“For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This death penalty cannot be set aside. It must be paid, either by
the sinner or by a substitute. The foundations of the entire universe
would crumble to dust if GOD Almighty were to set aside the penalty
for transgression. It must be paid - by someone! I am delighted to
report this morning that the Most High has provided a substitute for
man. That substitute is His only begotten Son Yeshua the
Messiah - Jesus Christ. He is the divine substitute. He is the one
who paid the price for man's sin. The whole sacrificial system was
instituted to illustrate these two awesome facts:
a) that the wages
of sin is death; and
b) that if a repentant sinner wanted forgiveness
he/she was to bring a substitute to die in his/her place.
In ancient
Israel this process was carried out in the very presence of the
sinner. It was a bloody, brutal and expensive burden. It was meant to
be: because the two lessons the Almighty wanted to teach His people -
and through them all mankind - were, I repeat:
John 1: | 29: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” |
Hebrews 5: | 6: “As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”
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Hebrews 6: | 20: “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”
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Hebrews 7: | 24: “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26: For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” |
Hebrews 7: | 27: “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”
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Hebrews 9: | 12: “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” |
Hebrews 9: | 9: “Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;... 14: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” |
Hebrews 9: | 26: “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27: And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” |
Hebrews 10: | 14: “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” |
Hebrews 10: | 5: “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7: Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8: Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9: Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10: By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” |
Hebrews 13: | 15: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16: But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17: Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” |
1 Peter 2: | 9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” |
Romans 12: | 1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” |
My Answers Are:
Ezekiel 33: | 11: “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” |
My prayer is that all of us; and all who read or preach this Sermon Note - will accept the Almighty's offer and live!