Meeting# 10| This Week’s Leader: David Goodno
Introduction: This is the tenth week of the Fall Semester. Next week on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 (11/13/2024) is our last meeting of the semester. Reminder that everyone is welcome to join, and you do not have to have been at a previous meeting to attend this week or next week’s meeting.
This part of the semester we are going to discuss Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus is known as and is often called the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” In tonight’s meeting we’ll discuss what that title means, why it is an accurate description of Christ, and also briefly discuss the origin of the sacrificial system to atone for sin, a high level review the Levitical sacrificial system, significance of blood and water, what Jesus did on the cross, His resurrection and how Jesus was, is and always shall be the ultimate sacrifice.
It is important to also note that we all come from various backgrounds and points of view. Many of these topics have divided churches and caused friends to become enemies. The goal for tonight is to have a friendly discussion and if we have differing points of view, we should not feel attacked or be hostile to one another. We came together tonight as friends and brothers in Christ; we should also depart the same, as friends and brothers in Christ. And sometimes there is no right or wrong answer, there is only interpretation of scripture from various points of view– Ultimately JESUS IS THE ANSWER.
We have a lot to cover in one meeting, so we may not get a lot of time to fully discuss these topics (some of these topics you could really devote a lifetime of study). You are encouraged to continue to research and learn. Please see the notes and references below for additional information.
In this past Sunday’s sermon, Candace challenged us to set aside time to identify who we were in Christ (the I AM statements). Did anyone take up the challenge? How did it go? - Discuss among the group.
This Week’s Prayer: Father God, we thank you for allowing us to come together and study your word tonight. Lord, we recognize your power and authority. We thank you for giving us your one and only Son, Jesus to be the savior of the world. We know that we are sinners, we commit our lives to you and make you the Lord of our life. Help us to be more like you and help us to have courage to be bold to share you with others. – Amen
Scripture, Read/Reference the following:
Observation, Application & Questions: (Identify/Discuss Among the Group)
When was the first animal sacrifice to atone (cover) for sin?
Discuss among the group. (Genesis 3:7; 3:21. Adam and Eve cloth themselves with leaves, but God sacrifices an animal so that Adam and Eve would have clothes from the animal skins.) We often try and fix things ourselves rather than go to God first.
Last week we briefly discussed that in Genesis 4, God accepts Adam’s sacrifice but rejects Cain’s. Let’s dive into why we think God rejected Cain’s offering.
Discuss among the group. Perform a Google search, and review notes in various Study Bibles (preferably different translations) for Genesis 4 and the reason for God’s rejection.
When it was time, in the process of time, in the course of time, or end-of-days, indicates the seventh day; that is the day that God had set-aside for rest and blessing.
Able presented the first born and fat portions.
Cain presented some.
Able presented the first, Cain presented some.
Is it reasonable, to assume with the information we have in various translations of the Bible, to think that Adam and Eve would have instructed their sons about substitutionary sacrifice?
Does it have to be one or the other? Could there be significance in both giving the first and best portions as well as a substitutionary sacrifice?
Blood and Water are significant throughout the Bible. What are some scriptures that show the significance of blood and water?
Discuss among the group. Perform a Google search, and review notes in various Study Bibles.
Blood as sacrifice: In the Bible, blood often symbolizes the shedding of life and is used to represent the sacrifice made for atonement and forgiveness, particularly in the context of Jesus’s death on the cross.
Water as cleansing: Water is typically used as a symbol of purification and new life, representing the washing away of sin and spiritual renewal.
Other relevant scriptures:
John 19:34: This verse in the Gospel of John describes the moment when Jesus is pierced on the cross, and “there came out blood and water"“.
Exodus 7:19-21: In the story of the plagues of Egypt, the Nile River is turned to blood, illustrating thepower of God to bring judgment through the symbol of blood.
Ezekiel 36:25-26: This passage talks about God washing away the impurities of his people with water and cleansing them from their blood, signifying spiritual renewal.
1 John 5:6: This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood, And further, in 1 John 5:8 he speaks of the Spirit and the water and the blood as the three witnesses to the Son of God.
What are the five types of sacrifices in Leviticus? (If there is time)
Burnt offering – Leviticus 1 and 6:8-13)
Grain offering (Also called the Meal or Tribute Offering) – Leviticus 2 and 6:14-23.
Sin Offering – Leviticus 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30; and 12:6-8.
Guilt Offering – Leviticus 5:14-6:7; 7:1-6; 14:12-18.
Peace Offering (Also called the fellowship offering; includes: thank offering, vow offering and freewill offering). – Leviticus 3 and 7:11-36.
Jesus said that He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. What do we think this means? What are some scriptures that point to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice?
Discuss among the group. Perform a Google search, and review notes in various Study Bibles.
John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Hebrews 10:11-18: highlighting Jesus' single, perfect sacrifice that ended the need for further offerings.
John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.
Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Ephesians 5:2: And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Jesus was and is the ultimate sacrifice. Through Jesus’ sacrifice there is no longer a need for the sacrificial system (Hebrews 9:15-28)
***
In tonight’s discussion:
Was there anything that stood out to you? Share with the group and discuss.
Was there anything that left you with more questions? What were they? Share with group, discuss and research.
Biggest takeaway?
Prepare for next week’s meeting. Back to basics: Discussion about Bible translations, and how we got the Bible. Do you have a favorite Bible translation or translations? Be ready to discuss next week.
