Someone Is Coming! Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. Someone is coming: A Sacrifice

2. Someone has come: A Savior

3. Someone is returning: A Sentencer

Introductory Remarks.

1. In our lesson today, we are going to be discussing: “Someone is Coming! And His name is Jesus. He will come to be the sacrifice for all sins forever. He will come first to be the Savior for all humanity. The "propitiation for the sins of the world," 1 John 2:1-2. He will come again to be the Sentencer: The Just Judge to grant eternal life to those that obey Him. And to sentence those that disbelieve and have been disobedient to Him: eternal damnation. We sincerely pray that all will come: "And take of the water of life freely,” Revelation 22:17.

2. First, we will consider the prototype for all ages: “Someone is coming" to be a sacrifice for the sins of all generations. This lesson exposes the sin of Cain because his brother's sacrifice was acceptable, while he and his sacrifice were not acceptable to God. Jehovah told Cain that his sacrifice for his sins was not as He ordered; therefore, he and his sacrifice were not made in righteousness. Jehovah then admonished Cain by saying: “If you do well (righteousness), will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door,” Genesis 4:7. The offerings of both sons to the Lord were for their sins. Cain's lack of faith and disobedience made himself and his offering unacceptable to the Lord. This sacrifice of a "blood offering" for sin would be a perpetual commandment throughout all generations till the Lord would come: to offer Himself and become the final sacrifice for sin, forever. Fulfilling Abraham’s promise to Isaac: “God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering,” Genesis 22:8. That someone is coming.

3. Second, we will discuss the propitiation for all generations: “Someone has come.” Mathew gives us our first view into the Savior’s birth and insight into the prophet's message of the coming of Jesus. The angel’s visits to Joseph and Mary in Nazareth tell the whole story surrounding a Savior's coming. The angel said: “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto you Mary thy wife: for the child who is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins,” Matthew 1:18-21. It was John the Baptist's testimony at the river of Jordon that the sacrifice and propitiation for the sins of all generations had come. He said unto the people: “Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world,” John 1:29. That someone has come!

4. Lastly, we will investigate the promise of the Just Judge to fulfill His promise: "Someone is returning." Jesus will return not as a Savior but as the Sentencer to reward all people for their works, whether "good or bad." John, the Revelator, wrote of Him: "And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning, the end, the first and the last," Revelation 22:12-13. Here we have the Judge's words I come quickly: "To give every man according as his works shall be." The apostle Paul wrote of this return in this manner: "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven…in that day," 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10. [Text shortened for brevity]. Jesus is coming to us this Time not as a Savior but as a Judge to: “Render unto every man according to his works, whether good or evil." With this brief introduction, let us move right into the first point of the lesson.

BODY OF LESSON

I SOMEONE IS COMING: A SACRIFICE

A. Abel’s offering was a prototype for all ages: “Someone is coming.” The background is this: “Adam knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD. Then she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground,” Genesis 4:1-2. Both sons had an honorable profession. Fathers should encourage their sons and daughters to pursue professions that provide gainful employment. Idle hands and minds are "devil's workshop."

1. Adam had two sons. Both were instructed by the law of their father. At an appointed time, they would offer a sacrifice unto God, as they had been taught. Observe,

2. Cain’s offering: “And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD,” Genesis 4:3. Perhaps, at the "appointed time," Cain brought his offering to God. His offering was "of the fruit of the ground."