April 06, 2025

RESTORING EDEN: GOD’S PLAN TO BRING US HOME

April 06, 2025

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Today we begin three weeks of our Easter series, Restoring Eden, as we look at the miracle of the Cross, the Resurrection, and the plan of Redemption that Jesus Christ has in place for all those who accept Him as Savior. Mankind was forever marked with a sinful nature after Adam and Eve chose to disobey God in the garden of Eden, causing God to offer salvation to the whole world by paying the price Himself, through His only Son, Jesus Christ, who was a perfect sacrifice. The writer to the Hebrews says in Heb. 9:22, “… without the shedding of blood there is no remission [of sins].” Join us as we begin this journey toward the Crucifixion of Jesus, where He was sacrificed to pay for our sins on that ‘old rugged cross.’

Focal Passages: Genesis 1:31, 3:21, 4:3-4; Leviticus 1:1-5, 22:20; Hebrews 9:22, 10:1-4, 8-10; John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Ephesians 1:3-14.

The purpose of the sacrifice:

  • Read Lev. 1:2-3. What was the original purpose of the sacrifices? In verse 3, what was the sacrifice to be? Why was the Israelite accepted by the Lord?
  • When did God first offer a sacrifice? What was the occasion? What was His purpose in offering that particular sacrifice?
  • Can God tolerate sin? Would we have had a hope of eternity without Him initiating a plan? Did the animal sacrifices satisfy the law? How long did they last?
  • What does Heb. 9:14 mean?
  • Would any of us be able to come to God on our own merit? What scripture can you think of to back up your answer? Why is it necessary that we know we could never be in God’s presence without the Lamb of God redeeming us? Do we really understand that our sins we think He doesn’t notice or care about may be a sign we are not saved?

The perfection of the sacrifice:

  • Read Lev. 22:20. What was the primary requirement for an animal? Why would one with a defect not be accepted? Don’t we all have defects?
  • Read John 1:29. How did John know this?
  • Read Heb. 10:8-10 and 9:26. Has anyone except Jesus Christ ever lived a sinless life? Do you understand He did not pull on His God-nature to keep from sinning?

The work of the sacrifice:

  • Read 1 Peter 1:18-19. Who did we receive our sinful nature from? Is this what is meant by ‘ancestors? Why is it so necessary that we realize—and admit—that our life is empty, in order to search for Jesus? Some religions think we can buy a person out of hell; how does verse 18 negate this?
  • Why was Christ’s sacrifice made ‘once for all’? How can we know if we (or anyone) is truly saved? Will God ever go back to the sacrificial way of killing animals again?
  • What does the work of the sacrifice do for us? Do you ever get disgusted by Adam’s sin? Does it ever occur to you how many times you intentionally sin—even if it’s a very ‘minor’ transgression? Is there a difference in God’s sight for any sin?
  • Have you tried to place roadblocks in your life to avoid those triggers that send your thoughts down a dead-end road? Are you making progress taking ‘every thought captive’?

The result of the sacrifice:

  • Read Eph. 1:3-14. How can we be experiencing ‘every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies’? What kind of nature will we have when we stand before Him?
  • Why are people so afraid, rather than comforted, that God ‘predestined’ (or chose) them? Read Acts 4:12. How does it fulfill verse 5? Why did He do it?
  • In verse 7, what do we have? How much grace does He have? Is it enough to cover our sins, and those of everyone we love? Why did He pour on us wisdom and understanding?
  • What did God make known to us? What is our inheritance? What seals our salvation? When did it happen? Why is He called the ‘down payment’ of our inheritance?

CLOSE:

We will probably never—this side of heaven—fully appreciate what Jesus went through to ‘bring us to glory.’ Most of us cannot think of being nailed to a cross, then be left hanging until we die. But Jesus has such great love for us that He willingly laid down His life, being the sacrifice—the perfect Lamb of God—as He willingly paid the debt we owe for our sinful hearts.

Because of His sacrifice, we, too, are called upon to offer ourselves up to ‘bear our cross’ (Luke 14:27) as we seek to do His will after we accept His free gift of salvation.  Do you wonder how we are to do that? We put God and His will first in our lives. It means we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, which means we desire to obey Him in everything we do. It means we forgive other people for hurting us, especially so as we understand they may be giving in to an attack or ‘suggestion’ from Satan to cause us pain. It means we love other people even when we may not ‘like’ them very much—but we still put their true needs in front of our own if an opportunity comes to do something kind over ignoring them. If we would do something for ourselves, and enjoy it, or it would grow us in His grace, or it would bring us pleasure, and we get the chance to do it for a ‘neighbor,’ then we try to do it. Love God, love people. Those are the two ways to carry our cross daily as we follow Him.

By Sandy Day

April 06, 2025

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