I invite your attention to the
passage that was read just a few moments ago, Isaiah chapter 53. Isaiah chapter 53, if you hear
me call his name Isaiah, bear in mind that's the way we pronounce
it. In the islands, and I'm in New Jersey, I'll try to talk
like someone from New Jersey. But my subject is from the entire
chapter. And the subject is Jesus Christ's
atonement. This passage in this 53rd chapter
of Isaiah's prophecy is probably the passage that sets forth the
atonement of Jesus Christ in more depth and in more clearness
than any other one passage. We'll be looking at the passage,
but looking at some other texts as well on the subject. And it's
a glorious subject, this subject of Jesus Christ's atonement. You heard the passage read just
a moment ago, but consider that word atonement for a moment. What does it mean? Simplest meaning
of the word is just looking at the three syllables, and it means
at one. That's what an atonement is.
It is an at-one-ment. It speaks of two parties estranged
from each other, perhaps in animosity against each other, but it speaks
of them as having been brought together so that the two become
at-one with each other. That's about the simplest meaning
that you can find of this word atonement. And when this atonement
is made and when this atonement is effected, you'll find that
the offending party is forgiven and the parties are reconciled
to each other and with each other. Atonement is quite simply at
one meant. The subject of atonement is found
especially in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy that set forth
the law. The work of atonement was a work
of the priest of Israel. Repeatedly you'll find expressions
in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy that say that the
priest shall make atonement for him and his sin shall be forgiven. And repeatedly, just when you
get home, look up that word atonement. Found how many times it is found
in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy and how often the
phrase is found. The priest shall make atonement
for him and his sin shall be forgiven. And that's what happened
in Israel. A man offended God and had done
that which was contrary to God and had brought this favor of
God upon him. The remedy was to find a sacrificial
animal that was suitable to God and bring it to the priest, the
priest would slay the sacrificial animal on the altar, shed its
blood, the blood would cover the man's offense, and God would
pronounce the man's sin forgiven. And when that occurred, a reconciliation
was made between the offending sinner and God, and they are
once again at one, men. Now everything that you read
of that priest in Israel in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy
point toward Jesus Christ. They're all pictures of him.
Every one of those passages is a picture of Jesus Christ as
our high priest, one greater than Aaron and the one making
atonement for sinners under God. Sinners like me who have offended
God. and have estranged myself from
him and have, through the work of a high priest, been brought
together again with God so that between God and me there is now
at one man through Christ and through his atonement. We're
going to consider tonight that Jesus Christ made a gracious
atonement. Jesus Christ made atonement for
many sinners. Jesus Christ made atonement for
specific sinners, and Jesus Christ made an efficacious atonement
for them. That's my four points. We'll
look at those four points tonight by considering the first, that
Jesus Christ made a gracious atonement It was an atonement
that the sinner did not deserve and that God was under no obligation
to give and that Christ was under no obligation to obtain. It's
thoroughly gracious, thoroughly gracious. It is gracious first
of all because the offending party did not deserve it. In
the passage we read that all we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his
own way. With regards to Jesus Christ,
we who have received this atonement confess that he is despised and
rejected by men. We hid as it were our faces from
him. He was despised and we did not
esteem him. Well, that person most certainly
does not deserve atonement, does he? His sin has estranged him
from God and not only is he estranged from God, he is estranging himself
further and further from God and he does not deserve this
atonement. This atonement is gracious because
God graciously purposed it. Did you notice in reading in
verse 2, it pleased Jehovah to bruise Jesus Christ. Jehovah
has put him to grief. You made his soul an offering
for sin. Jehovah purposed this atonement. who directed the high priest.
