Leading The Way

Guest (Male): Listen with me now to the author of the culture-shifting book, *An Unholy Alliance*, Dr. Michael Youssef, as he introduces this *Leading the Way* audio episode.

Dr. Michael Youssef: From the time God shed the blood of an innocent lamb in the Garden of Eden to atone for Adam and Eve's disobedience, from that time, God began holding a cross high for people to see. The shadow of the cross was looming large.

From the time God said to Moses, "Offer a sacrifice, and then take the blood of that lamb and paint the doorposts of your houses with the blood, so that when the angel of the Lord comes in, he will see that blood and he will pass over." From that time, God has been lifting the cross, whose shadow was only visible until Jesus Christ showed up.

Throughout history in God's dealing with his children, with his people, he kept on lifting the cross higher and higher and higher until the real person showed up, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Guest (Male): Get ready for a close-up look at the cross with Dr. Michael Youssef and what it means for you, especially this Easter season. Please do remember that in addition to being on radio, Dr. Youssef's uncompromising teaching is also available through his weekly television program.

You can learn ways to listen and watch in this area when you visit ltw.org. Radio and TV programs are available at ltw.org, along with additional audio and video content from Dr. Youssef and the team. So take a few minutes, browse around, check it out. Ltw.org.

Now, though, eager to help you see the power of the cross from the early pages of the Bible through today, here is Dr. Michael Youssef.

Dr. Michael Youssef: In this short series of messages that I'll be doing, "Cross Conundrum," I'm going to be talking about the power of the cross, but also I'm going to talk about the stigma of the cross and the enigma of the cross. Beloved, it is not by accident that the early Christians chose the cross above all other symbols to represent the Christian faith.

They could have chosen the manger scene where Jesus was born. They could have chosen the carpenter's bench where Jesus worked in Nazareth. They could have chosen the boat from which Jesus preached in Galilee. They could have chosen the apron that Jesus wore when he washed the disciples' feet.

They could have chosen the stone that has been mightily and powerfully removed from the tomb where he mightily rose from the dead. They could have chosen a throne that would represent his sovereignty and his rule and his power and his reign. They could have chosen a dove that was symbolized the Holy Spirit that testified at the time of Jesus' baptism, "This is my beloved son."

They could have chosen any of these seven symbols. They could have chosen any one. They could emphasize one or two or three of the aspects of his ministry. They could have taken all those seven symbols and put them together in an emblem, but instead, they saw all of the symbols together in the cross of Calvary.

In fact, did you know that the crucifix that you see, the figure of Jesus hanging on a cross, was not known in the early Christian church until the sixth century? The crucifix was unknown until the sixth century. Do you know why? Because the early Christians, like we do, believed that it is the empty cross and the empty tomb that is the power of God unto salvation.

The empty cross is God's announcement to humanity that the wages of sin have been fully paid, that the redemption is totally complete, that in that empty cross, the perfect sacrifice has been fully offered, that sin has been fully defeated, that Satan's teeth have been knocked out, that the meaninglessness in life is no more.

Puzzlement about life after death is a puzzlement no more. The personhood of God is fully revealed in that empty cross. The plan of God for salvation is now fully known in that empty cross. But what was a shadow for thousands of years has become a reality on Calvary.

For thousands of years, the shadow loomed large, and then when Christ came, the shadow is no more and the real person is here. This is vitally important for all believers to understand. Listen carefully to me, please. The cross and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ did not just happen in a vacuum.

Christ did not just have a second thought, as the liberal churches would say, that since I'm here on earth, let me show them how love is very important. And so to them, the cross is just a symbol of love. That's what's taught in many a church today. I want you to hear me right on this one.

Because the shadow of the cross began to appear back in the book of Genesis. The shadow of the cross had been seen at the beginning of time. The shadow of the cross had been lifted high for all of humanity to see in the book of Genesis. And like all shadows, when the real thing appears, the shadow is not necessary.

