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This is the fourth message in a series of sermons given during Lent in which details of the Passover in the Old Testament are compared to the events surrounding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. This sermon discusses the topic of atonement, emphasizing the fact that God chose Passover as the day His Son would die for the sins of the world.
Written Excerpts:
Romans 3:23-26 (NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Introduction:
For
the last three weeks we have been looking at the Passover event recorded in the
Old Testament and comparing it with various details of the sacrifice Jesus
Christ made on the cross for our salvation from sin. We
want to continue the discussion today by speaking on the subject of atonement
and making a connection to the celebration of Passover.
(Illustrations Unlimited, Edited by James
Hewett) There was a little girl whose parents had a miserable marriage and were
divorced, having nothing in common except their affection for the child. One
day as the girl was playing in the street she was knocked down by a bus and
seriously injured. Taken to the hospital, she was examined by the doctors but
was found to be beyond human aid.
Hastily summoned to the hospital, her
parents heard the sad news and stood silently, one on either side of the bed,
looking down helplessly at their little girl. As they stood there, the child's
eyes suddenly opened and seeing her parents she tried to smile. Then drawing
one arm from under the sheet, she held it out in the direction of her father.
"Daddy," she said, "give me your hand." Turning to her mother,
she stretched out her other arm. "Mummy," she said, "give me
your hand." Then with a final effort of her fast-ebbing strength she drew
them close together.
This is a picture of what Christ did on
the cross. The Savior [who literally was the outstretched hand of God], took
the hand of sinful, hateful humanity and placed it in the loving hand of [the
Father]. Jesus reconciled us to God; He broke down the barrier; He restored the
broken fellowship caused by sin or turning our backs on God. Just as in this
little girl's dying to bring her parents together, Jesus was dying to bring God
and us together, but [we must receive its benefit by a willful act of faith].
One
of the major benefits of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the reconciliation
between God and humanity. Because of sin, God’s law had been violated and
separation had resulted. The only way for reconciliation to occur required the
demands of the law to be satisfied while sparing the life of the offender.
Jesus made that possible by His own death.
This
morning I want to walk through some of the important concepts in Scripture
related to the Atonement and then tie it in with the events of Passover, which
Jesus fulfills.
I. The
meaning of atonement
I
suppose we should begin with a short discussion on what the word “atonement”
actually means. Most of us have probably heard the word used many times, and we
may actually use it in some of our daily conversations. But,
I wonder if we fully grasp the biblical meaning of the word?
Some definitions:
(Van A. Harvey, A Handbook of Theological Terms)
Generally,
the term refers to the reconciliation (at-one-ment) of two parties. In
Christian Theology, it refers to the restoration of the broken relationship
between God and man that was accomplished in the life and death of Jesus
Christ.
(Michael Cohen, “Passover and the Atonement,” in Messiah
in the Passover, ed. by Bock and Glaser) [Quoting from various other sources Cohen says] A basic dictionary definition of atonement is “satisfaction or reparation
for a wrong or injury.”…the word for atonement in O.T. Hebrew means “make
an atonement,” “make reconciliation,” or “purge.” It also includes such actions
as “to cover over,” “to forgive,” “to expiate,” “to wipe away,” or “to
reconcile.”
(James Denny, Quoted in Profiles in Wesleyan
Theology by Leslie Wilcox, Vol. III) Atonement is that act of God, whereby
through the death of Christ, He made full provision for the settlement of the
sin problem.
(William Burt Pope, Ibid) We mean by the
atonement the whole economy of our Lord’s saving intervention as consummated on
the cross. [Leslie Wilcox goes on to write], That means that whatever way you view sin, here is God’s all-inclusive
answer to meet that need. As regards [to] man’s rebellion, it is reconciliation.
As regards [to] man’s bondage, it is redemption. As regards [to] man’s
transgression, it is pardon. Whatever term you may use to portray the awful
dilemma of man as a sinner, this meets them all in one great act of Divine
rescue.
II. The
biblical description of atonement
Leslie
Wilcox, now deceased, was a professor of theology at a well-known Bible college
in Cincinnati for many years. In his three-volume work titled, Profiles in Wesleyan Theology, he provides
a helpful discussion describing the various features of the atonement that are
expressed in Scripture.
For
our purposes today, I want to borrow his basic outline.
The Need for Atonement
(Wilcox)
Simply stated, its need is the wreck and
ruin wrought by sin.
See
Romans 3:9-18
15
statements in this passage that consists of quotes from the Old Testament. 1st
7 statements declare the extensiveness of sin with key words like “all,” have
sinned or “none” are righteous. The
next 8 statements tell the depths of sin. They describe the darkest characteristics
to which man can and does fall because of sin.
