Class 2 from this series was used in GCT Episode 385.
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Well, good morning again
everyone.
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Well, good morning again
everyone.
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I’d like to thank all of you for
your hospitality to Sue and I
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for over the last week or so and
especially here, all the good
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food that that kitchen staff has
provided for us while we’ve been
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here.
It’s fun to get to know a lot of
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you and also the young people
that are here in this area.
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This is the first time Sue and I
have ever come up this far in
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the Canada.
Usually in Canada we may go up
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to BC and maybe on the mainland,
and we spent a lot of time in
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Ontario in our younger years
because we lived in Detroit for
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most of our life and we, a lot
of our friends were Canadians.
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In fact, when I was teaching
school for years, a lot of the
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kids in my school thought I was
Canadian because I would make a
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point in, in math or biology and
say, hey, and they say hi, are
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you Canadian?
That was, yeah, just the habits
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we pick up from our Canadian
friends, right.
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Well, over the weekend, we’ve
looked yesterday and then this
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morning at Sunday school, again
at God’s wonderful plan of
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redemption.
And what a loving God that we
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have that he cared to redeem us.
And when you go back and, and
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what we want to do this morning
is have a look at, well, if you
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were in God’s shoes, how would
you teach the redemptive plan to
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people that didn’t have overhead
projectors and video projectors
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and they didn’t have books that
were published with nice
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pictures.
And you didn’t have a situation
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when you could write all this
stuff down.
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Everybody could just have a
library at home and read it all.
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And there were no magazines
being published, no e-mail and
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all that kind of stuff that we
live on today.
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And we, we’re, so we’re so used
to being able to do those
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things.
We can come to a class and we
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don’t even have to take notes
anymore because we can just go
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home.
We can download the classes and
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listen to them again.
And we can even download
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PowerPoints today from a lot of
the websites today.
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So we really, we have it made
from that perspective.
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So from God’s perspective, how
do you teach redemption when you
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don’t have a lot of written
material, no recordings and all
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those kind of things?
How would you do it?
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And so God attempted to teach
redemption through ritual
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procedures that people would go
through.
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When you go back and look at the
rituals of the law and, and so
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often when we look at the law
and we look at Paul’s commentary
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on the law and we see how Paul
would just say that by works of
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law, no flesh will be justified.
And then you wonder, why did God
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do it in the first place?
Why even bring about all this
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ritual behavior under the law?
So when you go back to the very
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beginning in Genesis and you
develop what God attempted to
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do.
Now Adam and Eve had committed
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sin and God had to decide what
do you do at that point?
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Do we do we destroy them?
They could die at that point.
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He could have if he wanted to
and started over.
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But instead he attempts to
redeem them.
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He tries to teach them how to
get the way back to God.
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How do you find your way back to
God after we’ve committed sin,
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after we’ve fallen from the
position that he had put them
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into?
And So what God tried to do then
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is cover them with coats of
skin.
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So a lot of us realized that,
and he took animals.
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They may have actually seen
animals killed before them, and
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he covered them with those coats
of skin.
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We’re not really sure.
It doesn’t go into all the
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detail, but he attempted to
teach them that there was a
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mechanism that could provide an
atonement for their sins.
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So he tries to do that, probably
through animals and animal
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sacrifice.
And when you run then into the
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first case with their children
in Genesis chapter 4, if you
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just look there in Genesis 4 for
a minute, you can see how this
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came up right away with Cain and
Abel.
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So when you’re reading about
Cain and Abel, it’s nice to
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notice a few things that now
we’ve got Adam and Eve, we’ve
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got Cain, we’ve got Abel.
And now they in the process of
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time, in Genesis 4, at verse 3,
in the process of time, it came
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to pass that Cain brought an
offering of the fruit of the
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ground to the Lord.
So he realizes that God wants
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offerings.
So there have been rules
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established.
God was telling them about how
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to worship him.
If we want to find the way back,
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how do we get back to God?
And so Cain brought an offering
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of the fruit of the ground, and
Abel also brought of the first
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lings of his flock and they’re
fat.
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Oh, that’s interesting because,
you know, why mention the fat if
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there weren’t rules given about
how you do the sacrifices?
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So we’re not told in detail
about how they did their
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offerings at this point, but
we’re given some hints that God
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had made it pretty clear about
how you’re supposed to do
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offerings.
And So what God did at that time
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is that he tried to teach
people, if you want to get back
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to him, if you want a covering
for your sins, if you want an
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atonement that’s made, if you
want to be part of the wonderful
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plan of redemption that he has
for us, it’s going to come about
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through animal sacrifice.
This was his teaching mechanism.
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So he would probably tell them
to pick an animal out of your
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flock and make sure that when
you pick your animal, don’t pick
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one that’s like got unequal legs
or it’s in any way blemished
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outward blemishes that you can
see on it.
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But take one that is without
blemish and take one that’s
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really going to be one of your
better animals and bring that to
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God and offer that up with its
fat.
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Because as the rules came about
later on that all the fat belong
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to the Lord.
God wants all that part of it.
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He’s looking for devotion.
And you look at the animal and
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you realize, well, what was that
animal supposed to teach them?
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You know, when he, when he
brought about animal sacrifice,
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what was he trying to do?
And So what we can do is we can
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look back at these cases under
the law and we can try to figure
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out back here in Genesis, well,
what was it all about?
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Was he trying to teach us that
when an animal died, that God
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was trying to tell you that
you’re a Sinner, you deserve to
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die, and that’s why the animal
was killed and this would
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provide your atonement.
And that might be what
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somebody’s thinking here this
morning.
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And it is true that sinners
deserve to die, that the wages
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of sin is death.
But when you roll your mind
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through all the New Testament
writers and you say, well,
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where’s the New Testament writer
that ever went back to animal
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sacrifice or to the sacrifice of
Christ and said, well, that was
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teaching that sinners deserve to
die.
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You’re going to come up with a
blank sheet of paper.
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It just isn’t there.
And that’s a warning to us that
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when you go down that pathway,
that’s really not what God was
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intending.
He wasn’t trying to teach
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punishment through the animal
sacrifice.
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He’s trying to show the way
back.
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You know, this is what he’s
trying to illustrate.
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And then and what it matters is
that if we, if we take that and
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we think that, well, he’s
teaching us that we deserve to
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die.
And so we kill an animal and now
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I can be forgiven of my sins.
Then what happens is we go to
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Jesus Christ up on the cross and
we think, well, that’s what he
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was showing us, that sinners
deserve to die.
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And he bore our punishment on
the tree.
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And now God won’t punish us for
our sins.
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And we just joined the teachings
of the churches.
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And this is the problem that we
have on the atonement.
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We very easily slide into the
substitutionary views.
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And so it’s a warning to just be
careful.
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So then you start figuring out,
well, what were you supposed to
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learn from the animal
sacrifices?
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What do our New Testament
writers say about animal
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sacrifice?
And so it’s fun to look at
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things like the hem that we just
sang hem one O 6.
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And you realize, well, when Jude
said that, that now to him who
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is able to keep you from
falling, well, in the Greek, the
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words that are used there, some
of the modern versions actually
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pick up on this really well.
And they realize that he was
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building on Old Testament animal
sacrifice words.
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That’s what he picks up.
And some of the versions
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actually say, well, now to him
who is able to keep you from
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stumbling.
And This is why you wouldn’t
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pick an animal that had unequal
legs like that, because they
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would stumble.
And I didn’t want you picking
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something that stumbled and to
present you without blemish.
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Oh, that’s interesting.
That’s right back to the
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language of the law.
And So what God was doing with
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the animal sacrifices is saying,
look at you pick out an animal
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that is perfect from the outward
appearance, and you take that
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animal and identify with that
animal because the animal
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represents Christ.
That’s what it does, it
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represents Jesus Christ.
Behold, the Lamb of God who
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takes away the sin of the world.
Just run your mind through the
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New Testament passages.
This is what God was trying to
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teach.
We have an animal you’re going
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to pick out.
This animal is going to
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represent your Messiah.
What he wanted us to do was lay
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our hands on that animal and
identify with him and say I want
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a life like Messiah.
He’s going to be out blemished,
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He’s going to be perfect and
we’re going to hate sin like he
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does and then commit yourself to
die the sin like he will.
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And this is what God was trying
to illustrate.
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But unfortunately, as as time
went on, people just took it
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other ways, made it into
ritualistic behaviors, and then
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they just figured, oh, it’s just
kill an animal.
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He’s just showing me that I
deserve to die.
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Walk away and no change.
You don’t you just say keep
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telling God, I know I deserve to
die and it sounds good on the
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surface.
It sounds good that we admit
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that to God, that oh, I deserve
to die, I’m a Sinner, I deserve
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to die.
But it doesn’t change our
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behaviors.
And what God is after is people
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who have changed that they just
not deserve to die.
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But you come out and you are
you, Pat in your life, your life
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that you live after the
resurrected Jesus Christ.
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He wants people who live to him,
who conform their wills to his
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will.
That’s what he’s after.
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That’s the hard part from God.
It’s easy to get people to
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acknowledge that they deserve to
die.
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That’s not a problem.
You go right through all of
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Christianity, and almost every
Christian sitting in a church
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today is going to say, oh, I
know sinners deserve to die.
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That’s the easy part.
The tough part that God’s been
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after all along was to teach us
what we have to do, How do we
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live so that we can be a member
of his family forever?
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And you can see that in this
case, Cain resisted.
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Cain didn’t want to do this.
This is why God says that he had
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no respect for Cain or his
offering.
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Cain resisted the idea of
joining Messiah and a death to
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sin and just figured I’ll bring
some fruits.
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God just wants an offering.
That’s what the pagans did, You
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know, just bring some food to
God and think that the God would
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be appeased and happy because
you gave them some of your stuff
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and they missed the point.
This is not just about giving
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offerings to God.
It’s about changing our lives
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and how we live and teaching us
to be like Jesus Christ.
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If you’re wondering about that,
I think it’s fun to watch in
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Genesis chapter 4 that when God
talks to Cain, when he resisted
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his offering and he says to
Cain, in verse 6, the Lord said
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to Cain, why are you angry and
why has your countenance fallen?
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If you do well, will you not be
accepted?
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This is what He’s reminding you.
You can be a part of this Cain.
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If you do well, you’ll be
accepted.
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And if you do not do well now a
lot of our modern versions, if
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you’re carefully, I remember Ron
Abel reading this out of the RSV
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one time.
It was just like he just, he is
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00:11:08,560 –> 00:11:11,640
so dramatic and how he presented
it to us as young people.
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00:11:12,000 –> 00:11:16,320
And he said, if you don’t do
well, Sin is crouching at the
217
00:11:16,320 –> 00:11:18,640
door.
It’s like a lion over there and
218
00:11:18,640 –> 00:11:20,160
it’s just sitting there at the
door.
219
00:11:20,400 –> 00:11:23,400
Sin lies at the door.
And this is how he depicts it,
220
00:11:23,400 –> 00:11:26,560
that Sin is crouching there like
an iron, like a lion.
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00:11:26,800 –> 00:11:29,800
And it’s just waiting for the
opportunity to spouse on you.
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00:11:29,800 –> 00:11:31,320
And that’s what it’s, that’s
what it is.
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00:11:31,560 –> 00:11:34,920
Sin wants to get you.
And so he would tell Cain, he
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00:11:34,920 –> 00:11:38,200
said, look it, it’s desire is
for you.
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00:11:38,400 –> 00:11:40,440
This is what the new King James
has in here.
226
00:11:40,720 –> 00:11:44,600
But you should rule over it or
you must master it as it is in
227
00:11:44,600 –> 00:11:47,160
the RSV.
This is the fight that has to go
228
00:11:47,160 –> 00:11:49,720
on.
And it’s right here in Genesis
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00:11:49,720 –> 00:11:53,560
chapter 4, right from the very
beginning, God lays it all out.
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00:11:53,720 –> 00:11:56,840
This is the first
personification of the devil.
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00:11:57,360 –> 00:11:59,840
Here it is right back in the
beginning when we’re trying to
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00:11:59,840 –> 00:12:02,400
teach our friends the truth.
This is when it all started,
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00:12:02,400 –> 00:12:05,320
right here in the very first
incident after Adam and Eve
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00:12:05,320 –> 00:12:07,440
sent.
The next thing we read about is
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00:12:07,440 –> 00:12:10,720
a person who was letting the
devil win in their life.
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00:12:11,600 –> 00:12:14,280
And if you think that’s a bit
far fetched, well, if you just
237
00:12:14,280 –> 00:12:19,320
read over in John and John’s
letter in First John, John
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00:12:19,320 –> 00:12:23,200
actually brings this up and
shows us that this is the battle
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00:12:23,200 –> 00:12:26,600
that we’ve been called to in
first John chapter 3 when he’s
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00:12:26,600 –> 00:12:30,280
dealing with the love of God,
the love that’s supposed to make
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00:12:30,280 –> 00:12:33,640
us respond to our our Lord Jesus
Christ and to live a different
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00:12:33,640 –> 00:12:35,840
kind of life.
And all the way through this,
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00:12:35,840 –> 00:12:38,680
the letter in John, the the new
King James catches a bit of
244
00:12:38,680 –> 00:12:41,440
this, but the NESB is much
better of putting in the word
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00:12:41,440 –> 00:12:43,680
practice.
And you’ll see it’s actually
246
00:12:43,680 –> 00:12:47,280
there in the Greek all along
about those who practice sin
247
00:12:47,280 –> 00:12:49,800
versus those who practice
righteousness.
248
00:12:50,120 –> 00:12:52,400
It’s like, what are you
practicing in your life?
249
00:12:52,400 –> 00:12:54,400
What are you doing?
Are you practicing sin?
250
00:12:54,720 –> 00:12:56,640
Are you practicing
righteousness?
251
00:12:56,920 –> 00:13:01,040
So he brings up the incident
with Cain and Abel in Genesis or
252
00:13:01,040 –> 00:13:04,000
in first John chapter 3 at verse
19.
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00:13:04,000 –> 00:13:08,000
And in this, the children of God
and the children of the devil.
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00:13:08,120 –> 00:13:11,160
See that there it was right from
the beginning.
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00:13:11,360 –> 00:13:15,480
There was your devil back in
Genesis chapter 4 because the
256
00:13:15,480 –> 00:13:19,760
desire was there.
And if you don’t fight it, it’s
257
00:13:19,760 –> 00:13:23,520
going to beat you.
You’ve got to master it, you’ve
258
00:13:23,520 –> 00:13:25,920
got to beat it.
And it’s interesting to watch
259
00:13:25,920 –> 00:13:28,240
showing because it, and really,
and back there in the Hebrew,
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00:13:28,240 –> 00:13:31,240
it’s fun to notice that, you
know, Adam had just been told
261
00:13:31,400 –> 00:13:35,320
and his wife had been told that
Eve that your desire will be for
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00:13:35,320 –> 00:13:38,320
your husband and he will rule
over you.
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00:13:38,720 –> 00:13:42,160
And now we have a case of how
this is supposed to work for the
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00:13:42,160 –> 00:13:46,080
man, that the man doesn’t just
say, well, her desire is for me
265
00:13:46,080 –> 00:13:49,600
and I’m going to rule over her.
But now we have a case of where
266
00:13:49,600 –> 00:13:54,360
the man, your desire is going to
be for sin crouching at the
267
00:13:54,360 –> 00:13:57,280
door.
And you’ve got to master that.
268
00:13:57,760 –> 00:14:00,320
And that’s what he was actually
telling us in this case.
269
00:14:00,680 –> 00:14:03,360
It isn’t just about ruling over
our wives.
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00:14:03,400 –> 00:14:06,320
It’s about ruling over sin in
our life.
271
00:14:06,320 –> 00:14:07,720
This is what we’ve been called
to.
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00:14:08,160 –> 00:14:11,040
And it’s it’s just fun to watch.
All those things are set up in
273
00:14:11,040 –> 00:14:14,240
Genesis 3 and 4.
So he tells us here in first
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00:14:14,240 –> 00:14:17,560
John 4, then, that the children
of God and the children of the
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00:14:17,560 –> 00:14:21,240
devil are manifest.
Whoever does not practice
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00:14:21,320 –> 00:14:26,960
righteousness is not of God, nor
is he who does not love his
277
00:14:26,960 –> 00:14:29,160
brother.
See that connection that’s
278
00:14:29,160 –> 00:14:32,400
there.
This practicing of righteousness
279
00:14:32,640 –> 00:14:37,400
will inevitably transform into
the way you love your brethren,
280
00:14:37,400 –> 00:14:40,480
how you treat people, and your
family, and your ecclesia.
281
00:14:41,040 –> 00:14:45,160
For this is the message that you
heard from the beginning, that
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00:14:45,160 –> 00:14:50,240
you should love one another, not
as Kane who was of that wicked
283
00:14:50,240 –> 00:14:52,560
one.
Oh, you see, when that lion was
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00:14:52,560 –> 00:14:55,560
crouching at the door and God
warned him and said, look at
285
00:14:55,560 –> 00:14:58,160
Cain, If you do well, things are
going to be good.
286
00:14:58,160 –> 00:15:01,160
But if you don’t, there, there
it is over there, that lion’s
287
00:15:01,160 –> 00:15:03,200
crouching at the door.
Sin wants you.
288
00:15:03,200 –> 00:15:05,760
It’s desire is for you, and
you’re going to have to master
289
00:15:05,760 –> 00:15:07,680
it.
And Cain didn’t do it.
290
00:15:08,040 –> 00:15:09,880
And instead, what did he do
instead?
291
00:15:10,040 –> 00:15:13,480
He was of that wicked one and he
murdered his brother.
292
00:15:13,680 –> 00:15:17,520
And why did he murder him?
Because his works were evil and
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00:15:17,520 –> 00:15:20,760
his brother’s righteous.
See, this is all about
294
00:15:20,760 –> 00:15:25,120
practicing righteousness.
How does God win us over to his
295
00:15:25,120 –> 00:15:28,280
side to where we learn to
practice righteousness?
296
00:15:28,600 –> 00:15:31,440
And the way you do that?
The way he chose to illustrate
297
00:15:31,440 –> 00:15:34,800
it was by taking an animal out
of the flock, one that’s without
298
00:15:34,800 –> 00:15:39,120
blemish, and lay your hands on
that animal and identify with
299
00:15:39,120 –> 00:15:41,680
that your Messiah and put it to
death.
300
00:15:41,880 –> 00:15:45,640
Put to death what is earthly in
you like Messiah will join with
301
00:15:45,640 –> 00:15:48,720
him in a death like his and
practice righteousness.
302
00:15:48,960 –> 00:15:51,920
This is what God was after with
animal sacrifices.
