Why did we need help?
In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. Life was great for them in the Garden of Eden. They had everything they needed, including daily fellowship with God.
Then, one day, they did the one thing that God told them not to do — they ate from the one tree that was forbidden. God had warned them that this would lead to their deaths, and it did. Physical death is when the soul and spirit are separated from the body. Spiritual death is when we are separated from God — spiritually.
By disobeying God, Adam and Eve caused a separation between themselves and God — a spiritual death. They also felt shame for the first time, because they were naked. They formed some coverings for themselves out of fig leaves, but that did not work very well. God provided for them, with the first recorded animal sacrifice. He made clothing for Adam and Eve out of animal skins.
Animal Sacrifices
God had told Adam and Eve that they would die because of their sin. In Old Testament times, God accepted animal sacrifices, covering over the penalty that people deserved. He gave the people detailed instructions for offering the sacrifices. Although the sacrifices were good, they were not enough.
Hebrews 9:9b-10 (NASB)
Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,
10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.
We needed a better sacrifice, one that would fully cleanse us from our sin.
Jesus’ Sacrifice
Hebrews 9:11-12 (NASB)
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Why did Jesus have to make this sacrifice? Because He was the only person to ever live Who never sinned, making Him the perfect, blameless sacrifice. He is the only person Who did not deserve to pay for His sins, because He didn’t have any. All the rest of us do.
Only a Woman
Let’s look at what God told the serpent (Satan) after Adam and Eve sinned.
Genesis 3:15 (NASB)
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
God said that the seed (child) of the woman would be an enemy with Satan. He would not be a seed of a man, though. Of course, this is impossible; it made no sense. How could this ever happen? Still, God prophesied it again many years later.
Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)
14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
The word, “Immanuel” means “God with us.” (Matt.1:23) How could this be possible?
A Virgin
Luke 1:30-33 (NASB)
30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Mary was a young Jewish woman who was engaged to a man named Joseph, but she had never had sex with anyone (Matt.1:18). Naturally, Mary was confused and asked the angel how this could be.
Luke 1:34-35 (NASB)
34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
There are many places in the Bible where God references the fact that He considers all godly people to be His bride, and He is the groom. Actually, we are all supposed to be His bride/church, but many choose not to be a part. With this, God was marrying Himself to all of humanity.
We were lost, but God had a plan. Why did He live as one of us, though?
One of Us
Referring to Jesus, scripture says this.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NASB)
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus showed us how to live. He also showed us that it was possible to live a sinless life, but only with God’s help. We were never intended to live this life on our own. God has always wanted to be there, helping us and walking with us every day.
Teaching
Mark 2:13 (NASB)
13 And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.
We see many scriptures telling us how Jesus would teach the people every day. He also chose 12 disciples who followed Him and lived with Him for over three years. They could see Him, His lifestyle, and His teaching up close. They knew exactly Who He was. In fact, they believed Jesus so much that they all gave up everything to follow Him.
After Jesus was crucified, rose from the dead, then ascended into heaven, they all knew they had to tell everyone they could about Him. They were all persecuted, and all of them except one was martyred (killed) because of their faith in Jesus. They knew Who He was, and that’s how they lived their lives.
Death
Hebrews 9:15 (NASB)
15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Jesus redeemed us (took our place) by dying on the cross. He took our sins on Himself, nailed them to the cross, and paid the penalty that we deserved. He didn’t stop there, though.
Resurrection
Romans 6:4, 10-11 (NASB)
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Jesus died, but then He rose from the dead. With this act, He destroyed the power of death, not just for Himself, but also for all of us. He made it possible for us to now consider ourselves “to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” By any human measure, all of this is impossible. With God, all things are possible (Matt.19:26).
Today
Today, Jesus is seated once again at the right hand of His Father in heaven. That doesn’t mean that He has left us, though.
Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB)
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Jesus, as a man, could not be with all of us all the time, so He sent His Holy Spirit.
John 14:16, 18-19 (NASB)
16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
New Birth
Just as we celebrate the birth of Jesus at this time of year, we can celebrate our own birth. Jesus gave us everything He had. It’s time for us to give Him everything we have and be born again ourselves.
John 3:16 (NASB)
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
More…
We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.
Leave a Reply