This morning with a text in mind. But I was led to another one.
And so Lord willing I'll preach that text on Sunday morning. And Lord willing this will be
a blessing tonight. Open your Bibles if you would
to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2. The name of
the message is Christ's humanity. I'd like to look at our great
Redeemer's humanity and see how that relates to we who are his
blood-bought people. Look at verses 1 to 4 and we
see here in verses 1 to 4 a warning against neglecting so great a
salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. It says, therefore we ought
to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard,
lest at any time we should let them slip. Note the words there,
to give the more earnest heed. Now in the Greek that means to
hold the mind towards. And it actually means in the
Greek to hold the mind towards more super abundantly. So our
minds are to be fixed upon Christ. Fixed upon him. We are to give
heed to the salvation in Christ and Christ alone. Another Greek
dictionary says that the words to give the more earnest heed
means more abundantly, more in a greater degree, more earnestly,
more exceedingly. And I like this, especially above
others. So this great salvation is to
be above all other things. And the object of this great
salvation, we know, is Christ. So it's to be above all other
things. And how much we need to consider and keep in the forefront
the things which we have heard in the great salvation which
is in Christ and Christ alone. Verses two to four says, for
if the word spoken by angels was steadfast in every transgression,
and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall
we escape if we neglect so great salvation? How can we who are
sinners escape the wrath and justice of God if we neglect
this great salvation? There's no escape. If one neglects
this great salvation, there's no escape from God's wrath and
from God's law. There's no escape at all. But in Christ, we're seeing our
text later on, we're delivered. We're delivered in Christ. How
shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the
first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us
by them that heard him? God also bearing them witness
both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts
of the Holy Ghost according to his own will. Now then we see
in verses 5 to 18, the founder or the author and finisher of
our salvation, and it's the Lord Jesus Christ and him alone. It
says here in verses 5 to 18, for unto the angels hath he not
put in subjection the world to come wherever we speak, but one
in certain place testified, saying, what is man that thou art mindful
of him, or the son of man that thou visiteth him? And think
of how high God is, how great God is. What is man that he visits? Oh my. Thou madest him a little
lower than the angels. Thou crownest him with glory
and honor, and didst send him over the works of thy hands.
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he
put all in subjection under him. He left nothing that is not put
under him. But now we see not yet all things
put under him. So there's nothing that escapes
Christ's domain. Nothing. Not the smallest form of life
that we can't even see, the microscopic forms of life that we can't even
see. They're all subject to Him. Everything, visible and the invisible,
is subject to Christ. But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, should taste
death for every man. For it became him for whom are
all things, and by whom all things, in bringing many sons unto glory,
to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are
all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.
saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst
of the church, will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will
put my trust in him. And again, behold, I and the
children which God hath given me, for as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that
had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage. For verily he took not on him
the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God.
Look at this, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For
in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to
secure them that are tempted. So tonight I'd like us to consider
verses 14 to 18. Verses 14 to 18, I'll read them
again. For as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that
had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels,
But he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things
it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in
that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to
secure them that are tempted. Now we know that the Lord of
Glory, the Word, the second person of the Trinity became flesh and
dwelt among us. Let this never become commonplace.
God himself, God himself, the Son of God, came into this world. Came into this world. How wondrous
is the incarnation of deity. How wondrous is the incarnation
of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's marvelous, and this act
of the Incarnation stands in the history of the universe transcending
all other acts. It's so solitary, and it has
such unapproachable grandeur. It's incredible. It's absolutely
incredible. Think upon this. The saints of
old have looked at this with awe and wonder. And we who are his blood-bought
people today look at this act even with awe and wonder. That
God himself became a man. I was talking to Vicki about
this today and I said, I don't think that we really in our finite
minds fathom how wonderful this is and how marvelous this is. The fact that God himself became
what he was not. a man, to redeem we who are men
and women in the flesh. It's incredible. The condescension
is like no other Look at verse 14, speaking of
the word of God becoming a man. For as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same. God is eternal. The son of God
dwelt in eternity. But the scripture here speaks
of his incarnation. And look at how marvelous this
is. He also himself likewise took part of the same. The children
here are the elect of God. Those for whom he died for. Those
for whom he came into this world to redeem. And he did this. He purchased us with his own
precious blood. And we know that the life of
the flesh is in the blood. And his blood was shed for us.
