Stand in Awe of the Cross 1

 

Stand in Awe of the Cross 1

Isaiah 53:4-7

 

Theme: The Suffering Servant is the Substitutionary Sacrificial Atonement of Jehovah for all our sin—Christ willingly died in our place.

Over the years there have been a few things I mistakenly described as ‘awesome.’ I recall as a young man watching an NBA slam dunk contest featuring people like Clyde the Glide Drexler and Michael Jordan. That day I witnessed Michel Jordan flying from the free throw line to slam a basketball. At the time I was utterly amazed and exclaimed, “That was awesome!” Since those days, the Lord has greatly edited and upgraded my value system to appreciate far more significant feats in differing categories of “awesome”.

“Awesome” means awe-inspiring, extremely impressive, splendid, remarkable, amazing, inspiring great admiration, excellent, and overwhelming. Viewing Christ’s Cross as awesome is the direct opposite of esteeming Christ “stricken, smitten of God and afflicted” (Isa. 53:4). Dr. Walvoord explains, “When Jesus was crucified, Israel thought His hardships were deserved for His supposedly having blasphemed God. Actually He was bearing the judgment that their sin required.” Like so many others, Israel failed to see the atoning value of Christ’s blood sacrifice to God and us.

Many today still view the Cross of Christ as unfortunate, Jesus' punishment, a mistake, or an accident! They say Jesus, the misguided teacher, got Himself crossways with the religious establishment and Roman authorities, which resulted in His premature and meaningless death.

But this is not the picture that Isaiah or the rest of the Bible present of the death of Jesus Christ. Isaiah envisioned the day when Israel as a nation will repent recognizing the truth that Christ’s Cross was for the sins of Israel and the world! Note his great profoundly prophetic words,

      Surely he hath borne our griefs,

      And carried our sorrows:

      Yet we did esteem him stricken,

      Smitten of God, and afflicted.

      5, 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.

      6, 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.

     (Isa. 53:4-6).

Isaiah predicted the Messiah’s death would be for “our transgressions,” “our iniquities” and “the iniquities of us all” (Isa. 53:5, 6). The Suffering Servant was undeniably the Substitutionary Sacrificial Atonement of Jehovah for all sin—Christ willingly died in our place; though sinless, he was punished for our sins that we might be free!

Message: So Why Should We Stand in Awe of the Cross of Christ? What do the Scriptures say?

I.               Christ’s Cross is Clearly Our Substitutionary Sacrifice for Our Sins!

The Prophet Isaiah is not alone in this colossal declaration!

A.    The Apostle Paul exclaimed in Galatians 6:14….

1.     Gal. 6:14, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Again, in First Corinthians 2:2, he asserted, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Evidently the apostle views the Cross of Christ as something to rejoice in, glory in, trust in, cherish, and proclaim for the salvation of us sinners!

2.     Yes, Christ’s Cross is “awesome” in the extreme, because on that occasion God the Son voluntarily took the complete punishment for all sinners!

a.      That is correct; God the Son willingly took responsibility for all sin for all time that day on Calvary. God the Father held the Son completely responsible for all sin and poured out His unmitigated wrath on the Son until He was fully propitiated (1 Jn. 2:1, 2) in our stead.

b.     As New Testament Believers, we do not rejoice in our works to earn salvation; no, we rejoice and glory in the finished work of Christ at Calvary! We are saved by God’s pure grace alone (Eph. 2:8, 9)—Hallelujah!!! This is “Awesome!”

B.    God says Repeatedly that Christ is our Sacrificial Substitute!

1.     If God only indicated this once it would demand our attention, but he repeated and echoed himself time and again to ensure we do not miss this emphasis of Jesus as our substitutionary sacrifice!

2.     Now when I played high school football, I played the position of “Left Bench”.… I was not even on the second-string as a player. Our team was that good, and I was that bad! When the coach had no more options, he would finally put me in a game. Usually when we were way ahead of a team and defiantly winning the game. With some fear and reservation…I am sure. So, I was a legitimate substitute. But, in me the coach got the worst performance; however, in Jesus Christ, God secured the best Substitute for you and me. Now consider these statements.

