What Jesus Did For Us on the Cross - Easter Message

The gospel of Luke chapter 24 verse one on the first day of the week and early dawn. The women took the spices they had prepared and came to the two and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. And while they stood there bewildered. Suddenly two angels in dazzling apparel appeared to them and the women were terrified and they bow their faces to the ground. Then the angel said to them, why do you seek the living among the dead.

I want you to turn to your neighbor and ask them why do you seek the living among the dead guy had right okay that I don't have to say right okay that's all I know that were back down the angel went on to say he is not here, but he is risen. Praise the Lord.

That's the story. Praise Lord yeah now with these words, the angel announces what the Bible says is the most pivotal event in human history the event that were here to celebrate this Easter weekend and that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

However, we must understand that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not an isolated event.

It is inextricably linked to Jesus his atoning work on the cross.

Listen. Romans 425. The Bible says Jesus was delivered to death for our sins.

There's the cross and was raised to life for our justification.

There is the resurrection my friends the cross and the resurrection are joined up at the hip. The cross gives meaning to the resurrection and the resurrection authenticates Jesus's work on the cross. I want to say that again the cross gives meaning to the resurrection and the resurrection authenticates Jesus's work on the cross disabled long as I'm not really sure that the resurrection actually happened all well listen I got you covered. I do, I want you to go to McLean Bible.org/sermons and what you will find their usual finding yellow and black a sermon entitled Jesus rose from the dead, impossible, and in that message. I'll give you four pieces of compelling evidence to prove to you that the resurrection really did happen.

So if you have any doubt at all. McLean Bible.org/sermons go raw yellow and black message and we will help you fix that problem. Today I want to talk to you about the other side of the biblical coin and that is what Jesus did for us on the cross. Remember we said the cross and the resurrection are linked together today were going to focus on the side of the coin that deals with the cross.

So are you ready we don't sound ready or eradicate good good good all right know verse I believe in the Bible explains it better. What Jesus did on the cross in second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21. Here's what it says it says for God made him a new no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness in God's sight through him. Now, this verse has four key phrases that teachers for tea truths up about what Jesus did for us on the cross. So what we wanted to, as we want to take this verse apart and look at all four of the phrases separately and then we'll put it back together again and will talk about what is that mean for you and me.

So here we go, phrase, number one. The Bible says God made him who knew no sin, phrase, number one tells us about the greatest person in history him who knew no sin.

Obviously, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible is uncompromising in this claim that Jesus knew no sin that Jesus had no sin.

Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15 says Jesus was tempted in all ways as we are, say, the next words with me yet without sin right John chapter 8 verse 46 Jesus was talking to his enemies not his friends and he said which one of you can prove me guilty of sin and Jesus is enemies had no answer. You know the Bible tells us that Jesus frequented the Temple in Jerusalem all the time. But the Bible never tells us that Jesus offered any sacrifices for his sins. There because he didn't need to. Bible tells us that Jesus prayed father forgive them, but never does the Bible tell us that Jesus prayed father forgive me, why is he didn't have to.

Now why is this true that is the sinlessness of cries, something that is so important and that the Bible stresses so deeply while the answer is found in first Corinthians chapter 5 verse seven where the Bible says Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us. If you remember Passover is all about God's judgment of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the 10th plague, but how God's judgment passed over the Israelites who were hiding behind the blogger of the Passover lamb on their door close.

Well first Corinthians 57 says that in the same way.

People who hide behind the blood of Jesus Christ as their only payment for sin. God will pass over them in judgment, just like he did the Israelites do we understand that we got that.

However, there is a hitch in the hitch is Exodus 12 verse five which says that the Passover lamb shall be without defect. The point being that for Jesus to be the Passover lamb for the entire human race whose blood can protect every person alive from God's judgment for sin, he has to be without defect. He has to be without sin of any kind, which is exactly how the Bible says that Jesus is phrase number two God made him who knew no sin here it is to become sin on our behalf in phrase number two, we learn about the greatest transaction in history carried out by the greatest person in history and that transaction is what well the verse says he became sin on our behalf. Isaiah 53 verse six says all of us like she have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way and the Lord laid on him who is him while the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ right good laid on him the sins of us all, and where exactly did this transaction take place will focus it took place on the cross.

First Peter chapter 2 verse 24 says he himself, the Lord Jesus bore our sins in his body.

