Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Salvation: The Atonement of Christ
Transcript
- 0:00So, you've been following us, you've been talking, Nathan kind of brought you up to date with kind of where we are now in this series.
- 0:08And he just reminded me that Martin Luther just said that this passage that we just read is the centerpiece of the whole Bible, which I can definitely see how he got that if you look at it.
- 0:20And so we're going to talk about some big words tonight for us. And remember, as I've said in the past, big words are Latin phrases or any other thing we use around here.
- 0:34It's not to sound smart and theological. It really is to kind of help you remember something, because if something's different, it'll stand out in your mind and you'll remember.
- 0:43So that's why we use big words. And language is important, because it helps describe what Christ has done for us and who he is.
- 0:53So tonight, we're going to talk about the substitutionary atonement of Christ.
- 1:00And I have four points for us to kind of walk through.
- 1:05And the first one to kind of walk through is, is all men have sinned and rebelled against God.
- 1:12And we've kind of talked about that a lot already, so I'm not going to give you the whole doctrine of sin again.
- 1:20But the reign of sin is universal. It affects everybody.
- 1:25And I was talking with a good friend of mine, a really awesome, awesome girl.
- 1:32And she has just a very, very staunch Catholic background, Roman Catholic background.
- 1:40And she was telling me how she fully believes that Jesus, or Mary, was sinless.
- 1:48And because if she was going to bear Jesus, that she had to be sinless.
- 1:52And to which I was saying, like, no.
- 1:56Like, we all are under the curse of sin, all of us.
- 1:59And even Mary, during her song to God, or her prayer, she says, basically, that she blesses God, her Savior.
- 2:09You know, like, she knew that she needed a Savior.
- 2:12She cried out for a Savior, just like everybody did.
- 2:14And in Ecclesiastes, you've got to turn there, but Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote, more than likely Solomon wrote,
- 2:23Surely there is not a righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins.
- 2:30See this alone I have found, that God made man upright.
- 2:33Remember that?
- 2:34Like, Kyle talked about how God made man, God created man upright.
- 2:38But then it says, but they have sought out many schemes, or many devices.
- 2:43So we have rebelled against God.
- 2:46We have abused that awesome privilege He gave us.
- 2:49And then in Isaiah 59, 2, it really is a cool picture.
- 2:53I'll just read it to you.
- 2:55It says, your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God.
- 3:01And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
- 3:06A very powerful language.
- 3:09This picture of separation from God.
- 3:12Not togetherness, not a relationship with God, but separation from God.
- 3:17So that He has hidden His face from us.
- 3:20And such a powerful phrase.
- 3:24I was going to just kind of make a point that to the Hebrews, and also it should be to us as well, really.
- 3:31But the greatest blessing in their mind, you can read in the Old Testament, the greatest blessing in their mind was to behold God's face.
- 3:42To see God's face.
- 3:43Because that implied His love, His favor.
- 3:47Lord, lift up your countenance upon us.
- 3:49You've heard that in the Psalms.
- 3:50This idea of God loving and showing favor.
- 3:54So that was the greatest blessing.
- 3:56So the greatest curse was for God to hide His face from you.
- 3:59To leave you to yourself and to your sin.
- 4:03And later on in Habakkuk, chapter 1, verse 13.
- 4:08It says,
- 4:09You who have pure eyes, you cannot look upon evil and you cannot do wrong.
- 4:17Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil and you cannot do wrong.
- 4:20So this idea that God's face is hidden from those who have sinned and rebelled against Him.
- 4:28And they're under a curse.
- 4:30The curse of sin.
- 4:32So all of us, no matter who we are, we all have sinned and rebelled against God.
- 4:37And it has to start there.
- 4:37So that's the first one.
- 4:41But the second one, the second point of the night, is that God's righteousness must be upheld.
- 4:50God's righteousness must be upheld.
- 4:53And so righteousness, there's a lot of ways to describe this.
- 5:00But basically, God will always do what's right.
- 5:03Period.
- 5:04Always.
- 5:04At all times.
- 5:05And that holiness, boy, there's a lot of definitions on that one.
- 5:11They all hit on the same.
- 5:12They're all good stuff.
- 5:14It's probably one of the harder attributes of God to actually describe sometimes.
- 5:18Like sanctification would be for a lot of things.
- 5:21But in one sense, though, the holiness of God means that He is utterly separated from all things that are evil.
- 5:28Utterly separated from Him.
- 5:31But it doesn't just mean that.
- 5:32It also means that if He is holy, it means that He is devoted to destroying evil.
- 5:38And upholding His own honor.
- 5:39That's what it could also imply.
- 5:42So God's holiness pushes Him to destroy evil.
- 5:46And so, since God loves what is good, right, and pure, then it shouldn't surprise us that He is devoted to destroying evil.
- 5:57He won't, He's going to destroy anything that's opposed to who He is.
- 6:01It's not just that God has holiness.
- 6:03It's that God is holy.
- 6:05Or He has righteousness, but that He is righteous.
- 6:08It's anything that opposes Him, He will deal with.
- 6:11So, what are some things in the world that have happened that you are outraged about?
- 6:17Or something that you remember hearing about?
- 6:20Something in you just kind of like rose up and said,
- 6:24That is awful, and that has to be dealt with.
- 6:26You know, just atrocities, or when judges let terrible criminals get off,
- 6:32when the evidence is so clear that they were guilty.
- 6:35So many things we get upset about.
- 6:37And you just have to ask the question,
- 6:39Is evil and is sin worth hating?
- 6:42Absolutely, it is.
- 6:44And like the loving thing for God to do would be to destroy evil.
- 6:48So, God in His character like intrinsically hates sin.
- 6:54He hates it.
- 6:55And we don't want God just to kind of see what's going on and then brush it under the rug.
- 7:03Some leaders in history don't tolerate anything.
- 7:05They're just like killing people left and right, right?
- 7:08Like a dictator, Stalin, Mao, Hitler.
- 7:12But at the same time, it's probably just as bad to have a ruler who just lets anything fly.
- 7:19And that's kind of like almost where our nation is kind of going to some degree.
- 7:22A lot more so.
- 7:24A Roman citizen during the Roman Republic wrote this,
- 7:27And that's true.
- 7:43But God is not like that at all.
- 7:45So, He hates sin.
- 7:48He hates injustice and injustice and anything that goes against who He is.
- 7:52So, when people rape children, when young girls are taken captive and sold into slavery,
- 7:59when greedy businessmen do damage to others to climb the ladder,
- 8:04or when we, not me, but like when other people are just like your roommates in school or wherever,
- 8:10and you lash out with them in anger and pride and think that you are better than them,
- 8:15they should do something for you.
- 8:18Just so many things.
- 8:20When you actually do something good for somebody with a selfish gain in mind,
- 8:25a selfish motive, not really out of love for them, but for yourself,
- 8:28God hates these things.
- 8:31Big and small, He hates all of it.
- 8:34And we want Him to be that way.
- 8:37We don't want a God that sees evil going on and just sweeps under the rug.
- 8:41He's not worth worshipping if that's true.
- 8:43He would not be God.
- 8:45You see that?
- 8:45He'd be like some kind of other deity we've created.
- 8:48Sin destroys human happiness.
- 8:52It destroys it.
- 8:53It hurts us.
- 8:54And what we glorify is what we love the most.
- 8:59And if you track the matter of your day, you'll see that normally it's not God.
- 9:03It's a lot of other things that you're following.
- 9:06And so God just doesn't see what's going on and turn a blind eye.
- 9:09He's sworn that He will deal with evil.
- 9:13And He feels a holy wrath toward those things.
- 9:16It's just within His character to be that way.
- 9:18So just as much as God's love has propelled Him to send Christ,
- 9:24and to provide a way for us to be forgiven,
- 9:28at the same time, like running along right beside that,
- 9:31is God's holiness saying that one day I will destroy all evil.
- 9:36So He said, a lot of you know in Romans 6,
- 9:41for the wages of sin is death.
- 9:43Right?
- 9:45Ezekiel, all souls belong to me, God says,
- 9:48and the soul who sins shall die.
- 9:50That's what He says.
- 9:52Very powerful.
- 9:52So there's a payday coming for sin,
- 9:56and we've earned it.
- 9:57We've worked for it.
- 9:58It's our wage.
- 9:59And it's death.
- 10:01That's the outcome.
- 10:02And His wrath is coming,
- 10:04and it's coming like non-stop.
- 10:07There's nothing anybody can do to stop it.
- 10:09John the Baptist in Matthew,
- 10:11he said,
- 10:11flee from the wrath to come.
- 10:13Now, I'm sure some of you saw those hoo-hahs up on the square during Gold Rush,
- 10:22just pretty much just damning people.
- 10:25Man, that disinfuriates me.
- 10:28But don't be fooled.
- 10:29What they're saying is true, though.
- 10:32Okay?
- 10:32They're just giving you a part of the picture, though.