So he willingly gave up his life. He willingly, he willingly took
part of the same. He took upon flesh. The gospel tells us that the
Lord Jesus Christ went through all the experiences that we as
human beings go through, beloved. He was born, but he was born
of a virgin. He was sinless, but he was born.
He grew up. He walked. He was wearied. He rested when he was wearied.
He talked with other human beings just as we do. He was hungry. He was thirsty. He slept and
grew tired, just as we do. And He suffered and He died.
And these are human experiences, beloved. And the Lord Jesus Christ
went through them all, yet without sin. Yet without sin. Because He is the perfect, spotless
Lamb of God. And all those things I listed
are things that flesh and blood go through, but mark the condescending
love that is here set before us. The text speaks of he who
is the son of God, the word of God, the second person of the
Trinity. And it says, for much then as
the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same. We sometimes measure an act of
condescension by the position, rank, or power of the individual
from whom it originates. So let us think upon the love
of Christ and what great love he has for his people. It's manifested
in his humiliation. It's manifested in the fact that
God became a man. There is no condescension in
this world like that. Nothing even comes close. Because
if we consider the position and the rank, God overall becomes
a man. Oh, what great love Christ has
for his people. One commentator said it drew
him from heaven. It drew him from heaven. It brought
him down to earth to live and labor, suffer and die in the
place of his people. What great love, what great love
God has for his people. He was robed in humanity. He stooped low, beloved. He stooped
low. But he did it to save his people
from their sins. And the believer says, that's
me. God himself did that for me. And not one of us deserve it,
do we? But he did this. And so so consider the great
love that he has for his people. He did this to save his people
from their sins. Look at verses 14 and 15 together.
For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through
death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is, the devil. and deliver them who through fear of death were
all their lifetime subject to bondage. Christ became a man
in order that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in service
to God, beloved, and that he might make atonement for the
sins of his people. We could never make atonement
for our sins, but Christ Jesus our Lord, when he died upon the
cross, he made atonement for all the sins of all the elect
of all the ages. Weiss, who is a Greek scholar,
says this about Christ's partaking of human nature. Thus our Lord
took hold of human nature without its sin in the incarnation. He
was sinless. and held it to himself as an
additional nature, thus associating himself with the human race in
its possession of flesh and blood. He took to himself something
with which by nature he had nothing in common. As human beings possess
nature in common with one another, because we're humans, we have
a common nature. The Son of God united with himself
something that was not natural to him. Partaker, the word partaker is
there, marks the characteristic sharing of the common fleshly
nature as it pertains to the human race. Took part of it,
speaks of the unique fact of the incarnation, right there
in our text. As a voluntary acceptance of
humanity, he willingly became a man. That's what it means in the Greek
there. And what light this throws upon
the Bibles, bringing forth the dual nature of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that He is very God, and yet true man. It brings it right before us,
right in this text. He became a man, the King of
Glory became a man. He didn't come in pomp and circumstances,
did He? Not at all. But in lowliness,
in poverty, in obscurity. And he was spit upon and scourged
and reviled, yet he bowed his dear devoted head meekly, uncomplainingly
to the storms of human insults. The mockery and the contempt
which broke over him, and he was silent as a lamb. I ask you, beloved of God, Was
there ever another love like this? And He did all this and
He suffered all this to redeem His people from their sins. Is there ever a love like this?
Never. Never. The Lord Jesus Christ
was fully God and yet fully man. After He had become incarnate
in the womb of the Virgin. His humanity never was parted
from his deity. When he died, he went into paradise
in an indissolvable union with it. And it's a fundamental belief
by God's people that the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ
had no existence independent of his divine. He's both God
and man. He's both God and man. In the
Virgin's womb, in the lowly manger, in the lonely wilderness, on
the holy hill of transfiguration, in the gloomy garden of Gethsemane,
in Pilate's judgment hall, on the cross and in the tomb, Jesus
was still. Emmanuel, God with us. God with us. And think upon this as one commentator
said, so intimate is the unification of the human nature with the
divine that the acting of each nature cannot and must not be
separated from each other. He's fully God and fully man. Think of this. The human hands
of the Lord Jesus Christ broke the seven loaves and the fishes. but it was God, the God-man who
multiplied them as to feed. There were 4,000 men beside women
and children. It says this, and they that did
eat were 4,000 men beside women and children. All by the power
of God, beloved. All by the power of God. So His
humanity is manifested and His divinity is manifested at the
same time, at the same time. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
14, 26. Matthew 14, 26, where we see
our Lord walking on the sea. Walking on the sea. And I want us to consider this
as we read this. The human feet of Jesus walked
on the sea, but it was the son of God who came on the waves
to the ship. You cannot separate his humanity
from his divinity, beloved. You cannot. Look at Matthew 14,
verses 26 to 27. And when the disciples saw him
walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit.
