We have seen
up to this point that man has a nature of sin. We can ask ourselves if this disqualifies us from service. Can man be restored
and made whole again? Jesus never wastes anything. When we come to him we become his workmanship that he creates unto good
works, Ephesians 2:10. So man has fallen, now what? Many of the greatest heroes of the bible fell hard. Moses committed murder,
David committed Adultery, and Paul struggled with doing the right thing. We all fall short, but Jesus can pick us up, dust
us off, and start using us again. This chapter is about getting back up and walking after you have fallen. Jesus never intends
for us to stay where we are, but he always desires that we stand up, get up, and walk by faith towards all that he promises.
Stand up, praise God, and walk in the original condition that God created you to live in, live by faith in Jesus!
Genesis 5:22-6:8
22.
“Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.
23.
And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24. And Enoch walked with
God: and he was not; for God took him.
25. And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.
26.
And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred and eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters.
27.
And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years.
28. And Lamech lived
an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
29. And he called his name Noah, saying,
This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.
30.
And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
31.
And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years; and he died.
32. And Noah was five
hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to
multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2. That the sons of God
saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose.
3.
And the Lord said, my spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he is also flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred
and twenty years.
4. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons
of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men
of renown.
5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6. And it repented the Lord that he had made
man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7. And the Lord
said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the
fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the
Lord.”
Is it possible that we can hurt God? He is the Almighty! When we talk about falling it’s not to
say that we have stumbled off of our feet and have fallen onto the ground below, nor is it to say that we have lost our balance
and are now lying on the ground, instead when we talk about falling we are talking about a moving away from God, a falling
away from God’s ways. When we fall away from God it hurts, it hurts us and it hurts him! To think that we have the ability
to hurt God is intense, God has a heart, a heart that is grieved, and a heart that hurts because we have chosen to listen
and follow another. Man’s fall started in the garden and has continued ever since. Since the time of Adam and Eve there
has been actions that we have taken that hurt God because of the choice to listen and follow someone else. These actions are
called SIN. Our sin(s) hurt God and cause us to be separated from God to live in a fallen state. We are all guilty, and we
all have fallen. Behold all we like sheep have gone astray! What can be done about this?
After reading these verses what questions do you have?
Answer the following questions:
What was the condition of man’s heart at this time?
How did God feel?
Do you see any similarities between today’s
events and those described in this reading?
What can be done to repair this situation?
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.”
Confession is the key. God’s relationship
to man is not to be taken lightly, nor can a repair to a severed relationship be quickly sewn back together except through
Christ, our relationship to God must be examined carefully and God’s relationship to us requires the same. There is
no quick fix, and apart from a broken and contrite heart there is none. Repentance is an absolute! Repentance begins with
the heart felt and sincere confession of the man who has fallen. As with any surgery there are procedural steps that must
be taken to prepare for the operation, so it is with Christ. Confession is a vital step to begin to sew together our hearts
again unto the Lord. When this step has been taken, immediately God begins his restoration process of forgiveness.
After reading these verses what questions do you have?
Answer the following questions:
Can man come back after the fall?
What happens to the heart of God
when one comes back to him in confession and repentance? And man?
Romans 5:12-6:8
12 “Where as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13. For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no
law.
14. Nevertheless
death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgressions,
who is the figure of him that was to come.
15. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto
many.
16. Not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but
the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17. For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one;
much more they which received abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
18. Therefore
as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came
upon all men unto justification of life.
19. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience
of one shall many be made righteous.
20. Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound.
21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2. God
forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer?
3. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized
into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5. For
if we had been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.
6. Knowing this, that our
old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7. For
he that is dead is freed from sin.
8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we should also live with him.”
How many times should
God forgive us when he has told us through scripture that we should forgive others, seven times seventy? That’s a whopping
four hundred and ninety times and more!! Wow! I’m absolutely certain that God has every right to forgive us as many
times as he likes, but is he telling us that we can continue to sin even if we take him literally and believe that we have
490 chances to sin? Listen, the truth is, we are likely to sin that many times in a day just by the words we speak. What then?
Have we used up all our chances? I’m being a bit ridiculous because this is NOT what God is talking about. First of
all, we are not supposed to sin, but if we do he will forgive us our sins when we rightfully confess them to him. Secondly,
just because God forgives us our sins, it does not give us the right to keep sinning. Thus the scripture; “God forbid,
how shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer in it?” I have spoken to several who would comment, that if we are
to hold someone accountable for their actions we are bringing them back under the law failing to teach them that Christ redeemed
them from the curse of the law. It is true that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
as it is written “cursed is any man that hangeth on a tree” but just because Jesus took our sins and took the
curse of our sins, that does not mean that we can continue to sin as we please, thinking he will continue to do so, nor does
it mean that if we are holding ourselves or others accountable that we are bringing them back under the law that Jesus set
us free from, in fact Jesus said, “I have not come to take away the law, but to fulfill it.” We must all realize
that grace is a gift from God, a gift that is free, but also a gift that cost Jesus greatly and therefore
should not be taken for granted and
abused. We are never instructed to continue in sin. We are fully expected to walk in newness of life.
