Embracing Grace: The Year of Jubilee and Salvation

 

Summary

In this message, we explore the profound concept of the Year of Jubilee as described in Leviticus and its New Testament fulfillment through Jesus Christ. The Year of Jubilee was a time when the Israelites were commanded to cease their labor, and God promised to provide abundantly for them. This divine provision was a testament to God's grace and a call to faith, as the people were to trust in God's promise without tangible evidence. This principle of faith and divine provision is mirrored in the New Testament, where salvation is presented as entirely God's initiative, not man's. It is God's idea, born out of His eternal love and grace, and it is offered freely to all who believe.

The essence of Christianity is not about human effort or merit but about receiving God's gift of salvation through faith. Just as the Israelites were to rest and trust in God's provision during the Jubilee, we are called to rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross. The atonement, symbolized by the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament, is the foundation of all Christian blessings. Jesus Christ's death and resurrection usher in the true Year of Jubilee, offering redemption and reconciliation with God.

This message challenges us to abandon self-reliance and embrace the free gift of grace. It emphasizes that salvation is not about our works or righteousness but about accepting what Christ has done for us. The call is to believe in the "naked word of God," to trust in His promises, and to live in the freedom and abundance of His grace. This is the heart of the Gospel: a free, finished, and faith-based salvation that transforms lives and brings us into a relationship with God.

Key Takeaways:

1. Divine Provision and Faith: The Year of Jubilee teaches us that God's provision is abundant and requires our faith. Just as the Israelites were to trust in God's promise of provision without working the land, we are called to trust in God's promises without relying on our efforts. Faith is believing in God's word and acting on it, even when we cannot see the outcome. [20:37]

2. Salvation as God's Initiative: Salvation is entirely God's idea, initiated out of His love and grace. It is not a human invention or effort but a divine plan that began before the foundation of the world. This understanding challenges us to recognize that our relationship with God is based on His grace, not our merit. [22:13]

3. The Centrality of the Atonement: The blessings of Christianity begin with the atonement. Jesus' death on the cross is the foundation of our salvation, offering redemption and reconciliation with God. Without the atonement, there are no true Christian blessings. [27:08]

4. The Free Gift of Grace: The Gospel is a free gift, not earned by works but received by faith. This challenges the notion that we must earn God's favor through good deeds. Instead, we are called to accept the gift of grace, recognizing that it is entirely God's doing. [33:32]

5. Living by Faith, Not Understanding: Faith requires us to trust in God's promises, even when we do not fully understand them. Like Nicodemus, we may struggle with the concept of being born again, but Jesus calls us to believe and receive the new life He offers. [37:24]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [18:39] - God's Promise of Provision
- [19:28] - Abundance in Faith
- [20:37] - Faith and Divine Provision
- [21:38] - The Year of Jubilee
- [22:13] - Salvation: God's Initiative
- [23:20] - God's Eternal Plan
- [24:24] - The Gift of Grace
- [26:30] - Atonement and Blessings
- [27:08] - The Centrality of the Cross
- [29:03] - The Challenge of Christ's Teachings
- [30:12] - Redemption Through the Cross
- [32:01] - The Free Gift of Salvation
- [33:32] - Receiving Grace by Faith
- [37:24] - Living by Faith, Not Understanding

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Year of Jubilee and Its Fulfillment in Christ

Bible Reading:
1. Leviticus 25:18-22
2. John 3:16
3. Ephesians 1:7

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the purpose of the Year of Jubilee as described in Leviticus, and how were the Israelites expected to respond to God's command during this time? [20:06]

2. How does the sermon describe the relationship between the Year of Jubilee and the concept of faith? [20:37]

3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the Day of Atonement in the context of the Year of Jubilee? [27:08]

4. How does the sermon explain the concept of salvation as God's initiative rather than a human effort? [22:13]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the Year of Jubilee challenge the notion of self-reliance, and how does this relate to the Christian understanding of grace? [20:21]

2. How does the sermon illustrate the idea that salvation is a free gift from God, and what implications does this have for how Christians view their relationship with God? [33:32]

3. What does the sermon suggest about the role of faith in accepting God's promises, even when they are not fully understood? [37:24]

4. How does the sermon connect the concept of the Year of Jubilee with the New Testament message of redemption through Christ? [27:08]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to trust in God's provision. How can the message of the Year of Jubilee encourage you to rely more on God's promises rather than your own efforts? [20:37]

2. The sermon emphasizes that salvation is a gift of grace, not earned by works. How does this understanding affect your daily walk with God and your interactions with others? [33:32]

3. Consider the areas in your life where you might be relying on your own strength rather than resting in the finished work of Christ. What steps can you take to shift your focus to God's grace? [20:21]

4. How can you cultivate a deeper faith that trusts in God's promises, even when you don't fully understand them? What practical steps can you take to strengthen your faith this week? [37:24]

5. The sermon challenges us to believe in the "naked word of God." What are some specific promises from Scripture that you need to hold onto more firmly in your life right now? [21:20]

6. How does the message of the Year of Jubilee inspire you to live in the freedom and abundance of God's grace? What changes can you make in your life to reflect this freedom? [31:42]

7. Identify one area in your life where you need to let go of self-reliance and embrace the free gift of grace. How can you begin to make this change today? [32:34]

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting in God's Provision
In the Year of Jubilee, the Israelites were called to cease their labor and trust in God's promise of provision. This act of faith required them to believe in God's word without tangible evidence, mirroring the call for Christians to trust in God's promises today. Faith is not about seeing the outcome but believing in God's abundant provision and acting on His word. This principle challenges believers to rely on divine provision rather than their efforts, encouraging a deeper trust in God's faithfulness. [20:37]

Leviticus 25:20-21 (ESV): "And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you struggle to trust in God's provision? How can you actively choose to rely on His promises today?