- 10:34They're not giving you the rest of who God is at all.
- 10:38And to make an idol out of one attribute of God is idolatry.
- 10:42Like, to just focus on one part of who God is
- 10:44and then ignore the rest of Him is wrong.
- 10:47So if you love,
- 10:49if you really fall in love with His goodness and His fatherly side,
- 10:52then you hate, like,
- 10:53uh-uh, I don't want to hear about the wrath side.
- 10:56You don't really love God.
- 10:57You don't really know God.
- 10:58He's all those things.
- 11:01So, turn to Revelation 6.
- 11:07Just to take a look at this.
- 11:10This is terrifying stuff.
- 11:12And this stuff's all through the Scripture.
- 11:14You can't really turn a blind eye to it.
- 11:21Revelation 6.
- 11:22And all throughout the Scripture,
- 11:26both Old and New Testament,
- 11:28they had different names for this,
- 11:29but a lot of times in the Old Testament,
- 11:30they would call this the Day of the Lord.
- 11:33It's referred to as the Day of the Lord
- 11:35in Zephaniah and Ezekiel and other places.
- 11:39Amos.
- 11:40But, just to jump ahead,
- 11:44Revelation 6, verse 12,
- 11:47it says this.
- 11:48This is going on in the heavenly realm.
- 11:54It says,
- 11:54When He opened the sixth seal,
- 11:56I looked,
- 11:57and behold,
- 11:58there was a great earthquake,
- 11:59and the sun became black like sackcloth,
- 12:03and the full moon became white blood,
- 12:06and the stars of the sky fell to the earth
- 12:10as the fig tree sheds in winter
- 12:12and its fruit was shaken by a gale.
- 12:16So, basically,
- 12:16it's like everything is getting dark.
- 12:18Get the picture there,
- 12:19just like utter darkness is what's happening.
- 12:22Verse 14,
- 12:24The sky vanished like a scroll,
- 12:28that it is being rolled up,
- 12:30and every mountain and island
- 12:31was removed from its place.
- 12:33The kings of the earth,
- 12:35and the great ones,
- 12:36and the generals,
- 12:37and the rich,
- 12:38and the powerful,
- 12:39and everyone,
- 12:41slave and free,
- 12:43hid themselves in caves
- 12:44and among the rocks of the mountains,
- 12:47calling on to the mountains and the rocks,
- 12:50fall on us and hide us
- 12:52from the face of Him
- 12:54who is seated on the throne
- 12:55and from the wrath of the Lamb.
- 12:57for the great day of their wrath has come,
- 13:01and who can stand?
- 13:03Very, like, terrifying stuff.
- 13:06Like, no matter where you go,
- 13:09the Lord will find them.
- 13:11Like, He's going to...
- 13:12It's like a...
- 13:14I hated to compare it to this,
- 13:16but if you are God's enemy
- 13:18and you don't have Christ standing on your behalf,
- 13:21like, you're His enemy.
- 13:23We'll read that in just a minute.
- 13:25But it's kind of like one of those scary movies
- 13:28where everybody's kind of locked up in a house,
- 13:31you know,
- 13:32and they're hiding from people,
- 13:33and then, like, the murderer,
- 13:35whoever,
- 13:36is just going from room to room
- 13:37just killing people, you know?
- 13:39And, like, you're hiding,
- 13:40thinking, like, maybe He won't get me.
- 13:43Like, it's that kind of terror
- 13:44that is going on here,
- 13:46and God will, like, find everybody.
- 13:49And from the wrath of the Lamb,
- 13:51that will be Christ, you know?
- 13:53And it doesn't matter.
- 13:54It says the King's the most powerful people on the earth.
- 13:57Then it says slave and free
- 13:59from the homeless guy out in the street.
- 14:01I mean, everybody.
- 14:02No one will be spared.
- 14:05And so some of you may be thinking, like,
- 14:06well, I'm glad I'm a Christian,
- 14:07so I don't really need to worry
- 14:09about reading passages like this.
- 14:11So I really don't even like to think about it,
- 14:13so I'm a Christian, and I'm okay.
- 14:15Thank goodness I'm saved.
- 14:19But think about this.
- 14:22I think that if we're around when this happens,
- 14:24no matter who you are,
- 14:25we all will be aware of the wrath of God when it comes,
- 14:27whether you're a believer or not.
- 14:30And in that moment,
- 14:31you're going to feel like terror
- 14:34and also like what it's like to stand within Christ
- 14:37when that happens
- 14:38and like the gratitude and the joy
- 14:40and the peace that will come from that.
- 14:42But people will say, I'm saved.
- 14:44Like, I shared the gospel with several guys this week,
- 14:47and one of them was like, I'm saved.
- 14:48Like, I'm good.
- 14:49I'm saved.
- 14:50And I was like, cool, man.
- 14:53I said, well, I was trying not to be, like,
- 14:56too hard on him.
- 14:58I know he had no idea what he was talking about,
- 14:59but I just said, like,
- 15:01you know what you mean when you say you're saved?
- 15:03Like, what does that imply?
- 15:04He's like, well, I did it at a church, you know,
- 15:07like when I was 15,
- 15:09and, you know, like I went forward
- 15:11and I prayed a prayer.
- 15:12Like, I know I'm good, man.
- 15:12You don't got to worry about me.
- 15:14And I said, that's not answering the question, bro.
- 15:16I was just kind of real with him.
- 15:18And I said, like, what does it mean to be saved?
- 15:20Like, when you say you're saved,
- 15:21what are you saved from?
- 15:23And I went on to show him a couple passages,
- 15:26and I was saying, like, it's the wrath of God
- 15:27that you're, that people say that term.
- 15:30That's what it means.
- 15:31It's saved from judgment, saved from the wrath of God,
- 15:34saved from the just, holy, and loving wrath of God.
- 15:39Hard to hear it that way, but it's true.
- 15:42So in Romans 1, it says this,
- 15:44the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven
- 15:47against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men
- 15:51who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
- 15:55That's Romans 1.18.
- 15:56So it's all over the pages of Scripture.
- 16:00It's terrifying.
- 16:01It should just...
- 16:03Man, I'm...
- 16:05So, where is the wrath right now?
- 16:09Well, at this time,
- 16:11I mean, you can definitely say this is going on now,
- 16:13there's a season of grace
- 16:15where God has sent His messengers,
- 16:18His people,
- 16:19out with the gospel to declare
- 16:21that He has a peace offering,
- 16:25like in Jesus.
- 16:26He put it this way,
- 16:27kind of like if we were...
- 16:29I remember when this happened,
- 16:32like Bush told Saddam,
- 16:35like, surrender now.
- 16:37Like, here's the terms.
- 16:40Do it now.
- 16:41Or we're going to war.
- 16:42And Saddam obviously was like,
- 16:44no, I'm not doing that.
- 16:46And, okay.
- 16:48And like, he had all fury unleashed on him
- 16:51when that happened.
- 16:53And tiny picture,
- 16:55puny picture,
- 16:56compared to what it's like now.
- 16:58Christ, or God has said,
- 16:59here is my terms.
- 17:02Repent, believe the gospel,
- 17:03and turn to my Son,
- 17:05like you will be my enemy
- 17:08based on...
- 17:09my enemy or not,
- 17:11based on what you do
- 17:12with those terms.
- 17:12And one day,
- 17:13I will come back.
- 17:14I'm going to clean house.
- 17:15And that's really just how
- 17:16terrifying it is.
- 17:19So, when we sin,
- 17:20we're putting ourselves
- 17:21underneath that.
- 17:23And no one can stand.
- 17:24No one will be able to stand
- 17:26the wrath of God.
- 17:28A terrifying thing.
- 17:31So then, thirdly,
- 17:32the third point...
- 17:34Kind of moving along tonight.
- 17:37Alright.
- 17:38The third point is,
- 17:39Christ came to make atonement
- 17:41on our behalf.
- 17:44That's good.
- 17:46Christ came to make atonement
- 17:47on our behalf.
- 17:49Okay?
- 17:51So, atonement.
- 17:52I'll just give you kind of a
- 17:53loose definition of it, okay?
- 17:56It's the work of Christ
- 17:58in His life and in His death
- 18:02to earn us salvation.
- 18:05Okay?
- 18:05It's the work of Christ
- 18:08in His life and His death
- 18:09to earn us salvation.
- 18:12So,
- 18:13Christ made right
- 18:14the offense
- 18:15that we have caused
- 18:16to God
- 18:16and the enmity
- 18:17between us and God.
- 18:19And He opened the door
- 18:20for all spiritual blessings
- 18:21then to come to us.
- 18:23All the other things
- 18:24that are about to follow
- 18:25these messages,
- 18:27regeneration,
- 18:28justification,
- 18:28all these things
- 18:30that are going to follow this
- 18:31were made possible
- 18:33by the atoning work
- 18:34of Christ
- 18:34or else it wouldn't have happened.
