THE fall of man filled all heaven with sorrow. The world that God had made was blighted with the curse of sin and inhabited by beings doomed to misery and death. There appeared no escape for those who had transgressed the law of God. Angels ceased their songs of praise. Throughout the heavenly courts there was mourning for the ruin that sin had wrought.
The Son of God, heaven's glorious Commander, was touched with pity for the fallen race. His heart was moved with infinite compassion as the woes of the lost world rose up before Him. But divine love had conceived a plan whereby man might be redeemed. The broken law of God demanded the life of the sinner. In all the universe there was but one who could, in behalf of man, satisfy its claims. Since the divine law is as sacred as God Himself, only one equal with God could make atonement for its transgression. None but Christ could redeem fallen man from the curse of the law and bring him back into harmony with heaven. Christ would take upon Himself the guilt and shame of sin, sin so offensive to a holy God that it must separate the Father and His Son. Christ would reach to the depths of misery to rescue the ruined race.
Before the Father He pleaded in the sinner's behalf, while the host of heaven awaited the result with an intensity of interest that words cannot express. Long continued that mysterious communing- "the counsel of peace" (Zechariah 6:13) for the fallen sons of men. The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth; for Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8); yet it was a struggle even with the King of the universe to yield up His son to die for the guilty race. But God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.

When Adam and Eve sinned the plan of redemption was activated. The first promise of hope was repeated in the Garden of Eden.

1. Fill in the blanks: Genesis 3:15 And I will put __________ _________ thee and the woman, _________ thy _______ and her ______; It shall _______ thy ______ and thou shall ________ His heel.

When Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they looked for its speedy fulfillment. They joyfully welcomed their firstborn son hoping that he would be the deliverer. But the fulfillment of the promise tarried. Those who first received the promise died without the sight. From the days of Enoch the promise was repeated through patriarchs and prophets. "Every now and then" God gave someone a vision to renew their hope in a coming Saviour, and yet He came not. The prophecy of Daniel 9:25 revealed the time of His Advent, but not all rightly interpreted the message. Century after century passed away, the voice of the prophets ceased. The hand of the oppressor was heavy upon Israel, and many were ready to exclaim: "The days are prolonged and every vision faileth" (Ezekiel 12:22). But like the stars in their vast orbit of their appointed path, God's purposes knows no haste, nor delay. God had revealed to Abraham the bondage of Israel in Egypt, and had declared that the time of their sojourn would be four hundred years. Afterward they would go out with great substance (Genesis 15:13,14). Against that word, all the powers of Pharaoh's proud empire battled in vain. On the self same day appointed in the promise, it came to pass "that all the host of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:41). So in heaven's council, the hour for the coming of Christ had been determined; When the great clock of time pointed to that hour, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

2. Fill in the blanks; Galatians 4:4,5. But when the __________ of the time was _________, God _________ His Son, made of a _________, made ________ the law, to ________ them that were under the ________ that we might _________ the _________ of sons.

3. Fill in the blanks: Luke 2:6-11 And so it was, that, while _________ _______ there, the days _______ __________ that she should be _________. And she ________ forth her ___________ Son, and _________ Him in _________ clothes and laid Him in a _________: Because there was no ________ for them in the ________. And there was in the _________ _________ ________ ___________ in the field keeping watch over _________ ________ by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord_________ upon them, and the glory of the Lord _________round ________ them: and they were _______ ________. And the angel said ______ ________, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you _______ _________ of great joy, which shall be to all ________, For unto you is ________ this day in the ________ of __________ a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Jesus grew like any other child. He lived an exemplary life. He worked as a carpenter. At the age of thirty years, He was baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, was anointed of the Holy Ghost, and began His public ministry. He labored for three and a half years teaching, preaching and healing. Then He set out to accomplish His last worldly mission - the salvation of mankind.

4. Fill in the blanks: Matthew 1:21. And she shall _________ ________a Son, and thou shall call His name Jesus; For He shall ________ His ________ from their sins.

After celebrating the Passover with His disciples, and instituting the Lord's Supper, Jesus repaired to the Garden of Gethsemane; there to pray for strength to go through the crisis that was ahead. Three times He prayed; "Father," He prayed, "If it be possible let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless not My will, but Thy will be done." The humanity of the Son of God trembled in that trying hour. The awful moment had come - that moment which was to decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance. Christ might even now refuse to drink the "bitter cup" apportioned to guilty man. It was not yet too late. He might wipe the bloody sweat from His brow, and leave man to perish in his iniquity. He could have said: Let the transgressor receive the penalty of his sin, and I will go back to My Father. Will the Son of God drink the bitter cup of humiliation and agony? Will the innocent suffer the consequences of the curse of sin to save the guilty? The words fall tremblingly from the pale lips of Jesus, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done."