And Christ is the priest. But it was He that purposed the
high priest. It was He that purposed the sacrificial
that was made before God. And God purposed it. God decreed
it. God set it forth. And it pleased
God to put Him to grief. It pleased Him. It pleased His
law. It pleased His justice. And it
pleased His Son. who made the atonement, who,
who purchased it and the one who obtained it. In verse 7,
he was oppressed and he was afflicted and yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his
mouth. When it came time for this priest
to make an atonement, when it came time for this sacrifice
to be made, when it came time for this one to have his blood
shed, he did not balk. He did not stall. He did not withdraw. He did it. He did it freely, graciously,
and lovingly. I say to you, I say to you with
great joy in my heart, this is a gracious atonement. No one
deserved it. No one deserved it. God had,
if God had damned our whole race, we would have deserved that.
This atonement, this atonement is gracious to those who did
not deserve it by God who purposed it and by Jesus Christ who willingly
has made it. Second point, Jesus Christ made
an atonement for many sinners. Repeatedly we find this here
in our text before us tonight. Look in verses 11 and 12. Jehovah
said of Jesus Christ, my righteous servant shall justify many, for
he shall bear their iniquities. He bore the sin of many. Well, that's clear enough to
me. He said it once and then he said
it again. He made that statement many twice. So this is an atonement for many
sinners. Now, common logic will tell you
that many, while it is fewer than all, is more than a few. Common logic will teach you that.
If God had given atonement, if Christ had
made atonement for even one sinner, just one, that was infinitely
more than our unworthy race deserved. If Jesus Christ had made atonement
for quite a few sinners, That is even more, infinitely more
than our race deserved. And I know that's not proper
English, but you do get the point, do you not? It was infinitely
more than infinitely more than we deserved. He did more than
that. He made atonement for many, many. How many? We're not told. No man knows. God does. Christ
does. Holy Spirit knows, but no man
knows. In heaven, when they congregate,
we're told that John says, I saw a great multitude that no man
could number. A multitude that no man could
number. He identifies them as coming
out of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, so that when the
redeemed, when the reconciled, when those for whom atonement
are made are gathered in heaven, there are people from the seven
continents and the islands of the seven seas, and it's a multitude. No man can number it. That's the grace of God. You
want to see God's grace magnified. Not one sinner deserved it and
God and Christ made atonement for a multitude of sinners that
no man can number. This doctrine is set forth in
other places in the scriptures. Christ confessed of himself that
the Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many, Matthew
20, 28. Christ declared at the institution
of the Lord's Supper that my blood of the new covenant is
shed for many for the remission of sins, Matthew 26, 28. The writer of the epistle to
the Hebrews declares that Christ was offered once to bear the
sins of many in Hebrews 9, 28. Folks, it cannot get any clearer
than that. Some will say, well, we believe
that He made atonement for all with that exception. Well, if
it does not bother you to contradict God the Father, God the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, and God's scriptures, and all God's preachers,
you go right ahead. The scriptures declare He made
an atonement for many. For many. And they are specifically
identified. They are given very specific
identity. They are identified as Jehovah's
people. Here in verse number 8, Jehovah
said, for the transgressions of my people he was stricken. Does it get any clearer than
that? For the transgressions of my people who were or who
are these ones whom Jehovah calls my people, these are they whom
God foreknew. before the foundation of the
world and from old eternity. These are those whom because
God foreknew them were chosen to salvation and justification
and sanctification. These were those who before the
foundation were made to be the recipients of God's free and
sovereign grace from old eternity. These are those who through this
atoning work of Jesus Christ in time on Calvary were made
to receive its benefits even before the foundation of the
world through the blood of the atoning Lamb that was shed before
the foundation of the world on the altar of God's heaven. These are those whom were foreknown
by God chosen by God to salvation, justification, and sanctification
were predestined before time began to be conformed to the
image of Jesus Christ and to be God's adopted children. These are those who before the
foundation of the world were highly favored to be accepted
in Christ And in Christ there never has been sin, never will
be sin, so therefore we know that their justification, salvation,
and sanctification are eternal, even before the foundation of
the world. Proof of that is in Christ. They are in Christ from
eternity, and in whom we have redemption. These are God's people. These are Jehovah's people. When
Jehovah says, for the transgressions of my people, he was stricken.
