The Cross of Christ

Q: What does the Bible say about the cross of Christ?

Isaiah 53 describes the cross of Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, highlighting His suffering and substitution for His people. The cross of Christ is central to the message of Isaiah 53, which depicts the humility and suffering of the Messiah, showing that He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. This chapter encapsulates not only the profound suffering Christ underwent but also the divine purpose behind it: to atone for the sins of His people. It emphasizes the concept of substitutionary atonement, where Christ bore the iniquity of us all, affirming that salvation comes through His sacrifice on the cross. The text reassures believers that Christ's suffering was not in vain, but rather a fulfillment of God's redemptive plan for the elect.

Q: How do we know Christ's sacrifice was for us?

Our faith in Christ, revealed through His Word, assures us that His sacrifice was indeed for each of us individually. The assurance that Christ's sacrifice was for us is grounded in the personal application of Isaiah 53, which repeatedly uses terms like 'our' and 'us' to signify the collective and individual aspects of His work. The preaching of this truth, as exemplified in the message about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, illustrates how individuals can grasp the reality of Christ's sacrifice through revelation and faith. Believers are encouraged to identify personally with the suffering and sacrifice of Christ, affirming that He bore not just sin in general, but their personal sins. This highlights the sovereign grace at work in bringing faith to the hearts of the elect, confirming His redemptive love for those He has chosen.

Q: Why is substitutionary atonement important for Christians?

Substitutionary atonement is crucial because it secures our forgiveness and reconciliation with God through Christ's sacrifice in our place. Substitutionary atonement is foundational to Christian theology as it explains how Christ, through His suffering and death, took upon Himself the punishment for sin that we deserved. Isaiah 53 articulates this doctrine clearly by asserting that the 'Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' This means that believers are no longer liable for their sins as they have been fully paid for by Christ's sacrifice. This doctrine not only provides a sense of justice—God’s wrath against sin being satisfied—but also assures believers of their eternal security in Christ. By understanding substitutionary atonement, Christians grasp the depths of God's love, mercy, and the grace extended through faith in Jesus Christ.

Q: How does Isaiah 53 reveal God's love for His people?

Isaiah 53 reveals God's love through the sacrificial death of Christ, demonstrating His commitment to redeem His people. In Isaiah 53, God’s love is powerfully illustrated through the sacrificial suffering of the Messiah. The verses depict the excruciating pain and humiliation Christ endured, all for the sake of redeeming His people. This chapter emphasizes that God deemed it necessary to bruise His Son in order to provide a means of salvation for those He loves. It reflects His justice and mercy, combining to fulfill the covenant promises made to His people. Understanding this chapter helps Christians appreciate the depth of God’s love, as it was through the sacrificial death of Christ that we can have a restored relationship with Him. God's love is not merely theoretical; it is demonstrated in the willingness of Christ to bear our sins and suffer in our place.

Good evening, everyone. I am so thankful for the same friendship. That's what this really is. This is family. And we've had a wonderful day, we were able to see some family in Danville, and now we see some family in Lexington. And it's good to be friends with your family. But it's truly an honor to be here. I am so thankful every time Brother Todd asked me to come and humbled, and I'm very, very grateful.

Pray the Lord will meet with us and bless us tonight. Turn with me, if you would, to Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53. This is the cross of Christ. That's what this chapter is. The cross of Christ. What happened on the cross when Christ was made to be the substitute for His people. And Isaiah 53 is the entire ministry of Christ in His life on this earth. How He came. Why He came. What He came to do from birth to ascension. All of it is in Isaiah 53. And Isaiah 53 declares that God-given faith in Christ. If anyone has faith, it's God-given faith. And God-given faith in Christ and in His accomplishment is the evidence that Christ came to accomplish all of this for us.

He came to accomplish it for a specific people. And I want to be one of them. I want to be one of them. I was just there begging the Lord before I stood up. Lord, let this be sincere. Let me enter into this. I would like to be slightly selfish and enter into this. too. I want you to enter into this. I pray the Lord will truly let us enter into this. But Lord, let me enter into this. Let me enter into the holiness of what we're doing and the seriousness of what we're doing. Let me worship. Let me worship. Let me not. You understand what I'm saying, let me worship Lord, please, because this is so glorious.

