Series ALLUSIONS, IMAGES, SYMBOLS with Pastor Mark Finley |
Lesson 6.Understanding Sacrifice |
From Shadow to Cross – God’s Way to Redemption |
This lesson takes us to the heart of the Christian faith: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In powerful imagery, Scripture shows that the Old Testament rituals were never ends in themselves—they pointed to the cross, to that one moment when heaven and earth met in the sufferings of God’s Son. The true meaning of sacrifice is revealed not in animal blood but in the heart: in self–giving, in obedience, in faith. Jesus’ death unveils God’s character—His justice, but also His unfathomable love. Each chapter of this lesson invites you to understand more deeply what redemption really means—and how completely we depend on the Lamb of God.
Memory Text: Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation’ ”
Contents:
6.1 Futile Sacrifices?
More Than Ritual—The Heart of True Sacrifice
God rejects empty religious forms when the heart is absent. Cain’s offering and Israel’s formal rituals were hollow shells without obedience. Only an offering born of faith—like Abel’s—reflects genuine devotion. It’s not about the “what” but the “why” behind the sacrifice. True sacrifice begins with real repentance and ends in grace.
6.2 The Blood of Bulls and Goats
Shadow of the Cross—Why Animal Sacrifices Were Necessary
Animal offerings could not save, but they taught vital lessons. They were like tickets—symbols marking the journey, not the destination. Only with Jesus’ death was the way to God opened. The ceremonial sacrifices were sobering lessons on sin—bloody, weighty, yet full of hope. The cross fulfills what the altar foreshadowed.
6.3 The Passover Lamb
The Blood of the Lamb—Heart of the Redemption Plan
The Passover lamb was prophecy in flesh and blood. Jesus—the true, perfect Lamb—was sacrificed at the appointed time. Like the lamb of Passover, He was publicly displayed: spotless, silent, obedient. His blood delivers— not symbolically, but eternally. A call to gratitude and dedication.
6.4 Jesus at the Temple
The True Glory of the Temple—“God With Us”
The Second Temple did not shine by gold, but by the presence of Christ. He—the living glory of God—entered the temple to draw us near. No curtain remained, no distance persisted. In Jesus, God met us—healing, teaching, loving. The true sanctuary was and is among us.
6.5 For You Created All Things
God’s Throne Room—Holiness, Grace, and the Slain Lamb
Isaiah and John both beheld the throne—and with it God’s holiness. They realized: we are unworthy. Yet at the center stands the Lamb. Jesus alone is the way back into God’s presence. These visions reveal both God’s majesty and His mercy. Worship springs not from fear but from awe.
6.6 Summary
The Cross at the Center of God’s Plan
Every path in the Bible leads to the cross. From Eden to Revelation, God shows us: redemption costs life—His own. The Old Testament sacrifices were signposts; Christ is the goal. Only He is worthy, only His blood saves. Whoever truly grasps this no longer prays from duty but from deep love. The cross is our origin—and our destiny.
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