TRADING PLACES
ROM. 5:8
1. INTRODUCTION. IN 1983 PARAMOUNT PICTURES DISTRIBUTED A MAJOR BLOCKBUSTER FILM ENTITLED TRADING PLACES. THIS MAJOR BLOCKBUSTER FILM EARNED MORE THAN 90 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS MAJOR BLOCKBUSTER FILM STARRED EDDIE MURPHY, DAN AYKROYD, JAMIE LEE CURTIS, RALPH BELLAMY, AND DON AMACHE. THE PLOT OF THE FILM CENTERED AROUND THE LIVES OF LOUIS WINTHORPE, A COMMODITIES BROKER, AND BILLY RAY VALENTINE, A STREETWISE HUSTLER; WHO, UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM, BECOME PAWNS IN A $1 DOLLAR BET BY THE DUKE BROTHERS, MORTIMER AND RANDOLPH. WHAT WAS THE BET? THAT THE DUKE BROTHERS COULD TURN WINTHORPE POOR AND VALENTINE RICH. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY TRADED PLACES. WINTHORPE FINDS HIS BANK ACCOUNTS FROZEN AND HIS LIFE IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AS HE BECOMES HOMELESS. VALENTINE, ON THE OTHER HAND, MOVES INTO WINTHORPE’S HOME, GETS WINTHORPES JOB, AND LIFE SEEMS GREAT FOR VALENTINE. BUT I COME TO TELL YOU ABOUT ANOTHER MAJOR BLOCKBUSTER STORY THAT WAS NOT DISTRIBUTED BY A MOTION PICTURE COMPANY, BUT BY GOD. THIS MAJOR BLOCKBUSTER STORY ONLY HAD ONE STAR AND THAT WAS JESUS, WHO TRADED PLACES WITH US ON THE CROSS. THE LIFE OF ONE FOR THE LIVES OF THE MANY.
2. THE TEXT. PAUL, THE PROLIFIC WRITER OF THIS EPISTLE, DEMONSTRATES THE LOVE OF GOD FOR THE WORLD IN GIVING HIS SON TO DIE IN OUR PLACE.
a) THIS TEXT SHOWS CLEARLY THAT SALVATION ORIGINATES WITH GOD, FOR THE PURPOSE OF GOD, TO PLACATE THE WRATH OF GOD.
b) THE TEXT ALSO ILLUSTRATES GOD’S GRACE TOWARDS THOSE WHO DID NOT DESERVE IT.
c) THE WORLD, BY RIGHT DID NOT DESERVE GOD’S LOVE OR HIS GRACE, BUT DESERVED THE DIVINE JUSTICE OF GOD WHICH WAS DEATH.
d) IT IS BY CHRISTS’ SELFLESS ACT OF TRADING PLACES WITH US THAT WE ARE BROUGHT OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT.
e) FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST, WE HAVE TRADED PLACES FROM SINNERS TO SAINTS.
f) THANK GOD THAT JESUS TRADED PLACES WITH US!
3. CRUCIFIXION WAS A DEHUMANIZING, DEMORALIZING, AND DREADFUL METHOD OF DEATH.
a) CRUCIFIXION WAS A SLOW, AGONIZING PROCESS.
b) PERSONS WHO WERE CRUCIFIED WERE OFTEN BEATEN WITHOUT MERCY BEFORE BEING CRUCIFIED, STRIPPED OF THEIR CLOTHING, AND VICTIMIZED BY THE SCORCHING SUN.
c) A PERSON COULD LINGER ON THE CROSS FOR DAYS BEFORE DEATH CAME TO EASE THEIR SUFFERING.
d) IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT DURING JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION, THAT HE EXPERIENCED GREAT PAIN JUST TO BREATHE.
e) IMAGINE THE PAIN OF TRYING TO LIFT HIMSELF UP, CAUSING THE NAILS IN HIS FEET TO PRODUCE EXCRUCIATING ANGUISH.
f) IMAGINE THE DISTRESS IN HIS ARMS HE MUST HAVE FELT AS HE SLUMPED FROM EXHAUSTION.
g) IMAGINE HOW HE MUST HAVE FELT AS THE RIPPED FLESH OF HIS BACK SCRAPED THE CROSS AS HE RAISED HIMSELF UP, AND SLID BACK DOWN.
h) WHAT AGONY OUR SAVIOR ENDURED FOR OUR REDEMPTION.