And they cried out for fear. But straightaway Jesus spake
unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid. Then look down at verse 33. Look
at what it says here. Then they that were in the ship
came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of
God. They're proclaiming his deity,
beloved. They're proclaiming his deity, but it was his human
feet that were walking on the water, wasn't it? The human lips
of Jesus uttered these words, which are spirit and life, but
it was the Son of the living God who spoke them. And we believe and are sure that
Christ, the Son of the living God, John 6, 69. Turn, if you would, to Acts chapter
20. Acts chapter 20. The human hands and feet of Jesus
were nailed to the cross. But the blood shed by them was
divine blood. Because the scripture declares
that God himself has purchased the church his own blood and
we know we who believe know who the Lord Jesus Christ is God
incarnate in the flesh look what acts 20 verse 28 says take heed
therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which
the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church
of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Let's go back to our text in
Hebrews chapter 2 and note the end of verse 14. Christ came
that he through death, through his death, might destroy him
that had the power of death, that is the devil. Gil's comment
on this sheds great light. The devil is said to have the
power of death, not because he can kill and destroy men at pleasure,
but because he was the first introducer of sin, which brought
death into the world, and so he was a murderer from the beginning.
He's a murderer from the beginning, and he still tempts men to sin.
We all know that, don't we? We battle with our flesh, too.
A lot of times people say, oh, the devil made me. No, it's just
our flesh. So we have three enemies, right?
The world, the flesh, and the devil. And we know they're active
all the time, aren't they? And I'll confess, the worst one
is my flesh. It's awful, the battle that I
have. And I know you have it, too. Gil goes on to say he was a murderer
from the beginning, and he still tempts men to sin and then accuses
them of it. We see that in Job, right? He's
accusing, he's the accuser of the brother and terrifies and
affrights them with death. And by divine permission has
inflicted it. Now note the word destroy there.
It says that he through his death might destroy him that had the
power of death, that is the devil. Note the word destroy there.
It's translated by wise to bring to naught, to render inoperative. Satan was not annihilated at
the cross, but his power was broken. His power was broken. Hawker says this about the devil,
having the power of death. The devil, by seducing our nature
in the Adam fall transgression, not only brought in death, but
universal captivity. And that's why we're all born
dead in trespasses and sins. We're all born in bondage to
sin. We're all born captives with chains all over us. chains
of sin and sin entered into the world and death by sin and so
death passed upon all men for that all have sinned now beloved of God the Lord Jesus
Christ the Messiah the Word of God is has come in his incarnation
which we're looking at tonight he's come in his incarnation
and and has destroyed Satan's power. Not his being, but his
power. He's bruised his head. Just as
scripture said he would. Just as scripture said he would.
He destroyed his works. He disarmed his principalities
and powers and took his people who were captives by our sin
out of his hands. Out of his hands. He has saved
his people from sin. And from Satan. And Satan would
have devoured us if he could have. But Christ has delivered us,
and He's done this by His death, beloved, by His death upon the
cross at Calvary. And let us take note that the
Son of God took upon Himself the nature of man. Why? Because
the children, the elect, which the Father had given Him, were
partakers of flesh and blood. Were partakers of flesh and blood. We see that in verse 14, don't
we? For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood.
This is why He became human. Because we, who are the elect
of God, are human. Had He taken any other nature
but the nature of man, what union could there have been between
them? Now the word power there, note the word power there, and
deliver them, in verse 14, that had the power
of death, that is the devil, The word power, which we see
in verse 14, is the Greek word kratos, which means power in
the sense of dominion. The dominion of Satan over the
human race was in the form of death, which is spoken of here. And that dominion is now broken
by the death of the great substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ, on Calvary's
cross. And here in this verse we also
have the pre-existence of Christ as head and husband of his church
set up from everlasting as it is he who left glory to become
a man. And it's all by his power. It's
all by God's power. And also his eternal power and
Godhead are on display in the fact that he took upon himself
the nature of man and became flesh to redeem his people from
their sins. We also have here before us unanswerable
evidences and proofs of His Godhead in the Incarnation. Note in verse
15 that He came to deliver those who through the fear of death
were subject to bondage. And that's every human being.