303
00:15:52,280 –> 00:15:55,160
So he tried, He tried to
illustrate it with animal
304
00:15:55,160 –> 00:15:58,040
sacrifices for what thousands of
years?
305
00:15:58,400 –> 00:16:00,960
Animal sacrifices were there
from the beginning all the way
306
00:16:00,960 –> 00:16:05,120
up until Jesus Christ came.
So for 4000 years people were
307
00:16:05,120 –> 00:16:10,520
offering animal sacrifices until
the real work of the man who
308
00:16:10,520 –> 00:16:14,800
would come, who would really put
sin to death, came and did it up
309
00:16:14,800 –> 00:16:17,800
there on the tree.
So when you look at the animal
310
00:16:17,800 –> 00:16:19,640
sacrifices though, you have to
be careful.
311
00:16:19,640 –> 00:16:21,880
You don’t want to walk away from
them thinking that God was
312
00:16:21,880 –> 00:16:25,640
teaching us that we just deserve
to die and that you know, easily
313
00:16:25,640 –> 00:16:28,080
it can translate into a
substitutionary view.
314
00:16:28,360 –> 00:16:31,040
Yearly you look at the New
Testament writers, find out what
315
00:16:31,040 –> 00:16:34,160
they did with this.
Now to Him who’s able to keep
316
00:16:34,160 –> 00:16:39,200
you from stumbling and present
you without blemish before the
317
00:16:39,200 –> 00:16:42,880
presence of His glory with
rejoicing, This is what our New
318
00:16:42,880 –> 00:16:46,160
Testament writers understood.
And we it’s better really to
319
00:16:46,160 –> 00:16:48,880
start in the New Testament and
work our way backwards.
320
00:16:49,240 –> 00:16:51,320
And you wonder like, well, how
will people are supposed to know
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00:16:51,320 –> 00:16:54,120
this?
The job of the priests under
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00:16:54,120 –> 00:16:58,960
God’s national covenant of the
law, their responsibility was to
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00:16:58,960 –> 00:17:02,000
teach the people.
It’s the job like of the
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00:17:02,160 –> 00:17:04,880
presiding brother for us in our
memorial services.
325
00:17:04,880 –> 00:17:08,200
When we come time to the
memorial service, it’s every
326
00:17:08,200 –> 00:17:11,119
presiding brother’s job.
They’re our responsibility to
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00:17:11,119 –> 00:17:13,640
remind everyone, why are we
here?
328
00:17:13,839 –> 00:17:17,920
What is this memorial all about?
This is what God wanted with his
329
00:17:17,920 –> 00:17:20,079
priesthood.
It was their job to keep
330
00:17:20,079 –> 00:17:22,520
knowledge.
And when they let the community
331
00:17:22,520 –> 00:17:25,119
down, the whole community would
falter at that point.
332
00:17:25,480 –> 00:17:28,359
And so God would try to bring
about priests that would teach
333
00:17:28,359 –> 00:17:30,680
the people again.
So that’s what they were
334
00:17:30,680 –> 00:17:33,040
supposed to do.
But as time went on, what
335
00:17:33,040 –> 00:17:36,120
happened in the community and in
the world at large, this animal
336
00:17:36,120 –> 00:17:39,680
sacrifice just became like a
Pagan thing, and it became
337
00:17:39,680 –> 00:17:42,600
really abused.
And so God looks across the
338
00:17:42,600 –> 00:17:45,960
world and decides, all right,
there’s hardly anybody at this
339
00:17:45,960 –> 00:17:49,480
point that’s worth saving.
And he looks over there and ur
340
00:17:49,480 –> 00:17:51,320
the Chaldees and there’s
Abraham.
341
00:17:51,760 –> 00:17:54,520
And he brings Abraham and he
talks to him and her and says,
342
00:17:54,520 –> 00:17:57,720
look, I’ll take you from there
and bring you into the promised
343
00:17:57,720 –> 00:17:59,000
land.
He went up through heroin.
344
00:17:59,000 –> 00:18:00,880
His dad died.
He comes into the land.
345
00:18:01,240 –> 00:18:04,520
And Abraham, he knew he could
work with him because Abraham
346
00:18:04,520 –> 00:18:09,000
would believe God and God could
then impute righteousness to
347
00:18:09,000 –> 00:18:11,040
Abraham.
Abraham didn’t have this
348
00:18:11,040 –> 00:18:13,680
philosophy of thinking, well,
I’m righteous because I just
349
00:18:13,680 –> 00:18:16,440
kill an animal and I walk away.
An animal took my place.
350
00:18:16,440 –> 00:18:19,960
It was my substitute.
Oh no, He understood by faith
351
00:18:20,320 –> 00:18:23,760
that God would impute
righteousness to him when he was
352
00:18:23,800 –> 00:18:27,640
practicing righteousness, that
that was his basic framework of
353
00:18:27,640 –> 00:18:30,600
his life.
So then God takes this man who
354
00:18:30,600 –> 00:18:34,320
he accounts righteous and he’s
trying to like, how do you how
355
00:18:34,320 –> 00:18:37,120
do you then illustrate to
Abraham’s family?
356
00:18:37,280 –> 00:18:41,160
We don’t want to let them lapse
into just a substitutionary view
357
00:18:41,160 –> 00:18:45,160
of animal sacrifice.
How do we teach them that this
358
00:18:45,160 –> 00:18:48,840
is really something that is in
you and in me.
359
00:18:49,040 –> 00:18:51,440
This is this is something that’s
in our bodies.
360
00:18:51,440 –> 00:18:54,520
It’s to this physical principle
that we looked at yesterday
361
00:18:54,880 –> 00:18:58,280
that’s got a moral impact on our
life of turning us away from
362
00:18:58,280 –> 00:18:59,720
God.
And we have to fight this.
363
00:18:59,720 –> 00:19:01,520
We have to practice
righteousness.
364
00:19:01,920 –> 00:19:04,920
How do you get them to
understand that so that they
365
00:19:04,920 –> 00:19:08,040
won’t end up thinking that the
animal sacrifices are just
366
00:19:08,360 –> 00:19:10,480
outside?
That’s, you know me, I deserve
367
00:19:10,480 –> 00:19:12,520
to die and that’s it.
What are we going to do?
368
00:19:12,520 –> 00:19:15,840
How do we teach them?
This is about a moral, A moral
369
00:19:15,840 –> 00:19:18,440
thing in our life, about
practicing righteousness.
