Christ and Him Crucified
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
In the efforts of the saved to reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we might identify three areas of importance:
Our message
This is MOST important, of course! The Gospel is the truth that brings sinners from death unto life.
Our manner
How we carry ourselves—body language, for instance—is one aspect of communication. Communication is very relevant to evangelism!
Our method
The means we use to share the Gospel will have a great effect on whether or not people accept. (Preaching the Gospel in love, vs. preaching hell like you’re glad people are going there)
How do you apply these three areas in your efforts to evangelize the lost? If you’re not preaching Bible truth about the Gospel, God cannot bless your efforts, and folks will not be saved. I trust we aren’t struggling with this. However, our manner and methods may need correction. It is easy to just do what comes natural, or do what we see others doing, or do what we’ve always done, or do what we predict people will like. But how can we know what we should be doing? What should our manner and methods be? Is there a way to know.
Thankfully, there is. Of course, God doesn’t say, “Here’s how you should evangelize in Grand Forks in the year 2022...” but He does give us clear principles and examples in Scripture. With some time and study, we can identify them and then emulate them. Today, I want to point out one method of evangelism that will hopefully encourage us and help us as we seek to win a lost world.
I know from personal experience that it’s possible to think of evangelism as a complicated exercise in social skills where only the most practiced and gifted may succeed. In fact, we may overestimate our part so much, we start to behave as if salvation and growth is up to our abilities and powers of persuasion. This is of course false.
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
“Increase” is God’s job. So what is our job?
Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
So we must be faithful, and trust God for increase! If we take the pressure of “increase” off our shoulders, that should help us relax and focus on adjusting our manner and methods so as to be Biblical, instead of falling into the trap of being “success driven.”
I. Preach Christ
I. Preach Christ
Sinners won’t be saved because of our personal skills, experience, instincts. We won’t convince people with our emotional fervor, we won’t persuade them with our Bible knowledge, and we won’t amaze them with our apologetics expertise. We won’t even be able to scare them with our diagnosis about their sin! (Study #1 is very important, and it is for someone who is already interested in the truth!)
So what should be the focus? Preaching Christ. What a person believes about Christ will determine whether they reach Heaven or not! Consider these Biblical examples of evangelists who put the focus on the Lord Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist (to a crowd)
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John the Baptist (to two)
Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
The apostle Andrew
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
The apostle Philip
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Philip the evangelist
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
The apostle Paul
And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Jesus Christ Himself—the greatest witness of all!
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
People around us are concerned about all kinds of life issues: politics, pandemics, church denominations, and much more. If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves spending our time trying to answer many questions about these peripheral issues, when Jesus Christ is what we must be preaching.
Christ is the most polarizing figure in human history. There is no “middle ground” position on Him! He is either a liar, con artist, and mass deceiver, or He is the only begotten Son of God. Yet many people try to take a “middle ground” position that He was just a good teacher. (A middle ground position doesn’t seem viable on many politicians nowadays, much less on someone who claims to be God!!!!)
We may also fall into the trap of preaching what salvation can do for us—remove our guilt, give us joy, bring God’s blessing—instead of preaching Christ Himself. What He will do for us is secondary; we won’t “lure” someone into faith and repentance by offering them incentives/rewards. That we MUST believe on Him is primary!
If a powerful, popular Spirit-filled prophet like John the Baptist continually “increased” Christ and “decreased” himself, we should do the same. If a brilliant, well-educated former Pharisee like Paul restricted his message to the person of Christ, we would do well to follow suit. If the Almighty Son of God chose Himself as the most important salvation topic, then we should also. God doesn’t need our charisma, or our mighty apologetics. He wants us to preach the truth about the Son of God.
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Are you not sure how to get a conversation going in the direction of salvation? How about this question: “Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour?”
Do you feel inadequate about trying to show someone from the Bible how to be saved? After familiarizing yourself with 1 Cor. 15:1-4 and Romans 1:16, try these questions: “Do you know what the Gospel is? Do you know how it helps us?”
Are you intimidated by a skeptic? Consider this question: “Do you mind if I tell you how Jesus Christ has changed my life?” When we put the spotlight on Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God is glorified. And isn’t God’s glory the ultimate reason for us to be faithful witnesses??
Why is it so important to put the focus on the Lord Jesus Christ? Because He came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” And He is the subject of today’s Bible study lesson.
II. God’s Provision: Jesus Christ
II. God’s Provision: Jesus Christ
Two weeks ago, we discussed how all sinners will be judged one day, not by one of us, but by God Almighty. God isn’t fooled by externals, because He sees our heart. He won’t judge according to man’s laws, but according to truth: the Word of God. We looked at how God’s laws are thoroughly represented in the Ten Commandments, and that most everyone has broken most of them countless times. More importantly, we saw how Christ condensed the ten into just two commands, and any honest person will realize they have broken both of those commands repeatedly. Lastly, we read James 2:10, which reads, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” Every one of us has sinned, and is a sinner. Man’s sin and guilt is an important step on the road to salvation!
Last week, we examined what the Bible has to say about the two kinds of people that exist. We saw how God sees us as either unrighteous or righteous, lost or saved, condemned or justified, and more. Which one are you? Sinners come up with their methods to try to become righteous, but God cannot accept any of man’s solutions. The act of changing us from being under wrath to being accepted is God’s alone to take. This week, we are going to examine how that is possible. It is made possible through the person of Jesus Christ.
