Rules of Engagement

1. Rules of Engagement God’s strategy in the war to end all war

2. God is LOVE Love gives Freedom allows Choice involves FREEDOM CHOICE RISK For Wrong choices… Love cannot stop intrinsic consequences Love does not retaliate Love LOVES you through the consequences

3. God is LOVE Love gives Freedom allows Choice involves FREEDOM CHOICE RISK With God: The Means justifies the End With Satan: The End justifies the Means

4. God’s Response to Sin Promise And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Tunics of Skin First Death First Sacrifice

5. The Sacrifices reveal 1. Intrinsic consequences of sin 2. We cannot save ourselves 3. Lengths God will go to save us

6. Cain and Abel Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

7. Cain and Abel Not the COST of the sacrifice But the SPIRIT of the worshiper And the TRUTH to the worshiper

8. Abraham Genesis 12:1-3 1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

9. Abraham Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

10. Abraham Hebrews 11:8-10 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10for he waited for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11. Abraham Hebrews 11:11-12 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude – innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

12. Abraham and Isaac Genesis 22:10-12 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

13. Abraham and Isaac In the Sacrifice – We see illustrated the… Heart of God – Like a father losing his son Not an angry vengeance Heart of Jesus – A son trusting his father Willingly giving his life John 10:15,17 15 …I lay down my life for the sheep. 17 …I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

14. Abraham and Isaac In the Sacrifice – We see illustrated the… Heart of God – Like a father losing his son Not an angry vengeance Heart of Jesus – A son trusting his father Willingly giving his life Philippians 2:7,8 7 [He] made Himself of no reputation… 8 …He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

15. Hebrew Sanctuary Incense Altar Shewbread Table North Ark Altar of Sacrifice Laver Priest Most Holy Place Holy Place Lampstand Court Veil

16. Messiah = Jesus = God John 1:1-14 The Word He WAS in the beginning He was WITH God He WAS God He CREATED all things = Jesus Christ

17. Messiah = Jesus = God Colossians 1:15-17 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

18. Messiah = Jesus = God 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself…

19. Messiah = Jesus = God 1 Peter 2:24 …who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree… by whose stripes you were healed. Isaiah 53:6 …and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

20. Messiah = Jesus = God Mark 14:33-34– 33And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch. Matthew 26:39– He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed... Luke 22:43-44– 43Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

21. Saved ALL – But not all Saved 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God is Sovereign God is Love The Mystery of Sovereign Love

22. Saved ALL – But not all Saved Philippians 2:5-8 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. The Mystery of Sovereign Love

23. Tomorrow – 7:00 pm How Will It End? Is Love alone strong enough to conquer evil?