After reading these verses what questions do you have?
Answer the following questions:
What was the free gift to man?
Did he deserve it?
Can we continue to sin because Jesus promises to forgive us?
How can we stop?
Romans 10:8-17
8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:
that is, the word of faith, which we preach.
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11. For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him
shalt not be ashamed.
12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over
all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14. How
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15. And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are
the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.
16. But they have not
all obeyed the Gospel. For Isaiah sayeth, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17. So then faith cometh by
hearing and hearing by the word of God.”
After reading these verses what questions
do you have?
This is where the rubber meets the road! This is where man gets back up and walks again! Saved by grace and forgiven
by grace. Man coming from fall to faith is right here, not focusing on his sin anymore, but instead looking to God, not hiding
his face anymore, but instead reaching out to God for grace and mercy. What keeps a man in a fallen state? When he continues
to focus on and commit his sin and when he refuses to go to Jesus and ask for forgiveness!
How can a fallen person walk with Christ
again?
The answer is faith.
We must have faith in Jesus to restore us. A man can get back up if he has faith in God.
Answer the following
questions:
How does a person get saved?
How does faith come?
What is the mission of the disciple?
What is the likely difference for one who hears the words
of God and those who don’t?
What
is the mission of the disciple of Christ?
Hebrews 11:1
1 “Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
What are your hopes and dreams in
life? Did you know the Bible refers to Jesus as “the hope of glory?” This is a favorite passage of mine: Colossians
1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ
in you, the hope of Glory!”
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, we hope for the Glory of God in our life. Why do we hope for
this glory?
For us it is a hope to see his glory, for others a hope for a miracle, and for others still, it is a hope for happiness,
but why does any of us hope for anything? Because we have heard that it was possible, thus hope comes from an expectation
that has been built upon hearing something about the possibility that it could be and God has said “With God all things
are possible.” So now that it is possible we have hope! Our faith is increased when we hear the word of God because
the word of God gives us hope! Even though we cannot see it yet, we believe that it is because we believe God at his word!
After reading these verses what questions do you have?
Answer the following questions:
What is faith?
What is the difference between faith
and knowledge?
Hebrews 11:6
6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
How is it that man goes from fall
unto faith? He seeks God! When we seek God he rewards us with faith. He is the author and the finisher of our faith. This
means he writes our faith into our heart and mind. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing the word of God and faith gives us
hope for a new day. When we have hope for a new day all of our troubles flee away. We are then strengthened to rise again
just as Jesus rose from the grave!
Jesus is the ultimate “Good Samaritan” In Luke 10:30 there was a man who travelled on the
road to Jericho and he fell. You might say, it says he fell among thieves, you are right!
Let’s read it together;
Luke 10:30
“And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped
him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead.”
This is what the devil our adversary
does! In John 10:10 we read “the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” This
verse is describing the devil. It’s the devil that leaves us stripped of righteousness, wounded, and half dead whenever
we allow him to deceive us to commit sin(s) against God.
If we read further we see how the man was lifted up and restored by a good Samaritan that
was passing by the way.
After reading these verses what questions do you have?
Answer the following
questions:
How can we please God?
When we come to God what must we believe?
Mark 11:20-26
20 “And in the morning,
as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21. And peter calling to remembrance saith unto
him, Master, behold the fig tree which thou cursed is withered away.
22. And Jesus answering saith unto
them, “Have faith in God.”
23. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say
unto this mountain, Be
thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he
saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever
ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them.
25. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught
against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26. But is ye do not forgive,
neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Have faith in God, it is impossible to please
God without faith in him and impossible to receive from him what you hope for unless you believe that he is and that he is
able to do all that he says he can do! Man must move from his fall and return unto faith in God. He does this by seeking God
and God’s word. So with that we find in conclusion that it is absolutely possible to recover from our fall and return
back unto God and once again walk with him in his light.
After reading these verses what questions
do you have?
Answer the following questions:
Is Jesus saying we
can have the desires of our heart? If so, how?
What are the prerequisites if any?
How important is it for man to have faith in God?
The following message was prepared and
delivered at Grace Temple Church and at The Warren Family Mission. These seven steps will allow us to walk again after falling.
The message was given to bring hope to the down trodden who were homeless and in need to know that there is hope in Jesus
to live again a life new and full of promise. It gives us the seven steps that we need to take towards restoration and reconciliation.