4. JESUS’ TRADING PLACES WITH US. WHEN JESUS TRADED PLACES WITH US HE WAS SUBJECTED TO THE WRATH OF GOD ON THE CROSS.
a) BY TAKING OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS, JESUS ACCOMPLISHED WHAT NO OTHER PERSON COULD ACCOMPLISH, AND WHAT NO OTHER SACRIFICIAL OFFERING COULD ACCOMPLISH.
b) BY TAKING OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS, WE ARE NOW JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD.
c) BY TAKING OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS, JESUS BECAME OUR SCAPEGOAT.
d) BY TAKING OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS, RECONCILIATION TO GOD HAS BEEN SECURED.
e) ON THE CROSS, IT WAS THE INNOCENT DYING FOR THE GUILTY.
f) IT WAS THE BEST, DYING FOR THE WORST.
g) IT WAS THE PUREST, DYING FOR THE POLLUTED.
h) IT WAS THE HIGHEST, DYING FOR THE LOWEST.
i) IT WAS THE SHAMELESS, DYING FOR THE SHAMEFUL.
j) BY TAKING OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS, WE NOW HAVE ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM WHO DIED FOR US!
k) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT JESUS ACCOMPLISHED ON THE CROSS DAILY AND NOT JUST DURING THE EASTER SEASON!
5. SINCE HE TRADED PLACES WITH US, WE SHOULD…
a) LIVE IN SERVICE TO HIM.
b) BE BETTER CHRISTIANS, WHICH WILL MAKE US BETTER CHURCH MEMBERS.
c) LOVE WHAT HE LOVES.
d) HATE WHAT HE HATES.
e) BE A WITNESS FOR HIM TO OTHERS.
f) STRIVE TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS.
g) SEEK THE SALVATION OF OTHERS.
h) WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
i) SPEND MORE TIME IN HIS WORD AND IN PRAYER.
6. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION. SINCE JESUS TRADED PLACES WITH US, THERE ARE THREE PIVOTAL POINTS THAT I’D LIKE TO OFFER FOR OUR CONSIDERATION.
a) ONE, HIS TRADING PLACES WITH US HAS FREED US FROM THE POWER OF SIN, WHICH MEANS THAT SIN DOES NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER US. NOW THAT WE ARE SAVED, WE SHOULD LIVE HOLY. THINGS THAT WE USED TO DO, WE DON’T DO ANYMORE, AND PLACES THAT WE USE TO GO, WE DON’T GO ANYMORE.
b) TWO, HIS TRADING PLACES WITH US HAS FREED US FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN. NO LONGER ARE WE GOD’S ENEMIES CONDEMNED TO ETERNAL DAMNATION, WHICH IS SEPARATION FROM GOD AT DEATH. THE DEATH SENTENCE OF SIN HAS BEEN REVOKED BECAUSE WE HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS SAVIOR.
c) THREE, FINALLY, ONE DAY WE WILL BE FREE FROM THE VERY PRESENCE OF SIN. WE SHALL REIGN IN ETERNITY WITH CHRIST OUR KING, WHERE THE PRESENCE OF SIN DOES NOT EXIST.
d) SO NOW MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE CAN PRAISE HIM…
• IN THE MIDST OF BAD NEWS
• WHEN BURDENS SEEM UNBEARABLE
• WHEN LIFE SEEMS UNFAIR
• IN THE DEATH OF LOVED ONES
• WHEN OUR MONEY IS FUNNY AND OUR CHANGE IS STRANGE
• WHEN WE HAVE LITTLE AND WHEN WE HAVE PLENTY
• IN CHURCH AND OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH
• IN THE MORNING, NOON, AND NIGHT
• THANK GOD, HE TRADED PLACES WITH US
