| Unless we look at who Jesus really is we will not be ready for Him when He returns to this earth. We are headed blindfold
towards disaster unless we take seriously the warnings to be found in God�s Word, the Bible, and we look to God�s remedy for our situation.
This is found in Jesus alone. Look! Look! Look and live! |
| � In the beginning God |
| God is the Creator - He made all things and rules over all |
The Bible is God�s word. The first book in the Bible is the book of Genesis. It tells
us that God created the universe we live in. God also made the earth and all living things.
The crowning pinnacle of His creation was man - He made the first man and woman 'in His
likeness'. |
| We were made in God�s likeness |
This likeness to God in men and women is not a physical likeness. God is spirit. Our
likeness to God is in our spirits which were originally created in wisdom, holiness and
righteousness. |
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We were created to know and love God |
We were created for fellowship with God - a privilege and closeness to God that is above
that given to angels, who are glorious, created spirit beings. Fellowship with God consisted
in our obeying God; in pleasing Him in all that we do and think. As well as having fellowship
with God, we were made to rule over God�s creation as vice-regents under God. |
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The Bible says: |
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) |
| � Sin entered God�s creation |
| God�s rule for our continued fellowship | The first man created by God was named Adam. God placed him in a beautiful
garden to care for it and to enjoy it. With Eve, his wife, he was given permission to eat the
fruit of every tree in the garden except one. Of that one tree he was forbidden to eat or he
would die. |
| We broke God�s rule | Adam rebelled against God and ate the forbidden fruit. Immediately he ate,
fellowship with God was broken. God is holy and man was now unholy. Sin had come into God�s
creation (sin is making our own rules instead of obeying God). Out of fellowship with God,
Adam hid himself in the garden - he was separated from God who was the source of his spiritual
life and happiness. |
| We are subject to death | As descendants of Adam�s, we are all out of fellowship with God and in rebellion
against Him. We are spiritually dead and will one day die physically as well. |
| The Bible says: |
You shall not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day
you eat from it, you will certainly die.(Genesis 2:17) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2) By one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all, for all sinned. (Romans 5:12) |
| � God is angry against sin |
| God is not unconcerned about sin | God is holy and hates sin. Sin is rebellion against God. His anger against sin
is seen in all that is wrong in the world today. Since mankind has said in effect �we want to
do our own thing�, God lets them face the consequences of that choice. And so the world is in
a mess. But this is not all - |
| God�s anger burns against sin | God has shown His anger against sin by directly intervening in the affairs of
men. God destroyed the whole human race except for eight people by sending a worldwide flood.
Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives, were all saved in a large boat, built by
Noah at the command of God. |
| We still fail | This new beginning didn�t last. Sin still polluted God�s world and soon mankind
had again departed from following God. We deserve nothing more from the hand of God but to be
blotted out of His sight forever. |
| What the Bible says |
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. (Habbakuk 1:13) The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. (Genesis 6:5,6) The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. (Romans 1:18) |
| � God to the rescue |
| God�s free mercy |
God has not left us to our fate. For His own glory, God from before all time determined to
save a people for Himself. Sin separates us from God, who is holy. To be separated from God is
death, both spiritual and physical. How can a just God declare to be not guilty, rebels and
sinners deserving of death? |
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Jesus, Son of God |
Jesus is the eternal Son of God. In God�s perfect time, Jesus was born into this world in
the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin. God became man. He lived a life of perfect
obedience to God�s law and then died on the cross. |
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What the Bible says |
I will save them from all their sinful ways, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people,
and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 37:23b) When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galat.4:4, 5) He (Jesus) was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2corinthians 5:21) He (God) did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed until now unpunished-- he did this to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who declares just those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25, 26) |
| � Jesus is LORD |
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Look who Jesus is |
The Bible continually asks us to look at who Jesus is. He is the eternal Son of God, coequal in power and glory with the Father. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. And this is the one who came into this world as a baby, born of a virgin. |
| Jesus died and came alive again | Although Jesus never sinned, He was hung on a cross and died. After three days He came alive again from the dead and returned to His Father in heaven. There, all authority and power was given to Him. He is ruler and judge over all things in heaven and earth. |
| Jesus is LORD of all - but look at His hands and feet | But look at Him. He who is judge over all has holes in his hands and His feet; a spear wound in His side. He died for sinners. Jesus was punished for the sins of all those who will ever look to Him as their sin-bearer. That is why we need to look. If sin demands the punishment of the perfect, sinless Son of God, in order that sinners might be restored to fellowship with God, where does that leave us if we do not look to Him? |
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What the Bible says |
In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with
the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was
given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language
worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his
kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13, 14)
Look to me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no-one else. (Isaiah 45:22) |
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