A moment in History
Read: Isa 59:2; Lk 16:19-26; Act 16:25-34:
˒awon (עָוֹן, 5771), “iniquity.” This word is derived from the root ˓awah, which means bent, crooked, twisted, perverted
chatta˒t (חַטָּאָה, 2403), “sin” missing the road or mark (155 times).
Chatta˒t can refer to an offense against a man:
Looking back in History to 86 years ago:
World War II which began September 1, 1939 lasted for six years.
Germany surrendered in May 1945. The war officially ended September 2, 1945
Until it was deemed safe and secure enough to be re-unified Germany was divided into four sections and put under the control of the allies.
The west section was jointly controlled by US, UK & France.
The east was controlled by the Soviet Union.
The inner German border was the border running north to south, dividing Germany between West Germany and East Germany from 1945 to 1990.
The inner German border fortifications were built by the East German government in phases from 1952 to the late 1980s.
This became one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders.
This barrier was constructed to stop the emigration of East German citizens to the West.
Berlin, Germany’s capital city was in the section of Germany controlled by the Soviet Union. More than 170 kilometres (110 mi) to the east of the inner German border. Like all of Germany, Berlin
was also split into four sections.
The west section was jointly controlled by US, UK & France.
The east was controlled by the Soviet Union.
By 1961 it was clear Millions of people had fled from East Germany to the west, some through Berlin.
They fled to escape the oppression, lack of freedom, and economic hardship for better opportunities in West.
East Germany wanted this stopped.
This was mostly young people, educated, skilled workers, and professionals. This threatening East Germany’s economic viability.
This prompted the creation of the Berlin Wall, a border barrier surrounding West Berlin.
The fortifications of the inner German border and Berlin Wall were physical manifestations of what Winston Churchill called the Iron Curtain.
The time from from 1947 to 1991 was known as “The Cold War”
The Easterner’s Problem
(Trapped and oppressed)
The Easterner’s Provision
(Self and/or others)
The Easterner’s Part
(Each person’s part through taking responsibility for their own and/or others way of escape)
These border fortifications imposed by man were limited.
In length – before completely finished some went around it
And in strength – before it was completed some went through it.
A TRAIN
A STOLEN MILITARY VEHICLE
And in height – some went over it.
BY ZIP LINE
A TIGHTROPE
A HOT AIR BALLOON
ULTRALIGHT PLANES
HAND OVER HAND ALONG AN UNUSED POWER WIRE
And in depth – some went under it.
A NUMBER OF ESCAPES TUNNELS WERE DUG
IN A CONVERTIBLE UNDER A GATE CONTROL ARM.
And in geography – Germany only was affected
And in time – The walls were put up after 1952 came down in 1989
Our Problem
(All people’s problem,Ruin through SIN)
Problem – Us (Trapped and oppressed)
The problems Reach – ALL
The problems Result – DEATH
The problems Remedy – Sacrifice
Our Problem – Great Gulf Fixed: Isa 59:2; Lk 16:19-26:
What limitations does the great gulf fixed that God made have? … NONE!
The Reach of sin? – Who DID sin? – ALL! (X7)
1 Kings 8:46 (ESV) ~ there is no one who does not sin ~
2 Chronicles 6:36 (ESV) ~ there is no one who does not sin ~
Ecclesiastes 7:20 (ESV) ~ Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Romans 3:23 (ESV)for all have sinned
Romans 5:12 (ESV) death spread to all men because all sinned
Romans 3:9 (ESV) both Jews and Greeks, are under sin
Galatians 3:22 (ESV)the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin
The Result of sin? – Death (X4)
Ezekiel 18:4 (ESV) the soul who sins shall die
Ezekiel 18:20 (ESV) The soul who sins shall die
James 1:15 (ESV) sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Remedy for sin?
God’s Provision (A loving God’s provision;
a remedy through Sacrifice)
Who is not an acceptable sacrifice? David in Psalms says:
Ps 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
Men who are only men because of their own sin cannot help.
Who is an acceptable sacrifice? God with us in the flesh!
Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)
14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Matthew 1:23 (ESV)
23“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Colossians 2:9 (ESV)
9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)
16Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Who DID NOT sin? – (X3) There is no sin in this person, who is, as stated above, also God
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21For our sake he made the Lord Jesus Christ to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 Peter 2:21–22 (ESV)
21 ~ the Lord Jesus Christ also suffered for you, ~
22He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
1 John 3:5 (ESV)
5You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
Here, then, is the acceptable sacrifice!
What then will give us deliverance from our sin?
Hebrews 9:22 (ESV)
22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Leviticus 17:11 (ESV)
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.
John 12:24 (ESV)
24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
What must happen now?
John 10:11 (ESV)
11I am the good shepherd.The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Hebrews 10:12 (ESV)
12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice For sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)
24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Titus 2:14 (ESV)
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
1 Timothy 2:6 (ESV)
6who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Isaiah 53:5–6 (ESV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Our Part (Each person’s part through taking responsibility for their sin, and accepting God’s way of escape)
Repent (repent means “to change one’s mind.”, “a change of mind that results in a change of action.” 2 Cor 5:17
me – The sinner in need of salvation
God – The Provider meeting the need of salvation
Lord Jesus – The Sacrifice having shed His Blood to purchased salvation
Mk 6:7. And the Lord Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two…
Mk 6:12. So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
Matthew 3:1–2 (ESV) – John the Baptist
1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”
Matthew 4:17 (ESV) – The Lord Jesus
17From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Acts 2:38 (ESV) – Peter
38And Peter said to them, “ Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 17:30 (ESV) Paul
30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
Acts 26:20 (ESV) – Paul (before King Agrippa)
20 I declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
Mark 1:14–15 (ESV) – The Lord Jesus Lu 13:3,5
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Believe
John 6:29 (ESV)
29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you Believe in him whom he has sent.”
1 John 3:23 (ESV)
23And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ ~
Acts 16:31 (ESV)
31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Romans 10:9 (ESV)
9because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
1 Corinthians 1:21 (ESV)
21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to saved those who believe.
Acts 19:4 (ESV)
4And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”
Acts 15:11 (ESV)
11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of The Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
Acts 13:39 (ESV)
39and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
John 20:31 (ESV)
31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 8:24 (ESV)
24I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
John 7:39 (ESV)
39Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 1:12 (ESV)
12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God,
Proverbs 29:1 (ESV)
He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
(The First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions)