Rescue: Rescue Plan

RESCUE! Easter Series – Sermon Notes Pastor Brad Myers

Rescue Plan April 6, 2025

Easter Series: RESCUE!

• Today, Palm Sunday, Good Friday & Easter!
• Easter: God’s great rescue mission
• Didn’t start in a manger, or on a cross, but in the very beginning.
• Today, The Beginning of the Rescue Plan.

Rescue: Process of being saved.

Rescued: Saved!

God’s rescue plan began the moment humanity got lost.

• Life is an adventure! It’s what God created!

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Fall Of Man Created The Need For A Rescue!

Genesis 3:1-7 (NIV)

• Not about fruit.
• About: trust, obedience, & surrender.
• autonomy (self) vs. belonging (relationship)
• Result Separation, Shame, Death.

Genesis 3:8-9 (NIV)

“man and his wife” Genesis 2:24. “leaves parents, joined to his wife, one flesh.”

Covenantal marriage bond: not erased by their sin.

God’s covenants are rooted in His character, not our behavior.

• Hiding (Physical Condition); Lost (Spiritual Condition)

“as he was walking in the garden” Don’t Miss This!

• Means: God came looking not to condemn, but to rescue.

Right in the moment when Adam and Eve fell, when shame and sin entered the world, God didn’t hesitate – He stepped into the story. This wasn’t just about judgment – it was about redemption in motion. It speaks to a sense of urgency and God’s active presence.

We focus too much on judgement when the bigger story is redemption!

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“where are you?” Series “My Thoughts”

• calling both (“one flesh”)
• Addressed Adam first: (head of house)
  • God wants both to acknowledge their need for Him.
• 1^st: God calls out their Physical Location (hiding)
• 2^nd God calls out their Spiritual Condition (lost)
• 3^rd God calls them back! Rescuing them!
  • Far away from God but He wants them back!

No matter how far we’ve fallen, God’s rescue plan was always meant to be more powerful than our mistakes.

Even at our lowest moment, God doesn’t abandon, He pursues. The Garden of Eden was not just a story of rebellion – it’s the birthplace of redemption!

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God dishes out punishment for bad choices

• Order of sin: woman then man
• Order of punishment: First to Serpent (Satan), then the woman then man.
• How would that of looked? Woman & Man before Satan

The Promise of the Rescuer Shows Up!

• A rescue plan needs a rescuer! Jesus!

Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

First Gospel: proto-evangelium: first announcement of Jesus!

Introduces two elements unknown in the Garden of Eden.

1. Curse on mankind: Adam’s sin.
2. God’s provision: Savior, a Rescuer who took the curse upon Himself.

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Let’s Break It Down

1. God Speaking to the Serpent (Satan) who used the serpent to tempt them.

• judgment & prophecy show up!

2. “Enmity (hostility) Between You (Satan) and the Woman”

• Spiritual warfare was declared! SIN!

1. “Her offspring & Your offspring” “Her Seed” vs. “Your Seed”

• “Her offspring” points to a future virgin birth. Prophecy
• “Your offspring” points to those who rebel against God: Judgement!

4. “He Will Crush Your Head”

• Jesus’ victory over Satan at the cross and the resurrection.
  • Good Friday Cross: Jesus took the punishment for sin.
  • Easter Resurrection: Jesus defeated death.

5. “You Will Strike His Heel”

• Suffering Jesus endures is real and brutal

Satan strikes Jesus on the cross, but Jesus crushed Satan’s head on Easter.

The cross wasn’t a backup rescue plan. It was the plan from the beginning!

God’s plan has always included power – the power to crush the serpent, break sin, and fill His people with the power of His Spirit.

Every page of Scripture from Genesis forward points to this Savior. The snake-crusher. The Redeemer. The Rescuer.

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Sum Up Genesis 3:15

• The origin of spiritual warfare

• The first promise of the Gospel

• The launch of the supernatural storyline that stretches to:

• The Cross (where Jesus crushed the enemy)
• The Resurrection (where He proved it)

1 John 3:8 (NIV)

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This Rescue Plan is Relentless in Pursuing Humanity

• It just doesn’t stop!

The fall of man triggered not a pause, but a powerful plan. God’s response was not weak or reactionary – it was strategic and Spirit-led. From Eden to the Cross to the Day of Pentecost and beyond; God’s power has always been at work to redeem His people.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)

“While we were still sinners”

• This is the culmination of God’s rescue plan.
• What began in Genesis reaches its fulfillment at the cross.

God didn’t wait for us to get it together. He didn’t wait for us to come to Him. He pursued us, even in our brokenness. He didn’t just rescue us from sin; He rescued us while we were still in the middle of it.

While we were still lost, God made a way for us to be found. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That is the ultimate rescue.

God’s love isn’t based on our performance; it’s based on His grace. He comes to us even in our sin. We are rescued not because we are deserving, but because God’s love is greater than our sin.

No sin is too great, and no distance is too far, for His love to reach us.

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Review the Rescue Plan

1. The Fall Didn’t Stop the Plan – It Triggered It
2. The Promise of Enmity (hostility) Declared a spiritual war!
3. The offspring of the Woman: A Virgin. Will Conceive – Rescuer!
4. The Wounded Victor: Bruised but Not Broken
5. Jesus is the Crushing King: Victory Declared

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Apostle Paul speaks to it in Romans

Paul’s Final Greetings

• Conclusion of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. After deep teaching on salvation, grace, the law, Israel, and life in the Spirit.
• Paul warns against divisive influences in the church.
• Suddenly, a promise of spiritual victory!

Romans 16:20 (NIV)

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Why “God of Peace” Crushes Satan?

• Like opposites.
• In God’s kingdom, peace is not passive – it’s the result of divine authority and conquest.
• True peace comes after the enemy is defeated, not before.

God brings peace not by avoiding conflict, but by winning the war.

Romans 16:20 direct echo of Genesis 3:15:

“He shall crush your head…”

Says, “under your feet.” Don’t Miss This!

Now it’s not just Jesus crushing Satan, it’s you and I!

Means:

• Rescue Plan victory of Christ is now shared with His people.
• We are empowered to walk in spiritual authority.
• What Jesus started continues through us!

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Q) What Does “Soon” Mean? “soon, crush Satan under your feet.”

• “soon” Greek: en tachei
• “quickly” or “suddenly.”
• Soon final removal and eternal judgment is coming.
• However, we still walk in active authority over him!