Are you burdened with sin, regret, and guilt? Jesus has the solution for you. Find in Him comfort, forgiveness, and freedom. Would you like to know how?

<p>Are you burdened with sin, regret, and guilt? Jesus has the solution for you. Find in Him comfort, forgiveness, and freedom. Would you like to know how?</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Warren Seventh Day Adventist Church

Jesus on Prophecy

Giancarlo De Miranda

02 Prophecy’s Final World Superpower

03 Jesus’ Answer to Evil

04 Prophecy’s Final Judgment Hour

05 Jesus on the Anti-Christ

08 Jesus Solves Death’s Mystery

09 Revelation’s 1,000 Years and Hell

10 The Mark of the Beast

11 The United States in Bible Prophecy

13 How to Observe the Day of Worship?

12 Which Church Will Jesus Join?

14 Jesus on Revelation’s Rapture

01 Prophecy Unfolds Today

16 Jesus on Earth’s Final Deception

17 Prophecy’s Final Destination

18 Jesus on End-Time Prophets

19 Jesus on Burying The Past

15 Jesus on Faith, Fitness and Health

20 Jesus on Armageddon

21 Jesus on Living Free and Forgiven

We are going to conclude our series Jesus on prophecy today.

1 more time let's ask the Lord's blessing upon our study this morning.

Father in Heaven, as we conclude this series, but we haven't concluded the learning of your Scriptures, we would like to, 1 more time, pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

And we thank you for all the studies we have done together, for many that have joined us during this series and father we have learned so much and we pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us and strengthen us until we all 1 day can be safe in heaven we pray now in Jesus name Amen okay very good so the theme for this morning as Jesus on living free and forgiven stress how much is too much We know that people live under stress for different reasons.

It can be family issues, it can be time, it can be school, or it can be a variety of reasons.

It can be also money, work, it can be disease or even the loss of someone that we love.

But often stress is also connected with guilt.

I could have done more, I could have done differently, I could have done better, or I have made a mistake.

Stress is something that really affects our society today and we can relate to this picture, perhaps in 1 point or another or several times in our lives.

And the question is stress, how much is too much?

So the scientists, they decided to do an experiment to see how much human beings can actually endure stress.

But they often test with animals, and I'm glad that they did this test with animals.

And I'm actually sorry for the animals that they did the test, but they chose to do with a lamb.

So what they did was they took this little lamb from the mom and put in a pan and the lamb was there, could not see outside and there was 1 feeding, I'm sorry, there was 14 feeding stations for that lamb.

And when the lamb went to 1 feeding station and what the scientists did, they shocked the lamb.

So the lamb was feeding and all of a sudden got shocked.

And then the lamb, of course, would run away and not know what to do and then went to another feeding station and start feeding and all of a sudden another shock and that lamb tried all the feeding stations to the point that it eventually equivored in the center and died of stress.

It wasn't because of the shock, okay, but it was because of stress.

They took the other lamb that was born from the same mother and put in the pan again with the 14 feeding stations, but this time they decided to do something different.

They decided to put the mom right there in the pan with the lamb.

So when this lamb went to the feeding station and got shocked, what do you think the lamb did?

Anyone would like to help me to make the sound?

It went to the mom, complaining, and trying to understand what's going on.

And the mom spoke back, so to speak, beeeeh, to comfort that little lamb.

And the lamb went back to the same feeding station.

That was something already different that the scientists noticed because the other 1, the previous ones, was running from 1 to the next trying to find safety.

But this 1 went back to the very same 1 and then it got shocked again and it complained to mama again and mama comfort the little lamb and it went back to the same feeding station again.

And at 1 point, the little lamb went all the way to its mom and the mom comfort probably said something that the scientist couldn't hear but the lamb kept going back.

But The lamb didn't quiver, it didn't die.

So they realized that the reason for that was that that lamb had a refuge.

That lamb had someone to take the burden upon.

And friends, who can bear our burdens today?

Do we have someone that can bear our burdens?

Because that little lamb, the reason it survived and was able to thrive was because the lamb knew that he could rely on its mom.