References/Acknowledgements:
Elements of today’s Bible study were copied from:
NLT Courage for Life Men’s Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2023 Tyndale House Ministries Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation https://www.tyndale.com/sites/courageforlifebible/
ESV Study Bible, copyright 2008. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV); copyright 2001 by Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois.
The Oswald Chambers Bible, CSB; Christian Standard Bible (CSB), copyright 2017, Holman Bible Publishers, Brentwood, Tennessee.
He Reads Truth, CSB; Christian Standard Bible (CSB), copyright 2017, Holman Bible Publishers, Brentwood, Tennessee.
Apologetics Study Bible, HCSB; Holoman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), copyright 2009, Holman Bible Publishers, Brentwood, Tennessee.
NIV First-Century Study Bible, New International Version (NIV); copyright 2014, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Notes about Levitical Sacrificial System: https://solascriptura-tt.org/Diversos/Sacrificial-System.The-5-Sacrifices-In-Leviticus.pdf
Contributing Notes and comments from Chris Livelsberger:
1 Peter 2:9
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. https://biblehub.com/nlt/1_peter/2.htm#footnotes
2 Corinthians 2:11
So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes. When read in context, Paul was talking about forgiveness. Which seems to imply that the scheme the evil one was trying to activate was the temptation to walk in unforgiveness. That is hardly that only scheme he tries to tempt and catch us in.
Jeremiah 1:7
But the LORD said unto me, say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I
command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
In the older translations, it says sons instead of children, I this may have been because translators realized that there was the impression that women were being left out.
Showing that even from the OT Bible days God was affirming his daughters as equals in matters of faith. Whether or not we are all able to walk in our true identities in Christ can often depend not only on our perception of what that is, but the beliefs of others who have positions of power. To further that idea that God was not so interested in whether we were male or female, Revelations 19:7 declares that all believers are considered to be the Bride of Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:6 (NKJV)
who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Where do our thoughts come from?
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. There is a teaching from a ministry that I love that dives deep into how this and other verses show how not even our thoughts and feeling are always our own, meaning that they can be a temptation from Satan’s kingdom or inspiration from the Holy Spirit. The next several thoughts are inspired by that teacher.
https://resources.beinhealth.com/products/sepa_pos=1&_sid=192ba52f6&_ss=r&variant=933458911
Genesis 3:11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
We often read that verse way to fast, and completely skip by the first question. Why would God ask, “who told you that you were naked” when it seems logical that they just automatically realized because their eyes were opened. But what if that which was presented as a spiritual awakening was really a removal of a God given block that protected us from spirit-to-spirit contact. To clarify, because God asked them, “who told you (that) you were naked” states that they didn’t just notice it on their own, and there were no other people around and there is no record of the snake saying anything else out loud.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.
1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT: https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.13.12.NLT
[12] Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
This verse can be comforting because it is a reminder that faith is way more important than understanding all the mysteries of the Bible; with hope and love, which is the greatest.
Cain and Able’s Sacrifice
Genesis 4: (ESV)
Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted?[b] And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to[c] you, but you must rule over it.”
When read in the ESV translation, firstborn in verse 4 jumps out. ESV Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Older translations are more powerful to use “predestined”. Doctrine around this can be tricky because some take this so literally that they decide that there is no use for evangelism, because there are some who are predetermined and some who are not. But this view is not held as true when you examine God’s heart in the scriptures; there is so much reference to the choices we make and the rewards, for good or for evil. It may be more accurate to say that God decided beforehand that Jesus would be needed, and that there would always be those who accepted him.
It is fascinating that Moses, the author of the first five books of the Bible, was inspired to include that Able offered not only the firstborn, which has huge scriptural significance, but also the fat in the account. How would Able have known that the firstborn and the fat were important to God? There is no record that we have that indicates how that information was received. Could it be that Adam and Eve made sacrifices to the Lord?
Genesis 2:21 is the only reference to something being killed before that and there is no talk of the details so it may seem that speculation is all we have, However we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and the promise of
Proverbs 25:2. The symbolism of something having to die to cover them is very powerful. There is no record of what happened to the meat from the slaughtered animal or animals, but it is doubtful that God would want to let it go to waste. It would have been a powerful teaching moment for Adam and Eve.
Verse 3 feels kind of nonchalant. Like, Cain felt obligated to bring something to God, so here you go this is what I got. And that Cain didn’t bring the first or his best offering.
But there is also significance of blood:
Leviticus 17:11
for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible. https://biblehub.com/nlt/leviticus/17.htm#footnotes
Hebrews 9:22
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Schedule:
Month, Meeting Number, Date, Book/Chapters/Verse/ (Total Verses)
September 2024:
_x_ 001, 09/04 Philippians 1:1-30. (30 Verses)
_x_ 002, 09/11 Philippians 2:1-30. (30 Verses)
_x_ 003, 09/18 Philippians 3:1-21. (21 Verses)
_x_ 004, 09/25 Philippians 4:1-23. (23 Verses)
October 2024:
_x_ 005, 10/02 Colossians 1:1-29 (29 Verses)
_x_ 006, 10/09 Colossians 2:1-23 (23 Verses)
_x_ 007, 10/16 Colossians 3:1-25 (25 Verses)
_x_ 008, 10/23 **UPDATED** Back to Basics: Discussion about tithing and salvation.
_x_ 009, 10/30 Colossians 4:1-18 (18 Verses)
November 2024:
_x_ 010, 11/06 **UPDATED** Back to Basics: Discussion about Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice.
___ 011, 11/13 **UPDATED** Bible Translations (Video/Discussion) - Final meeting of the semester.