A Suitable Substitute Series

A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE

HEBREWS 2:9

I. TEXT

OUR LORD DIED A VICARIOUS DEATH. HE TOOK OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS. ROMANS 5:6 TEACHES, “FOR WHEN WE WERE YET WITHOUT STRENGTH, IN DUE TIME CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY.” HE WAS A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE.

NOT ONLY DID HE DIE A VICARIOUS DEATH, BUT IT PLEASED GOD TO SEND HIM, COLOSSIANS 1:19 TEACHES, “FOR IT PLEASED THE FATHER THAT IN HIM SHOULD ALL FULNESS DWELL; 20AND, HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS, BY HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF.” WHY? GOOD QUESTION, GLAD YOU ASKED. SO THAT HE COULD PRESENT US HOLY AND UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVEABLE IN HIS SIGHT.

FROM TIME TO TIME, A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER WILL NOT BE ADEQUATELY PREPARED TO TEACH A SUBJECT BECAUSE THEY DON’T GET THE LESSON PLAN UNTIL THEY GET TO THE CLASSROOM. THEY HAVE LITTLE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEIR ASSIGNMENT. HOWEVER, JESUS KNEW HIS ASSIGNMENT BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

SUBSTITUTES ARE REPRESENTATIVES OF SOMEONE ELSE; THEY DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR OWN GUIDELINES. JESUS REPRESENTS GOD AND ONLY FOLLOWS THE GUIDELINES SET BY HIS FATHER. JOHN 8:29 TEACHES, “AND HE THAT SENT ME IS WITH ME: THE FATHER HATH NOT LEFT ME ALONE; FOR I DO ALWAYS THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM.”

II. TASTED DEATH

JESUS TASTED DEATH FOR US. HE TASTED OUR AFFLICTIONS, OUR SUFFERINGS, OUR HUMILIATIONS, OUR REJECTIONS, AND OUR TEMPTATIONS, FOR HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES, THE CHATISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM, AND BY HIS STRIPES, WE ARE HEALED.

THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES WERE NOT SUITABLE TO SECURE OUR REDEMPTION; ONLY HIS BLOOD COULD SET US FREE. HEBREWS 9:12, “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.”

THE TEXT SAYS THAT JESUS TASTED DEATH FOR EVERY MAN. HE TASTED OUR SINS; THE SIN OF FORNICATION, LYING, STEALING, CHEATING, BACKBITING, ADULTERY, AND MURDER.

HOW MANY OF US WHO GO TO THE DENTIST, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE SIT IN THE CHAIR FOR US?

III. CONCLUSION/THREE POINTS

ONE, SIN PRODUCES SUFFERING THAT WE CANNOT BEAR BY OURSELVES. THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT CHRIST IS ABLE TO SUCCOR US. BECAUSE HE WAS MADE LIKE US, HE IS ABLE TO IDENTIFY WITH US. TWO, AS A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE, HE TOOK THE STING OUT OF DEATH. 1 COR. 15:55 TEACHES, “O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING?” BECAUSE OF JESUS, DEATH IS SWALLOWED IN VICTORY. THREE, WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM THE PENALTY, AND THE POWER OF SIN. JOHN 8:36 TEACHES, “IF THE SON THEREFORE SHALL MAKE YOU FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED.” HE BECAME OUR ETERNAL EMANCIPATION PROCLAIMATION.

JESUS DID WHAT THE ANGELS COULD NOT DO. HE DID WHAT MOSES WHAT MOSES COULD NOT DO. HE DID WHAT THE PROPHETS COULD NOT DO.

THEREFORE, WE MUST SERVE HIM, LIVE FOR HIM, LOVE FOR HIM.