Friends, the book of Revelation, as we have studied, introduced Jesus as the 1 who can bear our burdens.

And I want to invite you to open your Bibles there in the book of Revelation.

Perhaps you can start in Revelation chapter 1.

Let's all turn there to Revelation chapter 1.

And we're going to see different imageries of Jesus that we find in the book of Revelation and I want you to see them before we consider 1 in particular this morning but Revelation chapter 1 and verse 1 it says the revelation of Jesus Christ There is 2 ways we can look at this verse first It's a revelation that comes from Jesus and there is no question about that This book is a revelation coming from Jesus Christ You know all the way to John and from John to the servants of God but it's also a revelation of who Jesus is this book reviews Jesus Christ and who he is let's just consider for a moment in this same chapter it reviews Jesus Christ as victorious even victorious over death it also describes Jesus as being the alpha and the Omega okay that's the first letter and the last letter of the Greek alphabet meaning that Jesus is everything in between he is the beginning and the end revelations introduced Jesus as a conquering king Notice what we find in verse 5 of this same chapter, chapter 1 and verse 5, it says here, And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler over the kings of the earth notice he's a ruler over the kings of the earth so notice in chapter 12 I want to take you to Revelation chapter 12 the book of Revelation continues to describe Jesus as a powerful king a conquering king Revelation chapter 12 and verse 5 notice what the Bible says here she bore a male child who was to rule all nations if he's going to rule all nations it means that he's a king then the Bible says and her child was cut up to God and his throne that's the resurrection of Jesus when he ascended up to heaven it says that he went to the throne of God revelation 19 you don't need to turn there but what what we find there is revelation coming excuse me Revelation introducing Jesus coming in a white horse, a symbolic white horse, a conquering king.

Now Revelation 14, I want you to go there with me to Revelation 14.

Let's go to Revelation 14 and there Jesus comes to reap the harvest of the earth.

Revelation 14 and verse 14 notice what the Bible says here in verse 14.

Then I looked and behold a white cloud and on the clouds said 1 like the Son of Man so who is this Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven that's Jesus what event is this that Jesus will come in the clouds of heaven yes it is his second coming and then the Bible says that he has on his head a golden crown implying that he will come as a king and in his hand a Sharp sickle notice verse 15.

I don't have here in the slide, but in your Bible you can follow if you will the Bible says And another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice To him who said on the cloud trust in your sickle and reap For the time has come for you to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe That's a description of Jesus at his second coming and he will come as a king to bring us home Now another description of Jesus in Revelation is the lion of the tribe of Judah.

Because of his strength, because of the power of a lion, it becomes a symbol of the power of Jesus.

A lion is considered to be the king of the animals and a perfect symbol of Jesus as the king of kings but there is a symbol in the book of Revelation that appears more than any other that I want to call your attention as we bring this series to a close and that is that Jesus is described also as a lamb as a what everyone a lamb okay so from a lion to a lamb what a major difference and that's why I chose to begin with that illustration of a lamb finding comfort in its mother and being able to endure pressure and stress and friends Jesus or Revelation describes Jesus as a lamb at least 27 times and I want to share with you a few a few of them in Revelation 5 or 6 if you like to turn there with me you're welcome to go there Revelation 5 verse 6 we're going to consider a few passages that shows Jesus as the lamb here says and I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and then toward the end of the verse says stood a lamb as though it had been slain so when Jesus comes to the throne of God after his ascension he is described as the lamb it says as though it had been slain in other words there was still some form or shape of signs of his crucifixion and he brings with him the marks of his crucifixion that's why it says the lamb as though it had been slain Revelation 13 verse 8 of the Bible says the lamb slain from the foundation of the world that passage seems to be strange for some people why would Jesus be the land that was slain from the foundation of the world friends as soon as there was a sinner there was a Savior as soon as Adam and Eve sin Jesus was willing to intervene between the penalty and the sinner and a period of grace was extended to mankind revelation 12 you're welcome to go there with me I invite you to turn there with me Revelation 12 we see that the dragon representing primarily Satan It doesn't limit only to Satan sometimes It represents those under the influence of Satan but the dragon like beast attacks the lamb and then makes war with his followers those that side with the lamb but we have a promise there in verse 11 I want you to see that there and they referring to the followers of Christ and they what is the next word if you have in your Bibles overcame him by the blood of the Lamb the lamb cause those that accept the lamb to become overcomers to overcome Satan the previous verse says that Satan is the 1 that accuses the brodering day and night but the blood of the lamb is the key to overcome the lamb triumph is over the dragon in revelation notice revelation 17 you're welcome to go there with me also in revelation 17 and verse 14 it's a description of the last days when all the powers of the world who are against the truth they make as their target those that will like to remain loyal to God's Word and and and and its commandments and notice what it says here and these will make war with the Lamb and the lamb will what is next word there overcome them that oppose for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and those who are with him and hopefully that is me and you are called chosen and faithful friends the blood of the lamb it's able to make us over commerce over Satan and it can help us to become chosen and faithful to God but why this imagery of a lamb where does that come from why revelation chooses to primarily refers to Jesus as the lamb and that goes back all the way to the book of Genesis but the reality is throughout the Old Testament God instructed his people to bring animal sacrifices and we are going to explore that for a little bit because that help us to understand the imagery of a lamb and the blood of the lamb and the lamb that had been slain from the foundation of the world but all began after sin came into this world You maybe some of you remember in Genesis 2 17 the Bible said but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat for in the day that you eat of it you shall what is the penalty for sin?