Now we know that He came to deliver His people, but every human being
comes into this world in bondage, in bondage. So we're just like
everyone else, right? All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. But the Lord Jesus Christ came here to
deliver his people and deliver them. We know the children are
mentioned in the verse before this, which is the elect of God,
and deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. The word of God, the second person
of the Trinity, The Lord Jesus Christ took upon himself humanity,
that he should free those who were all their lives held in
slavery. And how were we held in slavery?
By our sin, beloved. We are slaves to our sin, slaves
to our sin. But he set his people free. And
what was one of the things that we feared before the Lord saved
us? Death. I was terrified. I was terrified of death before
the Lord saved me. Now I know it's just a doorway
to glory. It's just a doorway to glory
for us, beloved. And look, it says here, "...and
deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage." Slavery. How great was this bondage that
we were in? We're born slaves of sin, beloved.
We're born slaves of sin. And this is why we fear death. By sin, we were all that lawful
captives to Satan. And it must be a lawful act alone
that can make us free. That can make us free. that can
free us from this captivity. Turn, if you would, to Isaiah
49, and we'll look at verses 24 to 26 in light of this scripture.
The Lord Jesus Christ has delivered his people, beloved. He's delivered
his people from the fear of death and from the bondage of our sins.
And this was accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ in him
alone. He destroyed Satan and delivered his people. Satan's
a defeated foe, beloved. He's a defeated foe. And when
the Lord cried, it is finished, it was finished. Our salvation
is finished. He bought and purchased his people.
He fulfilled God's law, satisfied the wrath of God for his people
by his substitutionary death. Look at Isaiah 49 verses 24 to
26. Shall the prey be taken from
the mighty or the lawful captive delivered? Now we were lawfully
captives, weren't we? The law of God had a claim on
us. We were captives. We were slaves and captives by
our sin. But thus saith the Lord, even
the captives of the mighty, and we know that Satan is mighty,
shall be taken away, and the prey of the table shall be delivered.
Oh, what great deliverance God hath done for his people. For
I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will
save thy children. Remember in Hebrews the children
were mentioned, that's us, God's elect. And I will feed them that
oppress thee with their own flesh, and they shall be drunken with
their own blood, as with sweet wine, and all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord. I, the Lord, am thy Savior and
thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. I love reading those
words right there. The Lord and thy Savior and thy
Redeemer. That's my king. That's our God. He's our Savior and our Redeemer,
and He's the Mighty One of Jacob. He hasn't changed, has He? He's
not changed. The Son of God took flesh and
blood upon Himself for the purpose of saving His people from their
sins. And what gracious purposes are here set before us. He did
this because His children were partakers of the same, were flesh
and blood. So He becomes flesh and blood
to redeem His people from their sins. Jesus hath in our nature
conquered Him which first conquered us. Right? Satan. But Jesus has conquered him.
Oh, he's conquered him. He's crushed him. And Jesus has
conquered both death and him that had the power of death by
his own death at Calvary and by his rising again to life.
And he alone has obtained everlasting life. He alone is eternal life for his people.
He alone. Let's look at verse 16 quickly,
and it says, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels,
but he took on him the seed of Abraham. He took upon himself
the nature of man, and passed by the angels. Passed by the
angels. And before we read the next two
verses, let's turn to Isaiah chapter 9. Isaiah chapter 9,
and we'll look at verse 6. where we see proclaimed again
in the Old Testament that the Messiah would be flesh and blood.
Flesh and blood. Isaiah 9.6, for unto us a child
is born, unto us a son is given. Note born and given. The government
shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince
of Peace." Now, note these two important verbs in this verse,
born and given. Is born, is given. This is concerning
the Messiah's advent, his advent, his first coming. Now tie that
in with what we've looked at so far. And we see that the Messiah
was the Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate in flesh. The Word of God, the second person
of the Trinity, became flesh. Let's go back to our text in
Hebrews chapter 2. The Word of God, the second person
of the Trinity, became flesh and shared fully in our humanity.
Flesh and blood. He was fully man and yet fully
God. his name is the Lord Jesus Christ
and he is the one spoken of in Isaiah 9 6 with that in mind let's look
at verses 17 and 18 where for and all things that behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful
and faithful high priest and things pertaining to God to make
reconciliation for the sins of the people what a wonderful word
right there reconciliation For in that he himself has suffered
being tempted, he is able to secure them that are tempted.