Day 2: Salvation as a Divine Gift
Salvation is not a human invention but a divine initiative born out of God's eternal love and grace. It is a gift offered freely to all who believe, challenging the notion that we must earn God's favor through our efforts. This understanding invites believers to recognize that their relationship with God is based on His grace, not their merit. Embracing this truth requires a shift from self-reliance to a posture of receiving God's love and grace. [22:13]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: How does understanding salvation as a gift from God change the way you view your relationship with Him? What steps can you take to embrace this gift more fully?


Day 3: The Foundation of Atonement
The atonement, symbolized by the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament, is the foundation of all Christian blessings. Jesus' death on the cross offers redemption and reconciliation with God, ushering in the true Year of Jubilee. Without the atonement, there are no true Christian blessings. This centrality of the cross calls believers to rest in the finished work of Christ, recognizing that all blessings flow from His sacrifice. [27:08]

Hebrews 9:12 (ESV): "He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption."

Reflection: In what ways can you more fully rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross? How does this understanding impact your daily life and relationship with God?


Day 4: Embracing the Free Gift of Grace
The Gospel is a free gift, not earned by works but received by faith. This challenges the belief that we must earn God's favor through good deeds. Instead, believers are called to accept the gift of grace, recognizing that it is entirely God's doing. This understanding invites a life of freedom and abundance, rooted in the assurance of God's love and grace. [33:32]

Romans 11:6 (ESV): "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."

Reflection: What are some ways you might be trying to earn God's favor through your actions? How can you shift your focus to receiving His grace instead?


Day 5: Living by Faith, Not Understanding
Faith requires believers to trust in God's promises, even when they do not fully understand them. Like Nicodemus, who struggled with the concept of being born again, believers are called to believe and receive the new life Jesus offers. This journey of faith invites a deeper reliance on God's wisdom and guidance, even when the path is unclear. [37:24]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust in God's promises? How can you take a step of faith today, even without full understanding?

Quotes


"God's reply then I will commend my blessing upon you in the sixth year and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. God's going to give enough in one year to cover three years so that you do nothing at all during the seventh year and exactly the same applied to the 50th year." [00:19:20]

"Surely the teaching there is perfectly obvious isn't it? It is all absolutely freely. The people did nothing. God gave everything. You shall eat your fill says God though you don't till the land nor dress your Vines. It's God's good pleasure. It's all God's idea. It's all of God's Good Will." [00:19:56]

"Salvation is entirely of God. It's God's idea not men's. You know there are so many people who stumble at that very first point. They go down just there. It's almost incredible isn't it? But it is a fact that there are still thousands of people in the world not to say Millions who still seem to think that Christianity is man's idea." [00:22:10]

"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God while man was alienated from God and rebellious against God and not thinking of God not doing anything about him when the fullness of the times was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law." [00:22:49]

"The Year of Jubilee began in the day of atonement and all the blessings of Christianity begin in the atonement. You see how perfect the old foreshadows the new. On the evening of the day of atonement sound the trumpet. The blessings are now to come starting with atonement." [00:26:30]

"There is no such thing as a Christian blessing except in Jesus Christ and him crucified. It is by dying on the cross on Calvary's Hill that Jesus Christ introduces the Year of Jubilee. It is there he does something that makes it all possible." [00:27:08]

"The Gospel and its blessings all come out of the cross, the death of Jesus Christ on a Hill Called Calvary. It is by his blood we are ransomed and redeemed and reconcile to God and receive all our blessings." [00:30:04]

"The whole essence of this message is that without doing anything you are given all this as a free gift. You down tools you say nothing in my hand I bring I do nothing at all I accept what has been done for me." [00:33:32]

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ and its blessings is the free gift, the free grace of God. So that I've got a very simple test that I can apply to anybody who's listening to me at this moment. Do you see that you can become a Christian here and now?" [00:34:50]

"The only thing that you and I have to do is to believe it. That's Faith. You believe the naked word of God. That is Faith. Oh but you say like these people look here I don't follow this there are three years involved you say do nothing on this seventh year." [00:35:36]

"Faith you down tools you do nothing and then you'll have the surprise of your life and you'll eat to your fill and you'll rejoice in the fat of the land. Those are the characteristics of this glorious salvation. It is I say then a free salvation." [00:37:43]

"It is entirely the gift of God in Jesus Christ his son. That's the whole message of the Year of Jubilee. It is the message of the acceptable year of the Lord but therefore you see it does include the at last point doesn't it?" [00:38:32]

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Transcript
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