God put a test of loyalty in the garden and that test also gave free will to mankind.

They could choose not to follow God's way, but the reality is there is no life apart from God he is a source of life and he says if you want to choose something else the result the path is of death the Bible says in Romans 6 23 the wages of sin is what everyone it is death friends that's the natural result of coming apart from God and to resolve the same problem that was caused beginning with Adam and Eve and with all the descents of Adam and Eve because the Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

The Bible says in Hebrews 9.22, without shedding of blood there is no what everyone?

No remission, no forgiveness, there is no way to remove sin without the shedding of blood but of course it can be any kind of blood nevertheless God used the blood of animals as a teaching illustration beginning with Adam and Eve before leaving the Garden of Eden they were clothed with the skins of animals Symbolizing that the righteousness of Christ was going to cover their shame their their sin and The same is truth for each 1 of us the righteousness of Christ the life of Christ can cover our shame.

Now notice in Leviticus chapter 11 I want to take you there to the book of Leviticus that's the third book of the Bible Leviticus chapter actually chapter 17 and we are going to read a verse 11.

In the Old Testament, God instructed His people to have like a teaching device, a teaching what everyone?

It was the way that God found to teach his people that didn't have the Bible available, didn't have the privilege of the the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the coming of the Messiah or any of that.

So the way that God found to teach them about the plan of salvation was to ask them to build a sanctuary and require them some ceremonies and 1 of them was related to bringing a lamb to the altar and sacrificing that lamb so let's read what it says here in Leviticus 17 and verse 11 the Bible says here for the life of the flesh is in the blood.

And I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls.

For it is the blood that makes, what everyone?

Atonement, the simplification of that word would be reconciliation between sinners and God so God is initiating the at home and by providing a sacrifice as we're going to see the sacrifices pointed to Jesus and God so loved the world that he gave the sacrifice he gave his only begotten son it wasn't a sacrifice to change the mind of the father toward us the father already loved us and he initiated by providing a sacrifice and those animals they were pointing to Jesus as the 1 that can bring reconciliation between the father and sinners between God and sinners God initiates the process of reconciliation that man broke, the relationship that man broke.

But the point here is that blood makes atonement, reconciliation for our sins.

I don't want to call a name that we have someone here I don't want you to be thinking of an individual here Mark let's think of Mark here so you have Mark and let's say that Mark perhaps he stole something and then Mark realized that he made a mistake and he's under conviction and he realizes that he is guilty and he is feeling the pressure of that guilt the Israelite in those days God's people in those days they knew exactly what they needed to do in order to make reconciliation between him and God.

It was this teaching illustration that was teaching them what to do.