- 18:37So, Christ won for us
- 18:38all these awesome things
- 18:39through what He did
- 18:41on the cross.
- 18:42So,
- 18:43here's some words
- 18:46to kind of follow
- 18:47to help describe this, okay?
- 18:50The first one is
- 18:51penal substitution,
- 18:53P-E-N-A-L,
- 18:56penal substitution.
- 18:56We get from our word penalty,
- 18:58alright?
- 18:59And it basically just means that
- 19:00it's the idea that
- 19:02the penalty that we deserve
- 19:04was given to someone else
- 19:06who took it voluntarily
- 19:08who didn't deserve it.
- 19:09Christ took our penalty.
- 19:13Christ voluntarily
- 19:14took what we deserve.
- 19:16He stood in our place
- 19:17as our substitute.
- 19:19And then,
- 19:21another word
- 19:22is used to describe this
- 19:24as vicarious atonement.
- 19:27And a vicar
- 19:27is someone who stands
- 19:29in the place of another,
- 19:31a one who represents another.
- 19:33And Christ's death
- 19:34was vicarious
- 19:35because He stood in our place
- 19:37and represented us
- 19:39before God
- 19:39at that moment.
- 19:41And He took the penalty
- 19:41that we deserve.
- 19:44He stood in our place.
- 19:46So,
- 19:46turn to Isaiah 53
- 19:48real quick.
- 19:57Christ bore our penalty
- 19:58and He stood in our place.
- 20:00Isaiah 53,
- 20:01go to verse 4.
- 20:07Isaiah,
- 20:09Isaiah,
- 20:10as some of my Irish friends say.
- 20:11I'm like,
- 20:12what?
- 20:12Can you just not say Isaiah?
- 20:14Isaiah.
- 20:17Isaiah 53,
- 20:18verse 4.
- 20:20So,
- 20:21over 700 years
- 20:23before Christ,
- 20:25these words were spoken
- 20:26about the Messiah,
- 20:28about Christ.
- 20:30And this is a picture
- 20:31to the T
- 20:32about what
- 20:33substitutionary atonement is.
- 20:35All right?
- 20:39Surely,
- 20:40He has borne
- 20:41our griefs
- 20:42and carried
- 20:43our sorrows.
- 20:44Notice the hours
- 20:45throughout this.
- 20:47He bore our griefs
- 20:49and carried
- 20:49our sorrows.
- 20:51Yet we esteemed
- 20:51Him stricken,
- 20:53smitten by God
- 20:54and afflicted.
- 20:56But He was wounded
- 20:57for our transgressions.
- 20:59He was crushed
- 21:00for our iniquities.
- 21:02Upon Him
- 21:03was the chastisement
- 21:04that brought us peace.
- 21:06And with His stripes
- 21:08we are healed.
- 21:09All we like sheep
- 21:10have gone astray.
- 21:11Each turn,
- 21:13we all have turned
- 21:14everyone
- 21:15to His own way.
- 21:16And the Lord
- 21:17has laid on Him
- 21:18the iniquity
- 21:19of us all.
- 21:21He was oppressed
- 21:22and He was afflicted.
- 21:24Yet He opened
- 21:25not His mouth.
- 21:27Like a lamb
- 21:27that is led
- 21:28to the slaughter
- 21:29and like a sheep
- 21:30that before its shearers
- 21:31is silent.
- 21:32So He opened
- 21:33not His mouth.
- 21:35By the oppression
- 21:36and judgment
- 21:37He was taken away.
- 21:40And as for His generation
- 21:41who considered
- 21:42that He was cut off
- 21:43of the land
- 21:44of the living,
- 21:45stricken
- 21:45for the transgression
- 21:47of My people.
- 21:48Transgressions
- 21:49of My people.
- 21:51That's what it is.
- 21:52Our sorrows,
- 21:54our transgressions,
- 21:56our iniquities.
- 21:57He bore this.
- 21:59And the whole time
- 22:00He could have stopped it.
- 22:02Notice that?
- 22:03He did not open His mouth.
- 22:05He could have said,
- 22:06I'm not doing this anymore.
- 22:08He could have stopped it
- 22:09at any time.
- 22:10He could have bailed.
- 22:11And notice the words
- 22:12that are used.
- 22:13It says that He was
- 22:14stricken,
- 22:16smitten,
- 22:17afflicted,
- 22:17wounded,
- 22:19chastised,
- 22:20oppressed,
- 22:20and afflicted.
- 22:22Alright?
- 22:22Those are serious words.
- 22:24On our behalf,
- 22:25that's a definite picture
- 22:29of what atonement means.
- 22:31Do you remember,
- 22:33I remember when the movie
- 22:34Passion of the Christ
- 22:35came out,
- 22:36and I was just kind of
- 22:38wondering like,
- 22:40what does that mean?
- 22:41Passion.
- 22:41Like,
- 22:42the passion of the Christ.
- 22:44What does it mean?
- 22:45And really,
- 22:46like when you look at it
- 22:47from a biblical sense,
- 22:48I tried to read up on this
- 22:50many years ago,
- 22:51and I remember,
- 22:52but it really means
- 22:53not like,
- 22:54rah, rah, rah,
- 22:55we're passionate
- 22:55about something.
- 22:57I'm passionate about coffee.
- 22:58Oh my gosh.
- 22:58Like,
- 22:59not that kind of,
- 23:00not that kind of passion.
- 23:03It means like,
- 23:04suffering
- 23:05the degree of difficulty
- 23:07to reach the goal.
- 23:11What it means.
- 23:11Like,
- 23:11something in us that says
- 23:12that goal
- 23:13or that prize
- 23:14is worth anything,
- 23:15and I'm willing to do it
- 23:17to get that.
- 23:17So,
- 23:19when you speak of
- 23:20the passion of Christ,
- 23:22that's what it was.
- 23:23Like,
- 23:23what did he suffer for?
- 23:25And,
- 23:26at least in my mind,
- 23:28what I could pick out
- 23:28was really just three things.
- 23:30One was,
- 23:31he suffered
- 23:32so that we would be
- 23:32restored back
- 23:33into a relationship
- 23:34with the Father.
- 23:35Okay?
- 23:36So that we could know God
- 23:37again.
- 23:38But also,
- 23:40to enable us
- 23:41to live in a manner
- 23:42that would reflect
- 23:43God's glory again.
- 23:44Right?
- 23:45Remember the fall?
- 23:45The broken image of God
- 23:47cannot reflect
- 23:48God's glory anymore?
- 23:50Now we can,
- 23:51if you are in Christ.
- 23:53In many ways,
- 23:54we can reflect
- 23:54what we originally
- 23:55intended to do.
- 23:57But then,
- 23:57ultimately,
- 23:59Christ's passion
- 24:00was to honor
- 24:00his Father.
- 24:01That's why he did it.
- 24:03To honor
- 24:03his Father
- 24:04in heaven.
- 24:06It says that
- 24:07he gave himself
- 24:07for us
- 24:08a fragrant aroma
- 24:09to God,
- 24:10a fragrant sacrifice
- 24:11to God,
- 24:12pleasing to God.
- 24:14So,
- 24:15so on Good Friday,
- 24:18which is a long way
- 24:18from now,
- 24:19kind of,
- 24:20like in Jerusalem,
- 24:22have you ever
- 24:23thought about this?
- 24:24Like,
- 24:25what must it be like
- 24:26to know the hour
- 24:27of your death?
- 24:29You know?
- 24:30I just think about,
- 24:31like,
- 24:31what would that do to you?
- 24:32Would it just crush you?
- 24:33A lot of us,
- 24:34it would.
- 24:37The people here
- 24:37who know me well
- 24:38that have kind of
- 24:38followed me over the years
- 24:39know that I've had
- 24:40moments like that
- 24:41in the hospital
- 24:42where I knew,
- 24:43like,
- 24:43very well
- 24:43that,
- 24:43like,
- 24:44I was in my last
- 24:45few hours,
- 24:46possibly.
- 24:47And,
- 24:48you have a thousand
- 24:49things run through
- 24:49your mind.
- 24:51And,
- 24:52it can really just be
- 24:53a time of great turmoil.
- 24:56And,
- 24:57so what must it be like,
- 24:58think about that,
- 24:58to know the hour
- 24:59of your death?
- 25:00And Christ
- 25:00had this on his mind
- 25:02from the very beginning,
- 25:03right?
- 25:04He knew why he was here.
- 25:06But,
- 25:06when he set his face
- 25:07toward Jerusalem,
- 25:08it really just kind of
- 25:09all came down on him.
- 25:10He really knew
- 25:11what was going on.
- 25:12And,
- 25:12it became more and more
- 25:13tense.
- 25:15And,
- 25:16so,
- 25:17well,
- 25:18and think about this,
- 25:18the Gospel of John,
- 25:20John throughout
- 25:21the whole time
- 25:21calls Jesus
- 25:23the King,
- 25:24the King.