Verse 1, if you look at Isaiah 53 verse 1, it says, Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Who hath believed the report of the Word of God? Here's the answer. Whoever has had Christ revealed to him or her. That's the answer. Every soul who has Christ revealed to him or her, will believe what the Word of God says concerning Christ, the arm of the Lord.

If you look at Isaiah 51 verse 9, Isaiah 51 verse 9 says, Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord. That's Christ. That's speaking of Christ. Look at Isaiah 52 verse 10. It says, The Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. That's Christ. Whoever is caused to seek Christ will believe God's Word concerning Christ. And this is it. This is God's Word concerning Christ, as it's worded here. This is the report. Verse 1, back in chapter 53, Isaiah 53, verse 1, it says, Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before Him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground." Not a mighty oak tree. This is how our Lord would come forth. This is how He would grow up before the Father. Not as a mighty oak tree. Not as a beautiful crape myrtle tree. But just a tender root out of dry ground. Oh, the humility. Oh, the humility of our Lord.

Verse 2 says, For he shall grow up before Him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He hath no form nor comeliness. And when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was despised and we esteemed Him not.

Now what we just read is the truth. That's called the truth. And here is the gospel. Verse 4 says, for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Now I want to Take notice of three words tonight. I preached in Danville this morning and the whole message was based on three words. Three little words. We were in Ephesians 2. The words were with, in, through. Ephesians 2 verse 5 says we were quickened together with Christ. Ephesians 2 verse 6 says He has seated us in heavenly places in Christ.

Verse 7 says that in the ages to come, He should show the exceeding riches of His kindness through Christ. Now, we're not going to spend the whole message tonight on three words, but let's focus on three words for a minute. Three words right here, and let's see if the Lord will really let us enter into this. Here's our three words, okay? Our, we, us. Now look at verse four.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes we are healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. That's amazing, isn't it? That's amazing. Our, we, us. I truly want to get a hold of that. This is, I'm going to read a story to you that I have loved since the first moment I heard this. This is just wonderful.

During World War I, the Prince of Wales visited 36 severely wounded men in a hospital in the outskirts of London. The prince and his escorts went through the main ward and shook hands with most of them. As preparations were made to leave, the prince indicated that he had only seen 30 men. Where are the other six? Although he was informed that the six others were extremely severe cases and in a different section of the ward, The special visitor demanded to see the others. Five other maimed and bruised men were viewed. But where's the last one?

Again, the prince inquired. Although the prince was told that the grotesqueness of the man's appearance would be unbearable, the prince insisted on seeing him. The prince stood silent for a moment, and then moved toward the man, and stooping down, kissed him.

With a breaking voice, the prince of Wales was heard to say, wounded for me. Wounded for me. You were wounded for me. Our Lord's visage was so marred more than any man. Why? He was wounded for me. Every time that we see, as we read right here, every time we see our, we, or us, put your own name right there. Put your own name right there.

Verse 4 says, Surely he hath borne Gabe's griefs, and carried Gabe's sorrows. Yet Gabe did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for Gabe's transgressions. He was bruised for Gabe's iniquities. The chastisement of Gabe's peace was upon him. And with Jesus Christ's stripes, Gabe is healed.

That's my gospel. That's your gospel. Verse 6 says, All we, and this is all who have been called to believe the report, to believe this report, All who have had the arm of the Lord revealed to them. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed. That word oppressed means driven to distress. Think about that. Think about His unbearable moment of the cross. He was distressed. Think about who we're talking about. He was put in distress. That's what it means. Made to be distressed. Why? For me. For you. Verse 7 says, he was oppressed and he was afflicted. That word means brought low. He was brought low. Yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

This is the very message that Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch. Same message he preached to the Ethiopian eunuch. Turn with me over to Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8 verse 26 says, And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went, and behold, a man of Ethiopia, and eunuch of great authority, under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship. was returning, and sitting in his chariot, read Isaiah the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb done before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation."

Every time I read that, I just can't help but be amazed. I can't help but be thankful. You are humiliated over the things you've done, and so am I. We have lived lives that we are so ashamed of. We wish we could erase it so badly, and we can't, but he did.

And how did he do that? By literally taking the guilt And the shame of the very sin that we grew up committing and still commit, and bearing it in Him, on Him. He stood before God in humiliation. Why? Because that's how I stand before God. In humiliation.