3.     1 Peter 2:24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

4.     1 Cor. 5:7, For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

5.     John 1:29, The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

6.     1John 2:2, And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

The Bible emphasized this fact repeatedly! Unfortunately, many misguided individuals have wrongly concluded that the death of Jesus Christ was his punishment for his political infractions or an unfortunate mistake altogether. No, Isaiah says Christ sacrifice was for us (Isa. 53:4). But, the Scriptures insist it was neither. It was NOT an accident, God Himself planned for the payment of sin before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4 & 5)!  

C.    Consider Christ’s Cross as God’s awesome plan to provide a Substitute to pay for our sins (Isa. 53:4)! Christ’s death was NOT a waste of life. Christ was crucified that sinners might be saved through His suffering and shed blood. Down through the centuries millions of repentant souls have believed on Him as Savior and Lord becoming His genuine followers. Perhaps the best thing to do is adopt the view of the Scriptures regarding the significance of Jesus’ death at Calvary.

 

II.            Christ’s Cross is the Clarification of Man’s Problem and God’s Solution (Isa. 53:4-6) 

We truly are sinful fallen creatures and Christ’s death was indeed the payment for our sins against a holy God! I believe we all agree on this. Our problem is sin and the solution is the Savior, Jesus Christ! Since the Cross is truly redemptive/substitutionary, we should stand in awe of it! But what would that “stand” look like today? What do we “Stand” for?

A.    Since Christ’s Death is Substitutionary, we Stand for the fact that any sinner who repents and believes the Gospel of Christ will be saved (Jn. 3:16; 1:29; 1Jn. 2:2).

B.    Since Christ’s Death is Substitutionary, we Stand for the exclusion of all religious rituals and worldly religious systems as the means of salvation (Gal. 6:14; Tit. 3:5). Jesus is not only “awesome,” he is enough any where on the entire planet. Take the message to the world (Mat. 28:18-20; Luk. 24:44-49).

C.    Since Christ’s Death is Substitutionary, we Stand for the truth that believers are truly New Creations in Christ, not merely reformed (Gal. 6:15; 2:20).

                                                1.     What really counts with God is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). He wants to see the transformed life.

                                                2.     Findlay writes: “The true Christianity is that which turns bad men into good, which transforms the slaves of sin into sons of God.”  

                                                3.     A life of holiness is produced, not by the observance of ritual, but by yielding to Christ and permitting Him to live His life in the believer. The new creation is not an improvement of or addition to the old, but something entirely different. –MacDonald, William

D.    Since Christ’s Death is Substitutionary, we Stand for Victory over Sin for all believers as a way of life (Rom. 6:4-6). “Know,” “reckon, “yield,” and “serve” (Rom. 6:1-23); through our identification and union with the victorious risen Christ, we have victory. We are free from the dominance and enslavement to sin and free to serve the Lord God with our being!

We have looked at the sacrificial substitutionary atoning value of the death of Jesus Christ! I challenge you to view the Cross of Christ as redemptive/substitutionary, not a waist, and therefore profoundly awesome because God the Son died for our sins. He redeemed us unto Himself and an eternal destiny of hope and life with God the Father. Therefore, the Cross of Christ is compelling and demands a Cross-centered and Cross-saturated lifestyle. This relates to our salvation, victory over sin, our service, and our message to the world.

Conclusion:

In light of the Scriptures, there is but one legitimate view of the Cross of Christ—it is redemptive and substitutionary. It was not a waist! In fact, Christ’s died for our sins (Isaiah 53:4-7) that we might live forever with God. That is the purpose. Beloved, that is supremely awesome!!

When Ray Stedman pastored the Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, California, he told the following story in a sermon based on the early verses of Hebrews 10: “I was born on the windswept plains of North Dakota. I remember as a boy sometimes seeing at night the flames of a prairie fire lighting the horizon, sweeping across the grass of those prairies. Such prairie fires were terrible threats to the pioneers who crossed the plains in their covered wagons. Often these fires would burn for miles and miles, threatening everything in their path.

“When they would see such a fire coming toward them, driven before the wind, they had a device they would use to protect themselves. They would simply light another fire and the wind would catch it up and drive it on beyond them and then they would get in the burned-over place and when the fire coming toward them reached it, it found nothing to burn and went out.

