The Psalm of the Cross Part 2

I. The Crucifixion of Jesus, Psalm 22:1-21a.

Self-Substitution of God, Psalm 22:1-5. Heart of the cross is God is Christ saving sinners.

Salvation of Sinners, Psalm 22:14-15; 6-21a. What did Jesus accomplish on the cross? Question to consider.

I offer four answers under four headings; Propitiation, Redemption, Justification, and Reconciliation.

A. Propitiation — The Throne of Mercy.

Psalm 7:11 God is angry with the wicked every day; cf. Genesis 6:5-7.

God’s holiness demands he react to objective evil with a steady, unrelenting, uncompromising antagonism; God’s wrath and anger is His attitude towards sin. God cannot sit back and do nothing!

God’s wrath should bother us! We are all under divine judgment! John 3:36 “36 whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (meno, “staying” or “remain, constantly living under the displeasure of God. Who wants to stay here in God’s constant anger?) John 3:18 “18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, (“even now”) because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (You can’t read John 3:16 without reading John 3:18.)

We all stand condemned before God, Romans 3:19 “19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable (Liable or answerable) to God.”

God promised that sinners will be punished, Psalm 145:20 but all the wicked he will destroy (exterminate); Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell.

Propitiation, is appeasement which God initiates, He averts His own anger and wrath against the sinner in order that He can forgive sinners.

Jesus became sin and absorbed God’s wrath on the cross.

Jesus appeases God’s holy anger by becoming our substitute.

In death, Jesus placated the holy vengeance of God on those who repent!

God takes his own loving initiative to Conciliate his own righteous anger by giving His only begotten Son in order to Calm His own wrath and anger that had been turned against the sinner.

God’s reaction to sin; punishing judgment and condemnation is so severe, only God can save, only God can die for me, only God can satisfy Himself.

Romans 3:21-25 “21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

“Propitiation,” hilasterion, “the appeasement which makes it possible for a just God to forgive sinners.”

Leviticus 17:11 “11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”

1 John 2:1-2 “1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

1 John 4:10 “10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

God does not love us because Jesus died for us, Jesus died for us because God loves us.

God’s feelings didn’t change concerning sin, but His feelings/treatment did change as far is the sinner is concerned!

After dealing with the subject of justification which is by faith alone on the basis of God’s overwhelming grace, Paul concludes, Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

B. Redemption — The Market Square.

Captive to sin —trapped, enslaved, being held for ransom, imprisoned, the sorry state of the sinner makes an act of divine rescue necessary. We needed to be saved!

Sinners exist in a state where there is no natural escape, under a tyrannical master with ultimate power over our lives that must be broken. Sin is killing us! The chains must come off and be broken!

Living in the bliss of ignorance, relishing in meaningless existence. Hostile towards God, loving the passions of our flesh, convincing ourselves we don’t need God, and even hating that he challenges our lives with objective truth. Loving self more than God. Walking on the broad way, happily disregarding the warning signs that scream we are on a road to hell. And the whole time we are dragging the chains of sins restraints, constantly making ourselves believe this is freedom; Our independence is actually our incarceration!

John 8:34 “34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

Redemption refers ultimately to the saving work of Jesus, who came to accomplish our redemption by giving his life in substitution for our own, as a ransom price, Mark 10:45 “45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” Luke 19:10 “10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” Jesus came to me! Descended into our world and assumed our liability to God!

Supreme work of Jesus —Jesus paid a debt he did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay.

Complete work of Jesus —he purchased us, secured our deliverance, broke the chains from moral bondage, freeing from the guilt of transgression, wherefore we were condemned. Free from the ruling power of sin to live holy lives.

Colossians 1:13-14 “13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

1 Timothy 2:5-6 “5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

Titus 2:13-14 “13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Galatians 3:13 “13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—” and then Paul states...

Galatians 4:4-5 “4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

1Peter 1:17-19 “17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

What is meant by “Christ’s Blood?” Not an open denial of the blood of Christ. Jesus bought us at the price of his own literal blood, Acts 20:28 “28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

Jesus as a man, shed his literal blood. An expression of life coming to an end, a clear expression for Christ’s death in redeeming the sinner.

Not God’s blood, some mystical or magical fluid, but death which is the condemnation and punishment for violating God’s righteous standard, cf. Ezekiel 18:20 “20 The soul who sins shall die.

Jesus shed his literal blood in sacrificial evidence or symbolic of pouring out his own life for sin.