There is a real person behind the shadow. Sure, for generations in the Old Testament, all they saw is the shadow. But then in the New Testament, when Jesus Christ came to earth, the shadow was no longer important. Listen carefully, please, because from the time God shed the blood of an innocent lamb in the Garden of Eden to atone for Adam and Eve's disobedience, from that time, God began holding a cross high for people to see.

The shadow of the cross was looming large from the time God said to Moses, "Offer a sacrifice and then take the blood of that lamb and paint the doorposts of your houses with the blood, so that when the angel of the Lord comes in, he will see that blood and he will pass over." From that time, God has been lifting the cross whose shadow was only visible until Jesus Christ showed up.

Throughout history in God's dealing with his children, with his people, he kept on lifting the cross higher and higher and higher until the real person showed up, the Lord Jesus Christ, where the shadow at that moment gave way to the real thing. In the book of Hebrews, it tells us that the blood of animals could never permanently remove sin.

Now the operative word here is "permanently." That's the key word. It could never permanently remove sin. Only the pure blood of the Lamb of God, the sinless Lord Jesus Christ, can purge sin and the horrors of sin and the ravages of sin and the consequences of sin.

But the question that I often hear people ask, "Well, if animal sacrifice cannot remove permanently the sin of man, why did God institute it? Why did God practice it in the Garden of Eden? Why did God insist on it in the Old Testament? Why did God start it with Adam and Eve, and why did God teach it to Abraham, and why then he asked Moses to practice it on the Passover?"

I have three answers. The first answer, the reason God instituted animal sacrifice, is to teach them that animal sacrifice, an innocent lamb, can temporary—is the opposite word of permanent—temporary remove their sin and cover their sin. Once a year, the high priest goes into the Holy of Holies, and they will all gather outside and wait for him to come back where their atonement was made for their sins.

And then they have to go all over it again a year later, and a year later, and the year after year after year after year was never permanent, was only temporary. Secondly, animal sacrifice was instituted by God in the Old Testament to remind them of the enormity of sin. That sin is an offense to a holy and righteous God.

That sin has to be paid for by innocence. That redemption had to take place, that atonement had to be taken place with innocence. The third reason why animal sacrifice was instituted by God so that it may prefigure the cross. So that it may point beyond itself to the coming cross.

So that it may anticipate the cross of Christ. So that it may intensify the longing of God's people for the real thing. So that it may intensify the longing for the permanent solution to sin. Beloved, I want you to listen very carefully because I believe with all my heart that we are only one generation away from a distorted gospel, from a false gospel that will dominate this culture as it has been happening in Europe.

Because unless you understand what I'm going to tell you right now, unless you understand the very core of the words that I'm going to speak to you right now, it is so critical. And that is why really why pastors and preachers and priests are not preaching the cross anymore. And you must understand what I'm going to tell you, and here it is.

The Bible teaches us from cover to cover that God's justice, for it to prevail, sin must be punished. And who wants to talk about punishment in this politically correct age? Punishment? No, no, no, there's no punishment. Punishment? Yes. For God's justice to prevail, sin and rebellion against God have to be dealt with.

For justice to prevail, sin and rebellion against God must find a cure. And since the only cure for sin is the shedding of the blood of an innocent lamb, God himself said, "I'll shed my own blood, the most innocent lamb of all, the purest blood of all, the sinless blood of the Lamb of God."

And because God shed his own blood for the cure to sin, everyone who would come to him and only those who come to him will find forgiveness of sins and relief from guilt and peace with God and eternal life with him in heaven. That is the core gospel, and without it, we have no gospel.

A group of British theologians, Protestants, evangelicals they call themselves, have written a book, a controversial book. And here's what they're teaching. The focus upon God's wrath is profoundly unhelpful in this culture. Notions of hell, punishment, and judgment are simply out of step.

We've grown up for God now. And beloved, we are one generation away. Let this be a warning for us. Because the further we get away from the cross, the deeper into darkness and violence we'll get. But these evangelical theologians have not stopped there. Listen to what they said.

