Jesus: Our Substitute for Sin and Promise of Restoration

Devotional

Day 1: The Burden of Sin and the Promise of Restoration

Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross is central to God's plan to restore all that was lost due to sin. Isaiah 53 reveals that Jesus bore our griefs and sorrows, taking upon Himself the effects of sin. This world, marred by sin, will one day be replaced by a new creation free from its consequences, where God will dwell with us, wiping away every tear. This promise of restoration is central to the hope we have in Christ. As believers, we are called to live in the light of this promise, knowing that our future is secure in Him. [01:05]

Isaiah 65:17-19 (ESV): "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress."

Reflection: In what ways can you live today with the hope of the new creation in mind, allowing it to transform your perspective on current struggles?

Day 2: Substitution and Imputation

The concept of substitution and imputation is at the heart of the gospel message. Jesus became our substitute, taking on the punishment for our sins. Through imputation, our sins were laid on Him, meaning they no longer lie on us. This profound truth assures us of our restoration and peace with God. It is a reminder that our sins, once spread across our lives, were gathered and placed on Jesus, freeing us from condemnation. This assurance should lead us to live in gratitude and peace, knowing that our relationship with God is secure. [04:42]

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV): "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Reflection: How does understanding Jesus as your substitute change the way you approach God in prayer and worship today?

Day 3: Our Common Condition and Individual Expression

Isaiah 53:6 highlights the universal condition of humanity: we all, like sheep, have gone astray, each turning to our own way. This humbling truth reminds us that we are all sinners, regardless of our efforts to live for God. It calls us to recognize our need for a Savior and to acknowledge that even those who love the Lord can go astray. This recognition should lead us to a deeper dependence on God's grace and a greater appreciation for the salvation offered through Christ. [05:22]

Romans 3:23-24 (ESV): "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself going astray, and how can you actively seek God's guidance to return to His path today?

Day 4: The Depth of God's Love

God's response to our wandering is remarkable. He laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all, demonstrating His immense love for us. This act of imputation means that our sins, once spread across our lives, were gathered and placed on Jesus. This truth assures us that our sins no longer condemn us, and it highlights the depth of God's love for humanity. Understanding this love should inspire us to love others with the same sacrificial love that God has shown us. [12:56]

1 John 4:9-10 (ESV): "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Reflection: How can you demonstrate God's sacrificial love to someone in your life today, reflecting the love He has shown you?

Day 5: Living in Light of Christ's Sacrifice

We are called to enjoy greater peace, knowing our sins were laid on Jesus. This truth should lead us to deeper repentance, recognizing that our sins, which hurt Jesus, should be turned from. Finally, we are to embrace greater hope, as God’s plan for restoration is assured through Christ’s sacrifice. Our future in Christ is glorious, promising complete healing and eternal joy in God's presence. Living in light of Christ's sacrifice means allowing this truth to transform our daily lives, leading us to live with peace, repentance, and hope. [24:56]

Colossians 3:1-3 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to set your mind on things above, allowing the truth of Christ's sacrifice to shape your actions and attitudes?

Sermon Summary

Isaiah 53 is a profound chapter that reveals the heart of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross. It speaks of God's grand purpose to restore all that was lost due to sin's entrance into the world. Isaiah tells us that Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, taking upon Himself all the effects of sin. This world, marred by grief and sorrow, will one day be replaced by a new creation free from sin and its consequences, where God will dwell with us, wiping away every tear.

To address the effects of sin, God had to deal with sin itself. Isaiah explains that God did this through Jesus becoming our substitute. Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities, purchasing our restoration through substitution and imputation. Our sins were laid on Him, meaning they no longer lie on us.

Isaiah 53:6 highlights three key observations: what we have done, what God has done, and what we must do. We, like sheep, have gone astray, each turning to our own way. This common condition and its individual expression remind us that we are all sinners, regardless of our efforts to live for God. Isaiah humbles us by including himself, emphasizing that even those who love the Lord go astray.

God's response to our wandering is remarkable. He laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. This act of imputation means that our sins, once spread across our lives, were gathered and placed on Jesus. This profound truth assures us that our sins no longer condemn us, as they were fully borne by Christ.

In response, we are called to enjoy greater peace, knowing our sins were laid on Jesus. This truth should lead us to deeper repentance, recognizing that our sins, which hurt Jesus, should be turned from. Finally, we are to embrace greater hope, as God’s plan for restoration is assured through Christ’s sacrifice. Our future in Christ is glorious, promising complete healing and eternal joy in God's presence.

