Sermon Tone Analysis

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Theme: Christ's substitutionary atonement — our insults have fallen on him.

Theme: The Scriptures are given to us teach us and encourage us.

Date: 06/18/2017 File Name: Romans_2016_44.wpd

ID Number:

Date: 06/18/2017 File Name: Romans_2016_44.wpd

ID Number:

"For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." (, NIV).

Now, right up front you need to know that the context of this verse is in within the framework of the disputable matters issue I spent the last three Sundays preaching on.

The Apostle Paul reminds the mature Christians in the Church at Rome that, when it comes to Christian Liberty, it’s not so much about their liberty, but their love for a Christian brother who is weak in the faith.

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”

(, NIV).

Then he adds the kicker ... Christ, himself, is our example, “For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”” (, NIV)

But in using Christ as our example of not pleasing ourselves, the Apostle drops this golden nugget of Christological redemptive truth.

The Apostle quotes — "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."

This Psalm is an inter-Trinitarian conversation in the Old Testament.

It is God the Son speaking to God the Father.

The you of the passage refers to the Father, and the me refers to the Son.

Here’s the point: Our sin is an affront to God.

All the contempt, all the reproach, all the scorn, and disrespect that sinners have heaped upon God was borne by the Christ in his suffering on the cross.

Here, tucked away in a passage on the importance of Christian Liberty, is the Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement.

For three weeks I’ve preached on disputable matters, and right in the middle of the Apostle’s discourse on disputable matters, he drops a doctrine that is indisputable and non-negotiable — that Christ died in the sinner’s place, taking upon himself the wrath that was rightly meant for us.

It is a doctrine of the faith worth contending for.

The author of the Book of Hebrews writes:

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

(, KJV)

Jesus is a Savior who does His work completely, fully, and to perfection.

Jesus doesn’t save us just a little bit leaving us to work out the rest of our salvation by ourselves.

Jesus doesn’t save us just part way leaving us to suffer in some ‘middle state’ or purgatory while friends and family on Earth do good works to get us out.

The good news of the Gospel is that God saves sinners to the uttermost.

The Apostle unequivocally tells us in that Jesus is able to save.

The Scriptures are emphatic about the efficacy of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross.

Now efficacy is a good theological word you need to know.

It refers to the capacity or power to produce a desired effect.

The blood of Jesus, who is the Christ, is efficacious in that our Lord’s shed blood has the power to produce a desired effect — it atones for our sin and for the sin of all who are called according to His purpose.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

(, KJV)

This morning, I want to share with you three propositions about salvation.

First, why the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ was necessary in the first place.

It’s because man has a spiritual dilemma.

Second, what God has done that offers a solution to our dilemma.

And finally, the decision you have to make if God is going to solve your dilemma.

I. THE PROBLEM OF MAN

1. man has a spiritual dilemma –

ILLUS.

He is, to quote American rock musician George Thorogood — “Bad to the Bone”.

On the day I was born

The nurses all gathered 'round

And they gazed in wide wonder

At the joy they had found

The head nurse spoke up

Said "leave this one alone"

She could tell right away

That I was bad to the bone

a. from the day he is born, a man is “bad to the bone”

“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.

God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

(, NIV)

“This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.

The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.”

(, NIV)

• “This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.

The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead.”

(, NIV)

• “The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains.

Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets. 3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together.

4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge.

... .”

(, NIV)

“The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains.

Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets. 3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together.

4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge.

... .”

(, NIV)

• “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

... 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

(, , NIV)

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

... 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

(, , NIV)

2. according to the bible, man is not just a little bit bad or kinda naughty

a. men are remarkably evil, audaciously corrupt, and completely rotten to the core

b.

such a view is diametrically opposed to the social theories of our day that maintain man is basically good, but is negatively affected by environmental or social conditions such as poverty, social disenfranchisement, or a dysfunctional home life

maintain man is basically good, but is negatively affected by environmental or social conditions such as poverty, social disenfranchisement, or a dysfunctional home life

1) just put a person in the right social and economic environment, and you’ll see just how good man is (according to the social scientist)

see just how good man is (according to the social scientist)

c. the bible says no, man’s problem goes deep

“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.

23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.””

(, NIV)

1) poverty, social disenfranchisement, or a dysfunctional home life may accentuate a man’s evil nature, but they are not the cause of man’s evil nature

a man’s evil nature, but they are not the cause of man’s evil nature

3. why is the human character in such appalling condition?

a. it is because of something called sin

b. while others speculate about the cause of wickedness and evil in our world, Christians know — or should know — that because of sin, men are capable of almost limitless evil

Christians know — or should know — that because of sin, men are capable of almost limitless evil