The High Cost of Freedom

Freedom Through the Blood

Book of Exodus Chapter 12

Those ten plagues had crippled the economy of Egypt and had God stopped at this point those children of Israel would have remained as slaves of Egypt.

All those ten plagues had affected the Egyptian people much more than this rich king who was full of pride and arrogance.

There would be one more plague, but this one would be vastly different from the others.

The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God, but also the Deliverance of God!

God began a principle in the Book of Genesis that will be followed throughout all the Bible.

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 

In the Book of Genesis we know that the sin of Adam and Eve brought the curse of destruction to this world we live in.

We are seeing the results of this curse increasingly today, in what many call climate change which is the reality of that curse upon this world.

Before Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, God made clothes for them from the skins of animals.

This demonstrated the principle of forgiveness through the shedding of blood.

Later we saw that it was Abel's sacrifice that was accepted by the Almighty God.

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: 

This principle of "Freedom" through sacrifice is repeated throughout the Bible. 

We see it here in the Book of Exodus as the "freedom" of the children of Israel would require a Blood Sacrifice.

Before these children of Israel could be set free, they had to pave the way for a new beginning.

This thing of escape from the tyranny of the world would be documented on a new calendar which the Jews still use today.

What do we know now that we have accepted the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation? Sin has an extremely high cost!

*****Exo 12:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 

Exo 12:2  This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 

The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God but also the "Deliverance" of God.

This "Judgment" will be upon all those who cannot accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This "Judgment" will be upon all those who are evil oppressors, those who are ungodly, and those who are unrighteous in this world.

The "Deliverance" will take place to all who believe in and diligently follow the Word of God and the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We should notice that the beginning of this new calendar for the children of Israel did not begin on the day of the Passover but fourteen days before the Passover.

We should understand this gap as a type of "grace".

My new calendar began when the day I was "Born Again" to a "New Life", and regenerated by the Holy Spirit coming to live within me.

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Notice I have no righteousness of myself, but now because the Holy Spirit lives within me I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

All the sins of my past are forgiven! My new life had its beginning when I realized I was a sinner and in need of a Savior.

For the children of Israel, their new life would begin from the month in which the Passover occurred not the day of the Passover.

The Passover was the most significant event in the history of Israel and is still celebrated today.

Those who practice true Judaism still observe the Passover today, but they have no place to offer their sacrifice.

The Passover marked the very night that God "delivered" the children of Israel from the tyranny of Egypt, which is a type of the world we live in today, where we see persecution increasing and the taskmasters still delivering their slave tactics.

This first new month was called Abib which corresponds to March and April on the Roman Calendar.

The word "Abib" means "a young head of grain", "an ear of corn".

The beginning of a new life for the nation of Israel was marked by a new calendar.

The life of Jesus Christ was also marked by a new calendar.

When the Lord Jesus arose to New Life and left that borrowed tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, to a life to live eternally in a New Heaven it astounded the world so much that the world measures its seasons and its history from the date of the Birth of Jesus Christ.

This should be enough proof for all the world that the Lord Jesus Christ is a real Savior, a real "Deliverer"!

****Exo 12:3  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 

Exo 12:4  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 

We next see that Israel is now called a congregation, a Holy Community by the Lord God Himself.

A congregation is the people of God who gather to worship Him or to hear the Word of God!

We also see that each household, each family, was to celebrate the feast of the Passover. 

Each family or group of people were to secure one lamb on the tenth day of the month of Abib.

This lamb was to be singled out from the flock and appointed to death four days before it was to be sacrificed.

For four days they were to keep this Lamb separate and feed and care for this lamb.

When the Lord Jesus was beginning His ministry John the Baptist said:

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Joh 1:36  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Notice also each person was to eat the Passover meal for them self.

This is the same way we take Jesus today, individually, then the family, and then all the congregation.

This describes the worship of the Church, the Body of Christ. 

We then share what we learned in the Congregation, take it home to our families and then as individuals we become Ambassadors for Christ.