This is who they are, all whom Jehovah foreknew, chose, predestined,
highly favored, and even glorified from all eternity. For the transgressions of my
people, although God's decree had purposed their salvation,
justification, and sanctification before time began, the work had
to be wrought. and it was wrought on Mount Calvary. For the transgressions of my
people, Jehovah says, he was stricken. Jehovah's people, we
who have received this atonement are glad to identify ourselves
also in this very same passage here in Isaiah chapter 53. We,
who are the many, who are Jehovah's people, can truthfully say of
Jesus Christ that Jehovah has laid on him the iniquity of us
all, verse six. Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows, verse four. He was wounded for our
transgressions, verse five. He was bruised for Our iniquities,
verse 5, the chastisement for our peace was upon him, verse
5, and by his stripes we are healed. If you are one of Jehovah's people,
that's your confession. He died in your place instead. He suffered the wrath of God
that you deserved. And by his stripes you are healed,
you are saved, you are justified, and you are sanctified. But elsewhere
in scriptures, elsewhere in scriptures, these who are Jehovah's people
are identified. I get somewhat amused when you
go to a text and you set forth what it means and someone doesn't
want to believe it and, you know, says, but does the Bible say
that anywhere else? And you have, okay, folks, let
me ask you. How many times did God have to
say it? How many times did I hear my father say, if I told you
once, that was enough? That was enough. And it was,
it was. And God said it once. Yeah, but
did he ever say it anywhere else? Well, okay. I'm glad you asked. Because he did. He did. Repeatedly. Folks, this is the doctrine of
God's word. Repeatedly. Jesus Christ made
atonement for God's people. They're identified as Christ's
people in Matthew 121. You shall call his name Jesus
for he will save his people from their sins. They're identified
as Christ's friends in John 15, 13. Jesus said greater love has
no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends
and you are my friends if you do whatever I command you. This
is atonement for God's church. Christ also loved the church
and gave himself for her. The church of God he purchased
with his own blood. This is atonement for Christ's
sheep. Jesus said, I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. And this is atonement
for God's Israel. You probably are quite familiar
with the text I just quoted to you. I want to read one to you
and I want you to look at it and it's not far from my text.
Isaiah chapter 45, locate that if you will. The prophecy of
Isaiah chapter 45 and I want you to look at verse number 17. Forgive me, that is Ezekiel chapter
45. That is Ezekiel chapter 45. The
last eight chapters of Ezekiel's prophecy are prophetic of the
church this day and age in which we live. Ezekiel wrote of a future time
He wrote to the, wrote and delivered this to the children of Israel.
And I'm sure that most of them did not understand what he was
talking about. In fact, we read that the prophets
read their own writings trying to, what did I just write? What
did Jehovah just tell me to write? They searched their own writings
trying to understand what they had written. I wrote what he
said, but I'm not so sure I understand it. You can imagine Moses and
Elijah when they're with Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. Whoa, now we see how it happened. And when they have, you know,
been received in the glory and there they see, yes, it was Calvary. We did not know. You know, we
prophesied of it, but oh, this is more glorious than we could
have imagined. Well, this whole section in the
prophecy of Ezekiel is much like this. Ezekiel wrote of a future
time and undoubtedly did not understand exactly what it was
he was writing, but he wrote. He wrote. And then he says, it
shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings. Well now,
the prince's part. The prince's messiah, Jesus Christ,
by the way. But notice, it shall be the prince's
part to give burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings.