Where sayeth on the cross right friends in a divine transaction that you and I will never fully understand God the father took the sins of the entire world and transferred them on to Jesus cries so that he paid for my sins and he paid for your sins as he hung there on the cross and even though you and I will never understand this fully. That's okay because, listen in order for this transaction to be mine. In order for it to be yours.

You don't have to understand it fully in order for this transaction to be yours or mine. We don't have to be able to explain it. All we have to do for this transaction to be hours is believe it. Praise Lord is all we gotta do is believe it now.

What was the result of all this. Well let's look at phrase number three God made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf. Here comes the third phrase that we might be, right shows in God's sight, phrase, number three tells us about the greatest offer in history. As a result of the greatest transaction in history that was made by the greatest person in history, namely that as on the holy as we are. God offers to make us righteous in his sight. Romans chapter 10 verse four says that Jesus Christ is the end of the law for what for righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans chapter 5 verse one says therefore, having been declared. What righteous in God's sight by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans chapter 5 verse 19 says for just as through the disobedience of one man Adam in the garden.

Many were made sinners, so Susie all obedience of one man the Lord Jesus on the cross.

Many shall be made righteous.

Yes friends. This is the great great news of the Bible. Praise God. The great news of the Bible.

Yes, now you save a lot, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait, wait, not really righteous.

I mean even after we put our faith in Jesus were still utterly sinful people. True well true disabled and how in the world can God agree to see us as righteous when we really aren't. Well, that's a wonderful question and to answer it.

Let me just say it's a lot like Supergirl job and watching Supergirl as not bad okay well anyway you know if you been watching Supergirl has all these incredible powers and one of the powers that she has is what x-ray vision right yeah but there's one thing that Supergirl even with all of her x-ray vision cannot see through what is it it's led that's exactly right in so if you were standing behind a lead screen Supergirl would never see you all she'd ever see is the lead screen right yeah okay will. The Bible says that this is exactly how the blood of Jesus works that when we hi, behind the blood of Jesus.

When we take refuge behind the blood of Jesus as our only payment for sin in God's holy side Jesus's blood becomes a lead screen, it becomes a lead.

She told that God's holy eyes refuse to see through that God agrees he won't look through now can God see through to see our unholiness. Corsica bought the great news of the Bible is that God's offer to us is that when we hide behind Jesus's blood as payment for our sin.

God agrees that he won't see past the blood of Christ. Yeah, and this is what the Bible means when it says Colossians 33 that as believers in Jesus watch our life is now say the next word hidden say it again hidden say the third time. It is hidden in the with Christ in God because we as believers in God's sight are not behind the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. We call this theologically imputed righteousness because the righteousness is not really ours it's been donated to us, it's been given to us. It's been imputed to us. It's been credited to our account by the Lord Jesus Christ do we all see that yes not friends this is the foundation of God's plan of salvation for the human race imputed righteousness and this is how God gets sinners to heaven, not on the basis of our righteousness, but on the basis of Jesus is righteousness that covers us and is imputed to us in the sight of God, you got it you got it. Yeah, now that all that leads us to phrase number four God made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might become write to us in God's side while great through him. There's our fourth phrase and play phrase number four tells us about the greatest proviso in history, namely, that God's offer to do all of this for us is available only what is the bursae through him that is the Lord Jesus Christ and friends. The Bible is crystal clear about this point John 14 six Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life say the next word with me who say it again, Sam Lowder, no one, no one, no one comes to the father except through me.

At chapter 4 verse 12 salvation is found in none other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we can be. Say, by which we can get eternal life and go to heaven.

Listen to me. God does not offer to make us righteous. It is side through Buddha. He does not offer to make us righteous in his sight through Mohammed.

He does not offer to make us righteous in his sight, through Confucius, or Joseph Smith or allowed to, or L Ron Hubbard or anybody else. He only offers to do it through Jesus cries and Jesus Christ only that the author disabled lawn listed in our pluralistic world and are tolerant and diverse world.

I mean how can you justify such a narrow position as that such an exclusive position as that well CC simple Buddhist to his empty Confucius is to is an empty Mohammed strewn is an empty L Ron Hubbard strewn is an empty nobody else is to is empty, but the tomb of Jesus cries his empty hallelujah I remember what we said earlier we said that one of the great purposes of the resurrection is to authenticate what Jesus did on the cross as the only way to heaven. That works that will really get you there. That's why God raised him from the dead, at least in part, so that looking at all these different options where everybody's telling of this is the way this'll work this will get you to heaven. We can know which one is actually going to work.