- 25:25He refers to Jesus
- 25:25as the King
- 25:27a lot.
- 25:28And,
- 25:29and why?
- 25:29Because,
- 25:30like,
- 25:30he acted in the most
- 25:31royal and,
- 25:32like,
- 25:32dignified manner ever.
- 25:33While men were
- 25:34lashing out at him
- 25:35and spitting on him,
- 25:36he didn't revile
- 25:37in return.
- 25:39He had compassion
- 25:40on his mother
- 25:40at the cross.
- 25:42All these things.
- 25:43A totally disgraceful
- 25:44trial that he had.
- 25:46Blasphemy.
- 25:48You know what?
- 25:48They,
- 25:49they accused Jesus
- 25:50of that.
- 25:50You know that?
- 25:50That was the crime.
- 25:52Blasphemy.
- 25:53Right?
- 25:54That was what they
- 25:55were saying,
- 25:56like,
- 25:56our Lord
- 25:56was guilty of
- 25:58blasphemy.
- 25:59And isn't that crazy?
- 26:00Like,
- 26:00that is,
- 26:01like,
- 26:01the ultimate thing
- 26:01that we are guilty of.
- 26:03Blasphemy against God.
- 26:05And they were accusing
- 26:05Jesus for this.
- 26:06And,
- 26:09they accused him
- 26:11of treason.
- 26:12Right?
- 26:13Against Rome
- 26:13and against the state.
- 26:15Definitely not.
- 26:16But that was the two things
- 26:16that we were the most guilty of.
- 26:18Blasphemy and treason.
- 26:19All of us are.
- 26:21Against God.
- 26:23So,
- 26:24in Gethsemane,
- 26:25in the garden,
- 26:27you can go and see it today.
- 26:28It's still there.
- 26:29But Gethsemane means,
- 26:30like,
- 26:30the oil press.
- 26:32And it really,
- 26:33it's on the Mount of Olives
- 26:34on,
- 26:35like,
- 26:35the western side
- 26:36of Jerusalem.
- 26:37And,
- 26:38it really means,
- 26:39like,
- 26:39where olives are pressed.
- 26:41Right?
- 26:42And it's really
- 26:42crazy symbolic
- 26:44that Jesus was feeling that
- 26:46while he was there.
- 26:47He was feeling pressed
- 26:48and crushed
- 26:48by what was on his mind.
- 26:51And I'll just read you
- 26:53a few things
- 26:53out of some different
- 26:54gospels that happen.
- 26:56Jesus said this
- 26:58in Matthew.
- 26:59He said,
- 26:59My soul is very sorrowful.
- 27:01Even to death.
- 27:04And he told his disciples,
- 27:05Remain here.
- 27:06Watch and pray.
- 27:08So sorrowful
- 27:09that he was,
- 27:09he felt like he was
- 27:10going to die.
- 27:10Like,
- 27:11that's how awful it was
- 27:13for our Lord.
- 27:15And then in Luke 22,
- 27:17verse 41,
- 27:18he says this.
- 27:20Well,
- 27:20he withdrew from them
- 27:21about a stone's throw away.
- 27:23So,
- 27:23not too far.
- 27:25Then he said,
- 27:25he knelt down
- 27:26and he prayed,
- 27:27saying,
- 27:28Father,
- 27:30Abba,
- 27:30you know,
- 27:33if you are willing,
- 27:35remove this cup
- 27:36from me.
- 27:38So,
- 27:39is there some other way?
- 27:41Is there any other way
- 27:42that this can be done?
- 27:44Is what he almost was saying.
- 27:45If possible,
- 27:47is there any other way
- 27:48that you could,
- 27:49like,
- 27:49deal with this?
- 27:50When he says,
- 27:50take this cup from me,
- 27:52he's referring to,
- 27:54like,
- 27:54the Father's wrath.
- 27:55All throughout the Old Testament,
- 27:57God's wrath
- 27:57that's referred to
- 27:58is cups
- 27:59or bowls of wrath.
- 28:01And he knew
- 28:02that he was about to drink it.
- 28:03He knew it like the,
- 28:04it was being passed to him.
- 28:06And he said,
- 28:06is there any other way?
- 28:08And,
- 28:09and believe it,
- 28:10like,
- 28:10like,
- 28:11the Lord,
- 28:12the union between Christ
- 28:14and the Father
- 28:15is so close
- 28:15that if there was another way,
- 28:17he would have done it.
- 28:18Seriously.
- 28:19He would not have done this
- 28:20if this was not
- 28:21the other,
- 28:22any other way.
- 28:23And then it says,
- 28:25Jesus went on to pray,
- 28:26nevertheless,
- 28:27not my will,
- 28:28but yours be done.
- 28:30And it says,
- 28:31and there appeared to him
- 28:32an angel from heaven
- 28:33strengthening him.
- 28:35Isn't that cool?
- 28:36And that is an awesome gift
- 28:37from the Father
- 28:37just to remind him
- 28:38of, like,
- 28:39who he is
- 28:40and where he will be going
- 28:41eventually.
- 28:42And it said,
- 28:43and being in agony,
- 28:44he prayed
- 28:44more earnestly
- 28:46And his sweat
- 28:47became like
- 28:48great drops of blood
- 28:49falling down to the ground.
- 28:51I'm very,
- 28:51the agony of Christ
- 28:53that he went through,
- 28:54like,
- 28:54in Gethsemane.
- 28:56Then the cross.
- 28:58When he finally was on the cross,
- 28:59like,
- 29:00the cruelest,
- 29:01most degrading way
- 29:02of execution,
- 29:03at least,
- 29:04in my knowledge,
- 29:05I don't know,
- 29:05I could be wrong,
- 29:06but I doubt anybody here
- 29:08is going to dispute me
- 29:08on this anyway,
- 29:09but I think there was around
- 29:10maybe five or six thousand
- 29:12slaves that were crucified
- 29:14after the Spartacus Rebellion
- 29:16all along
- 29:17the Appian Way to Rome.
- 29:19it was reserved
- 29:20for, like,
- 29:20the cruelest,
- 29:22most wicked,
- 29:23treacherous people
- 29:23for scum.
- 29:25That's who it was designed for.
- 29:27And then, like,
- 29:28the very Creator Himself,
- 29:30Christ,
- 29:31being put on the cross.
- 29:33Cicero,
- 29:34an old writer,
- 29:34he said that
- 29:35crucifixion is
- 29:36the supreme
- 29:37capital penalty,
- 29:38the most painful,
- 29:40dreadful,
- 29:40and ugly.
- 29:42You'd hang there for days,
- 29:44you would die of,
- 29:45like,
- 29:45you wouldn't be able to breathe,
- 29:46your arms would be lifted up
- 29:47so high,
- 29:48and eventually,
- 29:49buzzards and crows
- 29:50would come and just
- 29:51eat on you
- 29:52while you were there.
- 29:53It was meant to last for days,
- 29:55a very slow death,
- 29:57mentally and physically,
- 29:59just torture.
- 30:01And this was the death
- 30:02that Christ
- 30:03was to die for us.
- 30:06And remember what I said,
- 30:08for God to show His face
- 30:10towards you,
- 30:11the greatest blessing,
- 30:12and for God to hide
- 30:12His face from you,
- 30:14the greatest curse.
- 30:15in Mark 15,
- 30:18this is something
- 30:19that happened at the cross,
- 30:20it says,
- 30:21And when the sixth hour
- 30:22had come,
- 30:23there was darkness
- 30:24all over the whole land
- 30:25until the ninth hour.
- 30:27And in the ninth hour,
- 30:29Jesus cried
- 30:30with a loud voice,
- 30:32Eloi,
- 30:32Eloi,
- 30:34lama sakpathini,
- 30:35which means,
- 30:36My God,
- 30:37my God,
- 30:37why have you forsaken me?
- 30:40Because in that moment,
- 30:41like,
- 30:42God was treating Christ
- 30:44as if He was
- 30:45full of all the sin
- 30:47of all the people
- 30:48He was going to save.
- 30:49He was feeling
- 30:49the Father's wrath,
- 30:51something totally alien
- 30:52to Christ,
- 30:53something He was totally
- 30:54not used to at all.
- 30:55He was feeling
- 30:55the wrath of God
- 30:57on the cross.
- 30:58God was hiding His face
- 30:59from the Son.
- 31:03Terrible stuff.
- 31:05Think about our
- 31:06our Father Adam,
- 31:07right,
- 31:08in the garden.
- 31:10The tree that was
- 31:10in the garden
- 31:11said what?
- 31:11Everything,
- 31:12it was beautiful,
- 31:12it was attractive,
- 31:14right?
- 31:14Everything pleasing
- 31:15to the eye
- 31:16was on that tree.
- 31:17And He was,
- 31:18He went right for it.
- 31:20But think about this tree
- 31:21that Christ was on.
- 31:23Nothing appealing about it.
