Introduction:
The best introduction to any book of all the books ever written in the world are found in the simple words “In the beginning God”. Everything begins with God. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. God created everything that man would ever need before He created man. He crowned him with honour and glory and gave him authority and dominion over the earth. When man rebelled against God he lost his glory and his authority and Satan became the ruler of this world. The only way for man to regain his authority was for someone to die as payment for sin “for the wages of sin is death”. Since God had given authority to man on earth only a man could pay the penalty for sin but in their sinful state no man qualified to pay the price. God therefore had to become a man to pay the penalty for sin and His sacrifice restored our authority and dominion and showed us the immense blessings of a sacrificial life.
Step One: The Old Covenant
a) The Law
The sacrificial life is only possible because of the grace of God that is made available to us under the New covenant. Under the Old Covenant, God’s people were given the Law on Mount Sinai. The Law was holy and perfect but it required that should keep it. This was impossible for sinful man. The purpose of the Law was to reveal sin and man’s need for a Saviour.
b) The sacrifice of animals
All of us have inherited Adams sinful nature for in Adam “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Rom 3:23) “The Law is the ministry of death carved in letters on stone” (2 Cor. 3:7) confirming that we all deserve to die “For the wages of sin is death”. (Rom 6:23) God instituted the sacrifice of animals, the shedding of innocent blood, to deal with sin.
c) The covering of sin
The animal to be sacrificed was without blemish and the person who had sinned would lay his hands on the animal and the priest would pray and the sin of the person would supernaturally be transferred to the animal that would then be offered as a sacrifice.
Illustration:
The animal sacrifice was completely burnt to signify the fire of God’s judgement on sin. It was also an indication that the judgement of God was far greater than the sacrifice. This is the reason why the sacrifice had to be offered over and over again. In the case of the sacrifice of Christ He endured the full judgement of God and was not consumed till He cried out “it is finished”. This is an indication that the sacrifice of Christ was far greater than the judgement of God and therefore did not need to be ever repeated again.
Application:
Christ has paid the full price for the forgiveness of sin. It is a price we could never pay but is made available to us by grace. Our part is to accept what God has made available by faith when we put our trust in Christ.
Step Two: The New Covenant
a) A new nature
The New Covenant succeeded where the Old Covenant failed because the new relied on Christ whereas the old relied on man. Christ fulfilled the Law. He was tempted in all ways as we are yet did not sin. Under the New Covenant, Christ is our sacrifice. He took our sin and became sin to pay the penalty for sin. When we identify with Christ we share in His sacrifice and receive a new nature.
b) A new identity
Our new nature gives us a new identity as God’s children. Jesus Christ became the Son of man that we might become sons of God. When Christ on the cross was separated from His Father because He was made sin He cried out saying “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”. (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34) For the first time He referred to His Father as God so that we might call Him Father. As our Father, we can depend on Him and trust Him to fulfil His promises.
c) A new direction in life
Christ does not only give us a new nature and a new identity, He also gives us a new direction to follow. As the righteousness of God in Christ our lives should conform to the Word of God.
Illustration:
Abraham, the father of all who believe, believed and trusted God. He obeyed when told to offer up his son as a burnt offering because he believed the promise of God to “bless him and multiply his offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore”. Abraham saw the sacrifice of Isaac as worship and was convinced that the two of them would return. (Gen 22:5) When Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the burnt offering was his reply was, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering”. (Gen 22:8) God provided a substitute for Isaac, a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. But in the case of His Son Jesus Christ there was no possibility of a substitute. He was the Lamb of God with a crown of thorns on His head who was crucified to pay the penalty for sin.
Application:
Jesus Christ is our perfect sacrifice. He died to pay the penalty for sin to redeem us from slavery to sin and the devil and make us joint heirs with Christ.
Step Three: The sacrificial life
a) A life of righteousness
The sacrifice of Christ has imputed to us the righteousness of God and made God’s grace available to us. It is God’s undeserved favour as we did not do anything to deserve it. As believers, we will still sin but our sin does not affect our righteous standing before God. Our new nature makes us feel uncomfortable when we sin and leads us to turn from it. The believer is aware of the cost of sin and does not allow sin to have any dominion over him.
b) A life thanksgiving, praise and worship
The believer who understands the provisions of God’s grace will constantly be offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving, praise and worship. God’s grace has made everything we would ever need available to us but we need to take it by faith.
c) A life of service
We cannot have access to God’s abundant provisions and not live a life of service and blessing others. God blesses us to be a blessing as we feed the hungry and give water to the thirsty. We are a blessing when we welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and visit the sick and the prisoner. We are a blessing when we comfort the grieving, the lonely, and the hurting.
Illustration:
The unbeliever feels comfortable when he sins and desires to continue in sin and this is the reason why there is so much evil in the world today. The terrorists and drug dealers feel comfortable when they kill and destroy lives and continue to kill and destroy lives. The unbeliever feels comfortable with sexual sins and same sex marriages and sees nothing wrong with it. The unbeliever feels comfortable even when his greed and love for money result in suffering and the loss of life. The believer feels uncomfortable in all these situations because he has a new nature. The grace of God makes available to us all that we need. We love because we are the beloved of God. We forgive because God has forgiven us. We give because God has supplied all our need according to the riches of His glory in Christ. As God’s children, our love and compassion should be visible even in simple acts like giving a glass of cold water to thirsty person. It should be seen as we share the gospel, the good news of the grace of Christ. It is this love and compassion that gives meaning to the good news.
Application:
God notices every act of kindness because it reflects His nature, His behaviour and His character.
Conclusion:
“The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”. (Eph. 2:8) To reject the grace of Christ is to make the sacrifice of Christ of no effect. How can we accept what came through God’s servant Moses and reject what came through God Himself? The Law condemns while grace gives life.
Personal Response:
God has made His grace available to us. Let us take what God has given by faith and walk in the newness of life with God’s abundant provisions and be a blessing to the praise and glory of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
