The Atonement of “Grace”
Notes
Transcript
We have been studying the 7 statements Jesus Christ made while on the Cross of Calvary while dying for my sins and yours.
The whole event is a tremendous act of grace, that we have entitled “The Sayings of Grace”, that also can be broken into 7 steps of Grace..
Statement
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)
The Forgiveness of “Grace”.
2. "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)
The Salvation of “Grace”
3. "Woman, behold, thy son! Behold, thy mother!" (John 19:26-27)
The Love of “Grace”
and today, The Atonement of “Grace”.
4. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
Today, we will look at the Atonement of “Grace”.
“Atonement” is generally understood to refer to the work of Jesus in putting right the human situation in relation to God.
“Atonement” — noun. the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing; especially in regards to appeasing a deity.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
However, you cannot separate His death from the Power of His Resurrection.
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Therefore, “ATONEMENT” — the act by which God restores a relationship of harmony and unity between Himself and human beings.
The word can be broken into three parts that express this great truth in simple but profound terms: “at-one-ment.” Through God’s atoning grace and forgiveness, we are reinstated to a relationship of at-one-ment with God, in spite of our sin.
Why do we need Atoned?
Why do we need Atoned?
Because of Adam’s sin (Rom. 5:18; 1 Cor. 15:22) and our own personal sins (Col. 1:21), no one is worthy of relationship with a holy God (Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 3:23).
Since we are helpless to correct this situation (Prov. 20:9) and can do nothing to hide our sin from God (Heb. 4:13), we all stand condemned by sin (Rom. 3:19). It is human nature (our sinfulness) and God’s nature (His holy wrath against sin) that makes us “enemies” (Rom. 5:10).
However, God gives Grace.
However, God gives Grace.
God’s gracious response to the helplessness of His chosen people, the nation of Israel, was to give them a means of RECONCILIATION through Old Testament covenant Law. This came in the sacrificial system where the death or “blood” of the animal was accepted by God as a substitute for the death (Ezek. 18:20) the sinner deserved:
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
The Law required that the sacrificial victims must be free from defect, and buying them always involved some cost to the sinner. But an animal’s death did not automatically make people right with God in some simple, mechanical way. The hostility between God and people because of sin is a personal matter. God for His part personally gave the means of atonement in the sacrificial system; men and women for their part personally are expected to recognize the seriousness of their sin (Lev. 16:29–30; Mic. 6:6–8).
We must also identify ourselves personally with the victim that dies:
4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
In the Old Testament, God Himself brought about atonement by graciously providing the appointed sacrifices. The priests represented Him in the atonement ritual, and the sinner received the benefits of being reconciled to God in forgiveness and harmony.
Although Old Testament believers were truly forgiven and received genuine atonement through animal sacrifice, the New Testament clearly states that during the Old Testament period God’s justice was not served:
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Atonement was possible “because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Rom. 3:25).
However, God’s justice was served in the death of Jesus Christ as a substitute:
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
So, How do we receive this?
So, How do we receive this?
Our Response.
The Lord Jesus came according to God’s will (Acts 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:20) “to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45),
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
or “for all” (1 Tim. 2:6).
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Though God “laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:6; also 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13), yet Christ “has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:2), so that those who believe in Him (Rom. 3:22) might receive atonement
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
and “be saved from [God’s] wrath” (Rom. 5:9) through “the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:19).
No believer who truly understands the awesome holiness of God’s wrath and the terrible hopelessness that comes from personal sin can fail to be overwhelmed by the deep love of Jesus for each of us, and the wonder of God’s gracious gift of eternal atonement through Christ. Through Jesus, God will present us “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
So, the 7 sayings of Christ is about grace.
The first 3 statements got us to Atonement.
forgiveness, salvation, and love.
Now, the next 4 we slow down the atonement into 4 parts, the atonement, the suffering, the security and the victory all taking place.
So, let’s see when this atonement took place
We now come to midday. Jesus has been hanging on the cross for 3 excruciating hours.
His body is dehydrating in the sun from lack of water and loss of blood.
His mind has suffered and endured the countless taunts of the crowd and the merciless assaults from the powers of evil.
We come to the point when the Divine Savior has now entirely suffered to the total point of exhaustion and a miracle takes place.
45 Now from the sixth hour [NOON] there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour [3PM].
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
Atonement is divided into 2 parts on God
The Wrath of God!
The Wrath of God!
Supernatural Darkness
Supernatural Darkness
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
The sun is at its zenith, yet darkness falls over the whole earth. Such a darkness could not have been due to an eclipse, for it was at the time of full moon. The moon established the calendar and the time of Passover. Passover is assigned 2 weeks after the New Moon which would make it a Full Moon and at the total opposite position to the sun.
