What Crucified Christ

Sunday Adelaja, pastor and author in the Ukraine, once said “In every bad situation we have to see Satan’s motives behind a person’s actions.” An investigator will approach a crime scene and attempt to determine what happened, but the real questions is why. What were the motives of those involved?

We have seen the crime scene of the cross, but what were the motives of those involved? What crucified Christ?

I want to read from . This verse is I believe the culmination of what each of us has been sharing tonight. This verse is the result of the betrayal, false testimony, wickedness, ignorance, and hatred that my brothers in Christ have so eloquently shared tonight.

Isaiah 53:5 ESV

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

This verse drips with the language of substitution.

Jesus suffered not for His sin, since He was sinless, but for our sins.

In the book of John, Jesus says that there is not greater love than to lay down your life for friends. And Jesus has now shown us that love by dying in our place.

It was our transgressions that pierced his hands, feet, and his heart.

It was our transgressions that pierced his hands, feet, and his heart.

Our first inclination is to think of sins instead of transgressions, but the word sins loses the power that is wrapped up in the word transgressions.

Transgressions - crime, wantonness, wrongdoing

Transgressions - wantonness - Unrestrainedly excessive

Transgressions - crime, wantonness, wrongdoing

Iniquities -

From the garden to the cross Jesus was crushed, both physically and mentally, for our iniquities.

Jesus took the wrath of God upon himself so we would not have to.

But then we have a turn in the mood of this verse.

Jesus was no victim in this crime. He willing chose to stand in our place.

But then we have a turn in the

His taking on the wrath of God brought us peace with God.

And it is because of His death, His wound, that we are healed spiritually.

Jesus’ death satisfied the wrath of God against our sin and allows God to “overlook” our sins so that we may

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus’ death satisfied the wrath of God against our sin and allows God to “over” our sins so that we may be healed spiritually and ultimately physically as well.

This is a choice that we make. Are we going to die to our sin and live to righteousness, or are going to continue in our sin and die spiritually?

It is our choice. Jesus provided the way, we just need to take the first step.

This is a choice that we make. Are we going to die to our sin and live to righteousness, or are going to continue in our sin and die spiritually?

The Cross