Saved from Wrath

Let's try and shift gears. We can was so moving to hurt some of the stories before, but the being reminded of them again is a blessing have a brief communion meditation that I've entitled safe from wrath and let me read these three verses again from first in first Thessalonians 5 verse nine. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, that whether we wake, we should live together with him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. So here are words that are given and we have the authority of God's word. Why these words are given they are given to comfort the church and given as a means to edify the church, the salvation that God has provided for his elect is to be a source of comfort and a source of mutual edification. You know you've been around here long time that when we hear the word salvation we encounter that word that salvation is abroad umbrella. Many things fall underneath that so salvation in this first Thessalonians 5 context is to be understood as rescue from divine wrath.

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us. John three verse 36 he who believes in the son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Ephesians 56 let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things in these things are long list of sins that are enumerated there in chapter 5 of Ephesians. Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. It is the just wrath of God. Verse nine tells us God did not appoint us to wrath, but to absent, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. So the just wrath of God is satisfied or we use that theological term propitiation, the just wrath of God is satisfied or propitiated in the salvation that God provides through the substitutionary death of Christ for his own. Second Corinthians 5 verse 21 says for he that is God made him that his Christ, who knew no sin, but to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Romans five were talking about rescue from divine wrath. Romans five verse six says for when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, much more than having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him safe from wrath, first John chapter 2 in verse two says he is the propitiation for our sins.

Romans three verse 25 tells us God set forth Christ as a propitiation by his blood through faith propitiation addresses the issue of the wrath of God, something we must be rescued from or we will suffer under that wrath for all eternity.

So propitiation addresses the wrath of God. What does propitiation mean it means the removal of wrath through the offering of a sacrifice. Pretty straightforward. The removal of wrath through the offering of a sacrifice. When you look up the word wrath are not wrath but propitiate in a modern dictionary you will find this definition to appease to placate her now that strikes you, but that's strikes me is being rather unsatisfactory to placate to appease it.

It suggests a soothing or softening of the wrath of an offended deity. It it it to me carries a negative connotation. It implies a an attempt to buy off for make concessions so huts were not satisfied with appeasement or to placate but when you when you look over in other translations or translations that seem to use words that are less than satisfactory as well. The new the new international version substitutes the words atoning sacrifice for propitiation in first John 22 again. First John 22 and the new King James says he is the propitiation for our sins. Removal of wrath by means of a sacrifice. And again, the NIV says it substitutes the words atoning sacrifice for propitiation and then adds his footnote as the one who would turn aside his wrath taking away sin and again I'm thinking okay as the one who would turn aside his wrath.

Somehow that again does not fully get to the heart of what Christ is done in offering himself as a propitious Tory sacrifice to turn away wrath is is communicates the idea of deflecting like a boxer would deflect the punch did not fully take a punch but he would deflect it know that's that does not define what Christ has done for us. Jesus did more than placate. He did more than appease. He did more than deflect the wrath of God from us. There is a word that I think gets to the heart of what Christ did and brings the richness of what Christ has done for us and it is the word exhausted exhausted Jesus exhausted the wrath of God. Jesus bore the full unmitigated wrath of God against sin and we talk about that we don't mean just in the general way we talk about Christ propitiate eating wrath away, we mean every sin, every sin, every individual sin that I've ever committed you've ever committed. Our committee will commit Christ bore the unmitigated full brunt of the wrath of God so so that you and I never would he's it says here Paul says for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us. That's substitutionary atonement, the act or so that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him so the salvation that Paul is talking about rescues us from divine wrath. One other thing in our consideration tonight we come to the Lord's table. There's a sense in which is a very individual matter. It's us in the Lord and were searching our hearts were reflecting upon Christ. What he means to us what he's done for us were partaking of him. We are being refreshed in our faith. We are affirming a fresh again. Our allegiance to Jesus Christ.

It's a very personal thing. You can't repent for someone else.

Someone else can't repent for you. It's a very personal thing, but what I want you to see in this context. In chapter 5. There are 12 references in verses one through 11 that have a corporate or a community meaning to them. So is much as we personalize our participation at the Lord's table.

Paul would want us to. I think the Lord wants to tonight to think beyond our personal engagement and that and to see ourselves as part of the bride of Christ.

We are a community of faith in Paul's writing. He says, but concerning the times and the seasons, brethren not brother but brethren you that is floral, have no need that I should write to you floral for you your selves floral know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. Verse four but you, brethren, are not in darkness so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons floral of light and sons of the day. Verse six therefore let us not sleep, as others do. Verse seven Army verse eight but let us, who are of the day be sober. Reporting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Verse nine. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together. We should live together with him.

That's why the community of of faith is so critical that we need to cultivate that we need to develop that we need to grow in our appreciation of it. But God is made as brothers and sisters in Christ and the salvation that is been obtained for us by the Lord Jesus Christ provides fellowship and communion. We should live together with him so as we gather around the Lord's table. May God deepen our appreciation for this corporate element that we should live together with him when you get off of a mental picture of what heaven will be like don't entertain you and the Lord alone. It'll be you and a multitude of believers who been redeemed throughout the ages.

We will lose our individuality. There we will be a part of a tapestry that is beyond our imagination. God, I'm so thankful for this God did not appoint us to wrath.

We deserve wrath we deserved because of our sin to be under the judgment and wrath of Almighty God. But God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us.

It's interesting to have conversations with unchurched people you get into a conversation. Why did Jesus die what he must've been a criminal.

He must've done something wrong. No Bible says he was without sin plum blameless, but he did die for sin, then they look at you know in a minute.

Now you just said he didn't have any sin but he died for sin and then you can enter and bring in the issue of substitutionary atonement. He died for us. He took our place. P exhausted the wrath of God, it was due to us. Some of us have had unhealthy relationships with our father. Some have lived their whole life to gain the approval of a father and have not yet heard words of approval or lease since they haven't and somehow that has an effect on how we view our heavenly father would been forgiven, but somehow we think God still looking at us with a frown on his face. He still not happy with this. He still would just still aren't living up to the standard that the bar that he said force. We need to banish those thoughts, those are un-biblical thoughts there unhealthy thoughts.

Because if God satisfied our sin debt in the death of his son. There is no wrath for you or for me. God is not frowning on us. We are accepted in the beloved. There's a smile on God's face God is accepted us today that if one frame story right there and it doesn't matter whether you can find acceptance in this world.

What matters is if you have you found acceptance with Almighty God and acceptance is found through his son the Lord Jesus Christ and what he secured first spray father, thank you for your son thank you for his willingness to go to the cross of Calvary, and not just offer a sacrifice to offer himself to offer himself as a once for all, never to be repeated. Sacrifice and to satisfy your justice into exhaust your wrath. It was directed toward those who believe upon you, father, bless our time around the table this evening. Draw from our hearts. Faith and worship and praise in a renewed appreciation that we will be together with you and if were believers in Jesus Christ. We are together now and we will be forever and ever.

In Jesus name we pray