The
need is universal, and it is tragically dark! Something
must be done that will reach all of humanity in all of its depravity.
The Provision for Atonement
Rom.
3:23-25
Immediately
after summarizing the tragic need, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God,” Paul launches into the remedy God provided.
Romans
3:24-25 (KJV) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to
be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God;
Listen
to the words Paul uses to describe what God has done.
Some
words describe the source of God’s provision: “grace” (including mercy, and
love).
Some
words describe the cost of God’s provision: “blood” (including cross, death,
suffer, delivered, sent…).
Some
words describe the changes made possible by God’s provision:
- (Change in regards to the Law) “justified,” “remission,” (pardon) and “forbearance.”
- (Change in regards to relationship) “Propitiation” (covering, atonement, reconciliation).
- (Change in regards to ourselves) “Redemption,” (ransom).
All
of these words that the Apostle uses emphasize the fact that the provision God
has made is adequate in every way for the problem we have.
The Exclusiveness of the Atonement
There
is only one way of salvation. We do not get to devise our own plan or our own
method of reconnecting with God. The
only way of salvation is through the atonement of Jesus Christ. All
of the O.T. sacrifices and offerings that were to be done exactly as God
commanded simply illustrate the validity of Jesus’ claim, “I am the way, the
truth and the life, no man cometh to the father but by me.”
God
is the offended party. He is the One who sets the standards by which the plan
of Atonement must operate. It’s not up to us. The only part that is “up to us”
is to believe it, accept it, and live it.
The Specific Plan of Atonement
Jesus’
death on the cross was not an after-thought of God’s once He discovered that
mankind had disobeyed Him. Adam
and Eve’s sin did not catch Him by surprise. My sin and your sin did not catch
God by surprise. We
are told more than once in Scripture that the sacrifice of God’s Son was
planned “before the foundation of the world.”
Ephesians
1:4 (KJV)
According as he hath chosen us in [Christ]
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love:
God
has planned since eternity past to have a holy people for Himself.
Other
Scriptures tell us that Jesus is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world.”
Prophets
foretold it; Jesus predicted it and willing submits to it. It is all part of
the original plan.
Remember
that if the Almighty God with infinite knowledge and wisdom planned the
Atonement, then it will be completely sufficient for the magnitude of the need.
The Extent of the Atonement
This
speaks to the fact that no one who ever has lived or ever will live for all
time has been left out of the provision. It is a Universal Atonement.
Heb.
2:9 – Jesus tasted death for “every man.”
Is.
53:6 – “All we… have gone astray… laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Wilcox)
The 2nd “all” is equal to the 1st “all.”
“whosoever”
passages: Christ came and provided the benefits of His sacrifice for “whosoever
will.”
There
are so many more ways we could describe the facts and benefits of the
Atonement, but, as I stated earlier, it would take several more sermons to do so.
III. Atonement
and Passover
In
the book I mentioned earlier, “Messiah in the Passover,” the chapter written by
Michael Cohen is dedicated to the subject of the Atonement and Passover. There
are a few points mentioned in that chapter that we haven’t covered yet, so I’ll
wrap up with those now.
Cohen,
a Christian Jew, describes how it impacted his life to recognize that God chose
Passover as the day for the death of His Son, Jesus. This
caused him to realize that Passover is more than just a celebration of God’s
deliverance of a nation from slavery. It is now a celebration with eternal and
spiritual significance for the entire human race.
There are other parallels that can be made:
A. Passover took care of the
problem of God’s people being separated from Him and the land He had promised. Atonement
takes care of the problem of all people separated from God because of sin.
B. Passover requires a payment of
the blood of lambs. The
Atonement required the payment of Christ’s blood.
C. Passover includes a confession
of faith by the Hebrews as they obey God’s command and apply the blood to the
door frame. The
Atonement of Christ requires a confession of faith in the sacrifice of Jesus
and obedience to His Word.
D. Passover includes a transfer of
benefits as the Hebrews become the people of God, in covenant relationship with
God, and traveling to a land promised by God. Atonement,
likewise includes a transfer of benefits to every believer: family, covenant
relationship, and promise of inheritance.
Conclusion:
As
we meditate on the atonement that God provided through His Son, Jesus, I trust
that our hearts not only respond in genuine faith and obedience to His Word,
but that we will worship, honor and adore Him for His glorious plan.
“Amazing
grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!!!”
I
thank God today for the blood of Jesus!
Let’s
close the service by standing and singing this final hymn:
A Wonderful Fountain
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