He said the understanding that on the cross, Christ died in our place bearing the penalty of our sins is a form of child abuse. You say, "How is that a child abuse?" Listen to their answer. "A vengeful father punishing his son for the offenses that he has not even committed is a child abuse."

Total ignorance of the Trinity. Total ignorance of the nature of God. Bringing everything to a human level and has nothing to do with the sovereignty of God and understanding the supernatural. Listen to me, please. As the churches empty out on the continent of Europe, darkness is coming in.

In these upcoming messages I'm calling "Cross Conundrum," I'm going to be speaking about the power of the cross and why we must cling to the cross. But make no mistake about it. When the light of the cross is rejected, darkness will rule supreme. When the liberating power of the cross is removed, servitude will take its place.

When the cross is denied, violence will replace it. When the cross is minimized, hell on earth will be maximized. And we are one generation away. And that is why it is very important to understand that the cross was not just an afterthought on God's part. That the entire plan of God for salvation from Genesis to Revelation hinges on the cross, hangs on the cross, founded on the cross.

When God was foreshadowing the cross to Adam and Eve, when he shed that innocent lamb and gave them the skin to cover them, they understood. You say, "They understood what?" They understood for the first time the enormity of their sin, the enormity of refusing to obey the word of God.

They understood that for God's justice to be met, a sacrifice had to be made. And Adam and Eve in turn taught this revelation to their children. Cain and Abel understood this foreshadowing of the cross. They understood the importance of the shedding of blood for the atonement of sin.

Abel believed it and he practiced it, but Cain rejected it. And that is why Abel's sacrifice was accepted by God, but Cain's sacrifice was not. Cain, who wanted to come to God his own way, who wanted to come to God according to his feelings, he wanted to come to God what he thinks is right, he wanted to come to God on his own terms.

Cain rejected Mom and Dad's teaching. Cain rejected his parents' revelation, God's revelation, and Cain rejected the only acceptable way of worship. And that is why he was eternally lost. Let me ask you this. How do you worship God? When you worship God on your own terms, how do you please God? The way you think he should be pleased?

How do you come to God? Your way or his way? On your own terms or his? At your convenience or his? That's a question for each one of us to answer. Genesis 4:4 and 5 said the Lord has regard for Abel and his sacrifice, but for Cain and his offering, he had no regard.

No wonder thousands of years later, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 4, it says, "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. By faith he was commended as a righteous man when God spoke well of his offering, and by faith he still speaks even though he's dead."

Now the question I often confronted with skeptics is, "Why is animal sacrifice still practiced by some primitive cultures? And why they believe this is the way out?" Well, the answer is really much simpler than you think. The origin of all animal sacrifice can be traced all the way back to our first parents.

All the way to the Garden of Eden. All these animal sacrifices that practiced in Africa and Asia, in any parts of the world, that goes back to the Garden of Eden. And that is why all the people of the world, they need to hear the good news of the Gospel. They need to hear the good news that animal sacrifices are not required anymore.

Because God the Son came from heaven, he died on a cross, shed his own blood which made animal sacrifices not possible at all get you closer to God. That is the good news of the Gospel that needs to be preached all over the world. And this is how it happened. Listen to me very carefully.

Fasten your seatbelt because I'm going to move a little even faster than I'm going now. I'm going to give you several thousand years of history in about a minute and a half, okay? Fasten your seatbelts now. This is how it happened. Adam lived for 930 years. Adam taught the importance of shedding of innocent blood for the atoning of sin to his descendants.

All the way down to Lamech. Lamech was the father of Noah. In Genesis chapter 8, verse 20, Noah practices the shedding of innocent blood for the atonement of sin for redemption. Doing what? Foreshadowing the cross. And Noah lived for 600 years and he taught this truth to all of his descendants. Foreshadowing what? The cross.