Now Paul writing to the church, turn if you would to Romans chapter
one, Paul writing to the church said these words in Romans chapter
one. Now we know he's the son of God
and we know that he's the son of man. Fully God. Look what Paul, writing
to the church in Rome, said with these words in Romans 1, verses
3 and 4, concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which
was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh. Now he's
speaking of the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and declared to be
what? The Son of God. This speaks of his deity, with
power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection
from the dead. Remember when we looked over
in Matthew, they said the same thing. They called him the Son
of God. Paul, in writing to Timothy,
said these words, Remember that Jesus Christ, the seed of David,
speaking of his flesh, was raised from the dead according to my
gospel. Now turn, if you would, to Matthew chapter 8. Jesus Christ
was the Son of God and the Son of Man. One shows His deity,
one title shows His deity, and the other shows His humanity.
So we saw that Paul called Him the Son of God. The Lord Jesus
Christ over here in Matthew 8.20 calls Himself the Son of Man,
speaking of His humanity. And Jesus saith unto him, the
foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the
Son of Man hath nowhere to lay his head. This is the King of
Glory speaking. Again, he didn't come in pomp
and circumstance, did he? He said he had nowhere to lay
his head. What condescension we have here
before us, beloved. So we've seen Paul call him the
Son of God, And the Lord called himself the
Son of Man. And he became a man so that he
could destroy the enemy of our souls and deliver us from the bondage
of our sin and the fear of death and to redeem us, to purchase
us, to save us from our sins. Now let's consider verse 17 in
light of why did Christ come to earth and why did the Son
of God clothe himself in flesh and why did he take upon himself
human nature. Look at verse 17. Wherefore in
all things that behooved him to be made like unto his brethren
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Remember he's the sinless one.
He is dying for sinners. Now the word wherefore there
in the text speaks of the necessity of the incarnation. In view of
the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ became a man for the purpose
of saving those whom the Father had given Him in eternity. And
we see that in verse 17. He became a man so that He should
be a merciful and faithful high priest for His people. And right
now, beloved, right now, The Lord Jesus Christ is seated at
the right hand of the Father as our great High Priest. Right
now. Right now. As the mediator of His people.
And He represents us to the Father and prays for us and intercedes
for us. Now the nation of Israel had
a High Priest. They had some High Priests who
were wicked and cruel and we see that in Scripture. In John
chapter 11, 49 it says this, and one of them named Caiaphas
being the High Priest the same year said unto them, you know
nothing of Self-righteous, arrogant. And then over in John 18, 4,
it says this of Caiaphas. Now, Caiaphas was he which gave
counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should
die for the people. And that one man who he wanted
to die was Christ. We know, though, all this fell
out according to God's plan. And the passage tells us that
our Lord Jesus Christ is not a harsh and cruel high priest,
but he's a tender and merciful high priest. Look in verse 17
again, wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like
unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high
priest. He's merciful and faithful, beloved. He's a tender high priest. He's the one true high priest. the people of God only have one
High Priest and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. And there were times when the
High Priest in Israel was not a faithful man and the Lord Jesus
Christ we see in the text there is totally faithful in his work
as High Priest. He's merciful and he's faithful. Oh, how that should warm our
souls, because His work as High Priest was to redeem us from
our sins, and He has accomplished that work, beloved. He's accomplished
it. He's accomplished the work that
the Father sent Him to do. And He shall never fail. What
a great high priest we have who represents us before God, the
Lord Jesus Christ, is our faithful and merciful high priest. And it was necessary for Christ
to become a man, for unless he was a man he could not be a high
priest to offer sacrifices for sin and make intercession, for
the high priest was taken from among men. Remember? Taken from
among men. And it was necessary for Christ
to become a man, for unless he was a man, he would have no sacrifice
to offer. And he offered his own shed blood. So therefore he is both high
priest and sacrifice. Now note, note in the text there, in verse
17, Wherefore, in all things that behooved him to be made
like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful
high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people." The word atonement means reconciliation. The Greek word here for reconciliation
means to atone, to expiate, make an atonement
for expiation, for to be gracious, show mercy, pardon, atone, have
mercy, propitiate, propitiation. Turn if you would to Luke chapter
18. This is the same Greek word used
when the publican cries out to God, beloved. This is the same