- 31:24Nothing in Christ's
- 31:25holy nature
- 31:26wanted to go to the cross.
- 31:28See that?
- 31:28Totally different.
- 31:30But He went
- 31:31and He suffered.
- 31:33So,
- 31:34Christ,
- 31:35that second,
- 31:36that third point,
- 31:37excuse me,
- 31:37Christ came
- 31:38to make atonement
- 31:39on our behalf
- 31:40as our substitute.
- 31:43So then lastly,
- 31:45fourthly,
- 31:48Christ's atonement,
- 31:50the double cure.
- 31:53Okay,
- 31:53we'll talk about that
- 31:54in a second.
- 31:55Christ's atonement,
- 31:56the double cure.
- 31:58Some of you are familiar
- 31:59with the hymn,
- 32:00Rock of Ages.
- 32:01I hope we might sing that.
- 32:02Are we singing that?
- 32:02We are singing that.
- 32:03There's a line in there
- 32:05where He says,
- 32:06Be of sin the double cure.
- 32:09Save from wrath
- 32:10and make me pure.
- 32:12And,
- 32:12so,
- 32:14atonement,
- 32:14when you look at the word,
- 32:15it really,
- 32:16there's two words
- 32:17that can be kind of used
- 32:19to give a full picture
- 32:20of what it really means.
- 32:22And then,
- 32:22there are two big words.
- 32:24The first one
- 32:25is propitiation.
- 32:26That's actually in your Bible,
- 32:28so don't think
- 32:28we're making that one up.
- 32:29If you have a good translation,
- 32:30it's in your Bible,
- 32:32propitiation,
- 32:34and then expiation.
- 32:36And,
- 32:36they carry
- 32:37slightly different meanings,
- 32:39but they give us
- 32:40a good picture
- 32:41of what Christ did
- 32:42on the cross.
- 32:43And,
- 32:43they both
- 32:43are kind of found first
- 32:45in the Old Testament
- 32:46during
- 32:47the Day of Atonement.
- 32:49And,
- 32:49it was
- 32:50symbolic
- 32:52of what Christ
- 32:52would do for us
- 32:53one day.
- 32:54And,
- 32:54they took two different
- 32:55goats,
- 32:55if you remember this,
- 32:56and then one of them
- 32:57was killed
- 32:58and slain
- 32:59on behalf
- 33:01of the sins
- 33:01of the people
- 33:02of Israel.
- 33:03And,
- 33:03the other goat
- 33:04was like set free
- 33:05and sent off
- 33:06into the wilderness.
- 33:07And,
- 33:08it was symbolic
- 33:08of like removing
- 33:09the sin
- 33:10from God's presence
- 33:11and freeing them
- 33:12of guilt and shame.
- 33:13That's what it was
- 33:14symbolic of.
- 33:15That's where you get
- 33:15the word scapegoat from,
- 33:16actually,
- 33:17the scapegoat.
- 33:18He was sent away
- 33:19into the wilderness.
- 33:21And,
- 33:21the first goat
- 33:22was an act
- 33:23of propitiation.
- 33:24He was killed.
- 33:25The second goat
- 33:26was an act
- 33:26of expiation.
- 33:27He removed
- 33:28or blotted out
- 33:29the sin of the people
- 33:30from the presence
- 33:32of God.
- 33:33And,
- 33:33he carried away
- 33:34their guilt
- 33:34and their shame.
- 33:35And,
- 33:36both of those
- 33:36were figures,
- 33:38prefigures
- 33:39of what Christ
- 33:39would do for us.
- 33:41And,
- 33:41both represent
- 33:42the complete
- 33:42work of Christ.
- 33:44Christ propitiated
- 33:45the wrath of God.
- 33:46He satisfied
- 33:47the wrath of God.
- 33:48But,
- 33:49he also removed
- 33:50our guilt
- 33:50and our shame
- 33:51from Christ.
- 33:52So,
- 33:52let's just look
- 33:53at one at a time.
- 33:55Propitiation.
- 33:56Just go ahead
- 33:58and,
- 33:59we read it
- 34:00in Romans 3
- 34:00if you remember that.
- 34:01We'll look at
- 34:01something else
- 34:02in a second.
- 34:02But,
- 34:02turn to Romans 5
- 34:03real quick.
- 34:11Romans 5,
- 34:12go to verse 6.
- 34:14Excuse me.
- 34:17Choking a little bit.
- 34:19So,
- 34:20propitiation,
- 34:21the idea of like,
- 34:21in front of idea.
- 34:24That's what the word
- 34:24pro kind of means here.
- 34:26is the act
- 34:27by which
- 34:27a sacrifice,
- 34:29in our case,
- 34:30Christ,
- 34:31bore the wrath
- 34:31of God
- 34:32and thereby,
- 34:33like,
- 34:33changed God's attitude
- 34:34or God's outlook
- 34:36on who we were.
- 34:36It changed
- 34:37God's view
- 34:38on us.
- 34:40So,
- 34:41it turned it
- 34:41from wrath
- 34:42to love
- 34:45is what
- 34:45Christ did.
- 34:47So,
- 34:47some translations
- 34:48use,
- 34:51I don't know
- 34:51what yours might say.
- 34:52When we read
- 34:52Romans a while ago,
- 34:53it might have said
- 34:54something like,
- 34:56it might have just
- 34:58said atonement,
- 34:59it could have said
- 35:00a lot of different
- 35:00things,
- 35:00but when we look
- 35:02at this word,
- 35:04if you were to
- 35:04kind of look it up,
- 35:05it doesn't mean
- 35:06a lot of things,
- 35:07but some would say
- 35:08like,
- 35:09to appease
- 35:09or to placate.
- 35:11Okay,
- 35:11like,
- 35:12that's what Christ
- 35:12did for us.
- 35:13Like,
- 35:13he appeased
- 35:14the wrath of God.
- 35:15And,
- 35:17those aren't really
- 35:18good words
- 35:19to use
- 35:20because,
- 35:21like,
- 35:21appease
- 35:22or placate,
- 35:23appease,
- 35:24appeasement
- 35:24usually has a
- 35:25negative context,
- 35:26right?
- 35:27Like a,
- 35:27like a tyrant
- 35:28wants something,
- 35:29a terrorist
- 35:30or something
- 35:30wants something
- 35:31and we give it
- 35:32to him
- 35:32and that appeases
- 35:33him and so
- 35:33he backs off.
- 35:35Or to placate
- 35:36almost carries
- 35:37an idea
- 35:37of,
- 35:37like,
- 35:37soothing,
- 35:38like,
- 35:38it's okay,
- 35:39you know,
- 35:39don't,
- 35:40don't be upset
- 35:41about this.
- 35:42And either one
- 35:42of those
- 35:42describe,
- 35:44like,
- 35:44what was
- 35:45really done
- 35:46for us.
- 35:47Both of those
- 35:48carry,
- 35:48like,
- 35:49just a very
- 35:49negative meaning
- 35:50and I think
- 35:52some NIV
- 35:53translations say
- 35:54atoning sacrifice,
- 35:56which isn't bad
- 35:57but it kind of
- 35:57means,
- 35:58like,
- 35:58that Jesus
- 35:59turned away
- 36:00the wrath of God
- 36:01from us
- 36:03is what that
- 36:04kind of implies.
- 36:06And that's
- 36:06not good either.
- 36:07Jesus didn't
- 36:07just simply
- 36:08turn away
- 36:08the wrath of God.
- 36:09in high school
- 36:12some buddies
- 36:14of mine
- 36:14used to box
- 36:15a lot.
- 36:16One of my
- 36:16best friends
- 36:16in high school
- 36:17won the
- 36:17Junior Olympics
- 36:18in boxing.
- 36:19He's a tough
- 36:19dude.
- 36:21He beat the
- 36:21snot out of me
- 36:22like four or
- 36:22five times.
- 36:24He was just
- 36:24fast.
- 36:25Every time I
- 36:25rear back
- 36:26he'd go
- 36:26bam,
- 36:27bam,
- 36:27bam.
- 36:27And I
- 36:28gave him
- 36:28a bloody
- 36:29nose one
- 36:29time.
- 36:30But I
- 36:30kept coming
- 36:30back for
- 36:31more for
- 36:31some reason.
- 36:32So,
- 36:33but like
- 36:34when you're
- 36:34boxing though,
- 36:35like,
- 36:35if you swing
- 36:37and someone
- 36:37like bobs
- 36:38and they
- 36:39miss or
- 36:40they block
- 36:41you,
- 36:42like,
- 36:43it implies
- 36:43like you
- 36:44didn't hit
- 36:44your intended
- 36:44target,
- 36:45right?