This lamb was to be without blemish, or we would say perfect.

*****Exo 12:5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 

Any animal less than perfect offered for sin would be an abomination to the Lord.

An animal that had no reason for their life to end so abruptly, which represents pure innocence.

Each sinner represents one who is guilty of breaking all the laws of God.

Jas 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

The acceptance of the yearling goat was allowed for those who were poor, who might have an animal more for its milk rather than its market value of wool for clothing.

A male animal would be considered superior to the female animal in this sacrifice for sin and therefore more appropriate for a sin offering!

Lev 1:10  And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 

This Lamb was to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Lev 21:21  No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ would be both High Priest and King of Kings.

This lamb was to die in the fulness of its strength!

Before we move on let us see another important thing.

Verse three said "a lamb".

Verse four said "the lamb".

Verse five says "your lamb"

If you do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then He is not your lamb!

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

*****Exo 12:6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 

A few things we should note here is the things of this fourteenth day.

1) When we read the whole congregation, we should think there was some great gathering of the people.

We should understand this as the head of each household. 

In type we know the whole nation is seen as a nation of priests, just as each Christian is to be a priest to his own family.

Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

It is the family that was begun first in the Book of Genesis with Adam and Eve being the first family and Adam being the first head of that family and the priest to his own family.

2) We should also understand that it was not just the chief priest and the elders and not just the scribes and the Pharisees who put Jesus to death, but also by the vote of the people.

Mar 15:9  But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 

Mar 15:10  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 

Mar 15:11  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 

Mar 15:12  And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 

Mar 15:13  And they cried out again, Crucify him. 

Mar 15:14  Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 

Mar 15:15  And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 

In fact, I also have to take my own responsibility for the death of Christ Jesus, because it was because of my sin and the sin of everyone that caused our Savior to be put to death.

3) On this fourteenth day the Lord Jesus died between the evenings.

Between the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month of Abib (Nisan)

If we study the Scriptures, we will see that the Lord Jesus died at the exact time that the lambs at the Temple were being slain which would be at our three o'clock, or the nineth hour.

This would have been just before that soldier pierced the Lord with his spear because the Lord Jesus gave His life, no one took it from Him.

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 

Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When we consider this and then add to it all the things that happened.

It was finished: No more would lambs need to be destroyed for the forgiveness of sin.

It was finished: The veil was rent we can go before the Lord at any time without the assistance of some priest.

It was finished: The earthquake declared the power of God.

It was finished: It was the end of His suffering for our sin.

It was finished: The Lord Jesus was forsaken by His Father and that was now over, and His fellowship was restored.

It was finished: Satan was forever defeated.

It was finished: It was finished, Jesus had made "atonement" for all our sins.

One man wrote: Though millions of sacrifices had been offered; yet nothing was done to purchase redemption before Christ’s incarnation… so nothing was done after His resurrection, to purchase redemption for men. Nor will there be anything more done to all eternity.

Like our lesson states "Freedom Through the Blood".

It is all about the blood of the Lamb!

*****Exo 12:7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 

In the twelfth chapter of Exodus we never see lamb in the plural because there was only one Lamb that could accomplish what God required!

As the blood is to life, it is also the essence of sacrifice! Essence meaning the nature of our being that distinguishes it from all others.

God did not make any of us alike! Until the sin of Adam and Eve, we all became sinners.

It was the blood applied on the outside of the house that kept those saved on the inside of the house!

Notice the blood was applied in the shape of the bloody cross of our Savior.

It was an act of "faith". If you believed God would save you behind the blood applied to your house, then you would be saved.

If you did not have this "faith" and did not apply the blood, then you would see the death of your first-born child and the first born of your animals.

Heb 11:28  Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 

The Lord Jesus Christ was our substitute:

Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

So many things we see in this passage from the Book of Exodus.

Once the blood was applied it was safe to eat the Passover meal!