A. The Gospel
A. The Gospel
As I’ve mentioned throughout these lessons, the Gospel is all-important to the topic of salvation. Rom 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
“The power of God unto salvation...” God’s omnipotence could be described, among other things, as “the power of God unto creation.” God spoke, and His words were so powerful that the universe came into existence. The Gospel of Christ is a form of God’s power for the purpose of moving sinners from darkness unto light, from enmity unto reconciliation, from Hell to Heaven. This can do what eternal fire cannot do: pay for your sin and make you right with God. That is POWER!!
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Baptism isn’t saving power; the Gospel is. (Child of God, notice: how we preach the Gospel can affect its effect!!) Our manner and method do matter.
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
There is so much important truth in these verses, but we want to point out two things in particular:
Christ is our substitute
“…Christ died for our sins...”
Christ’s death was foretold and described in the scriptures.
Friend, we can trust God. Not only did God decide to make a way for us to be saved, but He is so transparent with us that He informed us about it, thousands of years before it happened!! God is truth, and the truth has nothing to hide. The same Scriptures that are the basis of God’s judgment of sinners, are the same Scriptures that tell us about God, about sin and sinners, and about Jesus Christ the substitute for sin.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Man’s attempts to reconcile himself with God through religious deeds and giving money. God’s provision for the forgiveness of man’s sin is in the Person of Jesus Christ. There is an eternal difference between these two solutions!
B. Foreshadowed
B. Foreshadowed
Where in the Scriptures do we find the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? Here are just a few.
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Adam and Eve attempted to cover their own shame with fig leaves, and it was a miserable failure. God provided a good solution, but it came at a cost: animals had to die. Death is always the cost of sin.
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Isaac was literally saved from death, and God provided a substitute to die in his stead. What a detailed picture of Jesus Christ!
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
Judgment from God was coming, but God provided a way of escape. Instead of the firstborn of the family dying, a spotless lamb needed to die as a substitute. May God help the saints to appreciate the fact that Jesus Christ is our substitute, and took our punishment on Himself!
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Over and over again, God’s actions and commands follow this same theme: man has sinned and their sin must be judged, but instead of God judging the sinner, a way is provided for the judgment to be poured out on an innocent substitute, so that the guilty may go free. The Scriptures truly do foreshadow what took place at Calvary.
C. In the New Testament
C. In the New Testament
The New Testament carries on this theme!
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Jews would have known exactly what kind of parallel that John was making. A lamb that can take away sin? Only the sacrificial lamb fit that description. But a lamb, the animal, was a temporary, imperfect picture of the Lamb of God. The animal only covered the sins of specific people for a specific amount of time. The shed blood of the Lamb of God is able to take away the sins of ALL believers forever.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Animal sacrifices were not God’s final provision—they pictured it.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
If animals cannot cleanse us from our sin, why do we ever think we can cleanse ourselves? Our deeds are permanently stained with our sin. We need a substitute.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Christ’s sacrifice was made “once for all.” He did enough the first time; once you’re saved, you’re ALWAYS saved.
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. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
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.
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
God’s judgment is coming for sin, and it will be according to truth. But your sin can be judged in the sacrifice of Christ. You needn’t be judged in Hell! Have you believed on the name of the Son of God as your only hope of salvation?
D. Qualified
D. Qualified
Some may say, “OK, I understand that the Bible seems to indicate that Jesus Christ died for my sins. But how can I trust that God will respect that substitute? What makes Christ qualified to do that for me?” The Bible answers these questions!
First, in one passage of Scripture, we find 5 “witnesses” or proofs that Jesus Christ is qualified.
John 5:31-39
Vs. 31 — Christ tells us He is qualified
Vs. 32-35 — John the Baptist tells us Christ is qualified.
Vs. 36 — Jesus Christ’s works tell us that He is qualified.
Vs. 37 — God the Father tells us that Christ is qualified. (Matt. 17:5)
Vs. 39 — The Scriptures tell us that Christ is qualified!
Friend, if you are willing to believe, you have plenty of reason to believe. The problem for sinners is not that God hasn’t plainly given the truth to them. The problem is that they will not believe. (Luke 22:67 “Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:”)
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah,
Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;
Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
And shall call his name Immanuel.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
Yet he opened not his mouth:
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,
So he openeth not his mouth.
And he made his grave with the wicked,
And with the rich in his death;
Because he had done no violence,
Neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,
And he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
Because he hath poured out his soul unto death:
And he was numbered with the transgressors;
And he bare the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus Christ is our substitute, and He is qualified to be that. I’m not qualified. I could claim to die for your sins, but even though I gave my life, you would not be any better off; you would still be guilty and condemned before God. But Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, has no sin of His own, and was sent by the Father to become our substitute. When His shed blood is applied to your sin debt, God the Father—the Judge—considers that a satisfactory payment!
E. Substitute
E. Substitute
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.
This is what it means to take our place. Christ took our sin, and gave us His righteousness. Wow.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Redemption is a wonderful doctrine. We were slaves to our sin, and Christ purchases His saints in order to set them free. He took on our curse for us.
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. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Many people accuse God of being hateful. But God has already proven His matchless love, by sending His dear Son to die for wicked sinners who have made themselves His enemies! He desires to rescue us, when we wanted to reject and spurn Him! What a loving God is He!
Friend, what have you done with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? He died in your place, and the payment is available. Have you given Him control over your life and your sin, and believed on Him alone for salvation? Have you accepted His sacrifice to pay your sin debt? There is no other way to be reconciled to God. It is only found in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is He your Lord?