in Hebrews, back in Hebrews chapter
1. As with all the word of God,
the subject here is God's Son. He's introduced to us immediately
in verse 2. God had in these last days spoken
to us by his Son. It speaks of him as the creator
of all things. But the writer goes on in verse
3 and tells us of an even greater work. a much greater accomplishment
than the creation of the heavens and the earth. He speaks of,
in verse 3, the purging of our sins. The creation of the heavens
and the earth was a demonstration, without question, a demonstration
of our Lord's omnipotence. It was an exercise of His great
power, but it didn't require It wasn't necessary that he give
himself to that. What I mean by that, it wasn't
required that he be made flesh. When he created the heavens and
the earth, he did it as God. Oh, but in order to purge our
sins, he that was God and didn't cease to be God had to become
one like unto his brethren. That required the word, the expressed
image of God to be made flesh. And even the preparation of the
Son in order to obtain eternal redemption for us required such
a miracle, such a wonder, such a, as Paul said, without controversy,
great mystery, we can only stand, so to speak, on the threshold. and peep in and say with the
apostle, great is the mystery of godliness. God. God Almighty. all of God, essential God, never
ceasing to be God, yet became a man. God was made flesh. No wonder Paul said, this is
a great mystery. And this mystery is not to be
explained. It's not to be explained. I've
read men who try to explain it. It was a hopeless task. It's
not to be explained, but to be bowed down to by those who know
God, that know the God-man, that know the mediator. They don't
try to explain it, but they simply bow down before Him and adore
Him and worship Him as the one God and Savior. In that body,
prepared by God, our substitute says, when he entered this world,
I come to do thy will, O God. The work of salvation, unlike
that of creation, required the giving of Christ himself. Again, our text. when he had
by himself purged our sins. The title of my message is Single-Handed
Redemption. Single-Handed Redemption. And
our text is simply those words, when he had by himself purged
our sins. And there are only two thoughts
I want to consider. First, what was done? What was
done and then who did it? What was done and who did it?
First of all, what was done? What does our text tell us was
accomplished? Was accomplished? Not attempted. Not attempted. An attempt wouldn't
take away our sins. No, but what was accomplished?
What was actually done? It says our sins were purged. And the word means the cleansing
of our sins, the washing away of our sins, the complete removal
of our sins. It's what the word means. Our
sins are removed. Have you heard, the hymn writer
said, what Jesus did for me? Have you heard? My sins are all
taken away. The psalmist in Psalm 32 said,
blessed is the man. Blessed is that man. Now in our
day, we hear people in every hand say an evidence of a blessed
man is God gives him material goods. The old Puritans had a
saying that when God willed to curse a nation, he would bless
it with prosperity. And in their prosperity, they
would turn their back more and more away from God. Oh, no, the
psalmist said the blessed man, the happy man, is this man. Blessed is the man whose sins
are covered. That's the blessed man, Kenneth.
Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not Imagine this. Imagine this. There are such
people in this world. There are people to whom the
Lord God of glory will not impute iniquity. Will not. Now, that's a blessed man. The prophet Isaiah said that
our sins were blotted out by the Lord God. But purged means
they were removed. taken away, completely gone. They are no more. Consider the magnitude of that
by remembering this. It had never been done before. never been done before or ever
could be until He that was God said, I come to do Thy will,
O God. That was the will of God in bringing
in an everlasting righteousness that His Son accomplished that
mighty work. Had it not been his work, it
would have never been done. Turn, if you will, to Hebrews
chapter 10, this same book in chapter 10. This is what the
writer tells us. In Hebrews chapter 10, in chapter
9, he reminds us of the ceremony on the Day of
Atonement. The high priest alone, by himself,
entering into the most holy place, and only one time a year on the
Day of Atonement. But after all that was done,
after all that meticulous ceremony, after doing all that was commanded
the priest to do according to God, the result was our sins
still remain because that was only a type. It could never take
away sin. Look at verse 1 of chapter 10.
For the law having a shadow, Just a shadow, just an image
of good things, a very image of the things that can... I'm
sorry, for the law having a shadow of good things to come and not
the very image of the things can never... underline that,
at least mentally, can never, with those sacrifices which they
offer year by year continually, make the commerce thereunto perfect. I've heard men say, who have
figured out every detail of our Lord's second coming, that when
he returns, that in Jerusalem, the Jewish temple will be set
up again, and animal sacrifices will again be offered. Have you
ever heard such nonsense? They weren't effectual before
Christ came. How could they ever be effectual
afterwards? That's a complete denial of the
accomplishment of the Son of God. No, it's not going to happen. Verse 2, for then would they
not have ceased to be offered. And of course, the answer is
yes. If they had taken away sins, then they would have ceased to
be offered, but that wasn't the case because that the worshippers
once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But
in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins
every year. For it is not possible, it is
not possible And I know it's referring to the sacrifices under
the Levitical priesthood, but we can also add this. It is not
only possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take
away sins, nothing else can either, besides the blood of Christ.