Abraham was 57 years old when Noah died. Did you know that? Abraham learned and practiced this biblical revelation, this biblical mandate. Abraham was privileged to see the day of the cross 2,000 years before it took place. When he exercised faith, when he trusted in the living God, when he trusted in the promises of God.

And took his son Isaac, believing that even if he does offer him as a sacrifice, God is going to raise him from the dead. In Genesis 22:8, Abraham said, "God will provide himself." I don't know what your translation said, but let me tell you what it really means: that God himself will provide himself as a sacrifice. God will provide himself, not that himself is going to provide a sacrifice, he's going to provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering.

Foreshadowing what? The cross. And that is why Abraham was privileged to see Jesus Christ 2,000 years before Christ appeared. And Jesus said, "Abraham saw my day and rejoiced." And these foolish people lacking on faith and understanding of the Old Testament wanted to stone him to death.

And they said, "You're not even 30 years old yet. How can you say that?" Abraham saw the cross, foreshadowed the cross 2,000 years before Christ. And that is why 2,000 years later, not very far from Mount Moriah where Abraham was about to offer his son Isaac, the Son of God, the God who provided himself the sacrifice, died on Calvary to take away permanently the sin of everyone who would believe in him.

And as Isaac watched this incredible faith of his father, as Isaac himself exercised faith by allowing himself as a 17-year-old boy to lie on that altar, as Isaac watched how he himself was spared by God and his promises, he too taught his children the importance of the shedding of innocent blood for the remission of sin. Foreshadowing what? The cross.

Isaac's son Jacob began his own relationship with God by building an altar and offering a sacrifice and called the place "God is the God of Israel." Although his children went to Egypt for 400 years and they were in slavery, and they were not able to practice this biblical revelation, God had to teach it to them all over again when they were about to leave Egypt and get into the wilderness.

When he delivered them out of Egypt, he told them to kill an innocent lamb and then to paint the doorposts with that blood. And that is why it became Passover because the angel passed over these houses and the firstborn was spared. And that's why we call it Passover.

And that Passover was celebrated consistently and continuously for 1,600 years. For 1,600 years, until all of these sacrifices have found their fulfillment in the one and only permanent, acceptable sacrifice to God. And from that moment on, animal sacrifice have ceased. Animal sacrifice have ended.

Because when the person appears, the shadow is not important anymore. When the person appears, his picture not as important. And in the Old Testament, the cross was foreshadowed, it was a riddle, it was a picture. But when the real person appeared, the picture paled in importance.

And that is why, beloved friend, from that moment on, listen carefully, God is not and will never be pleased with animal sacrifice. How, after his one and only Son who coexisted with him before time began, left the glory of heaven, came to earth, lived in the poorest of the poor, hung on a cross helplessly, then rose again, how could he be pleased by animal sacrifice anymore?

Because the eternal and the real and the permanent has come. How do you see the cross? How does the cross impact your life on a daily basis? How does the cross impact your decision-making in your business? How does the cross impact your relationships? How does the cross impact husband and wife and parents and children?

How often are you thankful for the cross? How often does that cross motivate you when everything looks dark and bleak and you look at that cross and you know that Jesus died for you? How does this cross inspire you? How does this cross change your conduct and change your behavior, change your ethics, change your life?

Guest (Male): A challenge to consider your perspective on the cross from Dr. Michael Youssef. Thank you for making *Leading the Way* part of your day. Deepen your connection with Dr. Youssef and his worldwide team at ltw.org.

You can also hear more from Dr. Youssef and get details about the global reach of *Leading the Way* when you subscribe to *My Journal*. Start your free monthly subscription when you call 866-626-4356 or at ltw.org.

And we love hearing from you through the postal service as well. You can write to *Leading the Way*, PO Box 20100, Atlanta, Georgia 30325. Well, that's about it for this episode. Hey, don't forget to join Dr. Michael Youssef right here next time for another episode of *Leading the Way*, as he draws you in for an even closer look at the cross.

This program is brought to you by *Leading the Way* with Dr. Michael Youssef.