Three times He uttered that prayer. Three times his humanity shrunk from the last crowning sacrifice. But now the history of the human race comes up before the world's Redeemer. He sees that the transgressors of the law, if left to themselves must perish. He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power of sin. The woes and lamentations of a doomed world rose before Him. He beheld its impending fate, and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself. He accepts His baptism of blood that through Him perishing millions may gain everlasting life. He has left the courts of heaven, where all is purity, happiness, and glory, to save the one lost sheep, the one world that has fallen by transgression; and He will not turn from His mission. He will become the propitiation of a race that has willed to sin. His prayer now breathes only submission: "If this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done." While He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was betrayed into the hands of the murderous throng by one of His disciples. They tried Him, tortured Him, and beat Him. They found Him not guilty, yet they sentenced Him to die. They led Him to Calvary, where they crucified Him. They nailed Him to the cross and lifted Him up between earth and Heaven. There He suffered for you and me. At the hour of the evening sacrifice on that Good Friday afternoon He cried: "It is finished!" And He gave up the Ghost and died. Matthew 27:50.

5. Fill in the blanks: Matthew 27:54; John 19:32,33 Now when the __________, and _____that were ______ Him, watching Jesus, saw the __________, and those things that were done, they ______ greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Then came the ________ and brake the ________ of the first, and of the _________ which was crucified with Him. But when they _______ to Jesus, and saw that He was ________already, they _______ not His legs: But one of the soldiers with a _______ ________ His side, and forthwith came there out ________ and water.

My friend, the lashes and stripes did not kill Jesus. The crown of thorns, nor the nails in His hands and feet killed Him. The cross where they hung Him for about six hours did not kill Him. What killed Jesus? Your sins and my sins killed Him. Nobody took His life He gave it willingly.

6. Fill in the blanks: John 3:16 For God so loved the _________ , that He _______ His only _______ Son, that ___________ __________ in Him should not _______ , but have ________life.

They laid Him in the tomb; Satan tried to keep Him there; His agents sealed the tomb of Christ and placed one hundred soldiers to protect it. But on that first day of the week, God sent the mighty angel - Gabriel, with a message for His Son; "Son of God" the angel said "Thy Father calleth for thee!" Jesus arose with the power that He had within Himself. The angel did not resurrect him. He said I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up again; destroy this body and in three days I will raise it up again. He also said: "I am the resurrection and the life."

The life, death, and resurrection of Christ accomplished four things for the human race:

(a) He suffered for all mankind, No one would ever have to suffer like Jesus did. He says to each of His children, "fear not for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine. When you passed through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not over flow you: when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you; for I am the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel thy Saviour Isaiah 43:1-3. The three Hebrew boys (Shadrach Meshach, and Abednego) did not feel the flames, Daniel was not eaten by the lions, Stephen did not feel the stones, the apostles did not feel the pain, the reformers did not feel the flame.

(b) Jesus' shed blood cleanses us from all sin. When we sin and we are sorry for having sinned, we repent and forsake those sins; and asked God to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Jesus, then, pleads His shed blood before the Father in our behalf and we are pardoned.

(c) His death paid the penalty for our sins. He died the second death for all who believe on him.

(d) His resurrection assures us of victory over the grave. Because he lives, all those who believe in Him shall live also.

That is what is meant by the saying: by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Jesus is the promise grace. His death in our place gives us a reprieve from death and now we live under grace. His death is the fulfillment of the promise grace made in the Garden of Eden when man sinned. It is this grace that types and symbols, killing of animals pointed to. You cannot buy it, all the money in the world cannot pay for it, it is freely given to everyone of us. Grace gives us pardon for our sins.

7. What is sin? 1 John 3:4. ______________________________________________
8. What is sin? 1 John 3:4 _______________________________________________
9. What is the wages of sin? Romans 6:23. _________________________________
10a. What is the gift of God? Romans 6:23. ________________________________
10b. Through whom? Romans 6:23 last part ________________________________

When Adam and Eve sinned, they were supposed to suffer eternal death in hell fire with Satan and his angels. But when he repented of his sins, and accepted by faith the Saviour that was slain from the foundation of the world, or the gift of God's Son, he received a reprieve from the sentence of death, and in its stead, he lived under grace, or hope of eternal life.

11. Fill in the blanks: Romans 5:8. But God __________ His love toward us, in that while we were yet _________, Christ died for us.

If Christ did not die for us we would be living under the penalty of the law, which is eternal death. But now we live under grace. That means that Jesus having paid the penalty for our sins, we should now live a repentant life. Hence we receive not the death penalty, but the gift of God, which is eternal life.

12. Fill in the blanks: 1 John 1:9 If we _________ our sins, He is _________ and _______ to ______ us our sins, and to _________ us from all __________.

13. Fill in the blanks: Isaiah 1:18, Come now, and let us ________ together saith the Lord: though your sins be as _________, they shall be as ______ as snow; though they be red as __________ they shall be as wool.