Not the labors of my hands. My faith. My faith. I'm not talking about false faith. I'm talking about true faith.
I'm talking about that faith which is a gift of God by which
He enables us to embrace Christ. That faith does not take away
my sin. My genuine repentance, the work
of God's Holy Spirit in the heart of His redeemed, doesn't take
away sin. The only thing that takes away
sin, as we sang earlier, is nothing, absolutely nothing, but the blood
of Jesus. Oh, how precious that is. Not all the blood of beast in
the bulletin, that hymn. Not all the blood of beasts on
Jewish altars slain could give the guilty conscience peace or
wash away the stain, because sin remained. It was not removed
by those sacrifices. Those were just shadows and pictures
of Him that was to come. And if sin remained, God's wrath
for sin remained. Because never forget, the Holy
Lord God declared, the soul that sinneth must die. Joe, there's no two ways about
that. God declares the soul that sinneth
must die. In another place, the wages of
sin is death. And then we have this. All have
sinned. All have sinned. And God declares
all that have sinned must die. Now consider this. What was needed
to purge sins? What did the removal of sins
require? What was involved in that? The
satisfaction of God's justice. That was necessary. That was
required. Before sins could ever be purged,
the satisfaction of divine justice had to be realized. God's justice,
not man's standard of justice. Louie, not what man considers
to be right and wrong. Not his standard. Oh, no. But the Holy Lord God's standard. And this is His standard. How
perfect? Oh, I've jumped ahead of myself.
How good does the sacrifice have to be? God said it has to be
perfect. Perfect. Now, do you think you
can approach God the basis of your own merits, your own good
deeds. You know what he says about those.
All of your righteousnesses, plural, not your sins, but your
righteousnesses are filthy rags in the sight of a holy God. This
is why Isaiah exclaimed, woe is me. This is why Job said,
in the presence of the holy God, shut my mouth, I'm undone, I'm
bound. Mmm. Oh, no. No. God's justice must be satisfied
according to His own holy character. How can God remain just in forgiving
sin? Hmm? Hmm? I hear people say,
well, God is love. And that's why Christ went to
the cross. And certainly that's true. God so loved that He gave
His Son. But the question is, Jeff, why
was it necessary? Why was it necessary? I mean,
if it's simply only a matter of love, why could not God simply
say, I love you, therefore I forgive you? Why was atonement required? Because of His justice. His justice. God must remain absolutely just
when He forgives a sinner. When He justifies a sinner, He
must be just in doing so. He must remain honorable and
righteous and just. There can be no infringement
upon any divine attribute when He says to the sinner, you're
justified. Only if the penalty is carried
out. Remember? The soul that sinneth
must die. And only if that penalty is carried
out, only if the offender is put to death, can God justly
justify that sinner. A ransom must be paid. A ransom must be paid. One that
God will accept. Atonement must be offered. The old writers referred to the
atonement of Christ as the satisfaction of Christ. His atonement made
satisfaction to God. That's why hell is eternal. Because
the sufferings of those who go there can never satisfy God's
justice. That's why they can never cease. Look again at these sweet words.
We come to the very kernel, the very kernel, the very sweetness
when he had by himself purged our sins. We consider briefly
what was done. Oh, but now look at who did it. Look at who did it. or wonder,
a miracle, an accomplishment, sins purged, Todd. Oh, but who
did it? Look to him. Speaking of God,
the prophet Nahum said this. Let me share it with you. In
Nahum, we read these words. Chapter 1. of Nahum, the prophet
asked the question, or rather makes this statement. God is
jealous, and the Lord revengeth. The Lord revengeth and is furious. The God will take vengeance on
his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The Lord
is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit
the wicked. The Lord hath his way in the
whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his
feet. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, and dryeth up
all the rivers. Bashan languisheth, and Carmel,
and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. The mountains quake at him, and
the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea,
the world and all that dwell therein, in light of that God. In light of God as he is, the
prophet asked this question, who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness
of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are thrown down by him. Who can abide? Who can stand before such a holy
God? Indeed, who? Who? Considering who He is. Considering
His august majesty. Considering His absolute perfection. His absolute holiness. The fact is, He says, I cannot
look upon sin. Who shall abide His presence?