Praise God we love to say it here at McLean Bible church follow a dead Savior and you'll end up just like him, but the great news of the Bible is that we don't have a dead Savior. We have a living Savior. We have arisen Savior, a Savior whose blood is so powerful a Savior whose blood is so efficacious in God's sight that it can cover the foulest sinners that this world can produce like me and make us righteous in God's sight. And you know what when I came to Christ. I was the foulest person I knew I now 45 years later on the inside I still am the foulest person I know you say the lawn, disturbs me a little bit to hear you say that why.

What is a disturbing folks listen to me if you got enough guts to let the Holy Spirit take you on a guided tour your heart you found out that you're the foulest person you know is true as true, and if you don't believe me you ask him to take you on that tour and then you buckle your seatbelt for what you're going to find you the foulest person you know I am the foulest person I know. But you know what it not matter as long as were hidden behind the blood of Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter because Jesus Christ hides us, covers us, and in God's sight, no matter how far we are we are righteous before God because of Christ, a man, you go so many conclude today and say want to know what Easter is all about pay is what it's about four God made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might become righteous in God's side through him, and then God raised Jesus from the dead to approve an authenticator that is Easter, my dear friends right there now yeah now let me let me tell you. The best part of all of this is I close and that is the best part of all of this is that this offer is open to everyone.

I love it. Romans 10 four says it is Jesus Christ. We read it earlier is the end of the law for righteousness to whom everyone who believes.

Listen looking at me, look here. It doesn't matter what you said it doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter whom you've heard it doesn't matter how badly you've messed up and it doesn't matter how often you have messed up you may be the worst person you know.

But you're still part of everyone. Archer yeah aren't you still part of everyone in this offer is open to everyone. You have to fix yourself up you have to clean yourself up you have to dress yourself up. All you gotta do is come to Christ. That's it. And God will take care of the fix in the dressing and all the other stuff.

Once he gets a hold of you, my friend, if you're willing to run renounce every other way you've ever trusted to try to pay for your sin and get to heaven and get eternal life, and you're willing to instead believe in and trust in the way God made for you to do this through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross to pay for your sin and hide you from God's judgment, then we can do this right now you can go from however you came in here to being righteous in God's sight. Today were to give you a chance to do that with our heads together with our heads found in our eyes close his work were going to do were discussing a short little prayer. I'm going to pray with you and I'm gonna say one phrase that a timeout well I'm going to ask you to say that same phrase silently as we pray and ask God to cover you with the lead shield of the blood of Christ. Here we go.

You pray silently I'm going to pray out loud for Jesus to come to you today because I want to be righteous in your sight. I want you to cover me today with the blood of Christ.

I want to take you up on your offer to put a lead shield between me and your judgment for my sin and that lead shield is the blood in the work of Jesus on the cross for me. So today I renounce every other remedy that I've ever trusted to get me to heaven to pay for my sins and I place my trust completely in the work of Christ on the cross for me.

Thank you for raising Jesus from the dead, proved to me that I'm not following some hoax, but I'm following the truths and the real way to heaven. So come into my heart today. Forgive my sins become my Lord and Savior, I surrender my life to you today. In Jesus name, amen. Dear Jesus, how glad we are that you where the victor's crown Lord, even though on this earth.

Sometimes it doesn't look that way. Even though we got all kinds of people on this earth to think that they weren't Lord Jesus, you have never taken it off and you never plan to so we can rest be confident that when all the dust settles here on this earth. Victor's crown will still be right where it belongs on your hair and no place else the Lord Jesus. We look forward to the day when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, not them, but you, to the glory of God the father Lord. We are proud to belong to you as your children Lord.

We are proud to be part of your family and Lord, we are thrilled to worship the one who wears the Victor's crown remind us that every day is Easter for us that the resurrection happens every day. You're alive help us worship you with all of our horns every day.

As the risen Christ.

We pray these things in Jesus name in all of God's people said a man hey the Lord is risen Lord is risen. Amen.

And he will be on Monday and he will be on Tuesday and he will be on Wednesday will be that way the rest of your life and all of eternity. God bless you have a great Easter