Christ Deied In Our Place And Christians Should Sacrifice For Others! Series

INTRODUCTION

1. Open your bibles to Isaiah 53:5&6.

2. Again, this being Valentine’s Day and the fact that many cards, candies, meals and gifts have been shared to express love to different ones, we want to for the evening lesson remind ourselves of the love that Christ has shown to us.

3. Isaiah 53:5&6 was prophesized about 750 years before Christ died on the cross. The words help us to visualize the horrible suffering that Christ went through, as He died on the cross.

(1) Christ’s death on the cross was because He loves us so much. Be looking at Isaiah 53:5&6 as I make a few comments. Look at your bibles as I say a few things.

(2) When we read these verses notice the words that describe the suffering that Christ went through, that would have been so painful. Christ was “wounded” – Christ was “bruised” – Christ was “chastised” – Christ received “stripes” and “our iniquity or sin was laid upon Him”.

(3) When we read theses verses notice that we are the ones who are benefiting from Christ’s death. The phrase “for our” – “for our” – “for our” is used three times and the phrase “we are” and then the phrase “of us all” all refer to us as the ones who are benefitting from all the horrible pain that Christ voluntarily endured.

(4) When we read Isaiah 53:5&6 notice the words that describe the guilt of each one of us: “transgressions” – “iniquities” – “we have gone astray” – “we have turned, every one, to his own way” – “the iniquity of us all”.

(5) Let’s read Isaiah 53:5&6, “5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

4. I know that this passage causes us to have gratitude for the suffering and terrible pain that Christ went through for us.

5. I know that we must also see the love dripping from these words that would be sweeter than chocolate covered cherries or any other Valentine Candy.

6. Let’s focus on the love that Christ has shown and is showing us. We will also focus on the love that Christ’s followers should have for one another.

DISCUSSION

I. FIRST, TURN TO 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21. THIS PASSAGE TEACHES THAT CHRIST DIED IN OUR PLACE!

1. Let’s read 2 Cor. 5:21, “For He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us

[that is to bear the guilt that there is for our sin and die on the cross for each one of us, instead of us having to one by one die on a cross],

“that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

[Not by Christ’s righteousness’ alone. Christ’s sinless life and death on the cross became the means for man that is willing to obey the teaching of Christ to have the privilege of becoming righteous.]

2. In other words when Jesus was made to be sin on our behalf means Jesus took the penalty for the sins of men and women and paid the price on the cross for their sins.

(1) Jesus took the penalty of man and died in man’s place.

(2) The result of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was that man might become the righteousness of God in him.

1) Righteousness means to be right with God and to be reconciled and made friends again with God.

2) Man is made right with God by the death of Jesus on the cross; he receives this reconciliation when he obeys the gospel (Mark 16:15-16).

3. Someone has said, “In the gospel, we discover we are far worse off that we thought, and far more loved that we ever dreamed.”

4. Maybe an illustration can help, in a feeble way, to cause us to further appreciate the fact that Christ has died in our place.

(1) There is a story about a farmer named Blake who was drafted.

(2) Blake was deeply troubled about leaving his family because his wife had died and there would be no one to support and take care of his children in his absence.

(3) The day before he was to leave for the army, his neighbor Charlie Durham came to visit him. “Blake,” he said, “I’ve been thinking. You’re needed here at home, so I’ve decided to go in your place.”

[At that time in history it was allowed for someone to take the place of another who had received a draft notice. During the U.S. Civil War, having been drafted was not absolute. The drafted man could always hire a substitute if he could afford it.