We must make sure that we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure our families are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure our homes are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure the place we gather to worship is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

When the Blood of Jesus is applied to our homes it becomes a public profession of faith!

Our "faith" is to be in the promises of God just as He promised the Children of Israel at this first Passover.

*****Exo 12:8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 

Exo 12:9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 

This lamb sacrificed for freedom was to be eaten.

It was to be roasted and not boiled and eaten by those inside the house.

A journey lay before these of God's people and this food would give them strength.

Jesus said:

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 

It was to be eaten with unleavened bread.

The Leven represented sin and there was no sin in the house that is washed in the Blood of Jesus.

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life. 

Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 

Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The "bitter herbs" would forever remind them of the bitter days of their slavery in Egypt,

This is a picture of our own slavery to sin.

Our hearts are always to be broken over sin.

Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 

For the children of Israel this lamb was to be prepared in a peculiar way and this way was never to be deviated. These are God-given instructions!

God given instructions are never to be changed!

One of the many things we see in these things is that the Church is to be family-centered!

Few are today.

Most of the Churches of today try to please those sitting in the pews when God instructs them to preach the entire Word of God.

We must accept the Lord Jesus Christ exactly as He was prepared and offered by Jehovah God!

There is no other way to be saved, Jesus said so Himself!

Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

None of this food was to remain in the morning.

*****Exo 12:10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 

What we see is that the "death" of this sacrificial lamb has become the food for life!

That lamb was to be eaten the same night it was slain.

The rising sun was to see no part of the slain lamb.

No part of Christ is to be left out! We accept Him as He is, the truth of eternal salvation!

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

In like manner the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ is complete, it is not a progressive thing over the period of our lives!

Our salvation is not in the process of being accomplished, it has been accomplished.

It is accomplished immediately upon accepting the work of Christ for our salvation!

One man wrote, "For God's suffering Lamb the dark night of "Judgment" is no more, and He lives on High eternal sunshine of Divine favor and love".

And how shall we eat the Lamb of God?

*****Exo 12:11  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. 

We must clearly understand that today, not tomorrow, but today is the day of salvation!

2Co 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 

Upon hearing the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ we are to immediately accept Him, repent and rush away from this world and begin our New "Born Again" life.

Our new life marching toward the Promised Land of the New Heaven!

We must wear the right clothes and not get entangled in this world again, this world has no benefits!

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We must wear the right shoes.

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

We must lean on our Savior for we cannot travel alone. Just as Moses had the staff of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is our staff.

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

We are only pilgrims passing through this wicked land.

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

We are always to know that the Lord Jesus could return at any moment, and we must expect it!

We must understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the substitute for our own  "Judgment"

*****Exo 12:12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 

Exo 12:13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

As we have studied this Pharaoh understood when Moses laid down the staff, he carried it was in defiance of the false gods of Egypt and Pharaoh accepted that challenge and Pharaoh chose the wrong side.

Pharaoh finally accepts the defeat of his gods when he said, "Go then, serve Jehovah; and bless me also".

The children of Israel gave the glory to Jehovah at this time, but they were a rebellious bunch. 

They did not behave as if they owed any gratitude to Moses or Aaron.

Deu 32:16  They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. 

Deu 32:17  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. 

Deu 32:18  Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

The "Judgment" of God is harsh on those who reject Him!

God was speaking to the children of Israel through Moses and God said:

1) I will pass through the land of Egypt as a destroyer in "Judgment".

I will enter every house of the Egyptians and kill the first-born child of both man and beast.

2) God said: "I will do the same to your houses and if I do not see the blood on the door posts of your houses, I will do the same to you.

You will escape this plague if I see the blood.

3) God said again: Against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute "Judgment".

Animal worship was an important part of the religion of the Egyptians and some of these Jews never forgot this and it caused problems all the days of Israel till God dispersed them through all the nations of the earth.

The blood that was placed on the door post and over the door should remind us of a bloody cross.