- 36:46And that's
- 36:46why,
- 36:47like,
- 36:47we can't
- 36:48say that
- 36:48Christ
- 36:48turned aside
- 36:49the wrath
- 36:51of God
- 36:51because it
- 36:51would mean
- 36:52like he
- 36:52missed,
- 36:53it missed
- 36:54the object
- 36:55and that God
- 36:57is upset
- 36:58because he
- 36:58didn't like
- 36:58hit his
- 36:59intended
- 36:59target.
- 37:00So,
- 37:00it really
- 37:01doesn't mean
- 37:01that.
- 37:01But two
- 37:02words I
- 37:02think that
- 37:03propitiation
- 37:04could mean
- 37:05clearly is
- 37:06one is like
- 37:07exhausted
- 37:07Christ
- 37:09exhausted
- 37:09the wrath
- 37:10of God
- 37:11on the
- 37:11cross
- 37:12or he
- 37:13absorbed
- 37:14the wrath
- 37:14of God
- 37:15on the
- 37:15cross
- 37:16or two
- 37:17words
- 37:17that kind
- 37:17of
- 37:17explain
- 37:19this.
- 37:19He
- 37:19didn't
- 37:19just merely
- 37:20deflect it
- 37:20from us
- 37:22or prevent
- 37:22it from
- 37:22reaching us
- 37:23like he
- 37:23absorbed it
- 37:24completely
- 37:25and like
- 37:27all of
- 37:29God's fury
- 37:29unleashed on
- 37:30his son
- 37:30on the
- 37:31cross
- 37:31and held
- 37:32nothing back.
- 37:33Just think
- 37:33about
- 37:33standing on
- 37:34like a
- 37:35seashore
- 37:36or an
- 37:36ocean shore
- 37:36tsunami
- 37:38just coming
- 37:38right at
- 37:38you
- 37:39like just
- 37:40full on
- 37:41and then
- 37:41all of a
- 37:41sudden
- 37:41it's absorbed
- 37:42into this
- 37:43little hole
- 37:44in front
- 37:44of you
- 37:44like the
- 37:44whole thing
- 37:45just goes
- 37:45like that's
- 37:46what Christ
- 37:48did.
- 37:48He absorbed,
- 37:50he exhausted
- 37:50the wrath
- 37:51of God
- 37:51on our
- 37:52behalf.
- 37:54Romans 5
- 37:54verse 6
- 37:56it says
- 37:58for while we
- 38:00were still
- 38:01weak
- 38:01at the
- 38:03right time
- 38:03Christ died
- 38:04for the
- 38:04ungodly
- 38:05for the
- 38:04ungodly.
- 38:06So very
- 38:07important.
- 38:07I use this
- 38:08passage more
- 38:10than any
- 38:11other to
- 38:11share the
- 38:12gospel with
- 38:13unbelievers
- 38:13because it
- 38:13has so much
- 38:14in here
- 38:14that's good.
- 38:17So while we
- 38:17were still
- 38:18weak,
- 38:19so not
- 38:20when God
- 38:21doesn't help
- 38:21those who
- 38:22help themselves,
- 38:23not when you
- 38:23get your act
- 38:23together,
- 38:25the scripture
- 38:26says you're
- 38:26weak and
- 38:27helpless and
- 38:27utterly can do
- 38:28nothing for
- 38:28yourself at
- 38:29all.
- 38:30While we
- 38:31were still
- 38:31weak at the
- 38:31right time
- 38:32Christ died
- 38:34for the
- 38:34ungodly.
- 38:36For one
- 38:36will scarcely
- 38:37die for a
- 38:38righteous person,
- 38:39though perhaps
- 38:40for a good
- 38:41person one
- 38:41would dare
- 38:42even to die.
- 38:45So what's
- 38:45he saying
- 38:46there?
- 38:47It's a really
- 38:47good argument.
- 38:48I really like
- 38:49what he says.
- 38:51This is the
- 38:52best analogy
- 38:52I can have
- 38:53I guess for
- 38:54me.
- 38:54But I
- 38:55have three
- 38:56nieces,
- 38:56okay,
- 38:57like seven,
- 38:57six,
- 38:58and a year
- 38:58now.
- 39:00Addison,
- 39:00Ansley,
- 39:01and Ava.
- 39:01And they're
- 39:03all really
- 39:03cool.
- 39:05And I love
- 39:06them.
- 39:06I don't really
- 39:07get to see
- 39:07them a lot,
- 39:07but I
- 39:08really love
- 39:08them.
- 39:09And if
- 39:09someone said,
- 39:10hey,
- 39:10somebody's
- 39:10got to
- 39:11die,
- 39:11it's going
- 39:11to be
- 39:11you or
- 39:12them,
- 39:13without any
- 39:14hesitation,
- 39:15I would
- 39:15say me.
- 39:16John would
- 39:17for his
- 39:17children,
- 39:18Nathan,
- 39:19Wes,
- 39:19they would
- 39:19do it for
- 39:20their children
- 39:20like in a
- 39:21heartbeat.
- 39:22They wouldn't
- 39:22even stop
- 39:22them to think,
- 39:22okay,
- 39:23well,
- 39:24it wouldn't
- 39:24be like a
- 39:24process,
- 39:25it would
- 39:25just happen.
- 39:26It would
- 39:26be like,
- 39:27they would
- 39:28just do it
- 39:29for their
- 39:30children.
- 39:31But at
- 39:32the same
- 39:32time,
- 39:33if you
- 39:33were to
- 39:33say,
- 39:33hey,
- 39:34there's
- 39:35this dude
- 39:35out here,
- 39:37he's murdered
- 39:38three people,
- 39:39he's molested
- 39:40several children,
- 39:41and he's on
- 39:42death row,
- 39:43unless you
- 39:44step in
- 39:44and die on
- 39:46his behalf.
- 39:47You up for
- 39:48that?
- 39:51Everything
- 39:51kind of
- 39:52goes back
- 39:52to,
- 39:53wait a
- 39:54minute,
- 39:54he's had
- 39:54his chance,
- 39:56you know,
- 39:56why should
- 39:56I do
- 39:57this?
- 39:58He's going
- 39:58to get
- 39:58what he
- 39:59deserves.
- 39:59Be glad
- 40:00that none
- 40:00of us
- 40:01get what
- 40:01we deserve,
- 40:01by the
- 40:02way.
- 40:03So,
- 40:04like,
- 40:05so what
- 40:05Paul is
- 40:06trying to
- 40:06say here
- 40:07is that
- 40:08we all
- 40:09are that
- 40:09guy.
- 40:10We're not
- 40:11like the
- 40:11innocent,
- 40:12cute little
- 40:12kids,
- 40:12like we
- 40:13are that
- 40:13guy.
- 40:14We are
- 40:15that person
- 40:16that no
- 40:16one would
- 40:17die for
- 40:17at all.
- 40:18It's his
- 40:19point.
- 40:20And so
- 40:21what does
- 40:21this do?
- 40:23We all
- 40:23would be
- 40:23willing to
- 40:24die for
- 40:24those whom
- 40:24we love,
- 40:25right?
- 40:27But to
- 40:28die for
- 40:28someone as
- 40:29wretched as
- 40:29that would
- 40:31have to
- 40:31be an
- 40:31incredible,
- 40:32powerful love,
- 40:34right?
- 40:35An incredible,
- 40:36powerful,
- 40:36infinite,
- 40:37almost love.
- 40:38But he
- 40:38says,
- 40:39this is why
- 40:39in verse 8,
- 40:40look at verse 8,
- 40:41but God
- 40:42is not like
- 40:44us,
- 40:45but God
- 40:46shows his
- 40:47love for
- 40:48us,
- 40:48and while we
- 40:49were still
- 40:49sinners,
- 40:50Christ died
- 40:51for us.
- 40:52Wow,
- 40:53that was it.
- 40:54That demonstrates
- 40:54the great love
- 40:55of Christ
- 40:56right there,
- 40:57that he
- 40:57died for
- 40:58wretches
- 40:59like us.
- 40:59Verse 9,
- 41:00Since therefore
- 41:01we have now
- 41:02been justified,
- 41:04made right
- 41:04with God
- 41:05by his
- 41:07blood,
- 41:07much more
- 41:08shall I be
- 41:09saved by him
- 41:10from the wrath
- 41:11of God.
- 41:13For if while
- 41:14we were enemies,
- 41:15we were
- 41:16reconciled to
- 41:16God by the
- 41:17death of his
- 41:18son,
- 41:18much more
- 41:19now that we
- 41:20are reconciled
- 41:21shall I be
- 41:22saved by his
- 41:23life.
- 41:23More than
- 41:25that,
- 41:25we rejoice
- 41:26in God
- 41:26through whom
- 41:27our Lord
- 41:28Jesus Christ,
- 41:29through whom
- 41:30now we have
- 41:30received
- 41:31reconciliation.
- 41:33Great passage.
- 41:35Go back and
- 41:35study this
- 41:36some more.
- 41:37There's so much
- 41:37good stuff in
- 41:38there.