Perhaps Ezekiel says, Lord, the prince's part? Yes, yes. Do you not mean the priest's
part? Well, the prince is the priest. Lord, the prince comes from Judah,
and he cannot make an offering. That's true. And the priest comes
from Levi, and he cannot be a prince. Yeah, that's true. But the prince
shall make an offering. Yeah, that's true. Okay, I'll
write it. It shall be the prince's part,
the prince's Christ to give birth offerings, grain offerings, and
drink offerings. Every Israelite knew what those
were. At the feast, the new moons, the Sabbath, and at all the appointed
seasons of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering,
the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings
to make atonement. Your King James may say reconciliation,
and it was a reconciliation, but this is the same word that
throughout the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy is translated
atonement. It means atonement. The prince shall make atonement
for the house of Israel. Who is the house of Israel? Jehovah
calls them my people. Christ calls them my people.
The holy scriptures call them God's church. The holy scriptures
call them the Israel of God. This is for whom the atonement
is made. I had a professor in seminary
and he hated the doctrines of grace. and particularly did he
hate the doctrine of limited atonement, definite atonement,
particular redemption, hated it. He was teaching one day in
class and he said that the priest shall make an atonement for all
the house of Israel and he said it was for all the house of Israel. You see, he said it is an unlimited
atonement, all the house of Israel. Well, in the student body on
this campus, 400, maybe close to 500 students, there were about
three, maybe four of us, maybe five, that believed the doctrines
of grace. And we were not allowed to discuss
the atonement on campus. It was a law. And yeah, I was
there to get a degree, okay, so I'm sorry. But we were not
allowed to discuss it. I was so tempted. Professor,
did the priest make atonement for all the Gentiles outside
Israel? And I knew a certain student before
me in the same school and he had a habit of asking questions
like that to the same professor and the The same professor would,
you know, one day he stopped him and told him that his grade
had been lowered one whole letter for the term. And that's, you
know, so you know, okay, I don't want my grade lowered for a letter
for the whole term. So I did not ask the question,
but the young man of whom I speak, he was a bit more bold than I
was. His name was Don Fortner. He contradicted the professor
in class and proved what he was saying. He proved the professor
wrong and his reward was to get his grade lowered one grade for
the term. But I want you to I wanted to
ask that question. Did the priest make atonement
for all the Gentiles outside the house of Israel? Well, of
course not. Of course not. Folks, this is a particular redemption. This is an atonement for a particular
people. Jehovah said for the transgressions
of my people, he was stricken. And then, number four, final
point, Jesus Christ made an effectual atonement. One that succeeds
and will never fail. I should not have to stress that
fact. I should not have to stress it. Did not Ezekiel and do not the
rest of the scriptures say that he will make atonement? If he was prophesied to make
atonement, did he not make atonement? Is not atonement made? Well, of course it is. Of course
it is. The atonement is made. It therefore
is effectual. It therefore is successful. It
therefore is efficacious. I say to you that not one single
solitary sinner for whom Jesus Christ died will suffer. and
perish, God's condemnation will not, will not, will not. Not
a one of them. In fact, what do we read? Verse
five, by his stripes we are healed. Verse 11, he shall see the labor
or the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. Verse 10,
he shall see his seed for Christ will have no stillborn children.