370
00:19:18,800 –> 00:19:23,360
So what he does with Abraham is
after counting Abraham righteous
371
00:19:23,640 –> 00:19:28,360
and taking his family and God
promising him that he would send
372
00:19:28,360 –> 00:19:30,960
the promises to Abraham and his
family and what he would give
373
00:19:30,960 –> 00:19:34,760
him the land.
In Genesis 17, he gives him
374
00:19:34,880 –> 00:19:38,000
circumcision, the sign of the
covenant.
375
00:19:38,680 –> 00:19:41,400
And now you can imagine the
discussion amongst the angels in
376
00:19:41,400 –> 00:19:42,760
heaven.
How are we going to get his
377
00:19:42,760 –> 00:19:46,320
family to realize this is
something that’s in them that
378
00:19:46,320 –> 00:19:48,080
that has to actually be worked
on?
379
00:19:48,720 –> 00:19:51,760
So what do you do?
You take a part of their body
380
00:19:52,000 –> 00:19:57,280
that is so connected with
immorality and say, Abraham, if
381
00:19:57,280 –> 00:19:59,680
you and your family are going to
make it and you’re going to be
382
00:19:59,680 –> 00:20:03,600
part of my family, you have to
understand from the beginning,
383
00:20:03,600 –> 00:20:08,160
when a baby is born, 8 days into
it, there’s something in this
384
00:20:08,160 –> 00:20:10,520
baby that’s already working
against me.
385
00:20:11,120 –> 00:20:15,400
And So what I want you all to do
is commit as a family and as a
386
00:20:15,400 –> 00:20:19,920
community that you will work to
cut this off, that you will put
387
00:20:19,920 –> 00:20:23,360
this away, put to death what is
earthly in you, as our New
388
00:20:23,360 –> 00:20:27,120
Testament writers would say.
And they introduce circumcision
389
00:20:27,120 –> 00:20:30,960
to try to counter the problem
that would be developing in the
390
00:20:30,960 –> 00:20:33,400
community of thinking, well,
this is just like Pagan
391
00:20:33,400 –> 00:20:35,920
sacrifice.
And so now we’re going to have
392
00:20:35,920 –> 00:20:37,840
something.
It’s in me, the problems
393
00:20:37,840 –> 00:20:41,960
actually part of me from birth,
and I’m going to have to commit
394
00:20:41,960 –> 00:20:43,880
to cutting this off.
It would have been an
395
00:20:43,880 –> 00:20:46,360
interesting discussion because,
you know, amongst the angels,
396
00:20:46,360 –> 00:20:48,600
you can imagine how they would
look at that concept and
397
00:20:48,600 –> 00:20:52,600
realize, well, not only can we
show them that, but we can also
398
00:20:52,600 –> 00:20:56,120
teach through circumcision that
what about all you girls?
399
00:20:58,160 –> 00:21:01,720
You can’t be circumcised.
So what is that all about?
400
00:21:02,640 –> 00:21:07,960
So we can illustrate the idea
then that really none of the men
401
00:21:07,960 –> 00:21:10,920
are really going to be fully
circumcised.
402
00:21:11,160 –> 00:21:15,720
This is something, again, where
you identify with Messiah just
403
00:21:15,720 –> 00:21:17,800
like you do with the animal
sacrifice.
404
00:21:18,040 –> 00:21:21,560
Circumcision was an
identification with Christ.
405
00:21:21,840 –> 00:21:25,680
This is why Paul would say that
about the true circumcision,
406
00:21:26,040 –> 00:21:28,720
that only Christ was really
circumcised.
407
00:21:28,720 –> 00:21:32,280
He’s the only one who really put
sin to death and who put it up
408
00:21:32,280 –> 00:21:35,920
there on the tree and killed it.
He’s the only one who really cut
409
00:21:35,920 –> 00:21:38,960
off the devil.
And So what the men were really
410
00:21:38,960 –> 00:21:41,880
doing is acknowledging that look
at this is what we’re going to
411
00:21:41,880 –> 00:21:45,560
try to do, practice
righteousness, put sin to death,
412
00:21:45,880 –> 00:21:47,960
but we’re identifying with
Messiah.
413
00:21:48,240 –> 00:21:53,200
And all of the girls were saved
in their husbands and the men
414
00:21:53,200 –> 00:21:56,080
that they were connected with
their fathers and teaching the
415
00:21:56,080 –> 00:22:00,200
community that really none of us
were really righteous, that the
416
00:22:00,200 –> 00:22:03,880
only hope of anybody in this
family is that we are found in
417
00:22:03,880 –> 00:22:08,160
Messiah, in him not having a
righteousness of our own, but
418
00:22:08,160 –> 00:22:12,160
one which is based on faith.
So that was the attempt with
419
00:22:12,160 –> 00:22:14,560
circumcision.
But inevitably, I mean, look at
420
00:22:14,560 –> 00:22:17,560
what happens with rituals.
The Jews took circumcision and
421
00:22:17,560 –> 00:22:20,760
they turned it in instead into
something where look at how good
422
00:22:20,760 –> 00:22:22,120
we are.
We’re circumcised.
423
00:22:22,120 –> 00:22:24,120
And what about all you Gentiles?
Oh, you’re a bunch of
424
00:22:24,120 –> 00:22:26,680
Barbarians.
And they turn into something
425
00:22:26,680 –> 00:22:29,560
that God never intended to where
they thought they were the
426
00:22:29,560 –> 00:22:32,640
special people.
So then as the community had
427
00:22:32,640 –> 00:22:35,200
come out of Egypt, they had
spent all those years in Egypt,
428
00:22:35,200 –> 00:22:37,800
but exposed to all of those
wicked practices of the
429
00:22:37,800 –> 00:22:40,400
Egyptian.
God brings his community out of
430
00:22:40,400 –> 00:22:43,240
Egypt.
And they were circumcised before
431
00:22:43,240 –> 00:22:45,600
they could eat the Passover.
It’s always fun to look at.
432
00:22:45,600 –> 00:22:47,120
Where do you think that would
have happened?
433
00:22:47,760 –> 00:22:50,560
Probably during the three days
when there was darkness in the
434
00:22:50,560 –> 00:22:53,840
land, Because then Joshua takes
him in the land later on, 40
435
00:22:53,840 –> 00:22:56,360
years later.
And they were circumcised the
436
00:22:56,360 –> 00:22:58,800
second time, so there had to be
a first.