Hence we continue to live under grace. God's grace covers the whole human race from Adam and Eve down to the end of time.

14. Fill in the blanks: Titus 2:11,12 says: For the grace of God that________ _________ hath _________to all men, _________ us that, _________ __________ and _________ lust, we should _________ __________, and godly, in this present world.

15. Fill in the blanks: Romans 5:21, That as sin hath ________ unto ______, even so might ______ _______ through ________ unto _______ ____ by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Some people feel that since we are living under grace we don't have to keep the law. But it is because God's law is eternal, and unchangeable and demands the life of the law breaker (for the sentence for sin is death) that grace becomes necessary if sinners are to be saved. God's law is holy and just and good (Romans 7:12). If it were possible for God to change His law, Jesus would not have to die. He would automatically revoke the death sentence. But God's Law and Word is unchangeable, it stands forever and ever.

16. Fill in the blanks: Matthew 5:17,18 Jesus said: Think not that I am _______ to _______the ____, or the ________: I am not come to destroy, but to _______: For verily I say unto you, till _________ and ________ ______, one _____ or one _______ shall in no ______ ______ from the law, till all be ________.

What did Jesus fulfilled? One of the things He fulfilled is that to which types and symbols, and killing of animals pointed to; a Saviour that would come and die for sinners, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. He also fulfilled the promise in Genesis 3:15 - the Seed of the woman that would crush the serpent's head.

Let me draw an illustration of what grace is like: Let us suppose someone send you a ticket to attend the Red Cross Ball, Heart Ball, or the Grammy or Emmy awards ball etc. The ticket says admission is free. That means someone else is paying for you to go to the "Ball". Whether it is another person, the organization or the hotel, we know that somebody is paying the bill: For these halls, or rooms cost money. That is what grace is like. Jesus has given us a free ticket to Heaven to that heavenly ball which will last throughout eternity. But Not without cost; He paid the price in Calvary's flow. His shed blood, death and resurrection guarantee us free entrance into Heaven. You may ask, Where does law come in? Let us look at the ticket again. What else might this ticket say? It might say dress is formal. That is law. You must have on the appropriate attire. In a "Ball" down here you usually provide your own attire. But to that "Heavenly Ball" Jesus has even prepared our garments for us. All we have to do is put it on. And we even don't have to do that. Once we accept the terms of the free ticket that He has sent, He will clothed us in the heavenly garment.

What does it mean to accept the terms of the ticket that Jesus has sent? It means accepting Christ as your personal Saviour and do His will. How do you do that? You hear His Word, you study His Word, you believe His Word, you accept and obey His Word by His grace - by the strength that is available through Him. Then He will clothe you in His righteousness. That is the only type of clothing that can enter heaven - Christ garment of righteousness. You must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Suppose you try to attend the "Ball" down here dressed in any old thing. You would be breaking the law of the organization. They might let you in down here, but not to Heaven. We must have on the garment of Christ righteousness. The blood of Jesus must cover our filthy garment of sin.

Sometimes we think of righteousness as something not within our reach; but righteousness is right doing. When you do God's will He gives you His righteousness. How is it possible to do God's will? First, as said before, you must study His Word, and receive His Word. His Word-the Bible, reveals His will. We must do His will. This does not mean that you will not sin. But, if you sin, you must be sorry for sinning; you must repent of your sins; you must confess and forsake those sins and ask God to forgive you of your sins and cleanse you of all unrighteousness. We should do this every time we pray. We should also ask God to help us to do His will.

16. Fill in the blanks: Romans 6:14,15. For ________ shall not have __________over you; for ye are not under the _______but under _________, what then? Shall we sin, because we are not _____the law, but under grace? God forbid.

In other words, should we try to attend the Red Cross, Emmy or Grammy Awards Ball dressed in any old thing because we have a free ticket? No! we should show our appreciation for the ticket by dressing appropriately. For example: Adam and Eve found grace in the eyes of the Lord in the Garden of Eden. Does that mean that they should go and eat of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil again because they received grace? No! They should be so happy for grace that they should determine by God's power to live like God wants them to live. Do you think that someone who has received pardon from a death sentence should go and commit murder if he is allowed to come out of prison? No way! He should be the best law keeper in the land. That is what grace is like. You sin, you are sentenced to die, for the sentence for sin is death; but when you are sorry for what you did, you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Jesus our attorney, our mediator, our High Priest, our Saviour, and our judge, pleads His blood in our behalf before the Father and we are pardoned.

When we sin we are sentenced to die, but Jesus paid the sentence for us so that we could go free. Oh what love! what matchless love! that God the divine could condescend to die for man! Friend, that is grace; amazing grace that saved a wretch like me. I once was sentenced to die, but now am free, was blind but now I see. Let us by God's grace accept His free gift and be saved in His eternal kingdom.

Question: Do you accept by faith God's grace, and is it your determination to do His will?

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