This blood was not a token to the Children of Israel, but to God for them!

The Destroyer would Passover each home where the blood could be seen!

This method of deliverance involved the sacrifice of innocent life.

This is the only method for complete deliverance!

This method requires faith in the Almighty Covenant Keeping God!

Mar 14:22  And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 

Mar 14:23  And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 

Mar 14:24  And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 

Mar 14:25  Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is that Lamb of God who was sacrificed for each and every sinner and will save each and every believer!

Amen. 

King of the Jews

The King of the Jews

Book of John Chapter 12

How do we know Christ will be King of the Jews and King of this world?

Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Because God said so!

Psa 24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Psa 24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

Psa 24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Psa 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Over and over again the Bible says so.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

This day comes after the Rapture and the Rapture of the Church is the next thing on God's agenda!

Zec 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Let's begin:

*****Joh 12:12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

Our story begins with Jesus returning to Jerusalem for the last time.

He had fellowship with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus who the Lord had raised from the dead.

Mary had anointed the head of Jesus as preparing Him for His death.

Judas had shown his true colors over the money.

And we know the poor will always be with us, so we will always have someone to help.

The Chief Priest had decided that not only would they kill Jesus, but they would also kill Lazarus because he drew a large crowd of onlookers.

Many of those that had been at Mary's and Martha's house decided to go to Jerusalem with the Lord.

Of course this would be the last Feast of the Passover that Jesus would observe, and the Lord began this trip on Sunday.

Many had come to Jerusalem for this feast and many more had come because they had heard Jesus would be there.

The Jewish historian Josephus estimated that over 2 million people came to this Passover. it is known that at least 256,000 lambs were sacrificed at this Passover and each lamb represented at least 10 people who were cleansed of their sin for one more year.

Many Gentiles were there also.

We should understand that all these things were known of the prophets and were told to the Jews throughout their many generations.

Mat 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Mat 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

*****Joh 12:13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

These palm branches were a symbol of victory and we certainly have victory in Jesus but for the Jews it was not time. We should also understand that this was a command of the Lord for this particular feast.

Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

That word Hosanna means "save now Lord, save me now".

Even through all these things, Jesus was not considered to be the Messiah, but it was OK if Jesus would come as the King if He could take away the tyranny of Rome.

We must understand that Jesus would never come to be the Conqueror nor to straighten out the problems on this earth!

Jesus did not come to be the Provider, to feed, to house, and to give good health!

Jesus did not come to accept all mankind, no matter what each man does!

Jesus did not come so men could continue to do as they please!

Jesus came to save a world that was lost in its own sin!

Jesus came to reconcile all sinners back to God!

Jesus came to teach us that God is Holy, God is righteous, and God is pure, and this is the only way God will accept us into His household. Only by Jesus the Christ!

The truth is most of mankind are not interested in being set free from their sin.

We all hold on to our sin like it is the most important thing we can do even when it is destroying us and our families!

*****Joh 12:14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

Joh 12:15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

There is a great story about this young colt:

Luk 19:29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

Luk 19:30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

Luk 19:31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

Luk 19:32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

Luk 19:33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

Luk 19:34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

Luk 19:35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

Luk 19:36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

Riding this young colt that had never been ridden tells us a lot about Jesus.

1) He surely had control of all animals.

2) The colt is a noble animal and it was used by Kings and their emissaries, to symbolize that they came not to conquer but they came in peace.

They were showing that they had peaceful intentions.

Jesus is certainly the promised King but first He as the Messiah was coming as the Savior and truly peaceful intentions.

We see that God is a God of love and reconciliation.

These people should have seen this also, but they were too blind to see!

Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

3) Just as a colt is used to serve and carry the burdens of mankind, Jesus came to serve His Father and carry the burdens of all who will believe upon Him.

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

4) This colt, that had never been ridden, was also a symbol of sacredness.

Animals and other things that were used in the Jewish system of worship, had to be animals that had never been used in any sort of labor before.