437
00:22:59,240 –> 00:23:01,000
But he brings them into the
land.
438
00:23:01,000 –> 00:23:02,800
Then he’s bringing them up into
the land at least.
439
00:23:02,800 –> 00:23:04,280
And Moses is bringing the people
up.
440
00:23:04,280 –> 00:23:05,760
And they’re on the other side of
the Jordan.
441
00:23:06,000 –> 00:23:10,000
And remember what happened right
at the end, A new generation, 40
442
00:23:10,000 –> 00:23:13,120
years has gone by.
The old generation had died off.
443
00:23:13,120 –> 00:23:15,800
The new young people, the
younger people had come along.
444
00:23:16,040 –> 00:23:19,840
You aren’t the ones who made the
mistake of refusing to go into
445
00:23:19,840 –> 00:23:21,920
the land.
And here they are coming up
446
00:23:21,920 –> 00:23:23,800
through, you know, down in the
South or Eden.
447
00:23:23,800 –> 00:23:25,120
They’re coming up along the
side.
448
00:23:25,280 –> 00:23:27,800
They’re down there and they’re
complaining just like their
449
00:23:27,800 –> 00:23:31,080
parents did about, oh, why did
you bring us out here to die in
450
00:23:31,080 –> 00:23:35,640
the wilderness?
And so in Numbers 21, God sent
451
00:23:36,040 –> 00:23:40,320
serpents and they bit them.
You were bit.
452
00:23:40,960 –> 00:23:44,360
Now we realize, oh, wow, this
isn’t just something that’s in
453
00:23:44,360 –> 00:23:46,960
our flesh that has to be cut
off.
454
00:23:47,320 –> 00:23:49,440
This is a poison that’s killing
me.
455
00:23:49,960 –> 00:23:53,480
And so now they’re trying to
like further develop the concept
456
00:23:53,480 –> 00:23:55,800
about the fact that we have a
problem.
457
00:23:56,520 –> 00:23:59,720
We’ve got this snake bite in US.
You’ve got this venom that’s
458
00:23:59,720 –> 00:24:02,800
going through your bloodstream.
And instead of bringing life
459
00:24:02,800 –> 00:24:05,520
like blood, this is now killing
us.
460
00:24:05,680 –> 00:24:09,360
It’s going to bring about death.
And So what does God tell Moses?
461
00:24:09,360 –> 00:24:12,280
Well, they’ll make make a
serpent out of bronze.
462
00:24:12,640 –> 00:24:16,120
Now, he could have said to him,
take a dead snake and put it up
463
00:24:16,120 –> 00:24:17,640
on the pole.
He didn’t do that.
464
00:24:17,880 –> 00:24:21,960
He said, make a bronze snake,
one that looks like the snakes,
465
00:24:22,240 –> 00:24:24,320
but this one doesn’t have the
venom.
466
00:24:24,680 –> 00:24:27,040
This one has never given in to
sin.
467
00:24:27,400 –> 00:24:30,480
And put that up on the pole.
And everybody that looks up at
468
00:24:30,480 –> 00:24:34,040
that and realizes that, wow,
I’ve got this poison in me.
469
00:24:34,240 –> 00:24:38,240
But if I look at that in faith,
and I really want to do that, I
470
00:24:38,240 –> 00:24:41,960
want this old man to die.
I want this snake bite to be
471
00:24:41,960 –> 00:24:45,200
dead up there on the pole.
I want these serpents to be gone
472
00:24:45,200 –> 00:24:47,960
and dead up there.
And you then look back and
473
00:24:47,960 –> 00:24:50,880
meditate on it and think about
what is he teaching us about
474
00:24:50,880 –> 00:24:54,160
Messiah?
Those people Is is he says
475
00:24:54,160 –> 00:24:58,040
they’re in Numbers 21.
And anyone who looks up, anyone
476
00:24:58,080 –> 00:25:02,280
in this community, this isn’t
just Jews, This is everyone who
477
00:25:02,280 –> 00:25:05,120
looks up is saved.
This is like John when Jesus
478
00:25:05,120 –> 00:25:08,280
quotes this in John chapter 3
and he says to Nicodemus and he
479
00:25:08,280 –> 00:25:10,320
brings up this incident.
Ever wonder like why does he
480
00:25:10,320 –> 00:25:13,480
bring this up about the the Son
of man being like the serpent in
481
00:25:13,480 –> 00:25:15,880
the wilderness?
He’s trying to get Nicodemus to
482
00:25:15,880 –> 00:25:18,640
get out of his shell of thinking
only Jews can be saved.
483
00:25:18,880 –> 00:25:21,120
And he said, didn’t you read
that carefully there in Numbers
484
00:25:21,120 –> 00:25:23,040
21?
Didn’t you notice that it said
485
00:25:23,400 –> 00:25:27,240
everyone, anyone, You don’t have
to be a Jew for this.
486
00:25:27,440 –> 00:25:31,160
This is offered to anyone who
looks up in faith if they, if
487
00:25:31,160 –> 00:25:33,720
they will respond to faith in
Jesus Christ.
488
00:25:34,040 –> 00:25:37,080
And so that’s what happened then
with the serpent on the pole.
489
00:25:37,080 –> 00:25:40,480
The goal was that they would
look up there and commit to join
490
00:25:40,480 –> 00:25:44,160
Messiah and the death to sin.
Acknowledge that I’ve got the
491
00:25:44,160 –> 00:25:46,920
problem in me.
I’ve been bitten by this snake.
492
00:25:47,080 –> 00:25:50,520
I’ve got this venom in me that’s
killing me and I want to find a
493
00:25:50,520 –> 00:25:52,880
way to get rid of it.
I want, I don’t want that life.
494
00:25:53,200 –> 00:25:55,440
And God was trying to win people
over.
495
00:25:56,000 –> 00:25:58,280
So then in the New Testament,
you know, there’s others you can
496
00:25:58,280 –> 00:25:59,920
look at.
But in the New Testament, John
497
00:25:59,920 –> 00:26:01,960
Baptist comes along and what
does he do?
498
00:26:01,960 –> 00:26:06,600
He preaches a baptism of
repentance, which we know that
499
00:26:06,600 –> 00:26:10,000
the apostle Paul picks up on in
Romans chapter 6 and gives us a
500
00:26:10,000 –> 00:26:13,240
great exposition of what baptism
is supposed to mean.