Verse 11, the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand, for
Christ will not fail in what he purposed to do. And in verse
11, by his knowledge, my righteous servant shall justify many, for
he shall bear their iniquities. Folks, it is done. Signs sealed
and delivered by the blood of Jesus Christ. Atonement has been
made. Atonement has been made. Some may say, but does the Bible
say that anywhere else? Anywhere else? Yes, Hebrews 10,
14. For by one offering, he has perfected
forever those who are being sanctified. And in Romans chapter five, verses
eight through 11, all who truthfully confess that Christ died for
us will be justified by his blood. saved from wrath through Him,
reconciled to God through the death of His Son, and saved by
His life. This is what is said of these
that have their atonement through Jesus Christ. My friends, I love
this atonement. It is successful. It is finished. It is completed. It is a perfect
atonement. It will never fail. And that's the doctrine of God's
word regarding it. And yet, and yet, people calling
themselves devout faithful Christians will contradict everything that
was just said and claim to be preaching the gospel. They claim. But he, he, he did not die for
just many. He died for all with that exception. Well, God said it was many. Yes,
but it was all with that exception. And it was not limited, not limited. No, he died for everyone. Not only for God's church, but
for Satan's church. Not only for God's people, but
also for Satan's people. Not only for those who will believe
the gospel, but those who will not believe the gospel. They
say he died for all without exception. But did he succeed? Well, he did what he came to
do. But did he succeed? Did he make an atonement? Oh
yes, he made an atonement. So he made an atonement and reconciled
to God every sinner for whom he died. Oh, no, he didn't do
that. All those folks in Hades right now, did he die for them? Yeah, yeah. Well, then his death
didn't mean much for them, did it? Well, it's their fault, not
his, they say. All those folks in heaven, Did
Jesus Christ's death guarantee they were going there? No. It
only made it possible. Did He make an atonement? Well,
He actually provided it. It was conditional. It's conditioned
upon man's faith. It's conditioned upon man's obedience. They say. They say. Not an effectual
atonement. A provisional atonement. A conditional
atonement. They deny God's grace. because their doctrine of atonement
requires man's works. They deny the efficacy of Jesus
Christ's death because they confess that most everyone for whom he
died is going to hell anyway. They impugn God's justice. This is serious, folks. They
impugn God's justice in saying that God punished Jesus Christ
for the sins of everyone on Calvary and then he's going to punish
them again for their sins in hell as though God requires payment
for the same sin and debt twice. That's unjust. That's unjust. The hymn writer says, payment
God will not twice demand, first at my bleeding surety's hand
and then again at mine." Folks, by the time they're done, they
not only have contradicted God the Father, God the Son, God
the Holy Spirit, and the Scriptures, they have set forth a heresy
And yes, I dare say it, it is blasphemous. It is blasphemous. This doctrine of the atonement
of Jesus Christ is glorious, of God's grace for many and not
a one of them deserved it. For a specific people, Jehovah's
people, and I'll give you one more qualification for them.
Who are these for whom Jesus Christ made atonement? They are all who believe the
gospel. Now go to the first verse in
Isaiah chapter 53. The first verse in the prophecy. And notice that this prophecy
begins with a question. I have set forth to you tonight
this doctrine of Jesus Christ's atonement. That's the gospel
I preach. That is the report that I am
making to you tonight. I have set forth from this passage
just as the prophet did. He set it forth. I have set forth
to you tonight what he set forth. And now I ask you the question
that he asked, who has believed our report? Who has believed
it? Who has believed this doctrine,
this gospel? of the atoning death of Jesus
Christ. Who has believed it? He answers
the question with another question. Notice the first question. Who
has believed our report? The answer to the question is
this. To whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed? That's
the answer to the question. To whom has the arm of Jehovah
been revealed? If Jehovah has come before you
in your sin, and if he's rolled up his sleeves, made bare his
mighty arm, and come and wrought a work of faith in your heart,
you're gonna believe it. You're gonna believe it. That's
what he's done. He has made bare his mighty arm to these for whom
Jesus Christ has died, and they confess, we believe it! We believe
it! Who has believed, I report, everyone
for whom Jehovah has made bear his arm. And they delight in
this doctrine of the atoning death of Jesus Christ and the
atonement that our prince and our priest has made for us. And I exhort you, if you've never
believed in Jesus Christ, if you've never trusted in him,
Don't walk out that door before doing so. Don't walk out. God, who is gracious to sinners,
is just as just to those who reject Christ. Don't walk out
that door tonight until you have known this atonement
that Jesus Christ has made. until you know that you are at
one with God, that God has made bear his arm, given faith to
you, and you have put that faith in Jesus Christ, and you know
that you are now at one with God. And oh God, our Father,
to the glory of your name and to the honor of your son, bless
your word in this report we have made. We pray in Jesus' name,
amen.