A Symbol of Divine Judgment
In Isaiah 5, as Isaiah predicts the coming judgment that’s going to grasp, as it were, the life of Israel and choke it out and take those people into captivity, he describes it as darkness and sorrow … darkness and sorrow.
If you follow through Isaiah, you’ll follow into chapter 13 of Isaiah and Isaiah looks ahead to the final judgment that God is going to bring in the world. And he says the day of the Lord comes and the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light. The sun shall be darkened in its going forth; the moon shall not cause its light to shine and I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. God is associating darkness with judgment.
6 Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, And every man’s heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; They shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: They shall be amazed one at another; Their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, Cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate: And he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: The sun shall be darkened in his going forth, And the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; And I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; Even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth shall remove out of her place, In the wrath of the Lord of hosts, And in the day of his fierce anger.
Jesus taught His disciples about the end of the world.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
In the past, when God came in judgment He was associated with darkness.
In the future when He comes in final judgment, it is associated with darkness.
In the Tribulation time, God brings to the world great darkness so that there’s a gnawing on the part of men in the horror of unrelieved blackness.
You can go into Joel 2:30-31 and there you will find the darkness that attends judgment.
You’ll find it in Amos 5:18-20.
You’ll find it in Zephaniah 1:14–18.
All throughout Scripture you will find judgment and darkness associated.
If God’s salvation is seen as light, then God’s judgment is seen as darkness … gross darkness, deep darkness.
A darkness that can be felt.
Imagine with me for a moment, people returning to the city from all over the world to participate in Passover, thinking about their sins and the preparation of the sacrifice of the lamb, and all of a sudden, a darkness falls.
Immediately, people would be wailing with fright, as they beat their breasts and say to one another, “Surely the judgment of God is about to fall upon us!”
Suddenly a cry is heard through that midday midnight the cry of the Son of God “… My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46).
God is telling the world that this event, the crucifixion of the Son of God is a place and time of divine judgment. God is pouring out His wrath.
However, we need to understand the Wrath of God has to happen because of
The Holiness of God!
The Holiness of God!
Listen, I want you to understand. There is only one thing that God judges and that God condemns, there is only one thing that causes the wrath of God, and that is SIN!
For three hours people were anticipating God’s Judgment.
Now, we come to 3:00PM and we see a
Sovereign Departure
Sovereign Departure
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
For the first time in all of time itself, God is separated from God!
God the Father turns His back on God the Son!
Now, let me just let you know right up front, as a great disclaimer, I have no idea how the took place. This is one of those things I just accept by faith.
However, Hab 1:13
13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
In order for God to turn His back on His own Son, Jesus would during these 3 hours have become SIN!
and Paul states this in
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Christ did not bear sin but rather Christ became sin.
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Understand, God did not cease to be God or He would have ceased to exist because He can only be who He is.
Jesus did not separate Himself from the Trinity.
Jesus was separated in terms of intimate fellowship and communion.
A great example of this is when a child sins a severely harsh sin against its own father does not cease to become that father’s child but does cease to know the intimacy of a loving communion because the father cannot tolerate the sin.
Therefore, God turns His back on the Son.
Now, something else we have to accept by faith.
The Sacrifice of God!
The Sacrifice of God!
While Jesus bore sin, while Jesus took all the weight of all the sin of all the ages, He never became a sinner.
He is engulfed in all the sins of all the ages but has no desire for that sin. He has no longing for that sin.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
What do you see as His longing?
God the Father.
The DESIRE of a relationship with the Father proves the PURITY of His Spirit.
When we consider the cross of Calvary, we understand it to be an ACT OF JUDGMENT.
What is God Judging? SIN!
Where was SIN being Judged? ON CHRIST!
In speaking this phrase, which is a quote from Psalm 22, Jesus is still in control.
Jesus had the strength to live if He had willed to live. He had the power to give his life and He had the power to take His life back out of the grave.
Only God can give His life and take it again.
Christ was giving His life for a sacrifice for your sins.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Remember John 10:11
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
In Christ becoming sin for us, the cross becomes an act of voluntary sacrifice that could only be done by God who controls dying and living.
So what we have here is the judgment of God, sin being borne on the cross, and a voluntary death that could only be accomplished by one who had power over death and that is God Himself.
What is the Father saying about the cross then? That it was there that He judged sin, that sin was in the Lord Jesus Christ who was none other than the God Himself who controls dying and living. And He voluntarily gave up His life. No one took it from Him.
God did this for you.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