501
00:26:13,640 –> 00:26:16,960
When we’re baptized into Jesus
Christ, this baptism of
502
00:26:16,960 –> 00:26:22,200
repentance, we go down into the
water, we bury the old man in
503
00:26:22,200 –> 00:26:25,560
the water, and we tell
everybody, I’ve got a problem.
504
00:26:26,000 –> 00:26:28,920
I’ve got this devil in me.
I’ve got this old man, and he
505
00:26:28,920 –> 00:26:33,440
wants to do my will, not God’s.
And what I want to do is commit
506
00:26:33,440 –> 00:26:37,480
to telling everybody the angels
in heaven, God and Jesus Christ.
507
00:26:37,760 –> 00:26:40,800
I’m going to join with Christ
the way he was saved.
508
00:26:40,800 –> 00:26:44,040
I want to be like him.
And I want to put this old man
509
00:26:44,040 –> 00:26:47,560
down there in the water and
leave him there, bury him under
510
00:26:47,560 –> 00:26:52,480
the water and walk out a new
person, someone who lives like
511
00:26:52,680 –> 00:26:55,480
Jesus Christ, resurrected from
the dead, who doesn’t even have
512
00:26:55,480 –> 00:26:57,800
that anymore.
It isn’t just that we walk out
513
00:26:57,800 –> 00:27:00,000
and live like Jesus before his
death.
514
00:27:00,280 –> 00:27:04,320
Paul says we walk out in a new
life patterned after the
515
00:27:04,320 –> 00:27:07,280
resurrected Christ.
Well, we don’t have this devil
516
00:27:07,320 –> 00:27:09,760
in us anymore.
This is what we’re aiming for.
517
00:27:09,760 –> 00:27:12,040
This is how you practice
righteousness.
518
00:27:12,360 –> 00:27:13,880
And this is what it’s supposed
to do.
519
00:27:14,120 –> 00:27:17,240
So when we go through that in
baptism, then it’s we’re we’re
520
00:27:17,320 –> 00:27:19,840
changing masters.
We’re saying I’m no longer going
521
00:27:19,840 –> 00:27:21,520
to serve self.
I’m not going to, I’m going to
522
00:27:21,520 –> 00:27:23,680
serve sin.
And it’s fun how Paul does that.
523
00:27:23,680 –> 00:27:26,000
He he, he actually talks about
as being sin.
524
00:27:26,280 –> 00:27:28,560
He doesn’t even use the word
devil or anything else that we
525
00:27:28,560 –> 00:27:31,960
can misunderstand.
He just says the master is sin.
526
00:27:32,000 –> 00:27:34,520
And we leave that way of life
down there.
527
00:27:34,640 –> 00:27:38,240
And now we’ve transferred our
allegiance to God, and now we
528
00:27:38,240 –> 00:27:42,160
are slaves of Jesus Christ, and
now we practice righteousness.
529
00:27:42,600 –> 00:27:45,240
And you can see in Christ’s
baptism, no wonder God opened
530
00:27:45,240 –> 00:27:48,440
the heavens and said, this is my
beloved son, listen to him.
531
00:27:48,720 –> 00:27:52,360
Because finally somebody was
willing to really do it.
532
00:27:53,000 –> 00:27:55,160
And then we come to the bread
and the wine, brothers and
533
00:27:55,160 –> 00:27:56,600
sisters.
And you look at the bread and
534
00:27:56,600 –> 00:28:00,080
the wine, and you can see how
God is now trying to take these
535
00:28:00,080 –> 00:28:05,240
ritual procedures and develop
them for us because the natural
536
00:28:05,240 –> 00:28:09,080
tendency for all of us is to
turn them into rituals.
537
00:28:09,400 –> 00:28:12,760
Then we lose their meaning.
We could do that so easily with
538
00:28:12,760 –> 00:28:16,480
our own baptism even today.
We could be baptized 30 years
539
00:28:16,480 –> 00:28:19,360
ago.
They could be baptized 2 years
540
00:28:19,360 –> 00:28:21,200
ago.
And it can already happen that
541
00:28:21,200 –> 00:28:23,920
we just figured, well, I was
baptized into Christ.
542
00:28:24,160 –> 00:28:27,960
I now have changed my allegiance
and now I’m in God’s family.
543
00:28:28,200 –> 00:28:31,280
And now, like Paul would say,
does that mean that now we can
544
00:28:31,280 –> 00:28:34,480
send that grace may abound?
Is this supposed to affect your
545
00:28:34,480 –> 00:28:36,120
life?
Or is it just a case of where
546
00:28:36,120 –> 00:28:38,680
you’ve been baptized into the
right church?
547
00:28:39,000 –> 00:28:42,000
And now God will save me and he
can’t save other people because
548
00:28:42,000 –> 00:28:45,400
I joined the right church.
And that isn’t it at all.
549
00:28:45,600 –> 00:28:49,320
He’s trying to change how we
live so that we live like
550
00:28:49,440 –> 00:28:51,360
children.
We live like his children.
551
00:28:51,720 –> 00:28:54,560
And so we come to the emblems
this morning with the bread and
552
00:28:54,560 –> 00:28:57,080
the wine and you look at, well,
what is he doing now?
553
00:28:57,080 –> 00:29:00,920
He’s taken something where he
says, look at this is a new kind
554
00:29:00,920 –> 00:29:02,200
of life that you’re going to
live.
555
00:29:02,400 –> 00:29:05,880
You can now have the advantages
that we have in Christ Jesus,
556
00:29:05,880 –> 00:29:08,080
the freedoms for which he’s
brought into our life.
557
00:29:08,520 –> 00:29:12,800
But when we take the bread and
we drink the wine now, this
558
00:29:12,800 –> 00:29:15,240
isn’t anything like external
anymore.
559
00:29:15,240 –> 00:29:17,880
This is something you cut off
like circumcision and then just
560
00:29:17,880 –> 00:29:20,160
throw it away.
This isn’t that kind of thing.
561
00:29:20,160 –> 00:29:22,680
It’s not even like a serpent on
the pole up there and the venoms
562
00:29:22,680 –> 00:29:25,160
out there.
Now he says, I want you to take
563
00:29:25,160 –> 00:29:29,200
Christ’s life, the bread and the
wine, they represent Messiah,
564
00:29:29,320 –> 00:29:33,360
the life that he lived.