John 6:54 “54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Appropriation of the death of Christ, acceptance of Christ work on the cross.

C. Justification — The Municipal Courtroom.

God’s anger and wrath has been averted. Jesus has come to where I am, redeemed by paying the price for my freedom from guilt and sin’s power, John 8:36 “36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Now forgiven of debts, and a new standing before God.

Justification is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God forgives the sins and imputes Christ’s righteousness—puts it on our account before Him—solely on the basis of Jesus’ sinless life, atoning death, and resurrection.

God not declaring bad people good, or saying we are not sinners. God pronouncing them legally righteous, no longer held liable and punishable by death, Jesus took full responsibility for my messed up life, Psalm 22:31 “31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”

By God’s undeserved grace, I have been given the faith I need to trust Jesus, and to realign my life to a more permanent and fixed position to God.

Romans 5:1 “1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:9 “9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”

1Peter 3:18 “18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

What has justification affected in the life of the believer?

Jesus has done everything necessary for my salvation. The Father now looks upon us in Christ as if we had been as sinless and as perfect as Jesus is.

I have new quality of life; eternal life, God’s life. My heart and life rightly in love with God, my mind knowing Him, and my will totally surrendered to Him.

All my obligation to God met in Christ, nothing stands unaccounted for between me and God.

A hopeful future where my changed life will evidence and vindicate before all of heaven God has forgiven me. Holiness and good works is not the reason God deems me righteous, but these are the fruits of a transformed life.

All glory will be to God, He does everything from everlasting to everlasting for my salvation, Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

D. Reconciliation —The Mending of a Relationship.

Ephesians 2:14-16 “14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

2 Corinthians 5:19 “19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

We are at war with God, other people, and ourselves.

Reconciliation suggests dissension between two parties. Reconciliation presupposes that both parties are hostile towards each other; sinner is the enemy of God, God is the sinner’s enemy.

The sinner relentless, ranging from silliness to open renunciation and hatred towards God.

God being present in his anger and his wrath towards the sinner.

God has turned aside his loathing of the sinner because of Jesus. So, God’s moves towards men implying that there was the need for an end to enmity, animosity, or malice, Isaiah 59:2 “2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

The “radical repair” in our relationship to God came when Jesus died on the cross. God was willing to count our trespasses against Christ, rather than against us, 1 Timothy 2:5-6 “5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

Cosmic Reconciliation, Colossians 1:15-20.

Personal Reconciliation, Colossians 1:21-22 “21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”

What is actually the goal of reconciliation, is it to just make things better between me and God?

Before Jesus my life was as bad as a life could get, and even getting worse, Colossians 1:21 alienated, hostile, doing evil deeds (and everything that will fit between the lines). Confused about God, hating Him, suppressing any thought or truth concerning God.

Colossians 1:21 “21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,”

Jesus died for me in order to transform my life, to change everything about me that is wrong, Colossians 1:21, 22. I’m in the “NOW” what God is doing “NOW!” I no longer existing in the what was THEN, but NOW!

Jesus died to bring peace with God, with other people, and with myself.

Colossians 1:21-22 “21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”

The goal of reconciliation is to form in me a holy, blameless, a life above reproach before God. To be different before God!

John Calvin comments, “This holiness is nothing more than begun in us, and is indeed every day making progress, but will not be perfected until Christ shall appear for the restoration of all things.”

Romans 8:14-16 “14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”

Conclusion: What did Jesus accomplish on the cross?

Jesus was averting the wrath and anger of God towards the sinner.

Jesus came to the sinner and assumed liability for the sinners guilt, and paid the price of release from the penalty and power of sin.

Jesus has done everything necessary for my salvation. The Father now looks upon us in Christ as if we had been as sinless and as perfect as Jesus is.

Jesus did a radical repair in our relationship to God, and Jesus died for me in order to transform my life, to change everything about me that is wrong.

John 3:16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Salvation is offered without cost, the price has already been paid.

Sinners can do nothing to earn or bribe God’s grace.

A right standing before God only comes through believing in Christ Jesus and his finished work on the cross.

Isaiah 55:1 “1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

Those who have nothing to give, are urged to come to God and enjoy His goodness and grace. Salvation is extravagant and offered to those who have nothing!

The invitation to Come is actually a Command that must be obeyed. It is a mandate upon every one who hears the gospel; obey or else face the consequences of disobedience. This is not an option to consider, not a suggestion to ponder, the gospel is a commanding force which demands immediate response. The gospel commands obedience.