Why are we, as saved sinners, given the privilege of feasting on the Communion desk earlier than a holy God? As a result of He has supplied an atonement for our insurrection! In his sermon “The Lamb of God,” Alistair traces man’s seek for a substitutionary sacrifice all through Scripture, beginning with Isaac, who asks his father, “The place is the lamb?” The final word reply, in fact, comes centuries later, when John the Baptist introduces Jesus because the unblemished Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. By changing into sin for us on the cross, Christ Jesus offers excellent redemption—and excellent communion—for all who consider.
Upon the cross of Jesus
Mine eye at occasions can see
The very dying type of one
Who suffered there for me.It’s right here, on the cross, that Jesus has handled sin—all of my disobedience fully coated over by Christ’s obedience; the phrase is expiation. It’s right here on the cross that God’s wrath is settled; the phrase is propitiation. As a result of our predicament earlier than God exterior of Christ is twofold: we’re separated from Him on account of our insurrection towards Him and He from us on account of His wrath in direction of our sin. Due to this fact, if we’re ever to know God savingly, then our insurrection must be handled, and so does His wrath. The place is it handled? That’s proper: on the cross. It’s on the cross that we’re reconciled to God.
The surprise of it’s that God the Father didn’t simply ship Jesus to us. He despatched Jesus for us. For us! That earlier than the inspiration of the world… Jesus got here and died so that He may bear your sin—not simply sin, not simply an amorphous mass of sin, however bear my sin, my insurrection, my disobedience, no matter it is likely to be. He got here purposefully for you. No surprise they name it a Eucharist, a thanksgiving! “Thanks, Lord!”
In His mercy—in His mercy—He hasn’t left us to the results of our selections. How about that? If He had allow us to do extra of the dumb stuff that we have been pondering of doing and left us to the results, we definitely wouldn’t be right here. He doesn’t require us to restore what we’ve got ruined, as a result of He who knew no sin grew to become sin for us so that in Him, we would develop into the righteousness of God.
And the place there’s that sacrifice for sin, that once-for-all, settled… In Christ, God has nothing towards you tonight. Do you perceive that? That’s the wonderful factor about Hebrews 10. It says, “And the Holy Spirit additionally says…” And when it says, “The Holy Spirit additionally says,” what does he say? He quotes the Bible! The Holy Spirit quotes the Scriptures: “Your sins and your lawless deeds I’ll bear in mind no extra.”
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