Christ died for the ungodly. This is the sum and substance of the gospel. I want to answer just a few questions this morning from this passage of scripture.

The first is this, who died? Who died? Christ, the only begotten son of God. the well-beloved Son of God. He took on himself human nature. He was made a man. Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Not a weak, frustrated reformer, but Jesus Christ who is very God of very God.

There was a centurion that was present at the Lord's death. There in Matthew 8 verse 54, it says this, the centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and those things that were done and they feared God greatly saying truly this was the Son of God.

Jesus Christ declared to be the Son of God. He's the Messiah. Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as the victorious, conquering, successful Redeemer of his people. Not a frustrated Redeemer. Not a disappointed Savior. Not a defeated Savior. He's not a poor, weak reformer up in heaven crying his eyes out because people won't let him into their hearts. That's how he's described in our day. Sadly, that's what men think of him.

I heard a man the other day on the radio say this, speaking of God, he said he has no eyes. but your eyes. He has no hands but your hands. You know, if that were true, if that statement were true, that would somehow make the Lord God dependent on man. And that is not the case. He is the conquering victorious Messiah who is seated at the right hand of the Father expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. He's the Lord. He's the Lord of the living and he's the Lord of the dead. He's declared Lord and listen, every knee is gonna bow and every tongue is gonna confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made this same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. For when we were without strength in due time, Christ died. Who died? The Lord Jesus Christ died.

Well, second, how? How did the Lord Jesus Christ die? He died a death of shame. He died under the wrath and judgment of God. In Philippians 2 verse eight we read, being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. The death of the cross. What a violent death. A painful death, a shameful death. It was a brutal death that the Lord endured.

Back in Isaiah 52 verse 14, scripture says that his visage was so marred more than any man. He was unrecognizable. And his form more than the sons of men. A cursed death, a death portrayed in the Old Testament as that brazen serpent lifted up, prophesied in the Old Testament. In Zechariah 12, 10, we read, they shall look upon him whom they have pierced.

And the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, it was a substitutionary death for all those that were chosen in him from before the foundation of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ once suffered for sins. The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God. He went to the cross of Calvary where he died under the wrath of Almighty God.

Well, third, why? Why did he die? Why did the Lord Jesus Christ die? Well, he died for his people. He died in the stead of his people. He died as the substitute of all of God's elect, enabling God to be both just and justifier. Turn with me to Romans chapter three. Romans 3, just over a page, Romans 3 verse 24. Here we read, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, that he might be both just and justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

He died. Why did he die? He died the just for the unjust. He suffered the just for the unjust. Christ who is holy and just, who is pure in nature, righteous in all that he did, he kept the law perfectly. He's referred to as God's righteous servant. He suffered by the hands of unjust men, by the Jews, by Pilate, by those Roman soldiers, and he suffered at the hand of his father. He suffered at the hand of almighty God when he was made sin for his people. Made sin for his people. He bore the sins of his people. He bore our sins in his body on the tree. He suffered. He was made sin. That's what the word of God says. It says that he bear the sin of many.

One of the old hymn writers wrote this. Just listen to these words. It says, all my iniquities on him were laid. He nailed them all to the tree. Jesus, the debt of my sin, fully paid. He paid the ransom for me. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. God made him. God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

This is more than just some legal transaction. as men would describe it. You know, before the Lord was crucified, we read this, that he fell on his face and he prayed saying, oh my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thy will be done. In agony, he prayed earnestly. And we read that his sweat, it was as great drops of blood that fell to the ground. And there on the cross, he suffered in agony for the sins of his people. He died bearing the sin and shame of his people. bearing shame and scoffing root in my place. Condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah. Oh, hallelujah, what a savior. There the Son of God cried out in agony. He said, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Darkness fell. Darkness fell on the earth. That curtain there in the temple, four inches thick. And it was torn in two from top to bottom.

Why did he die? Why did the Lord Jesus Christ die? Because the wages of sin is death. Well, fourth, for whom? For whom did he die? Did he die for everyone? That's what man says. We need to get away from what man is saying and we need to listen to what the word of God says. What do the scriptures say? In John 10 verse 24, our Lord was talking to some religious men. And we read this, that the Jews came round about him and they said to him, how long do you make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. And the Lord answered. The Lord Jesus Christ answered them and he said, I told you. I told you. but you believed not. The works that I do, I do in my Father's name. They bear witness of me, but you believe not. And here's why. Because you're not my sheep. Christ did not die for those men. You're not my sheep. I said unto you, my sheep, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

For whom did he die? He died for his sheep. In Romans 5 verse 6, here's a description of him. He said, when you were without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, for the ungodly. not for righteous men, not for religious men, not for deserving men, but for the ungodly, for sinners. Sinners by birth, sinners by choice, sinners by practice.

Turn with me to Ephesians chapter two. Hold your place there in Romans, but turn to Ephesians Chapter two, Ephesians two, verse one. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as others.

But God, but God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even. even when we were dead in trespasses and sin, and hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace are you saved.

God commendeth his love toward us while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us. Salvation is for sinners. Jesus Christ is the Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners. Isn't that good news? He's the sinner's Savior. He came to redeem the lost. He came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Not the outwardly moral. Not for those who do their works to be seen of men. Not for the religious crowd that flippantly call him Lord. He sees that. He said, you call me Lord with your lips, but your heart is far from me. In Matthew 7, we read, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. Are you resting in your works? He said, then, then will I profess unto you I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

He suffered in the room and stead of unjust men, of sinners, of the ungodly. Those destitute of righteousness. Paul writing to the Corinthians, he said, Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. Men say he died to make it possible. Possible for all men. What does God's word say? Listen to just a few of these scriptures.

Scripture says this, that he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. It says that he by himself purged our sins. We read that we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The blood of Jesus Christ Are you listening? The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanses us from all sin. He's not waiting for you to do something else. There's nothing that can be added to his righteousness. There's nothing that can be added to his sacrifice. By his stripes, all the way back there in the book of Isaiah, by his stripes, we are healed.

Our Lord did not die to make salvation possible for all. He died for the ungodly. He died the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God. And he's certainly going to do all that he promised.

Turn back to our text, Romans 5. Verse five, when you were without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. I ask again, for whom did he die? He died for the ungodly. He died for sinners. He died for his sheep. That's what our Lord said. In John 10, 15, he said, I lay down my life for the sheep. We live. The believer lives because Christ died. Because Christ put away the sins of his people. Well, turn again. You still have Romans 5. Look at verse 6. When did he die? This is, when did he die? It says here he died when we were without strength. When we were without strength to obey him, without ability to keep his law, without ability to help ourselves.

just as Lazarus laid there in the grave. A dead man can do nothing. We're dead, dead in trespasses and sin. Without ability, without strength, in bondage to the law and to sin, unable to change our condition. Again, dead in trespasses and sin.

We read that he died for us in due time. He died for his people in due time. He died at the time, the exact time appointed by the father. He gave his life for the object of his love. He laid down his life for the sheep. He came in the fullness of time. That's what we read. When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them. To redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. We read this, greater love hath no man. Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. And when the Lord Jesus Christ came, when he came in the fullness of the time, when he laid down his life for his friends, when he died on the cross and was buried and raised again, he ascended to heaven where he is seated at the right hand of the majesty on high.

And there he ever lives to make intercession for his people. There he prays as our high priest, as our mediator, and intercedes on our behalf. I pray the Lord would open our eyes to see these things, to see him, to see the Lord Jesus Christ.

In closing, let me read this passage of scripture again. Romans 5 verse 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure For a good man, some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. I pray he would be pleased to bless his word. Amen.