Num 19:2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:

Jesus Christ is that Sacred Hope for all people, the Messiah promised of God!

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Even the chosen 12 could not grasp the meaning of these things at this time.

*****Joh 12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

Not until the Lord had resurrected from that grave did the chosen 12, well maybe just the 11, because Judas had taken his own life, begin to understand these things that Jesus had taught them.

It is a wonderful thing to wake up to the fact that God has used you to help someone else to realize the truth of God!

This is what the Holy Spirit will do once He enters into the "Born Again" believer!

As we read and study the Scriptures the Holy Spirit will show us the meaning of those Scriptures and bring them to our attention in that hour of need.

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

In fact since the recorded death of Christ Jesus and the known resurrection of Christ Jesus, no one can have an excuse for not understanding the mission of Jesus Christ and yes, He will return to this earth to complete His mission!

If the Holy Spirit abides in you, you will understand these things!

If we remember these same disciples who became the Apostles were of no use to the Church until they became filled with the Holy Spirit at that Pentecost that followed the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So what is the truth of the death of our Lord?

*****Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

One seed properly planted will yield a great quantity of that same seed. That seed had to die in order to do this thing.

It is the same with the death of our Savior. Christ Jesus had to die before He could produce the many followers who are called Christ or like Christ Jesus.

It’s important that we understand that Jesus had to die but He also had to resurrect!

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

There are some things we must overcome before we can know the Lord and the main one being, we must die to ourselves.

This flesh that houses our soul will certainly die but while we are living, we must die to our flesh. This is the purpose of being "born again"!

The Bible even says to mortify our flesh, be done with it!

It is the cross that Jesus bore that leads us to take up our own cross and follow Him!

Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

*****Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

If you love your life more than you love obeying the will of God, you will certainly lose that life that you cherish so much for an eternity.

Most people do not understand that our life is in our "soul" and not in the flesh!

Our flesh is no more than jacket covering our true self!

Our soul was given to us by our Father in Heaven and our soul is hungry to return to Heaven caring not for this place we call earth.

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

God will soon call all His Sons and daughters back home!

*****Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

The Lord gave His life for all those who live in this world. It has been more than 2000 years since this took place because our Father in Heaven has prepared for a crowd.

The sad fact is that the death of Jesus Christ will not give new live to everyone because in the salvation plan of the Lord, He chose to add "Faith". and many will not believe.

The Lord has more than enough "Grace" to save all those in entire world but only those who believe will know God's "Mercy" and God's "Grace"!

We must accept the Lord for "Who He Is"!

We must accept the Lord for "What He Says"!

We must accept the Lord for "What He Has Done"!

When we do these things, our Glorious Father in Heaven will honor us, and we will be allowed to join Him in Heaven!

Then the Lord Jesus knew His time had come!

*****Joh 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Jesus had already said "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit".

The one thing we know for sure is that Jesus was not having second thoughts on what He had come to do!

Jesus had never known sin and the hour had come that He was to take on to Himself, all the sin of this world, past, present, and future.

This thing was staring Him in the face, the time had come to do this thing.

Jesus had come to die, and it was now time to do this thing.

There will never come a time that the Trinity of God will show any disagreement because these three are One.

God is absolutely perfect, so there is no room for change.

The Lion had to become the sacrificial Lamb in order for the truth of the Gospel to be real.

Our God has the absolute power to make us all believers but in order for "faith" to emerge then His death must be real, and it would then be our own choice to believe or not believe, which are the two groups of people that will remain.

Right now there is a third group and that group has not yet heard the "Gospel" this the job of the Church to tell the world that there is a Savior and His name is Christ Jesus!

Jesus willfully obeyed His Father to show the world that we to are to be obedient to our Heavenly Father!

Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Jesus knew that only in complete obedience could He be glorified because this would glorify His Father and He would then also be glorified because they are One God!

Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Heb 10:8 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;

Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

God came to this world and took on a body of flesh that He might establish a New Covenant with every believer, a Covenant of Peace and then Life, not a life like we have now that is fading away, but eternal life that will last forever!