Who shall dare approach before the presence of the Holy God? Who's able to do that? The prophet
asked. The strong angel asked somewhat
the same question in Revelation. Who is worthy? We have a picture
of God sitting on the throne. And in His hand is a book written,
within and without, the purposes and decrees of Almighty God. And the angel asked John, who's
worthy to take the book? Who dares approach the throne
of God Almighty and take that book out of his hand? Who has
the right to do that? Who's able to do that? Who is
worthy? Who has enough merit to satisfy
the demands of God? Who can enable God to be just
in justifying sinners? Listen, then thou spakest in
the vision to thy Holy One and said, I have laid help on one,
just one, just one, only one. That's the one we'll remember
today. That's the one we'll call to
remembrance by observing the Lord's table. Only one. Only one's worthy. Only one has
enough merit. Only one accomplished eternal
redemption. Only one has the right. And the
Lord God said, I've laid help on one that is mighty. I have exalted one chosen out
of the people. His son. His Son. When He, His Son, by Himself
purged our sins. By Himself. Now, you know as well as I do,
sad to say, I would that it wasn't so, and I take no pleasure in
it whatsoever. As a matter of fact, it grieves
me. But on every hand we're told, God has done all He can. It's
up to you. Christ provided salvation, but
it'll not be realized unless you take it and you make it effectual. That's not what the text says,
does it? Or anywhere else in God's Word. He purged our sins
by himself. No other person, no angel, no
seraph, no cherubim, no human hand had a part in this great
work of removing our sins. He did it alone. He alone. Turn back, if you will,
to Isaiah chapter 63. Again, we're told, concerning
this great work of salvation that Jesus Christ trod the winepress
alone and of the people there was none with him. Isaiah chapter
63, verse 1. Who is this that cometh from
Edom with dyed garments from Basra? This that is glorious
in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength.
And he answers, I that speak in righteousness, mighty to say. I that do always those things
that please the Father. I of whom the Father said, this
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. I that speak in
righteousness always, and mighty to say. able to save to the uttermost
all that come unto God by Him. I hope you don't tire of hearing
me quote it. Oh, but the hymn writer was exactly
right, exactly right, when he said, Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious
blood shall never, John, shall never lose its power, shall never
lose its efficacy, till all the ransomed church of God be saved,
the sin no more. Glory to His name. He is therefore
able to save to the uttermost, the preacher said, from the guttermost
to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him. Wherefore, they
ask again, wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, like him
that treadeth in the wine fat? And the answer is, I have trodden
the winepress alone by himself. and of the people there was none
with me. For I will tread them in mine
anger and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be
sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my
redeemed is come. And I looked, the Lord Jesus
said, and I looked, and there was none to help. and I wondered
that there was none to uphold. Therefore, mine own arm brought
salvation unto me, and my fury it upheld me." He told his disciples
that night, that very night before going to the garden where Judas
came with the mob to arrest our Lord, where he, knowing all things
that should come upon him, went forward and said, But just prior
to that, he told his disciples, Behold, the hour cometh, yea
is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own,
and shall leave me alone. Alone. We just read, I have trodden
the winepress alone. And they did. They all forsook
him and fled. But he went on to say, and yet
I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I'm not shocked,
John. Lonnie, I'm not shocked that
the disciples would flee and leave the Lord alone that night
in the garden. Because like me, they were just
weak, faltering flesh. They were just men. But our Lord
said, but the Father is with me. Did not God himself testify
of the Delight of it he found in his son. This is my beloved
son in whom I am well pleased on more than one occasion He
spoke those words but when he hung on the cross We're told
that from 12 noon when the Sun was at its zenith Until 3 in
the afternoon. There was a darkness a darkness It was that that his holy soul
anticipated in the Garden of Gethsemane when he prayed, let
this cup pass from me. When the Gospel writers tell
us he began to be exceeding sorrowful and sore amazed, when he began
to experience the eclipse of his father over his soul, when
his father would withdraw himself from him, now on Golgotha, it's
fully realized. until as though he could restrain
himself no further. No more. He cries out in anguish,
My God! My God! His voice pierces that
darkness. Eli! Eli! Lama! Sabachthani! My God! My God! Why has thou forsaken
me? Not thou! The Father is always
with me. I always do those things that
please the Father. Now He cries out, but thou now
has forsaken me. Paul says, God has made him sin. I didn't misread it. I know our
version has the words, God has made him to be sin, but you'll
notice to be are italicized, meaning they weren't in the original.
