605



Locations of visitors to this page
The Offer and It's Cost
07/05/2009

Track 2 of 5 in the Making Peace with God series
Running time: 56 minutes, 31 seconds.
I said at the beginning of this series that how God sees man separated from Him is much different than how God values man. The cost of peace is very expensive. Many Christians dont really comprehend at times how valuable man is to God and what God was willing to pay to re-establish the lost relationship between him and man. When we talk about the cost of our relationship with God, the cost is not what it costs us, but what it cost God. His price was way more than what we could ever pay. In all the things that man couldnt fix in the relationship between man and God, Jesus came to solve the problems that man created.



Click above to listen in this window.
Right-click to download MP3. With one-button mouse, control-click.
Be sure to scroll down to read the transcript.


Making Peace with God
The Offer and It’s Cost

Who in your household does most of the shopping? When you shop, are you a value hunter or are you someone who buys whatever they like? Describe for me a product that is considered one of value?

Value, everyone seems to be looking for it and yet if every person could write out what they think value is, there probably would be 1,000 different definitions. Each person has their own perspective as to what value is and what they consider valuable.

What are the most valuable things you have and why are they of value to you? How can we tell if something is valuable? The amount of money a person will spend to protect it or replace it if it is lost or stolen.

Our lesson today is all about value and the cost one is willing to pay to receive it. We are not talking about the things man values but the value of things based on God’s perspective. We spent time last week dealing with the question, Is there a need for man to make peace with God? From our lesson we came to the conclusion that man is in a very bad position separated from God due to sin. In fact, we saw last week that when man is separated from God, God sees man in 5 basic categories, each with its own set of consequences.

Short of the ideal – Death
Having broken the law – Cursed
An Enemy – Defeated
Spiritually Dead – No entrance into heaven
Helpless – No hope

I said at the beginning of this series that how God sees man separated from Him is much different than how God values man. The cost of peace is very expensive. Many Christians don’t really comprehend at times how valuable man is to God and what God was willing to pay to re-establish the lost relationship between him and man. When we talk about the cost of our relationship with God, the cost is not what it costs us, but what it cost God. His price was way more than what we could ever pay. In all the things that man couldn’t fix in the relationship between man and God, Jesus came to solve the problems that man created.

1 Timothy 2:3-6 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

And so we learn from Paul in a letter to Timothy that even though man and God were separated, Jesus came at just the right time to bridge the separation between God and man and to create a way for man to find relationship again with Him. What man was not able to do, Jesus became the solution to all of man’s problems opening a pathway back to God.

Short of the Ideal – Death The Perfect Holy One

Romans 8:3 God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man…

What was man’s problem? Fell short. How did God solve the problem? His sacrifice on the cross put to death sin from our sinful nature.

Broken the Law – Cursed Only Lawgiver & Judge

Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

Breaking the law demanded justice. The lawgiver who is perfect and holy demanded perfect justice. Our consequence for breaking the law was a curse. But Jesus became a curse in our stead and fulfilled the requirement of death.

God’s Enemy – Defeated God is Love

Colossians 1:19-20 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Separated from God, we are his enemy. The consequence for going to war with God is a promise of our defeat. Jesus told a parable of a king who was outmatched by the size of his enemy’s army. Realizing the possibility of defeat, he goes out and makes peace so not to be destroyed. But in God’s situation, He is the king who is massively bigger and more powerful than His enemy and yet it is He who makes peace and pays the price for it. Why would God do that?

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies£ and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Spiritually Dead – No Entrance Source of Life

Ephesians 2:4-5 Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

It was not by accident that Jesus raised people from the dead. That act showed what was coming when the Messiah had done his work fully. People would not believe or would comprehend what a spiritual life brought back was like or even possible if they didn’t see for themselves that a physical life could be brought back in the same way. It proved that Jesus was the source of all life, both the physical as well as the spiritual.

Helpless – No Hope, No God Source of all Help

Romans 5:6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Man in all his attempts to find his own way to God failed miserably. But God didn’t leave us alone and powerless. At just the right time He came and solved our problem.

Ephesians 2:13, 18 But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ. Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Saved by the blood of an overcomer.

Louis Pasteur's coworker in the demonstration of what used to be called the germ theory was Dr. Felix Ruh, a Jewish doctor in Paris. The physician's granddaughter had died of black diphtheria, and he vowed to find out what had killed her. The medical association of Paris succeeded in getting Pasteur exiled because they disagreed with his methods of research, but that did not stop him. He build a modest laboratory in the forest in order to continue his forbidden research.

