THEME: "PERFECT GIFT” – The Precious Blood Of The Lamb. James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variable- ness, neither shadow of turning." Christ's blood is heaven's key. This is the gift of God: It is a preserva- tive against the greatest evils. Life and Immortality through His blood.
KEY VERSES: Gen 3:21, "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Gen 4:4, "And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:"
SUPPORTING VERSE: Heb 11:4, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Ca- in, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."
LESSON-2: "BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD"-The Sacrificial Gift (Christ in the OT). God's perfect gift, the garment of Salvation for the precious souls that was covered with the robe of righteousness. QUESTION: What will you do with the Lamb of God? Brethren, I suggest you better treasured these les- son, as it will ignite your faith & the glory of God will illuminate His word inside your heart. What begins as a small ray of light in Genesis, shines forth in full noonday sun in the Gospels.
I. INTRODUCTION:
The tragic story of man's disobedience is told in Genesis chapter three. Adam and Eve were warned out of the loving heart of the LORD God. Immediately after they disobeyed God's command they both realized they were guilty. Adam and Eve tried to cover their guilt and shame from God, but they chose a poor cover up. Manmade solutions for sin and guilt never work. Fig leaves of religious works will ne- ver cover the guilty sinner and make him right with God.
II. TOPICS TO BE DISCUSS:
A. THE FIRST SACRIFICED. Our text, God, however, chose skins to cover Adam & Eve. The Lord God made garments of animal skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
1. Garments of salvation. Throughout the Scriptures, garments are symbols of righteousness; either God's all sufficient righteousness or man's self-made righteousness.
a) Garment of righteousness. Isaiah wrote in, Isa 61:10, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with orna- ments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
b) Garment of self-righteousness. Isaiah wrote in Isa 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; & we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
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2. Sacrifice and death. The coat of skin with which the Lord clothed Adam & Eve represents right- eousness provided by Him in which they could stand in His holy presence.
a) Covered sinners. Behind those garments, that God made for Adam and Eve has been sacrifice and death. No doubt, God had given instructions of some kind about sacrifice.
b) God's provision. These coats of skin are a type of what God provided for us in the imputation of His righteousness through Jesus Christ.
c) Substitutionary death. Since a life had to be sacrificed before Adam and Eve could have been clothed with "coats of sins", there was a substitutionary death.
d) The Perfect Lamb. God must always provide adequate covering for man to stand before Him clothed in righteousness. Only in Christ is man ever properly clothed.
3. The Pattern. God laid the foundation for animal sacrifices by providing the garments of skin. In this passage we see the pattern for all salvation history.
a) God took sacrificial animal. Slew it before the eyes of Adam & Eve, wrapped the skins about their naked bodies. No doubt, God gave them instructions about sacrifice & covering of sins. b) Salvation is of grace. God laid down an eternal, divine principle, which there is no deviation.
1. The Lamb of God. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to make atonement for sin once for all. What begins as a small ray of light in Genesis shines forth in full noonday sun in the Gospels.
a) Jesus was made sin for all of us. He died for our sins. God made Him sin for us in order that we might become the righteous in God's sight (1Cor 5:21 & 1Pet 1:18-21).
b) Faith in Jesus. Rom 3:25-26, "Whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righ- teousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.'
b-1) Propitiation is a big word that means satisfaction. Because God is a holy God, His anger and justice burns against sin. And He has sworn that sin will be punished.
b-2) There must be satisfactory payment for sin. But God said, "If I punish man for his sin, man will die & go to hell. On the other hand, if I don't punish man for his sin, My jus- tice will never be satisfied."
b-3) The solution. God said that He would become our substitute. He will take the sin of man- kind upon Himself in agony and blood a righteous judgment and substitute for sin. b-4) The cross. His wrath burned out on the cross when His only Son died as man's propitiat- ion for sin. And this is love (1Jhn 4:10). "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
2. How did Abel know about animal sacrifices? God made Adam & Eve coats of skin (Gen 3:21). a) Behind those coat. We cannot read that without seeing behind those coats there had been sacrifice and death.
b) Instruction or method. In addition, behind that fact, some instruction had been given, or some method declared some way indicated by which they were told to worship Him.
c) Worship demands the approach based upon sacrifice. We can never come to God to worship without sacrifice. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasona- ble service" (Rom 12:1).
d) God accepted Christ's offering of Himself for our sins. There is no other way for us to come to God. Are you clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ?
III. CONCLUSION:
The only offering God will accept is that which He provides by the offering of His own Son. God provided the perfect sacrifice in His Lamb, but man must appropriate it by faith. "By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, & through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks" (Heb 11:4). What will you do with the Lamb of God? By faith Abel presented (presence or a gift) His (Lamb) sacrifice. Saving faith is believing God's Word and acted upon it. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." HOW ABOUT YOU MY JCRI & JCRC BRETHREN?
ALLELUIAH! PTLGA & TGBATG