“God is saying that the cross of Jesus Christ is such a burned over place. Those who trust in it, and rest in the judgment that has already been visited upon it, have no other judgment to face.” Ray Stedman, What More Can God Say? (Glendale, CA: Regal Books, 1974)

The Cross Points to the Fact that there is a Savior! As the little chorus goes, “He paid a debt He did not owe, we owed a debt we could not pay.” We have one hope: Salvation through Jesus Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Substitute, Redemption, and Forgiveness of sin. Turn from your unbelief, rejection of God, freestyle living, and self-willfulness and trust Christ the Savior. Oh dear friend, turn from your wicked ways and turn to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord today. He promised to save whoever will repent and believe on Him (John 3; Rom. 10:8-13). No, Christ’s life was not meaningless. His Sacrifice was not the futile eruption of an overzealous optimist. He is God, who came to earth and became a man to die in our place for our sins. Because of that, we can know God and be with Him forever. How wonderful! What words can we use to say “Thank You” to God? What can we do to show our appreciation? Giving back to Him the life we owe is the only measure complete enough.

 

Why Do We Need Spiritual Armor?

Why Do We Need Spiritual Armor?

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Eph. 6:10-13) 

What is the purpose of spiritual armor? Actually the answer to that important question is found in Ephesians 6:11 and 13. You see, God’s spiritual armor enables us Believers to become strong in the Lord for the purpose of standing firmly while resisting the “wiles of the devil.” Such armor is for engaging in supernatural combat with demonic agents, and continuing to “withstand in the evil day” of temptation. Thus armor is protective gear—a defensive measure that preserves the warrior in combat. As such the Christian warrior can persevere in the battles while facing a formidable foe. Our spiritual armor affords us supernatural and divine protection in a war that is intensely spiritual in nature. In fact based on our passage in Ephesians, the following four observations spell out the incredible benefits of our God-provided armor.

God’s Special Armor Equipment is for Divine Protection (Eph. 6:11).

Since we are fighting against enemies in the spirit world, we need special equipment both for offense and defense. While God’s armor provides the protection we need, the weapons provide effective means of assault. Do not miss the point…complete protection is given to God’s warriors as we engage the enemy under God’s power and authority.

God has provided the “whole armour” for us, and we dare not omit any part. All forms and every form of defense required to engage the enemy effectively has been furnished to us. We must be certain to don the entire armor set. Satan looks for that unguarded area where he can get an advantage. He desires a strategic position that will afford him opportunities for launching life-crippling attacks (Eph. 4:27). God assures each of us of the need to put on the “whole armour”! We must take up the prescribed weapons of this warfare, and by the power of our Lord Jesus withstand Satan. Beloved, any and all of this must be undertaken by real faith. In the middle of battle is not the place to doubt our body armor or our weapons!

The armor is our God-given resource for our protection, power, and effectiveness in the spiritual warfare against the forces of darkness. These supernatural resources are truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. None of these implements are carnal; all are powerful through Almighty God for surviving the spiritual assaults of the wicked one. These are the spiritual resources for God’s embattled people.

God’s Armor is For Resisting the Enemy’s Strategies and Tricks (Eph. 6:11).

Our supreme Commander-in-Chief has issued divine and complete “war gear” to provide all we need “to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Our armor provisions are the result of His careful plan and strategy to help us thrive in the theater of war. It is certain the devil rules the world of darkness, and postures his armies to engage God’s people. Satan leads the evil kingdom in opposition to God and our Lord Jesus. He uses an array of methods to achieve his wicked goals.  

Our objective is to “stand against” his tricks. This ancient military term means to resist the enemy, hold our position, and offer no surrender. Our Lord would have us “stand fast in the faith” (1 Cor. 16:13), with the determination to “stand perfect and complete in the will of God” (Col 4:12). Standing against Satan and his armies is the imperative: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Once more Peter challenges us concerning Satan’s aggression to “resist stead fast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). God’s plan for each Believer is to stand our ground refusing any advances of the enemy. All of this means that God has equipped us for victory through His armor.

Also it is important to understand that Satan will not fight fair; his “wiles” will often include subtle tricks, schemes, and devices of non-material conflict. For instance the word “wiles” means strategies or methods of deception. It implies craftiness, cunning, and scheming—this accurately describes Satan’s tactics. It has been well observed that he often uses “discouragement, frustration, confusion, moral failure, and doctrinal error” (MacDonald).  We must also be aware of the fact that Satan has been using these strategies for thousands of years and so have his armies. We may be new to such battles, but our enemy has vast experience and is highly skilled! He is well aware of the multiplicity of weaknesses and vulnerabilities of humanity—fallen mankind. His armies have been manipulating peoples and nations since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Often without our knowing it the enemy takes aim at our greatest susceptibilities to defeat us. If we are not careful we will think the failures, complications, and troubles we find ourselves in are purely the result of our botched efforts. While we may have some responsibility, we must also wisely recognize that a clever enemy is working to deceive us. If he cannot disable us with one method, he will try again with another. Beware of the “wiles” of the wicked one! Always remember that our “ability to stand” in spiritual battles depend ultimately on our use of “the whole armor of God.”