Actually, it should read, God made him sin. Sin itself. He who knew no sin,
and did no sin, and whom was no sin, God brought all the sins
of all His people like a mass of God-rejecting God dishonoring,
God hating rebellion, and laid it all on His Son. All we like sheep have gone astray,
we have turned everyone to His own way, and the Lord had laid
on Him the iniquity of us all. That being done, God now pours
out His wrath justly on His Son on whom He had laid our sins. There's no way to transfer the
sin and not transfer also or rather not exact the penalty. God spared not His own Son. Many hands were raised to wound
him. None would interpose to save.
But the awful stroke that found him was the stroke that justice
gave. They could, that band of soldiers,
surround him and reach over and pull out his
beard. put the robe on him and a scepter,
a reed in his hand and bow before him mockingly and say, Hail King
of the Jews. They could walk by one after
another and spit in his face. Then they could weave that mock
crown of thorns and press it down upon his head. They could
do all those things. They could scourge him, mock
him, beat him. They could do all that. But this
they could not do. Only a God hating, a God that
hates sin could do this. He made him sin. and he poured out his wrath upon
his son. The prophet said, Awake, O sword,
against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith
the Lord of hosts, smite the shepherd. When he had by himself,
all alone, in a way that only he could be, forsaken by God,
All the other sacrifices were consumed by the fire from the
altar. Oh, but our sacrifice, our Savior
Christ, He consumed fire. He consumed fire. He took the
sword of divine justice and plunged it into his very heart, into
his very soul. He took the cup of wrath and
put it to his lips and he drank it and kept drinking it until
there was nothing left. And then he cried out, it is
finished, bless God, meaning, Meaning, redemption then and
there was accomplished for all of his people. Then and there
he removed, he purged all the sins of all his elect. He consumed God's wrath in our
stead. He entered in and endured that
darkness that I might have light. He drank the cup of wrath that
I might drink the cup of joy and fellowship. He was forsaken
that I might be forgiven. He was made sin for us that we
might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He didn't push
sin away. He put it away. He put it away. He purged our sins by giving
Himself. He was the altar, the priest,
and the sacrifice. Now, brothers and sisters in
Christ, hear this just demand issued from the very courts of
heaven. Hear this word from the very
God of all glory. Deliver his soul. Oh, is this not good news? Deliver
his soul from going down to the pit, God says. I've found a ransom. Jesus paid it all. All to him
I owe. And that's why he deserves all
the glory. Because he's worthy. In those days, and in that time,
saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for,
and there shall be none. And the sins of Judah, and they
shall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reserve. He suffered in our stead. He
saved his people thus. The curse that fell upon his
head was due by right to us. The storm that bowed his blessed
head is hushed forever now, and rest divine is mine instead,
while glory crowns his brow. In the parsonage where John Newton
lived, he had his study in the attic. of the house and over
his desk on the wall in real large letters were the words
from Deuteronomy chapter 15. These words, and thou shalt remember
that thou was a bondman in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy
God redeemed thee. He had that on the wall right
over his desk. Every time he sat down at his
death, he'd look up and see that. Remember, John Newton, you were
a slave, a bondman in Egypt, but I redeemed thee. I'm sure, I'm sure that every
time Mr. Newton would look up at that,
think about that, he would recall those poor shackled beings that
were stocked in the hull of a slave ship that he was the captain
of, that he was in charge of. If I remember right, I read or
heard that they calculated that 50%, perhaps more, of all the
slaves that they would bring from Africa would die before
they reached England. They just calculated that as
a part of the loss. And I imagine when Newton would
think about that, he would also think of his being himself at
that time a slave to sin and shackled with something stronger
than those metal chains, shackled to his own fallen, depraved nature. And he knew, Lord, he knew. God
helped me to know that he would have remained there except for
this. but God. But God, who was rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, and
raised us up together, and made us set together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus. That's why, when we observe the
Lord's table, I always read these words. This do, our Lord said. This do in remembrance of me. Remember, you were a bond slave
in Egypt, but I redeemed thee. Remember, he by himself purged
our sins. God bless you. Lester, I can't get this thing
to turn off. I've done it. Done it half a
dozen times. Here. Well, it's on hold anyway,
so I hope it's not recording.