He gave his day, his life every
565
00:29:33,360 –> 00:29:36,080
day and doing God’s will, not
his own.
566
00:29:36,480 –> 00:29:39,520
And in his, in the wine, the
blood, this life that was cut
567
00:29:39,520 –> 00:29:43,760
off because every day he was
giving his life and service to
568
00:29:43,760 –> 00:29:47,160
us and to his Father.
And now God says what would be
569
00:29:47,160 –> 00:29:51,840
really good is if you take this
into your body physically, it
570
00:29:51,840 –> 00:29:54,560
becomes a part of us.
The molecules that are in the
571
00:29:54,560 –> 00:29:57,040
bread and the wine, they
actually become part of your
572
00:29:57,040 –> 00:29:59,320
body.
And he’s hoping that that life
573
00:29:59,400 –> 00:30:03,720
of Jesus Christ of practicing
righteousness will come into our
574
00:30:03,720 –> 00:30:07,600
minds, into our spiritual minds
as he tries to develop us in the
575
00:30:07,600 –> 00:30:10,320
mind of the Spirit.
And This is why you’d find New
576
00:30:10,320 –> 00:30:13,680
Testament writers talking that
way about this example that
577
00:30:13,680 –> 00:30:16,240
Christ has set for us and why
the bread and the wine means
578
00:30:16,240 –> 00:30:17,680
that.
That’s why Paul in First
579
00:30:17,680 –> 00:30:20,720
Corinthians 11 would get so
upset that people that came
580
00:30:20,720 –> 00:30:23,920
together and just used it as a
party time to have a meal.
581
00:30:24,160 –> 00:30:26,200
And some ate and some didn’t
have any food.
582
00:30:26,200 –> 00:30:29,000
Some people got drunk and
totally misunderstood the idea.
583
00:30:29,000 –> 00:30:33,360
And he says, let a man examine
himself and so let him eat of
584
00:30:33,360 –> 00:30:35,440
the bread and and take of the
wine.
585
00:30:35,720 –> 00:30:39,240
Because this is supposed to be a
serious thing where we
586
00:30:39,240 –> 00:30:42,800
acknowledge that we’ve made
mistakes, that we are appealing
587
00:30:42,800 –> 00:30:46,640
to God for forgiveness of sins
based on his righteousness and
588
00:30:46,640 –> 00:30:49,040
our commitment, that we made it
baptism.
589
00:30:49,280 –> 00:30:52,200
So we make it baptism, a
covenant with God.
590
00:30:52,400 –> 00:30:56,240
And then week by week we
remember the covenant, the
591
00:30:56,240 –> 00:30:58,120
covenant, the promise that we
made.
592
00:30:58,480 –> 00:31:01,440
And what God is looking for is
faithfulness.
593
00:31:01,800 –> 00:31:05,320
He highly values faithfulness
all the way through.
594
00:31:05,320 –> 00:31:08,800
The Jews failed in faithfulness.
And he constantly gives us
595
00:31:08,840 –> 00:31:12,640
opportunities in our families
with a husband and a wife to
596
00:31:12,640 –> 00:31:17,200
practice faithfulness because
this is the relationship we’ve
597
00:31:17,200 –> 00:31:20,160
been called to and we committed
to it at baptism.
598
00:31:20,360 –> 00:31:23,600
And now this morning, we have an
opportunity to remember that we
599
00:31:23,600 –> 00:31:27,840
promise to be faithful to our
God, to do His will and not our
600
00:31:27,840 –> 00:31:29,320
own.
And that’s what he’s brought us
601
00:31:29,320 –> 00:31:32,600
to this morning.
So Christ has laid down his life
602
00:31:32,600 –> 00:31:37,000
for us, as he says in, in, in
John, in second, John 3 and 16,
603
00:31:37,000 –> 00:31:41,560
with the intention that we will
now lay down our lives for our
604
00:31:41,560 –> 00:31:43,240
brothers and sisters and our
families.
605
00:31:43,720 –> 00:31:46,040
So as we take the emblems this
morning, brothers and sisters,
606
00:31:46,040 –> 00:31:49,680
let’s remember the promise that
we made at baptism, the promise
607
00:31:49,680 –> 00:31:53,320
that we made the covenant that
we would join with Christ and a
608
00:31:53,320 –> 00:31:58,040
death like his and fight sin and
come out of the water saved by
609
00:31:58,040 –> 00:32:01,280
his life because we’re committed
to live like him, the
610
00:32:01,280 –> 00:32:04,440
resurrected Christ.
And let’s examine ourselves and
611
00:32:04,440 –> 00:32:06,840
acknowledge the fact that
there’s no way we could ever
612
00:32:06,840 –> 00:32:10,560
deserve the grace that has been
given to us and the privilege
613
00:32:10,560 –> 00:32:12,520
that we have of being in Christ
Jesus.
614
00:32:12,880 –> 00:32:17,640
Out of 7 billion people on this
planet, look at how few God is
615
00:32:17,640 –> 00:32:20,080
saving right now.
I think things will change when
616
00:32:20,080 –> 00:32:22,360
Christ comes back, but right now
very few.
617
00:32:22,360 –> 00:32:25,200
And we have the privilege of
being a part of that community.
618
00:32:25,600 –> 00:32:28,600
Thank God for his wonderful plan
of redemption this morning.
619
00:32:28,600 –> 00:32:31,920
The love that he has for us as
a, as a loving father, that he
620
00:32:31,920 –> 00:32:35,320
really does love us and he wants
us to be part of his family.
621
00:32:35,760 –> 00:32:38,360
And I think it’s appropriate to
thank Jesus Christ.
622
00:32:38,640 –> 00:32:42,200
Thank Jesus Christ for what He
did for us, for what He went
623
00:32:42,200 –> 00:32:46,880
through for us, and certainly he
needed salvation himself, but
624
00:32:46,880 –> 00:32:50,160
his motive of going through it
all was for us.
625
00:32:50,520 –> 00:32:52,760
He loves his family, his brother
and sister.
626
00:32:52,760 –> 00:32:56,960
He can’t wait to have the family
born in a day when he returns.
627
00:32:57,280 –> 00:33:01,120
And May God grant us the mercy
this morning and the courage to
628
00:33:01,120 –> 00:33:06,960
continue our journey to life and
his family, not just now today,
629
00:33:07,120 –> 00:33:09,480
but life and his family forever.
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