They have to first of all look for a lamb look for a what everyone look for a lamb that was spotless without blame perfect because that lamb was a symbol of Jesus and his purity and perfection that was supposed to teach the individual that as soon as we sin and we are under conviction the first thing we need to do is to seek for Jesus even though we are guilty and I venture to say especially because we are guilty and then after he found the lamb he would bring the lamb to the sanctuary structure and there he would come to the courtyard and he confessed his sin upon the head of the lamb upon where on the lamb the head and that was a symbol that his sins was being transferred to the Lamb the Lamb was now bearing his guilt let me read with you in Leviticus chapter 5 let's go there for a moment if you are still there in Leviticus go to chapter 5 and we're going to read verses 5 and 6 ok Leviticus chapter 5 verse 5 the Bible says and it shall be when he is guilty in any of these matters that he shall confess that he has seen in that thing let's stop right there for a moment just understanding this verse a little bit when the Bible says that he is guilty he shall confess his sins okay in that thing meaning it will be specific his confession will not be like God forgive me of all my sins it will be specific on that thing that he has sinned and our confession should be specific as well and then verse 6 the Bible says and he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord for his sin which he has committed and the trespass offering often was a lamb depending on the economic status of the individual, it could be other sacrifices, but they all pointed to the 1 that would bear the guilt.

And there, he himself would slain the lamb, not the priest, but the sinner himself would slain the lamb and that was a vivid image that his sin caused the death of the same barrier that was that innocent lamb the lamb was burned on the altar and the priest took some of the blood and brought inside the sanctuary where the sin went inside and the sinner went outside and he left his guilt on the altar on the head of the lamb the sin now is transferred to the sanctuary where Jesus would plead before the father remember the father made provision for that pleading why did God require these sacrifices?

Let's go there together to the book of Hebrews.

In Hebrews chapter 9, help us to understand God's intent with those sacrifices.

Not because God had pleasure to see the slaughter of goats and sheep and lambs and bulls for the different ceremonies related to the atonement of sin but that was all teaching devices to impress the mind of these people that sin caused death and that they need to have a sin barrier and the same barrier would be provided by God himself notice in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 11 the Bible says but Christ came as a high priest of the good things to come what would be these good things to come?

Let's read it about it with the greater and more perfect whatever you want tabernacle okay the more perfect tabernacle is speaking about the true 1 which is in heaven okay which he asked Moses to make a copy to be that teaching device that we just talked about for a moment so he came to that greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands many it was made by God himself that is not of this creation and then verse 12 and I'm using the King James here just for the sake of the different translations that I prefer the King James now neither by the blood of goats and calves that he came to the sanctuary by what kind of blood his own blood meaning that he is the 1 who bears our guilt he entered and once into the holy place some translation says most holy place incorrectly having obtained eternal redemption for us and notice in verse 28 verse 28 it says here so Christ was offered how often was he offered once to bear the sins of many friends I want to meditate on this verse for a moment in the Old Testament those sacrifices were done every day and they could not take away the sins of the people because they were all symbolic of Jesus Christ and what he would do eventually for us but the sacrifice of Jesus was only once And then the Bible says if you look carefully in this verse to bear the sins of many That was the primary purpose the purpose of Jesus sacrifice is to bear the sins of many We need someone to bear our sins friends every lamb or sacrifice pointed forward to the Lamb of God 1 time a lady came to 1 of these meetings that we did on Jesus on prophecy and she came to the pastor overwhelmed with guilt and she said the reason for her guilt it was she had enough an affair 17 years before that resulted to an abortion.

And a great part of that guilt was the fact that she couldn't bring that life back.

And the pastor said to her, if you were in the Old Testament times, you would have to look for a lamb and bring that lamb to the sanctuary, confess your sins upon that lamb, and transfer your guilt upon the sin barrier and that would be the answer for your guilt.

But you don't have a lamp and you don't have a sin barrier either except you accept Jesus as your sin barrier.

And that's the only way you can find freedom from guilt and freedom from sin.