It says in His humiliation, His judgment was taken away. and who shall declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth. Why was his life taken from the earth? Why did Christ die on that cross? He died for me. He died for you. He died for his people. Verse 34, And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this, of himself or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him. Jesus, the Lord Jesus Christ. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the eunuch said, See, here is water.

What doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. If you are caused to believe the report that has been given concerning Christ, If you believe it with all your heart, if you cling to it with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. The Messiah, the only Savior, the Christ. You know, every time someone confesses baptism, I think if I could, I would confess Him every day by His grace, not to my credit, but to His. If that's true, it's because He's keeping me.

And I was thinking all day today, I get to preach the gospel today. And I really have enjoyed today. I enjoy all days. I really am a glass-half-full kind of guy. But I have really entered into what a privilege it is to talk about Christ. It is such a privilege to talk about the Lord Jesus Christ and to confess the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is our hope. This is our all. What this man, Jesus Christ, did for me. This eunuch said, I believe He's the Son of God. I believe He's the only way. God come down to redeem my sinful soul. In verse 38, commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more." That's the goal of preaching. That the preacher is not even seen. It's just Christ alone. Christ alone. Not thank God for that preacher, but thank God for Jesus Christ. And it ends in verse 38 saying, he went on his way rejoicing.

Oh, happy is he or she who can say, he was wounded for me. He was wounded for me. How do you know? Because he was wounded for sinners. And that's what I am. I'm a sinner. Wounded for me, wounded for me. There on the cross, He was wounded for me. Gone my transgressions, and now I am free. All because my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was wounded for me. Dying for me, risen for me, living for me, coming for me. Coming for me.

Please, Lord God of heaven and earth, let it be said that He did all this for me. Let it be said in that day, let it be said that He did all this for me. Let it be said that He included me. Go back to Isaiah 53. I'll just finish out reading this chapter and be done. Isaiah 53 verse 6, it says, All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way. and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people."

I love what the center margin says those last three words translate to. If you have a center margin in your Bible, it says, for the transgression of my people was the stroke upon Him. It was on Him. That is our salvation. That is our hope. God's stroke was on Him. The stroke of wrath, the stroke of justice, the stroke of punishment, the stroke of satisfaction.

All of it was upon Him. And He died from that stroke. He suffered and then He died from the stroke of God's judgment. Verse 9 says, And He made His grave with the wicked and with the rich in His death, Because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. He was the sinner's sacrifice.

He was the spotless sacrifice and the fact that He went into a rich man's tomb where no one had ever laid before proves that He indeed was the risen sacrifice. He was the one that went in. He was the one that accomplished. He was the one that came out. And all this was done by the perfect will and design of God the Father for His people.

Verse 10 says, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul. and shall be satisfied." Thank God. Thank God. God the Father shall see the travail of Christ's soul and shall be satisfied. Fully satisfied. Substitution and satisfaction. That's the gospel. That is our hope. Verse 11, he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.

For by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, all that the father gave to him. For he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great. That congregation gets to share the portion with him and he is the portion. I'll give him. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death.

And he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." That is God's report. That is God's report. That is the report on who Christ is, what He did for His people and how satisfied the Father is because of it. God is satisfied. God is satisfied.

Now, what are we going to add to that? That's what's said. Should we add something to that? What are we going to take away from that? By God's grace, we're going to believe it. By God's grace, we're going to believe it. A man wrote me an email one time scolding me for my preaching. He said, surely you're not going to just tell people what Christ did and then leave it at that. And I said, that is exactly what I wrote. Amen, brother. That's exactly what I'm going to do. By God's grace, if we believe it, it's the grace of God. Boy, we take faith for granted, don't we? But by God's grace, by Him authoring and performing and finishing faith in us, we believe it. We believe it.

And I pray that'll be said for every person here. I really do. I pray every soul here, from the oldest to the youngest, will be given faith to believe the Word of Christ and to love it, to bow to it, to love it, to thank God for it. And starting with me, to see the glory of it. Lord, let my flesh never grow dull from seeing the glory of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Cross of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the cross of Christ?

How do we know Christ's sacrifice was for us?

Why is substitutionary atonement important for Christians?

How does Isaiah 53 reveal God's love for His people?

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About Gabe Stalnaker

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The Cross of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the cross of Christ?

How do we know Christ's sacrifice was for us?

Why is substitutionary atonement important for Christians?

How does Isaiah 53 reveal God's love for His people?

Sermon Transcript

About Gabe Stalnaker

Comments

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