Twenty beautiful horses were led out into the forest to the impoverished laboratory. Scientists, doctors, and nurses came to watch the experiment. Ruh opened a steel vault and took out a large pail filled with black diphtheria germ. There were enough germs in that pail to kill everyone in France. The scientist went to each horse and swabbed its nostrils, tongue, throat, and eyes with the deadly germs. Every horse except one developed a terrific fever and died. Most of the doctors and scientists wearied of the experiment and did not remain for what they thought would be the death of the remaining horse.

For several more days this final horse lingered, lying pathetically on the ground. While Ruh, Pasteur, and several others were sleeping on cots in the stables, the orderly on duty had been instructed to awaken the scientists should there be any change in the animal's temperature during the night.

About 2:00 AM, the temperature showed a half degree decrease, and the orderly awakened Dr. Ruh. By morning the thermometer had dropped two more degrees. By night the fever was entirely gone, and the horse was able to stand, eat, and drink.

Then Dr. Ruh took a sledgehammer and struck that beautiful horse a deathblow between the eyes. The scientist drew all the blood from the veins of this animal that had developed the black diphtheria but had overcome it. The scientists drove as fast as they could to the municipal hospital in Paris. They forced their way past the superintendent and the guards and went into the ward where three hundred babies lay, segregated to die from black diphtheria. With blood of the horse, they forcible inoculated every one of the babies. All but three lived and recovered completely.

They were saved by the blood of an overcomer.

So we have to ask ourselves, why would God do this for us? One reason is to demonstrate the value He places on man and how much He loves us and wants to be in relationship with us. But there is more to the story. He didn’t just solve our problems for the fun of it. God opened the pathway to Him and to each one of us He offers us peace. What is interesting to me is when I ask people what they think that peace offering is made up of, very few can fully answer the question.

How can we have a good relationship with God when we don’t know what it is all about? It is like being married to your spouse and don’t know anything about what you agreed to, what is expected and what your benefits are in marring them. Most relationships that start out that way very quickly fail. It is no different with God. In fact, many don’t realize that they are out of relationship with God and it happened a long time ago.

The Offer of Peace; what is it that God offers to us?

Peace with God comes through entering a treaty with Him.

1 Chronicles 6:14 “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.

We will see that in the Bible that God relates with man through the process of covenants.

Covenant = Treaty, Agreement, Will, Testament. (Old Testament - Former relationship; New Testament – Present relationship)

Covenants with God are made by God and offered to man, not the other way around.

We will see that a covenant has at least three parts to it:
1. Parties: whom the covenant is between – God and man
2. Terms: what man agrees to do for God in entering the agreement
3. Promises: what God promises to do for man in entering the agreement

Unlike a contract, a covenant is a peace treaty entered into by two parties as each agree to advance the best interest of the other party. We see all over the Old Testament many covenants God entered into with man. We see a covenant between Noah and God before and after the flood, a covenant between God and Abraham and even one between God and Israel. And in every agreement, God was faithful to His promises even though man in many case decided to leave his covenant relationship with God.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Here is what is very important to know and understand, peace with God today is obtained through a covenant relationship – The New Covenant.

Hebrews 1:1-2 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

Hebrews 8:6 But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

What is the New Covenant?

Parties: God and anyone who gets “into” Christ

Promises: What can I count on God doing for me today to advance my best interest?

1. Live life to the full: John 10:10
2. To have the fruits of the Holy Spirit grow in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23
3. Forgiveness of sin. Acts 2:38
4. Eternal life. John 3:16
5. The Holy Spirit Acts. 2:38
6. A ministry for God. Ephesians 4:11-12
7. To be with us until the end. Matthew 28:20
8. To work all things that happen sin our lives to help us become like Jesus. Romans 8:28
9. Power to live for Him. Ephesians 1:19-20
10. Wisdom and truth. James 1:5
11. To meet all our needs. Philippians 4:19
12. To be a part of his church. Ephesians 1:22-23
13. Reward for faithfulness. Galatians 6:7-9
14. Renewal, refreshment. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
15. Persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12

John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Terms: What those entering the agreement with promise to do to advance His best interest.

God promises us hundreds of things because He loves us and wants us to live in Peace. But according to God’s agreement, man only has two basic terms to keep when we enter the New Covenant.

First: He expects us to seek daily to be like Jesus in attitude and in action

Romans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Aim for perfection:

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Notice, Paul didn’t say live perfect lives, but to aim for perfection.

What use to be our best shot in the beginning, is now my worse shot in the end. I might not be totally perfect but I grow better and better every day because I practice for perfection.

Second: He expects us to accept responsibility in the task of helping others come to God.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting mens sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

If we are to be effective at this, we must have close contact with God and with man. This is a learning and growing experience. This is both an individual task and a corporate task with the church. It doesn’t mean we have to be obnoxious or weird. Jesus said to be “as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

Our being at peace with God depends on our entering the New Covenant with Christ.

Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?

Does this offer seem reasonable?