To be free from guilt we must first acknowledge and that lady she recognized she had made a mistake she was ready to receive freedom the Holy Spirit had already brought conviction to her heart she needed to know the 1 that could bear her guilt if I come to Jesus and confess my sin the burden of guilt is wrote away would you say amen for that and that's what we sang this morning friends Hebrew chapter 9 in 14 if you're still there you can follow with me.

Notice what it says in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 14, how much more shall the blood of Christ, the 1 that was shed on the cross of Calvary, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot of God meaning that he was perfect cleanse your what if you want your conscience from that works meaning the sense the guilt to serve the living God friends the blood of Jesus can cleanse our conscience if we accept as a free gift it's not about merit but it's about a gift and acceptance and faith and perhaps there is someone here this morning who is burdened with guilt and feeling unworthy and I want you to know that in this very situation God is near you and he loves you go with me to Romans chapter 5 for a moment go there with me for a moment Romans chapter 5 Romans chapter 5 and I want to read 2 verses here in this chapter that help us to see that.

Notice what it says in verse 6 for when we were still without strength in due time Christ died for what kind of people for the ungodly notice in verse 8 but God demonstrate his own love toward us in that while we were what still sinners Christ died for us and friends the devil wants you to believe that you are not worthy enough to come to Christ but the Old Testament teaching device as I as I mentioned before said as soon as you sin you look for a lamb and You come you bring that lamb you confess your sin and you accept the free gift Friends good works cannot atone for our sins.

I Cannot make myself righteous before God by doing good deeds I cannot find forgiveness or release from my guilt through my good deeds it has to be through the 1 who can bear my guilt and that's Jesus friends want to take you to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 for a moment let's go there at 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and we are exploring this theme because as we close this series I think we are doing fairness to the book of revelation exploring Jesus as the lamb his role as the lamb notice what we find here in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 beautiful passage it says for he that's Jesus made him who excuse that's the father for he made him so God the Father made Jesus who knew no sin to be what for us sin for us how come Jesus became seen for us it's it's a poetic language to describe that he bore our sins he took upon himself our guilt and the penalty for our sins that we might become the righteousness of God and what are the 2 next words in him we become the righteousness of God not apart from Christ not first and then we go to God but it is by accepting him and his righteousness his potless life his perfect life and his purity that's when we become the righteousness of God and God the Father looks at us through the righteousness of Jesus that's why Jesus when he prayed on the cross of Calvary he said my God my God why have you what is the next word there forsaken me if you study more about the Bible you will see that what caused separation between an individual and God it's sin for instance Isaiah 58 verse 2 says that and Jesus felt that separation because he became the sin barrier for humanity let's go to Ephesians chapter 2 for a moment Ephesians chapter 2 and that's the passage that we find that such a such a grace it's a gift that cannot be earned through works.

Notice carefully here what we find in verse 8.

That for by grace you have been saved through faith.

That's how we receive, by accepting, by trusting in the promise.

And that not of yourselves, it is what everyone?

Forgiveness of sins and cleansing from sin the righteousness of God it is the gift of God and then it says in verse 9 not of works lest any man should boast in other words I cannot erase my sins by doing good works by even obedience from now on the debt is still there to be paid and then in verse 10 says so we can have the proper order of things for we are his what now?

Workmanship so we accept his grace not by works but through faith we receive his grace and once we receive his grace we are now in the hands of God we become his workmanship for what purpose created in Christ Jesus unto what Good works which God has prepared or before ordained that we should walk in them.

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Series

Jesus on Prophecy

21 Jesus on Living Free and Forgiven

Transcript

Description

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

What to do at Midnight? Serving God in Times of Persecution

53m

Getting Involved in Outreach

11m

As We Near The End Of Time

31m

Reflections on the Resurrection

30m

Something Better

36m

Meaningful Morning Time

56m

The Summer Of Me

The Summer Of Me- Part 2

42m

Plenary Sessions

To a Land I Will Show You

1h 36m

His Way is in the Sanctuary

24. A Monumental Conversion Experience

57m

Delicious Grape Juice

36m

Compassion

34m

Harnessing the Health Professionals in Your Church

9m

Sound Doctrine