- 41:38What I like
- 41:38about it,
- 41:39it deals with
- 41:40the two
- 41:40different extremes
- 41:41of people,
- 41:42some that are
- 41:43all about
- 41:43the love of
- 41:44God,
- 41:44and God
- 41:45is our
- 41:45grandpa in
- 41:45the sky,
- 41:46and never
- 41:46doesn't have
- 41:47any wrath,
- 41:48and then it
- 41:48deals with
- 41:48the people
- 41:49who say,
- 41:50hellfire and
- 41:50damnation,
- 41:51that's all
- 41:51there is to
- 41:52God.
- 41:52And so it
- 41:52deals with
- 41:53both of
- 41:54those camps,
- 41:54because it
- 41:55says that,
- 41:56it talks about
- 41:57the wrath
- 41:57of God,
- 41:59it says that
- 41:59we were the
- 41:59enemies of
- 42:00God,
- 42:00and then it
- 42:01says that,
- 42:02it talks about
- 42:02the great,
- 42:03powerful love
- 42:04of God,
- 42:05and sending
- 42:05Christ to
- 42:06die on our
- 42:07behalf,
- 42:07to reconcile
- 42:08us,
- 42:08to bring us
- 42:09back into
- 42:10fellowship with
- 42:11the Father so
- 42:11that we can
- 42:11live for him
- 42:12and glorify him
- 42:13again.
- 42:14All that in
- 42:14that one
- 42:15passage.
- 42:16So many
- 42:16good things.
- 42:18So that's
- 42:18propitiation,
- 42:19God sending
- 42:21Christ,
- 42:21Christ absorbs,
- 42:23exhausted the
- 42:24wrath of God
- 42:24on the cross
- 42:26on behalf of
- 42:27those who
- 42:29would believe
- 42:30in him by
- 42:31faith.
- 42:31That's what it
- 42:32says here.
- 42:33And then,
- 42:34so that's
- 42:34propitiation.
- 42:35Then expiation,
- 42:36that's E-X-P-I-A-T-I-O-N.
- 42:40Expiation,
- 42:41it means out of
- 42:42or from,
- 42:43if you want to,
- 42:44out from.
- 42:45And,
- 42:46Christ,
- 42:49death on the
- 42:49cross,
- 42:50not only
- 42:51dealt with
- 42:51our,
- 42:52not only
- 42:53bore our
- 42:54punishment,
- 42:55but enabled
- 42:55us to be
- 42:57free from
- 42:58guilt and
- 42:59from shame.
- 43:00And for me,
- 43:00this is what I
- 43:00have a hard
- 43:01time with.
- 43:03I have a hard
- 43:03time forgiving
- 43:04myself.
- 43:05The guys in
- 43:06here that are
- 43:06really close up
- 43:07and in my
- 43:07life,
- 43:07they know,
- 43:08like I,
- 43:08I really just
- 43:09want to like
- 43:10ram my head
- 43:11into the wall
- 43:12sometime after I
- 43:13sinned against
- 43:14the Lord.
- 43:16And this is
- 43:17the hard,
- 43:17so,
- 43:18if Christ really
- 43:19did remove
- 43:19the wrath of
- 43:20God,
- 43:20then this would
- 43:21be an obvious
- 43:22conclusion that
- 43:22he also would
- 43:23deal with your
- 43:23guilt and your
- 43:24shame from
- 43:25that second
- 43:25goat that
- 43:27was set off.
- 43:28And so,
- 43:29some of you
- 43:30know Casting
- 43:32Crown Song,
- 43:33East from the
- 43:34West.
- 43:36Psalm 103,
- 43:37verse 11,
- 43:38For as high
- 43:39as the heavens
- 43:39are above
- 43:40the earth,
- 43:42so great is
- 43:42his steadfast
- 43:43love towards
- 43:45those who
- 43:45fear him.
- 43:47As far as
- 43:47the east is
- 43:48from the west,
- 43:48so far he
- 43:49has removed
- 43:50our transgressions
- 43:52from us.
- 43:53So,
- 43:54this is
- 43:54language,
- 43:55this cultural
- 43:56idioms that
- 43:58are trying to
- 43:59express an
- 43:59infinite distance.
- 44:01How high is
- 44:02the heavens above
- 44:03the earth?
- 44:04There isn't
- 44:05a limit.
- 44:06How far is
- 44:07the east is
- 44:07from the west?
- 44:08It just keeps
- 44:09going,
- 44:09like there is
- 44:09no set distance.
- 44:11It's an
- 44:12infinite picture.
- 44:13So,
- 44:13Jesus not only
- 44:14bore our
- 44:14punishment on
- 44:15the sin,
- 44:15but he
- 44:15carried away
- 44:16an infinite
- 44:17distance our
- 44:19guilt and
- 44:19our shame.
- 44:21Okay?
- 44:21That's what
- 44:22the cross did.
- 44:24So,
- 44:25when it says
- 44:25that God
- 44:26forgets the
- 44:29things we do,
- 44:29you ever heard
- 44:30that?
- 44:30Like he forgives
- 44:31and he forgets?
- 44:34It really
- 44:34depends on what
- 44:35you mean by
- 44:35that.
- 44:35God is
- 44:35omniscient.
- 44:36He doesn't
- 44:36forget anything,
- 44:37right?
- 44:37He knows all
- 44:38things.
- 44:39But what it
- 44:39really does
- 44:39mean is that
- 44:40he chooses
- 44:40not to
- 44:41count our
- 44:42sin against
- 44:42us.
- 44:43He chooses
- 44:44not to
- 44:44deal with
- 44:45it that
- 44:45way because
- 44:46of what
- 44:47Christ has
- 44:47done on
- 44:47the cross.
- 44:49Choosing not
- 44:49to bring
- 44:50them up
- 44:50again.
- 44:51And so,
- 44:52he tore
- 44:53down the
- 44:53barrier between
- 44:54us and
- 44:54God and
- 44:54provided this.
- 44:56So,
- 44:57I think,
- 44:58partially,
- 44:58one of the
- 44:58greatest gifts
- 44:59that Christ
- 45:00gives us is
- 45:01an approving
- 45:02or a clear
- 45:02conscience.
- 45:04You can lay
- 45:04your head down
- 45:05at night and
- 45:05say,
- 45:05amen.
- 45:06And that's
- 45:07what the
- 45:09cross was
- 45:09meant to
- 45:09do for
- 45:10us,
- 45:10to carry
- 45:10away our
- 45:11guilt and
- 45:11our shame,
- 45:12to do
- 45:13away with
- 45:13the accusations
- 45:14that come
- 45:14against us.
- 45:17I guess a
- 45:19difference,
- 45:20if you just
- 45:20kind of want
- 45:20to make that
- 45:21distinction.
- 45:21One more
- 45:21time,
- 45:22propitiation
- 45:22refers to
- 45:24satisfying or
- 45:25absorbing the
- 45:25wrath of
- 45:26God,
- 45:26making Him
- 45:27favorable
- 45:27towards us.
- 45:29Expiation
- 45:30refers to
- 45:30the removing
- 45:31of sin and
- 45:32guilt from
- 45:32God's
- 45:32presence.
- 45:33that makes
- 45:36us joyful,
- 45:38the result of
- 45:38what Christ
- 45:39has done.
- 45:40So,
- 45:40in the future,
- 45:43whatever that
- 45:44sin is in
- 45:45your life,
- 45:45it just keeps
- 45:46popping up
- 45:46over and
- 45:48over and
- 45:48over.
- 45:49You all know
- 45:49what it is.
- 45:51You just
- 45:51think,
- 45:51gosh,
- 45:52again.
- 45:54And then
- 45:55you hear
- 45:55the accuser
- 45:57saying,
- 45:59like,
- 45:59you fool,
- 46:00he did it
- 46:01again.
- 46:01God does
- 46:02not care
- 46:03about you
- 46:03anymore.
- 46:04You've
- 46:04ruined it.
- 46:05This is
- 46:05all over.
- 46:06You're
- 46:06done.
- 46:08Jesus did
- 46:09all that
- 46:09for you,
- 46:10and you
- 46:10can't do
- 46:10that for
- 46:10Him.
- 46:11You really
- 46:11think He's
- 46:11going to
- 46:12put up
- 46:12with that
- 46:12when you
- 46:15talk to
- 46:15yourself.
- 46:16I actually
- 46:16read a
- 46:16cool quote
- 46:17recently.
- 46:17It said
- 46:17that no
- 46:18one has
- 46:19greater
- 46:19influence
- 46:20over you
- 46:20than you
- 46:21because no
- 46:23one listens
- 46:23to themselves
- 46:24more than
- 46:25you.
- 46:26Like,
- 46:26you preach
- 46:26to yourself
- 46:27constantly,
- 46:28all the
- 46:28time,
- 46:29and you're
- 46:29just going
- 46:29over things
- 46:30in your
- 46:30head all
- 46:31the time.
- 46:32So,
- 46:32what are
- 46:32you preaching
- 46:32to yourself?
- 46:33Are you
- 46:33preaching
- 46:34guilt,
- 46:35condemnation,
- 46:36and shame
- 46:36if you
- 46:37belong to
- 46:38Christ?
- 46:39I'm just
- 46:39going to
- 46:39read you
- 46:40a quote
- 46:40by Martin
- 46:43Luther,
- 46:44a pretty
- 46:45fiery guy.
- 46:46He said
- 46:46this,
- 46:47and this
- 46:48relates
- 46:48directly to
- 46:49the atoning
- 46:50work of
- 46:50Christ on
- 46:50the cross.
- 46:52He said,
- 46:52when the
- 46:53devil
- 46:53throws
- 46:54your
- 46:54sins
- 46:54in
- 46:54your
- 46:55face
- 46:55and
- 46:56declares
- 46:56that you
- 46:57deserve
- 46:57death
- 46:57and
- 46:58hell,
- 46:59tell him
- 47:00this,
- 47:01I admit
- 47:02that I
- 47:02deserve
- 47:03death
- 47:03and
- 47:03hell,
- 47:04what
- 47:04of it?
- 47:05For I
- 47:06know
- 47:06one who
- 47:06suffered
- 47:07and made
- 47:07satisfaction
- 47:08on my
- 47:08behalf.
- 47:09His name
- 47:10is Jesus
- 47:10Christ,
- 47:11Son of
- 47:11God,
- 47:12and where
- 47:12he is,
- 47:13there I
- 47:13shall be
- 47:14also.
- 47:15That's
- 47:15it.
- 47:16That's like
- 47:16the effect
- 47:17of the
- 47:18atonement
- 47:18of Christ.
- 47:19he suffered
- 47:21and made
- 47:22satisfaction
- 47:22on our
- 47:23behalf,
- 47:23and where
- 47:24he is,
- 47:24there we
- 47:25shall be
- 47:25also.
- 47:27So,
- 47:28that's
- 47:29the fourth
- 47:29thing.
- 47:30So,
- 47:30some
- 47:30application.
- 47:31If you
- 47:32are,
- 47:33last place
- 47:34to turn,
- 47:34just look
- 47:34at John
- 47:353,
- 47:36the famous
- 47:36chapter of
- 47:37John 3,
- 47:38and go to
- 47:39verse 35.
- 47:44John 3,
- 47:45verse 35.
- 47:47So,
- 47:47if you
- 47:48are,
- 47:48without
- 47:49Christ
- 47:50tonight,
- 47:51know that
- 47:52God doesn't
- 47:53see you
- 47:53as neutral.
- 47:55He's not
- 47:55waiting for
- 47:55you to
- 47:56RSVP.
- 47:59You're
- 47:59either going
- 47:59to be
- 48:00friends on
- 48:00his terms
- 48:01or enemies
- 48:01on your
- 48:01terms.
- 48:02That's
- 48:03really just
- 48:03kind of how
- 48:03it is.
- 48:04And he
- 48:04sent you
- 48:05away to
- 48:07be reconciled
- 48:08and brought
- 48:08back to
- 48:09him and
- 48:09his son.
- 48:09That's his
- 48:10peace terms.
- 48:12And you
- 48:12can throw
- 48:13that away
- 48:13and say,
- 48:14I'm not
- 48:14going to
- 48:14do it.
- 48:14I'm going
- 48:15to do
- 48:15it on
- 48:15my own
- 48:15or I
- 48:16don't
- 48:16care.
- 48:17And you're
- 48:19going to
- 48:19put yourself
- 48:20under the
- 48:20wrath of
- 48:21God.
- 48:22Because Christ
- 48:22is the
- 48:22definitive thing.
- 48:23He is
- 48:24the,
- 48:25it's either
- 48:25or.
- 48:26You have
- 48:26Christ or
- 48:26you don't.
- 48:27You can't
- 48:28be on
- 48:29the fence.
- 48:29so.
- 48:31So in
- 48:31John 3
- 48:32verse 35
- 48:33it says
- 48:33this,
- 48:35the
- 48:35father
- 48:35loves
- 48:36the
- 48:36son
- 48:36and
- 48:38has
- 48:38given
- 48:38all
- 48:39things
- 48:39into
- 48:39his
- 48:39hand.
- 48:41Whoever
- 48:41believes
- 48:42in the
- 48:42son
- 48:43has
- 48:44eternal
- 48:44life.
- 48:46Whoever
- 48:46does not
- 48:47obey the
- 48:47son
- 48:47shall
- 48:48not
- 48:48see
- 48:48life,
- 48:49but
- 48:50the
- 48:50wrath
- 48:50of
- 48:50God
- 48:50remains
- 48:51on
- 48:51him.
- 48:53That's
- 48:53terrifying.
- 48:53It's
- 48:54like this
- 48:54thing
- 48:54hanging
- 48:54over
- 48:55you
- 48:55and
- 48:56that
- 48:58that's
- 48:58it.
- 48:59Christ,
- 49:00believe in
- 49:00him,
- 49:01be saved.
- 49:01Don't
- 49:01just have
- 49:02a mental
- 49:02knowledge
- 49:02of him,
- 49:03but such
- 49:04a strong
- 49:04conviction
- 49:05of who
- 49:05he is
- 49:06that it
- 49:07changes
- 49:07how you
- 49:08live.
- 49:08Like I
- 49:08want
- 49:09Christ,
- 49:09give me
- 49:10Christ,
- 49:10or else
- 49:11I die.
- 49:13And if
- 49:13you know
- 49:13Christ,
- 49:15rejoice
- 49:16that your
- 49:17sin has
- 49:17been dealt
- 49:18with a
- 49:18long time
- 49:19ago.
- 49:20I have
- 49:20a better
- 49:21time feeling
- 49:22like Christ
- 49:22died for
- 49:23my past
- 49:23sins,
- 49:24but like
- 49:24my future
- 49:24ones,
- 49:25I have a
- 49:25hard time.
- 49:26I think
- 49:26like,
- 49:26oh man,
- 49:26if he'd
- 49:27just known I
- 49:27was going
- 49:27to do
- 49:27that,
- 49:28he did
- 49:29know I
- 49:30was going
- 49:30to do
- 49:30that.
- 49:31And that
- 49:32was dealt
- 49:32with at
- 49:33the cross.
- 49:34And if
- 49:36you want
- 49:36one,
- 49:38why not?
- 49:38Okay,
- 49:39just go ahead
- 49:39and turn
- 49:39here.
- 49:40This is the
- 49:40last thing
- 49:40we're going
- 49:41to do,
- 49:41and we're
- 49:41going to
- 49:41close.
- 49:43But 1
- 49:43John 4,
- 49:45towards the
- 49:45back of your
- 49:46Bible,
- 49:481 John 4,
- 49:49verse 9.
- 50:03Okay?
- 50:051 John 4,
- 50:06verse 9
- 50:06says this,
- 50:08In this,
- 50:09the love
- 50:10of God
- 50:11was made
- 50:11manifest
- 50:12among us
- 50:12that God
- 50:13sent his
- 50:13only son
- 50:14into the
- 50:14world
- 50:15so that
- 50:16we might
- 50:16live
- 50:17through him.
- 50:17All right?
- 50:20And this,
- 50:21and this
- 50:21is the
- 50:23love.
- 50:23Not that
- 50:24we love
- 50:24God,
- 50:25but that
- 50:25he loved
- 50:26us,
- 50:27and sent
- 50:28his son
- 50:28to be
- 50:29the
- 50:29propitiation
- 50:30for our
- 50:31sins.
- 50:32All right?
- 50:33See that?
- 50:33We didn't
- 50:33love God.
- 50:35We could have
- 50:36cared less.
- 50:37We would have
- 50:37just constantly
- 50:37rebelled
- 50:38against him.
- 50:39But he
- 50:39loved us,
- 50:40and sent
- 50:40his son
- 50:40to be
- 50:41the
- 50:41propitiation
- 50:42for our
- 50:42sins.
- 50:42to satisfy,
- 50:45to absorb
- 50:45the wrath
- 50:46of God
- 50:46on our
- 50:47behalf,
- 50:47and to
- 50:47carry away
- 50:48our guilt
- 50:49and our
- 50:49shame,
- 50:50the double
- 50:50cure.
- 50:52So we
- 50:52have a
- 50:53magnificent
- 50:53Savior.
- 50:54It couldn't
- 50:55get better.
- 50:55It was
- 50:56impossible to
- 50:57improve upon
- 50:57like what
- 50:58he did
- 50:58for us.
- 50:59So let's
- 51:00celebrate that
- 51:01together.
- 51:02Let me just
- 51:03pray for us.
- 51:04Wes and
- 51:04Lauren,
- 51:04you can
- 51:04come on
- 51:05up.
- 51:05Amen.
- 51:05Amen.
- 51:07Amen.
- 51:09Amen.