Is There Any Hope? | Pastor Joel King

Remember the question we may begin with, is there any way to escape punishment? The answer of the gospel is yes. Emphatically, yes. And it's not do better. Justice doesn't disappear, but God himself satisfies it. The servant was pierced. The servant was crushed. The servant carried the sin of us all. And because of him, mercy is possible. So the invitation of the gospel is simple. Come to the redeemer who is Jesus. Trust the servant who is Jesus. [00:28:04] (40 seconds)  #TrustTheRedeemer

See, when Jesus hung on the cross, it was not an accident. It was not a tragedy. The cross was substitution. At the cross, Jesus became the meeting place of God's justice and his mercy. God's justice was upheld. God's mercy was poured out. God himself provides the way back. The gospel, the good news, tells us something extraordinary. God does not merely demand a solution for sin. God provides the solution. [00:17:22] (32 seconds)  #CrossOfSubstitution

The suffering of the servant was substitutionary. He suffered for us. We deserved the judgment, but he took it. We deserved the punishment, but he bore it. We deserved separation from God, but he made peace. And that means the cross is not merely an example of love. It is the very place where salvation was accomplished, and that's what we're about to celebrate as we kinda turn the corner, if you would. [00:14:48] (32 seconds)  #SalvationAtTheCross

See, the Redeemer is not humanity's invention. It is God's provision. This is why by the way, I believe it's insulting when we turn Jesus into just a good model to follow or just another religious person who showed up on the scene to give us good advice. Because it's God's provision for falling short, not his example that we should try really hard to follow. [00:21:45] (29 seconds)  #JesusNotJustAModel

I can do I can make better decisions, but fundamentally changing the heart is God's job. There's only one redeemer, only one mediator who bore the penalty of our sin, Jesus who is the Christ, the anointed one, our Messiah. The gospel is not about becoming a better person. It may be the result, but it's not the point. The gospel is about trusting the savior who carried your sin. [00:27:13] (27 seconds)  #TrustTheSavior

The bible actually does not begin with the advice of how to improve ourselves. I apologize if as a church sometimes that's what it comes across as. The bible actually begins with a diagnosis. Something is wrong. Something is disordered in our relationship with each other, and most importantly, with God. But the purpose of this diagnosis is not to cause despair, but to produce clarity. To produce clarity. [00:00:40] (32 seconds)  #BibleBeginsWithDiagnosis

See, Isaiah says, we are all like sheep have gone astray. So the gospel begins with honesty, not minimizing sin. Step one, I am powerless. I am powerless. I can't change it. I can't will it. I can't read a book and follow it. I'm powerless. But we don't explain it away and try to rationalize it. We don't go find someone that tries to make us feel better about ourselves. We're honest about it. [00:22:43] (33 seconds)  #HonestAboutPowerlessness

God gathered the consequences of human sin, of my sin, and he placed it on the servant. Justice was not ignored. It was satisfied. Everyone is like a sheep who strayed, and we have chosen our own way, but the Lord has caused the consequences of everyone's sin to fall on the servant. You see, Isaiah 53 reveals the deepest truth of the gospel. [00:14:16] (32 seconds)  #Isaiah53GospelTruth