Greek word which is used when the publican cries out to God,
God be merciful to me a sinner. It's the same Greek word that's
used for merciful. Look at Luke 18.13, and the publican
standing far off would not so much as would not lift up so much as
his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God,
be merciful to me, a sinner. Be my propitiation. Be my reconciliation
to God. And that's why the Lord said
that man went home justified, remember? Not the self-righteous
Pharisee, eh? Oh, beloved of God, sinful man
is separated from God. who is holy and just. Again,
we're born dead in trespasses and sin, slaves to our sin, and
we have no fellowship with God in our natural state, because
man is sinful, and God is holy and pure and righteous, and he
cannot have sin in his presence. And the Lord Jesus Christ by
his death upon the cross for his people removes our sin and
guilt and makes us righteous before God. And you that were
sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now hath he reconciled." Oh, what a wonderful word. Reconciled. He's atoned. He's my propitiation. Turn, if you would, to 2 Corinthians,
chapter 5. 2 Corinthians, chapter 5. The Lord Jesus Christ restores
his people to fellowship with God by meeting the requirements
of God's holy law in our place and satisfying his holy justice. Both in his life and in his death,
he did this both, thereby reconciling us to God. Look at this in 2nd
Corinthians chapter 5 verses 18 to 21. And all things are
of God who hath reconciled us, there's that word again, to himself
by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation
to wit that God was in Christ. He's fully God. and is fully
man, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors of
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled to God, for he hath made him to be sin
for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him, the great transfer. our sins are imputed to the sinless
Savior, and His righteousness is given to us." What a wonderful Redeemer we
have. And He paid everything that God demanded for our sins.
And it was necessary for Christ to become a man, for unless He
was a man, He could not be a faithful high priest or mediator. with
a perfect righteousness to plead. And we who believe, we who are
his blood-bought people, are clothed in his perfect, spotless
righteousness, which he wrought out while he was here on earth.
While he was living, he was wrought out of the perfect righteousness
once. When he's dying, he's wrought
out of perfect righteousness, beloved. Everything that God
demands, he's satisfied. It's wonderful. Wonderful. Look at verse 18 now. We'll close
looking at verse 18. We see our Lord's humanity here
proclaimed. For in that he himself has suffered
being tempted, he is able to secure them that are tempted.
He was tempted in all things. He suffered. He hungered. He
thirsted. He was despised. He was a man
of sorrows. He was acquainted with grief.
All without sin. All without sin. Therefore, he
is able to sympathize with us and to aid us in our infirmities. Let us rest and repose in the
very one who has all power, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior,
our Redeemer, our great God, our Lord, suffered in our place
before God to reconcile us back to God. My, what a Savior! What love! What love! is the terminator of the law.
Do you know that? He's the terminator of the law.
We're no longer under its curse, beloved. The law cannot curse a believer
because the law demands perfect righteousness. It looks at the believer in Christ
and sees that Jesus has given him all the righteousness it
demands. And the law is bound to pronounce
the believer blessed. Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed
is that person. Blessed is the man unto whom
the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in his spirit there is no
guile. Blessed. What joy the believer has of
being redeemed from the curse of the law for Christ who has
made a curse for us. Cursed is everyone that hangeth
on a tree, Scripture declares. And Christ was made a curse for
us, the sinless one, dying for sinners. Do you, beloved of God, understand
the sweet mystery of salvation? The sweet mystery of salvation.
Have you ever seen Jesus standing in your place? that ye may stand
in his place before God? Have ye seen Christ accursed
and condemned, and Christ led out to die, and Christ smitten
of the Father, even to death? And in you cleared, justified,
delivered from the curse of the law? Because the curse has been spent
It spent itself on the Redeemer. It spent itself on Christ. The wrath of God, which was justly
due us, was spent on Christ. And we are admitted to the joy
to enjoy the blessings of salvation in Christ and Christ alone, and
His righteousness is transferred to us. Our sins were imputed
to Him, and He paid everything that God demanded. And His perfect,
spotless righteousness is transferred to we who believe. What a Savior. What a Redeemer is Jesus Christ,
our Lord. Gracious Heavenly Father, we
thank Thee We thank Thee that Thou sent
Thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord Jesus Christ, we thank
Thee for coming to this world, partaking of our flesh and blood,
to redeem us from our sins, to be our faithful high priest,
to make atonement for our sins. You who are the sinless one,
dying for sinners. May you be glorified and magnified. And may we think upon this wondrous
truth this week. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.