The Mediator Who Stands in Our Place

Introduction

During this year’s Holy Week, I am preaching a series of messages titled, “Jesus as the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace.”

I mentioned last night that a mediator can be defined as “any person who brings about agreement between two parties.”

A mediator reconciles two parties.

Jesus is the Mediator who reconciles God and sinners.

This series of messages highlights Christ’s obedience, sacrifice, and victory as our Mediator.

Last night on Maundy Thursday, I delivered a meditation titled, “The Mediator Who Serves.”

Tonight, at our Good Friday service, I would like to deliver a meditation titled, “The Mediator Who Stands in Our Place.”

Finally, on Resurrection Sunday, I would like to preach a message titled, “The Mediator Who Lives Forever.”

Let us now briefly focus our attention on Jesus’ death.

Tonight we stand at the foot of the cross.

Not as spectators.

Not as critics.

Not as skeptics.

Not as historians.

But as people who desperately need a Mediator who can reconcile us to a holy God.

The Apostle Paul gives us good news about that reconciliation in one sentence.

A sentence that bends under the weight of glory.

A sentence that explains what happened on Good Friday like no other.

Scripture

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21:

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Lesson

2 Corinthians 5:21 reveals Jesus as the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace who stands in our place.

Let’s use the following outline:

Jesus Takes Our Sin as Our Substitute (5:21a)

Jesus Gives His Righteousness as Our Surety (5:21b)

Jesus Secures Our Standing as Our Mediator

I. Jesus Takes Our Sin as Our Substitute (5:21a)

First, Jesus takes our sin as our substitute.

Paul writes what God did with Jesus on Good Friday, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin…” (5:21a).

Paul compresses the entire gospel into a single sentence.

Jesus “knew no sin.”

Jesus is the spotless Lamb of God.

Jesus is the Second Adam.

Jesus is the Son who perfectly obeyed the entire Moral Law of God.

Yet, God “made him to be sin.”

What does that mean?

Jesus was not morally sinful.

He was legally sinful.

He was covenantally sinful.

On Good Friday, the Sinless Son of God was treated as sin itself.

Not because he had sinned—he “knew no sin.”

Not because he deserved judgment—he deserved only delight.

He was treated as sin because the Covenant of Grace requires a Mediator who would stand where sinners stand.

On the cross on Good Friday, Jesus stepped into our place.

He took our guilt.

He bore our curse.

He carried our shame.

He endured our judgment.

Jesus became the condemned so that the condemned could become the beloved.

Good Friday is not the story of a martyr dying for a cause.

Good Friday is the story of a Substitute dying for sinners like you and me.

Sin is not ignored—it is paid.

Guilt is not minimized—it is transferred.

Judgment is not postponed—it is poured out on Jesus.

II. Jesus Gives Us His Righteousness as Our Surety (5:21b)

Second, Jesus gives us his righteousness as our surety.

Paul continues, “…so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (5:21b).

Jesus does not merely remove sin.

Jesus supplies his own perfect righteousness.

This is “imputation”—the great exchange.

Our sin is credited to Jesus.

And Jesus’ righteousness is credited to us.

The great exchange is at the heart of Good Friday.

He takes what is ours—every stain, every failure, every rebellion, every sin—and he gives us what is his—every obedience, every perfection, and every delight of the Father.

This is not a partial exchange.

This is not a temporary exchange.

This is not a probationary exchange.

It is a covenantal exchange—sealed in blood, and guaranteed by the Mediator himself.

Jesus is our Surety.

That is, Jesus is the One who fulfills the covenant’s demands on our behalf.

He obeys where we disobey.

He succeeds where we fail.

He stands firm where we fall short.

Your acceptance before God is not based on your performance but on Jesus’ perfection.

You are not merely forgiven—you are declared righteous.

You do not stand before God because of your best efforts.

You stand before God in Jesus’ finished work on your behalf.

III. Jesus Secures Our Standing as Our Mediator

And third, Jesus secures our standing as our mediator.

The key phrase in verse 21 is the words “in him.”

Listen again to how Paul states it, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Union with Christ is the foundation of assurance.

Everything Jesus accomplished becomes ours because we are “in him.”

Everything is ours because we are united to Jesus by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone.

As the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace, Jesus represents us before the Father.

Jesus intercedes for us continually.

Jesus guarantees to us all of the covenant’s blessings.

Jesus ensures that we persevere to the very end.

My dear Christian, know that you stand before God in Jesus.

Your salvation is as secure as Jesus is righteous.

Your standing is as firm as Jesus is faithful.

Your hope is as unshakable as Jesus is alive.

Conclusion

2 Corinthians 5:21 is the gospel in a single sentence.

Jesus takes our sin.

Jesus gives us his righteousness.

Jesus secures our standing.

This is the Covenant of Grace—initiated by the Father, accomplished by the Son, applied by the Spirit, and guaranteed for all eternity by the Mediator who stands in our place.

Good Friday tells you something your heart forgets: your salvation is not fragile.

Your standing is not uncertain.

Your hope is not built on your performance.

It is built on a Mediator who stood in your place, who bore your sin, who gave you his righteousness, and who finished the work.

As you contemplate the cross tonight, consider this.

If Jesus has taken your sin, why carry it any longer?

If Jesus has borne your judgment, why fear condemnation?

If Jesus has given you his righteousness, why doubt your welcome?

If Jesus has stood in your place, why stand anywhere else?

Good Friday is the end of self-salvation.

The end of self-condemnation.

The end of self-reliance.

Because the Mediator has taken your place.

Tonight, we remember a death that gives life, a curse that brings blessing, a judgment that secures mercy, and a Mediator who stands where we should stand.

And because Jesus stood there in our place, we may stand before God forgiven, righteous, and eternally his. Amen.