A moment in History
Read: Isa 59:2; Lk 16:19-26:
˒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.
Berlin, Germany’s capital city was in the section of Germany controlled by the Soviet Union.
It was also split into four sections.
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 frontiers.
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.
By 1961 it was clear people fleeing to the west through Berlin needed to be stopped as well.
At least 3 million people, (About 20% of the East German population) had fled from East Germany to the west.
They wished to escaping communist oppression, lack of freedom, and economic hardship for better opportunities in West.
This was mostly young people, skilled workers, and professionals, threatening East Germany’s economic viability.
This prompted the creation of the Berlin Wall, a border barrier surrounding West Berlin.
These border fortifications were a physical manifestation 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)
This restriction imposed by man had its limitations
Who was affected? How long were they affected?
The wall was limited
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 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 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)
Our Problem – Great Gulf Fixed: Isa 59:2; Lk 16:19-26:
What limitations does the great gulf fixed that God made have? … NONE!
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
Galatians 3:22 (ESV)the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin
Romans 3:9 (ESV) both Jews and Greeks, are 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.
God’s Provision (A loving God’s provision;
a remedy through Sacrifice)
Who cannot be the sacrifice? – David in the Psalms says:
Ps 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
All men who are only men because of their own sin cannot help.
Who is the 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: He 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 5:18–21 (ESV)
18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 Peter 2:21–22 (ESV)
21For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
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, andin him there is no sin.
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,
John 10:11 (ESV)
11I am the good shepherd.The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21For our sakehe made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness 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.
Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
5But 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.
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.
Our Part (Each person’s part through taking responsibility for their sin, and accepting God’s way of escape)
Repent:
Matthew 3:1–2 (ESV) – John the Baptist
1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark 1:14–15 (ESV) – The Lord Jesus
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.”
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
20but 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.
Believe:
Acts 16:31 (ESV)
31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
1 John 3:23 (ESV)
23And this is
his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
Hebrews 10:39 (ESV)
39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
1 Timothy 1:16 (ESV)
16But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the
foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
Galatians 3:22 (ESV)
22But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that The promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe .
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 .
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.
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 himeveryone who believes is freed from everythingfrom 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 aboutthe 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 6:29 (ESV)
29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you Believe in him whom he has sent.”
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,
Prov 29:1
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
(The First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions)