Rescued from Sin
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· 8 viewsWe have been rescued from sin so our response should be to want to see others rescued from their sin.
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Intro: Truck getting stuck, Snorkeling in the Bahamas
We have all been there, we were in a tough spot, dangerous spot we felt helpless but someone came and rescued us. Someone stepped up and helped us when we felt like we needed it the most.
So we have felt that in a physical sense but I would also say that if you are a believer you have experienced rescue in a spiritual sense...
Look at what Galatians says...
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
So we see there that God through Jesus rescues us from evil. So with that being said let me point out 3 things about this rescue.
Our Rescue was Necessary
“to rescue us from the present evil age”
So Paul is saying that Jesus rescues us from the power of sin.
For us to understand how necessary our rescue is we have to first understand our sinful condition.
The New International Version Chapter 5
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned
So Romans tells us through one man which was Adam. Genesis chapter 3 fall of man.. Sin entered into the picture. We are sinners by nature (death came to all people) but we are also sinners by choice (because all sinned)
EX:Child who disobeys… EX: Better to ask for forgivenss than permission
Scripture make it clear that each one of us are sinful. We do things that are wrong. No one is perfect.
EX: Describe your church. We are a mess
We have to come to grips with our own depravity. We have to come to grips with the simple truth that we are all wicked sinners and that sin separates us from a holy God.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
EX: We compare EX: One decision away
We divide the world into 2 categories: Good guys and Bad Guys. But the gospel divides the world in two very different categories: Bad Guys and Jesus.
I know I am not Jesus so that means I am a bad guy regardless of what I believe to depth of my sin compared to others, compared to Jesus I am wicked.
So not only are we sinners right Scripture also tells us that the sin needs to be punished.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So we are sinners by nature and choice and because of that our punishment is death.
You may be thinking ok that’s bad but I can do better, I can be better. I’ll start doing good things and then my good will outweigh my bad. But look at what Jesus says
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
Paul doubles down on this
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
Do you see it apart from a relationship with Jesus apart from being rescued we are literal slaves to sin we are powerless to do anything about our current sinful situation.
That’s why we need Jesus. That is why our rescue was so necessary. Without the sacrifice of Jesus we are powerless.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
I love this… Paul says because of Jesus we are set free from sin and death. The law or a trying to be good enough is powerless to to set us free. It was only through Jesus being a sin offering for us that allows us to be rescued.
Which brings us to.....
2. Our Rescue was Costly.
“He gave himself up for us”
Our rescue was cheap it was very costly. It literally cost Jesus his life. Remember what Romans 6:23 said “wages of sin is death” Jesus took that punishment for us.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
When we were at our worst. God gave up his very son that we could have life. Understand we dont deserve this but because of his love for us Jesus laid down his life!
EX: Jesus on the cross.... this was a terrible event… READ MEDICAL ACCOUNT
After the Passover celebration, Jesus takes His disciples to Gethsemene to pray. During His anxious prayer about the events to come, Jesus sweats drops of blood. There is a rare medical condition called hematohidrosis, during which the capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands break down. Blood released from the vessels mixes with the sweat; therefore, the body sweats drops of blood. This condition results from mental anguish or high anxiety, a state Jesus expresses by praying “my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Hematohidrosis makes the skin tender, so Jesus’ physical condition worsens slightly.
Traveling from Pilate to Herod and back again, Jesus walks approximately two and a half miles. He has not slept, and He has been mocked and beaten (Luke 22:63-65). In addition, His skin remains tender from the hematohidrosis. His physical condition worsens.
Pilate orders Jesus to be flogged as required by Roman law before crucifixion Traditionally, the accused stood naked, and the flogging covered the area from the shoulders down to the upper legs. The whip consisted of several strips of leather. In the middle of the strips were metal balls that hit the skin, causing deep bruising. In addition, sheep bone was attached to the tips of each strip.
When the bone makes contact with Jesus’ skin, it digs into His muscles, tearing out chunks of flesh and exposing the bone beneath. The flogging leaves the skin on Jesus’ back in long ribbons. By this point, He has lost a great volume of blood which causes His blood pressure to fall and puts Him into shock. The human body attempts to remedy imbalances such as decreased blood volume, so Jesus’ thirst is His body’s natural response to His suffering (John 19:28). If He would have drank water, His blood volume would have increased.
Roman soldiers place a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head and a robe on His back (Matthew 27:28-29). The robe helps the blood clot (similar to putting a piece of tissue on a cut from shaving) to prevent Jesus from sustaining more blood loss. As they hit Jesus in the head (Matthew 27:30), the thorns from the crown push into the skin and He begins bleeding profusely. The thorns also cause damage to the nerve that supplies the face, causing intense pain down His face and neck. As they mock Him, the soldiers also belittle Jesus by spitting on Him (Matthew 27:30). They rip the robe off Jesus’ back and the bleeding starts afresh.
Jesus’ physical condition becomes critical. Due to severe blood loss without replacement, Jesus is undoubtedly in shock. As such, He is unable to carry the cross and Simon of Cyrene executes this task (Matthew 27:32).
Crucifixion was invented by the Persians between 300-400 B.C. It is quite possibly the most painful death ever invented by humankind. The English language derives the word “excruciating” from crucifixion, acknowledging it as a form of slow, painful suffering.1 Its punishment was reserved for slaves, foreigners, revolutionaries, and the vilest of criminals. Victims were nailed to a cross; however, Jesus’ cross was probably not the Latin cross, but rather a Tau cross (T). The vertical piece (the stipes) remains in the ground permanently. The accused carries only the horizontal piece (the patibulum) up the hill. Atop the patibulum lies a sign (the titulus), indicating that a formal trial occurred for a violation of the law. In Jesus’ case, this reads “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38).
The accused needed to be nailed to the patibulum while lying down, so Jesus is thrown to the ground, reopening His wounds, grinding in dirt, and causing bleeding. They nail His “hands” to the patibulum. The Greek meaning of “hands” includes the wrist. It is more likely that the nails went through Jesus’ wrists. If the nails were driven into the hand, the weight of the arms would cause the nail to rip through the soft flesh.
Therefore, the upper body would not be held to the cross. If placed in the wrist, the bones in the lower portion of the hand support the weight of the arms and the body remains nailed to the cross. The huge nail (seven to nine inches long)2damages or severs the major nerve to the hand (the median nerve) upon impact. This causes continuous agonizing pain up both of Jesus’ arms.
Once the victim is secured, the guards lift the patibulum and place it on the stipes already in the ground. As it is lifted, Jesus’ full weight pulls down on His nailed wrists and His shoulders and elbows dislocate (Psalm 22:14).3 In this position, Jesus’ arms stretch to a minimum of six inches longer than their original length.
It is highly likely that Jesus’ feet were nailed through the tops as often pictured. In this position (with the knees flexed at approximately 90 degrees),4 the weight of the body pushes down on the nails and the ankles support the weight. The nails would not rip through the soft tissue as would have occurred with the hands. Again, the nail would cause severe nerve damage (it severs the dorsal pedal artery of the foot) and acute pain.
Normally, to breathe in, the diaphragm (the large muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity) must move down. This enlarges the chest cavity and air automatically moves into the lungs (inhalation). To exhale, the diaphragm rises up, which compresses the air in the lungs and forces the air out (exhalation). As Jesus hangs on the cross, the weight of His body pulls down on the diaphragm and the air moves into His lungs and remains there. Jesus must push up on His nailed feet (causing more pain) to exhale.
In order to speak, air must pass over the vocal cords during exhalation. The Gospels note that Jesus spoke seven times from the cross. It is amazing that despite His pain, He pushes up to say “Forgive them” (Luke 23:34).
The difficulty surrounding exhalation leads to a slow form of suffocation. Carbon dioxide builds up in the blood, resulting in a high level of carbonic acid in the blood. The body responds instinctively, triggering the desire to breathe. At the same time, the heart beats faster to circulate available oxygen. The decreased oxygen (due to the difficulty in exhaling) causes damage to the tissues and the capillaries begin leaking watery fluid from the blood into the tissues. This results in a build-up of fluid around the heart (pericardial effusion) and lungs (pleural effusion). The collapsing lungs, failing heart, dehydration, and the inability to get sufficient oxygen to the tissues essentially suffocate the victim.5 The decreased oxygen also damages the heart itself (myocardial infarction) which leads to cardiac arrest. In severe cases of cardiac stress, the heart can even burst, a process known as cardiac rupture.6 Jesus most likely died of a heart attack.
After Jesus’ death, the soldiers break the legs of the two criminals crucified alongside Him (John 19:32), causing suffocation. Death would then occur quicker. When they came to Jesus, He was already dead so they did not break His legs (John 19:33). Instead, the soldiers pierced His side (John 19:34) to assure that He was dead. In doing this, it is reported that “blood and water came out” (John 19:34), referring to the watery fluid surrounding the heart and lungs.
While these unpleasant facts depict a brutal murder, the depth of Christ’s pain emphasizes the true extent of God’s love for His creation.
Our rescue was costly, it cost Jesus everything.
3. Our rescue was intentional
“According to the will of our God and Father.”
Genesis 3:15 (NIV)
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
4. Our response to our Rescue should be to tell others.