BLOOD SACRIFICES).
Genesis 4:3-6.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course
of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering
to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering, fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour
on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So, Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;
it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.
There are many who believe that Cain's offering was not accepted because it was not a blood sacrifice like Abel's. Instead, Cain brought the fruit of the cursed ground, the work of his hands. Many see in this episode the contrast between the God-revealed doctrine of blood sacrifice versus humanity trying to please God with their own self-efforts. Cain's offering is reminiscent of Adam and Eve covering themselves with fig leaves after their sin in the Garden. It is humanity attempting to work their way into a relationship with God instead of leaning on God's grace
I PERSONALLY SEE THREE POSSIBLE REASONS FOR CAINS’ SACRIFICE BEEN REJECTED AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF
SIN,
A WRONG MOTIVE,
A WRONG SACRIFICE,
I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE THE LATER AND PERHAPS A COMBINATION OF THAT AND ANOTHER, BUT WE WILL COMPARE SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE.
Genesis 4:6-7.
Then the Lord said to Cain,
Why are you angry?
Why is your face downcast?
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.
1 John 3:12-14.
We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous.
Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
AM I MY BROTHERS’
KEEPER
WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER ABEL?
GENESIS 4:9
1 John 3:17-18.
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
Don’t expect GOD to accept your sacrifices if you are like Cain and say: “am I my brothers 'keeper”
JESUS SHOWED US HOW WE SHOULD TREAT OUR
BROTHERS, BY WASHING HIS DISCIPLES FEET.
John 13:15-17.
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done
for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his
master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent
him. Now that you know these things, you will
be blessed if you do them.
NOTE THAT JESUS SAID THAT THE BLESSING COMES FROM DOING AND NOT KNOWING
Don’t expect GOD to accept your sacrifices if you are like Cain and say: “am I my brothers 'keeper”
JESUS SHOWED US HOW WE SHOULD TREAT OUR
BROTHERS, BY WASHING HIS DISCIPLES FEET.
John 13:15-17.
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done
for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his
master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent
him. Now that you know these things, you will
be blessed if you do them.
NOTE THAT JESUS SAID THAT THE BLESSING COMES FROM DOING AND NOT KNOWING
WASHING FEET IS THE EASY PART
John 13:34-35.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
1 Jude:11.
Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Proverbs 21:3.
To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
9
Proverbs 15:8.
The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
9
Hebrews 11:4.
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
9
WE WILL SEE THAT Cain offered the wrong type of sacrifice.
Hebrews 11:4. states that "By faith Abel offered to God a
more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous,
God testifying about his gifts," emphasizes the importance of
faith in pleasing God. Abel's faith, evidenced by his offering,
led to God's approval and a testimony of his
righteousness. This verse highlights that faith,
not just works, is what matters to God.
Unlike Cain, Abel FOLLOWED A PATTERN ESTABLISHED BY GOD AFTER HIS PARENTS SINNED IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN,
Genesis 3:21.
And the Lord God made clothes out of animal skins for Adam and his wife, and he clothed.
As mentioned before:
THIS FORESHADOWED WHAT WOULD BE FULFILLED
AT CALVARY!
9
(GOD SPOKE TO ABRAHAM)
Genesis 22:2.
Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.
Genesis 22:6-7.
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.
As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham,
Father? Yes, my son? Abraham replied. The fire and wood are here, Isaac said, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?
ONCE AGAIN WE SEE AN ESTABLISHED PATTERN
ISAAC KNEW THERE NEEDED TO BE A LAMB.
Genesis 8:20-21.
Noah built an altar to the Lord; he took one of each kind of ritually clean animal and bird and burned them whole as a sacrifice on the altar. The odour of the sacrifice pleased the Lord, and he said to himself, Never again will I put the earth under a curse because of what people do; I know that from the time they are young their thoughts are evil.
In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices were a central part of Jewish religious practice, primarily used for atonement, thanksgiving, and to express gratitude to God.
These sacrifices involved the slaughter of animals, with priests handling the blood and parts, often burned on the altar, as a symbolic act of cleansing and offering to God.
We have seen last time that animal sacrifices are unacceptable as a sin covering.
They were only a type and foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice on Calvary.
Hebrews 4:4-7.
It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings, you were not pleased. Then I said, Here I am, it is written about me in the scroll, I have come to do your will, my God.
Hebrews 4:8-11.
First, he said, Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them, though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, Here I am, I have come to do your will. He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs
his religious duties; again, and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
SOME MAY ASK WHY THE LAW WAS GIVEN IF IT COULD NOT SAVE US
Galatians 2:16.
Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So, we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW WAS:
TO SHOW US THAT WE ARE SINNERS.
Romans 7:7.
What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.
THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW WAS: TO BRING US TO CHRIST.
2) TO BRING US TO CHRIST
Galatians 3:23-25.
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So, the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
The primary purpose of the law, according to a specific theological view, is to act as a "schoolmaster" or "tutor" to guide individuals towards Christ, revealing their inability to achieve righteousness on their own and pointing them to the hope of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The law exposes sin and demonstrates the need for a saviour, ultimately leading people to recognize their need for Christ's atoning work.
(“BEARING FRUIT” WE HAVE BEEN SAVED TO SERVE AND NOT TO SIN)
Romans 7:4-6.
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Matthew 5:17.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or
the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but
to fulfil them.
AS WE SAW LAST WEEK, JESUS DYING ON THE CROSS WAS A FULFILMENT OF THE LAW, HE WAS THE ONE TO WHOM THE ANIMAL BLOOD SACRIFICES POINTED.
Hebrews 9 :22.
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
1 Corinthians 11 :25. (AMP)
The same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.