*****Joh 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

Joh 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

God will answer every prayer that is in His will! Notice God answered in an audible voice but only those who believe can understand what God says.

Jesus prayed according to God's will and this is another example that God will do as He says!

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

God accepted the prayer of Jesus on behalf of all mankind but not all would believe.

You see when the Lord prayed out loud then our Heavenly Father had to obey His Son or the Scriptures would not be true!

You know there is coming a day where all believers will hear that sound of a trumpet and leave this world behind. I do not know what the unbeliever will hear, all I know is they will have missed a great opportunity for being so stubborn, clinging to their sin!

*****Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Why is this world so confused about the Lord Jesus Christ when everything He did, He did for us all!

These people heard a response from Heaven when Jesus ask for a response. These people were confused about the Lord, so they were confused about the Father in Heaven and nothing Jesus would do would change this but one thing we know is that Jesus put every effort into reaching these Jewish people, but they would not listen.

One thing we must consider is that the Our Father speaks from Heaven then something changed. God does not use empty words!

God accepted that Jesus would die for all our sins and all our sins would be blotted out in the books He keeps on each one of us but only if we believe in the things that Jesus did for our salvation.

We already know that these same people had recognized Jesus as the King of the Jews that the Prophets had written about, but they were not sure that Jesus was the Messiah that was also told of by these same prophets.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Verse 31 says Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

We must understand this world we live in is not what it should be because it is under the influence of that old serpent who is Satan!

This world we live in will be destroyed and the Lord will make a new world and we need to understand this truth.

It is true because God says so and God cannot lie!

We must understand that when Jesus was lifted up upon that cross, it set all these things in motion.

The beginning of the ending of this world that will lead to the beginning of eternity in a brand-new world!

Jesus Christ has judged this world to be imperfect.

Jesus Christ has judged that this world is short of God's glory and God's will.

In other words, because of God's holiness we could never live in this world with Him for eternity.

God will create a perfect world.

Because Satan rebelled in Heaven then Heaven would also have to made new, a perfect Heaven!

Because Satan spent time in the heavenly bodies then they too would be made new and perfect.

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

It was the cross that set all these things in motion!

*****Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Joh 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

If we follow Jesus with our own cross, then Satan has been defeated in our lives as well!

It was on the cross where Jesus destroyed the power of Satan.

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

It was at the cross where we can claim victory because Jesus Christ is our victory!

*****Joh 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Joh 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

The people misunderstood the coming of the Messiah.

It is certain that God cannot die because He is self-existing.

God had to take on the form of man in order to defeat Satan because Satan had defeated mankind by deception.

The man that had been blind since His birth was the example Jesus chose for us to understand.

Just like that blind man we are all spiritually blind from our birth.

This man would only live a short time before his death.

It is the same for each of us. Once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior our flesh can still only live a few years before our death.

Without the everlasting Light of the Lord, we would again walk in darkness.

When we are children of the Light, no darkness can come upon us and if we burn brightly our light may shine so some others can also become children of the Light!

Only truth can defeat a lie!

Even though Jesus had done so many miracles and had spoken all these words of truth, He could not be accepted as the Messiah.

The truth is if you can be satisfied with the things of this life then nothing the Lord says will change your mind.

It takes faith in something much better, and hope in the promises of God that sets the Christian apart from this world.

*****Joh 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

Joh 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Jesus could have been accepted as King, but it was not time for that to happen.

In reality, to be an unbeliever makes no sense at all.

God has done everything He can do to cause us to believe!

His miracles were not enough for these people.

His compassion was not enough for these people.

His help was not enough for these people.

His signs were not enough for these people.

His healings were not enough for these people.

His truth was not enough for these people.

These are the same things that we have to decide upon.

Is God's "truth" enough for us to place our "faith" in Jesus Christ.

What say ye?

Amen

Let's Pray