Exactly What Happened On Good Friday
Pastor Don Carpenter
According to the Chicago Tribune, on June 22, 1997, parachute instructor Michael Costello, forty-two, of Mt.Dora, Florida, jumped out of an airplane at 12,000 feet altitude with a novice skydiver name Gareth Griffith, age twenty-one.
The novice would soon discover just how good his instructor was, for when the novice pulled his rip cord, his parachute failed. Plummeting to the ground they faced certain death.
But then the instructor did an amazing thing. Just before hitting the ground, the instructor rolled over so that he would hit the ground first and the novice would land on top of him. The instructor was killed instantly. The novice fractured his spine in the fall, but he was not paralyzed.
One man takes the place of another, takes the brunt for another. One substitutes himself to die so another may live. So it was at the cross, when Jesus died for our sins. (Choice Contemporary Stories and Illustrations, Baker Books, compiled by Craig Brian Larson, pg57).
Through out the centuries, believers have focused their meditations upon the events that led up to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This evening, we are going to take a few minutes and focus upon what actually did take place on the cross nearly 2000 years ago.
Introducing the Main Characters
Humanity – Hopelessly Condemned Sinners
Jeremiah 17:9 KJV
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Romans 3:10 KJV
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:23 KJV
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Isaiah 64:6 KJV
But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Jesus – the Sinless Lamb of God
He is perfect God
John 1:1–3 KJV
IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:14 KJV
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1 Timothy 3:16 KJV
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
He is sinless man
1 Peter 2:21–22 KJV
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
Hebrews 4:15 KJV
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
The Chinese character for “righteousness” is most interesting. It is composed of two separate characters—one standing for a lamb, the other for me. When “lamb” is placed directly above “me,” a new character—“righteousness” is formed.
This is a helpful picture of the grace of God. Between me, the sinner, and God, the Holy One, there is interposed by faith the Lamb of God. By virtue of his sacrifice, he has received me on the ground of faith, and I have become righteous in his sight.
Jesus Became Sin
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin…
A. Jesus became our sin.
B. Jesus mediated, but did not forgive sin directly while He was on the cross.
- He had the power to forgive sin.
Mark 2:7–12 KJV
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
- He mediated on the cross, perhaps because he was made to be our sin????
Luke 23:34 KJV
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
C. God could not look at the sin that He had become.
Matthew 27:45–46 KJV
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
D, He did this voluntarily
John 10:17–18 KJV
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Romans 5:8 KJV
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1 John 2:1–2 KJV
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
We Can Become Christ’s Righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
…that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
A. God grants mercy (not getting what we deserve) to those who come to Him.
Psalm 51:1 KJV
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
B. God grants grace (God’s Riches AT Christ’s Expense) for those who trust Jesus for salvation.
- Righteousness credited to our account.
Genesis 15:6 KJV
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Romans 4:3–5 KJV
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
- The faith of Jesus credited to our account. Romans 3:21–22 (KJV) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: Galatians 2:16 (KJV) Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians 3:22 (KJV) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
If we look through a piece of red glass, everything is red. If we look through a piece of blue glass, everything is blue. If we look through a piece of yellow glass, everything is yellow, and so on.
When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, God looks at us through the Lord Jesus Christ. He sees us in all the white holiness of his Son. Our sins are imputed to the account of Christ and his righteousness to our account.
So how about you? Tonight we reflect on the most consequential spiritual events of History. Jesus became your sin so you can become His righteousness. Have you by faith accepted that free Gift? He waits for you right now.
Exported from Logos Bible Software, 4:38 PM April 15, 2022.