God’s Spiritual Armor is for Complete Victory (Eph. 6:13).

The phrase “having done all, to stand” probably summarize the believers’ victory after the battle. It is well reported that in ancient times, those still standing after the battle were the victors. The whole context of Ephesians six implies that we have the victory. That is correct; without any exception each Christian can experience Christ’s triumph in their individual battles! While it is true we must call every faculty into submission and obedience to Jesus Christ, we can be winners! The passage does not say, ‘having done nothing to stand!’ No, God requires that we give our best energies to this conflict. We are to participate in Christ’s victory over Satan.

It is true that we know the ultimate outcome of this war. Still individual battles can be lost if any Believer has not done all in order to stand (see also James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). The victory comes from the Lord, but we will undoubtedly know we are at war with a terrible enemy. This is not a matter of doing nothing while the Lord fights the battles! It is a matter of our participating in these battles by faith and consecration to the Lord. God will work harmoniously in us and with us to defeat the foe. We must be in concert with Him to secure victory.

Knowing that Christ has already conquered Satan, and that the spiritual armor and weapons are available, by faith we accept what God gives us and go out to meet the foe. Yes, the day is evil, and the enemy is wicked, but “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).

God’s Armor Assure us of Ultimate Victory!

When we engage in warfare at Christ’s command and under His authority, we are assured of full triumph and victory. Whenever we feel as though we are losing the relentless battles, there are two key points to keep in mind.

First, the loss of a battle is not the loss of the war. In some cases, you may feel as if you have lost a round in your fight against the devil and his cohorts. You may experience what you perceive to be a setback. It is helpful to remember our setbacks do not surprise our Lord, nor change His designs for us.

When the Lord Jesus sent out His disciples to preach the gospel and heal the sick, He said that if the people in a city did not receive them, they were to wipe the dust of that place from their feet, give a warning to the people, and move on. Jesus anticipated that His disciples might not be successful 100 percent of the time.

Nevertheless, our Lord fully expected His disciples to continue to move forward! They were charged to do the maximum amount of good. They were to continue preaching and praying with the greatest amount of effectiveness possible in any given town, village, or rural area. Christ Jesus expects the same of us. We may not win every battle or realize the results we anticipated every time, but God’s designs for His warriors have not changed. We still have our orders to stand! There is no incentive for quitting because of personal frustrations when we realize this truth. It may surprise us to not realize, but our Lord does not call us to be successful by our reckoning, but rather, faithful to His purposes. We are to do what He calls us to do; the consequences and results are His responsibility.

Secondly, the final victory will be revealed fully in eternity. You and I cannot presently know the 360 degree impact of our lives and ministries on the lives of others. Some of what we accomplish for Christ on earth will be revealed to us only in eternity. And when it comes to eternity, the devil has absolutely no hold on us once we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Nothing the devil can do to us will change our eternal destiny. Think about when the Lord Jesus sent out seventy of His disciples, two by two. He gave them specific instructions to preach the gospel and heal the sick, which included anything that might keep a person from being whole. This was their concentrated focus for this entire tour of service. The disciples returned to Jesus with great joy, saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in thy name” (Luke 10:17). Satan’s hindrances and oppositions were no match for our Lord’s power and authority! Jesus responded, “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. [19] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:18–19).

Understand that sometimes in the Scriptures, serpents and scorpions are other terms for demons. Jesus told His disciples then, and He tells us today, that His followers have authority over the devil, and the devil can do nothing to cause eternal harm to those who rest in the authority of Christ. We may have moments of timidity and fear…we certainly will feel real pain from time to time. Still…be assured we will NOT experience any eternal damage at the hand of Satan. Beloved, vested with the power and authority of our exalted Lord Jesus Christ, we can face our enemies with assurance the victory is ours! So, now that we understand better why we need spiritual war gear…suit up!