Key Takeaways

1. The Burden of Sin and the Promise of Restoration: Jesus bore our griefs and sorrows, taking upon Himself the effects of sin. This world, marred by sin, will be replaced by a new creation free from its consequences, where God will dwell with us. This promise of restoration is central to the hope we have in Christ. [01:05]
2. Substitution and Imputation: Jesus became our substitute, taking on the punishment for our sins. Through imputation, our sins were laid on Him, meaning they no longer lie on us. This profound truth assures us of our restoration and peace with God. [04:42]
3. Our Common Condition and Individual Expression: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each turning to our own way. This humbling truth reminds us that we are all sinners, regardless of our efforts to live for God. It calls us to recognize our need for a Savior. [05:22]
4. The Depth of God's Love: God laid our sins on Jesus, demonstrating His immense love for us. This act of imputation means that our sins, once spread across our lives, were gathered and placed on Jesus. This truth assures us that our sins no longer condemn us. [12:56]
5. Living in Light of Christ's Sacrifice: We are called to enjoy greater peace, knowing our sins were laid on Jesus. This truth should lead us to deeper repentance, recognizing that our sins, which hurt Jesus, should be turned from. Finally, we are to embrace greater hope, as God’s plan for restoration is assured through Christ’s sacrifice. [24:56]
** [24:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Introduction to Isaiah 53
[00:31] - Jesus Bore Our Griefs and Sorrows
[01:05] - Promise of a New Creation
[01:56] - Jesus as Our Substitute
[02:44] - The Concept of Imputation
[05:08] - Our Common Condition
[06:32] - Illustration of Wandering Sheep
[09:49] - The Prodigal Son and Elder Brother
[12:40] - What God Has Done
[14:26] - The Day of Atonement Illustration
[17:21] - Gathering Our Sins on Jesus
[19:16] - The Result of Imputation
[24:40] - Application: Greater Peace
[30:07] - Application: Deeper Repentance
[34:27] - Application: Greater Hope
[36:19] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

Isaiah begins there he tells us that Jesus bore our griefs and he carried our sorrows. Now griefs and sorrows are obviously the effects of the entrance of sin into the world and so Isaiah is telling us that Jesus took all of the effects of sin on himself all that blights human life for us. [00:28:56]

God has promised a new creation, a world that is going to be free from sin and from all of its ugly effects, a world where death and mourning and crying and pain will be no more, a world where God himself will be present with us and we will wipe away all tears from our eyes. [00:63:03]

Jesus purchased our restoration and how did he do this? He did it by substitution. Now that's verse four in verse five and today we're asking a question that will take us even further what then did it mean for Jesus to become our substitute and what does this mean for us today? [00:139:84]

The message of these remarkable verses that take us to the very heart of what Jesus accomplished on the cross in summary is this that Jesus has purchased our restoration and the way that he did it was by substitution and by imputation our sins were laid on him. [00:264:32]

Notice that Isaiah describes here both our common condition and its individual expression he tells us what is true of all of us and then he tells us what is true of each of us notice what's true of all of us all we like sheep have gone astray. [00:327:75]

Isaiah is speaking here to God's people and he's reminding us that we are sinners as much as those who have no time for God at all. Try and take that in because the reality is that when you've been a Christian for a few years or a few decades it's very easy to get the idea that somehow other people need a savior more than you do. [00:400:64]

The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Now suppose that we go out for a meal together and when we're done the waiter bill brings the bill and you say oh let me take care of that and then I say no no no I'd be glad to do this. [00:773:68]

God has taken all that would have been charged to us and he has charged it to Jesus instead and this is what it meant for Jesus to be our substitute God laid our sins on him. Now to help us grasp this God has given us a very wonderful illustration in the Old Testament scriptures. [00:849:28]

God himself has transferred our transgressions our iniquities our sins he's moved them he's taken them off us and where have they gone he has laid them on his own dear son Jesus Christ the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [00:1017:36]

Our sins brother sister our transgressions our iniquities have been laid in their entirety on Jesus Christ and since they've been laid on him they no longer lie on us which is why in the New Testament we read these wonderful words there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [00:1298:72]

The amazing truth that God has laid your sins on Jesus will be your greatest incentive to fighting more strongly against the sins that beset you when you see that your sin the one that bothers you the one that's your hardest battle that that was actually laid on Jesus well then you will know that you cannot continue in it any longer. [00:1800:32]

God imputed our sins to Jesus why well in the big sweep of what Isaiah is telling us God has this plan and purpose that he will fulfill for a great restoration in which every trace of sin every effect of it will be removed and in love God is preparing you to be a part of it. [00:2063:59]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?