GOD DID GREAT THINGS TO HELP MANKIND
OVERCOME THEIR SIN PROBLEM

PURPOSE

In this study, we will discover how God helped mankind overcome their sin problem.

OPENER

What is the best gift you have ever received?

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LESSON

1. GOD SENT HIS SON JESUS CHRIST TO RESCUE US FROM OUR SINS.

Although at one time mankind defied God and did not follow His commandments, God cared enough about people to send His Son to die on the cross for man's sins. Why did God do this (Ephesians 2:4)?

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• God sent His Son to rescue us from our sins because He loves us and is rich in mercy. Mercy means "undeserved kindness." We didn't deserve God's mercy, however, He graciously provided it.

• God's mercy is no ordinary mercy. For the Bible says that He is rich in mercy. The Greek word for "rich" plousios (ploo'-see-os) means "that which exists in a large amount, with the implication of being valuable." God's mercy extends far beyond the deepest oceans and is larger than the universe.

• We should thank the Lord for His rich and merciful love.

When have you shown mercy to a person who didn't deserve it?

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• We should extend mercy to others as God extends mercy on us.

2. WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE ON THE CROSS IN ORDER TO FREE US FROM OUR SIN PROBLEM?

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a. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, BLOOD IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAN COVER UP OR ATONE FOR SIN (HEBREWS 9:22; LEVITICUS 17:11). JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR OUR SINS (1 JOHN 2:2; EPHESIANS 1:7; HEBREWS 9:26-28).

What does "atonement" mean?

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• The word "atonement" means to cover up or conceal. As Christians, the blood of Jesus covers our sins. In other words, through the blood of Jesus, God sees no sin within us. Jesus' blood conceals our sins from God.

Explain how a person in the Old Testament made atonement for his or her sins?

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• In the OT, the blood of animals made atonement for sin. When a person sinned, he brought an animal to the priest. Before the animal was slain, the sinner laid his hands on the head of the animal, identifying himself with it (Leviticus. 4:4, 15, 24, 29). Then the animal was killed, symbolically taking the sinner's place. The sinner deserved death, however, the animal took his place.

Explain how we make atonement for our sins today?

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• If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and have been baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, the Bible teaches that once we repent and confess our sins, God forgives us (1 John 1:9). If we are walking in the light, the blood of Jesus continues to cleans us of our sins (1 John 1:7). Praise the Lord.

3. WHAT ARE SOME BENEFITS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE JESUS' SACRIFICE?

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a. THROUGH JESUS' SACRIFICE, WE RECEIVE A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD (COLOSSIANS 1:22).

Have you ever been separated from someone you love? If so, how did you feel?

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What does it mean to be reconciled to God?

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• God brings us back to Himself (reconciles us) by blotting out our sins and making us righteous. We are no longer God’s enemies, or strangers or foreigners to Him. Because we have been reconciled to God, we have the privilege of a new relationship with God. He becomes our Heavenly Father, who loves us, cares for us, and helps us on our journey through this life.

b. THROUGH JESUS' SACRIFICE, WE ARE FREE FROM THE SLAVERY OF SIN (ROMANS 6:22).

Explain what it means to be "free from the slavery of sin"?

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• Being “set free from sin” is not just freedom from its penalty, which is justification, but also freedom from its power over us. With the Holy Spirit in our lives, our desire to sin is not as strong as non-Christians desire to sin.

• We were once slaves to sin, but in conversion we were set free from it. This is the same event as dying to sin (Romans 6:2, 11), but here it is described in terms of slavery. This action is something done to us: “our old self was crucified” (Romans 6:6, passive), and we “have been set free” (passive). This shows that, even though we have the freedom to choose the one to whom we offer ourselves as slaves, we cannot be delivered from slavery to sin without the liberating power of God. As sinners we make the decision that we want to change masters, but God alone gives us the power to do so when he kills our old self and gives new life to our spirits in baptism. This breaks sin’s power over us.

Tell us of a sin that you had a strong desire to commit before you were a Christian but now as a Christian you don't have that same desire.

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• Before I was a Christian, I enjoyed drinking alcohol and getting drunk. Today, as a Christian, I have no desire to drink alcohol. The sin of drunkenness no longer exists. I am free from the slavery of that sin.

c. THROUGH JESUS' SACRIFICE, WE HAVE THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.

In (John 6:66-68), we read that many of Jesus' disciples deserted Him because they could not accept His teachings. So Jesus asked the twelve remaining disciples if they were also going to leave. What was Simon Peter's response to Jesus' question?

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• Peter responded that Jesus has the words of eternal life. Jesus offers us eternal life in heaven. We can live forever in God's beautiful kingdom!

Have you ever felt like turning away from following Jesus? Is so, what keeps you from turning away from Him?

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• What keeps me from turning away from Jesus is that I love Him and He is the only one who can provide eternal life in heaven. Buddha, Muhammad, the Pope, or David Karesh cannot give us eternal life. Jesus is the only one. We cannot get to heaven following our own philosophies and teachings about life. We cannot get to heaven by just living a good moral life. We cannot buy our way into heaven; or hope and pray our way into heaven. The only avenue to heaven is through Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION:

1. In this study, we have seen that God is a merciful God who sent His Son Jesus Christ to rescue us from our sins.

2. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we have a new relationship with God, we are free from the slavery of sin, and we have hope of eternal life. 

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