The Cross is the Main Event, Part 3

Last time we looked at why Jesus did what He did. What are the results?

Redemption…forgiveness. Eph. 1:7 53:11 the righteous one, my servant, make many righteous. He will justify those who believe by grace through faith Heb. 10:17 their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. God takes the initiative in forgiveness. Tim Keller says There was a debt to be paid--God himself paid it. There was a penalty to be born--God himself bore it. Forgiveness is always a form of costly suffering. We might waive a penalty, but if we don’t absorb the cost, there is no suffering on our part, only kindness. Isaiah 53:10 God provided a guilt offering; the death of the Servant satisfied both the needs of sinful people and the requirements of God with regard to His broken law and offended holiness.

Reconciliation…peace. 53:10 prolong, prosper, see, satisfied, righteous are words of peace. 53:12 Portion, spoil are proceeds of war at the end of war. 53:5 He bore our punishment. “Correct” by word or deed, ‘peace punishment’ needed to secure peace with God. Peace means to be complete or whole – a personal, secure, relationship with God. Peace with God is where we are brought near to Him and are reconciled. He took the chastisement that brought us peace 53:11. Now it's time to look at a big, important word: Propitiation (1 John 2:1-2). Propitiation means turning away anger, expiation is often used in its place but it is different – means making amends for a wrong done. Propitiation is personal, done for a person; expiation is impersonal, done for a crime. Expiation is an impersonal process where sin is dealt with; propitiation is a personal process, where God is justly angry over sin and if people are to be forgiven something must be done about the anger. The death of Christ is the way God removes the divine wrath from sinners. Propitiation is where God’s wrath is not merely appeased, but put aside. We use the word wrath with relation to God with a qualification – not like us, w/o the defects we see in people even at their best, wrath untainted by human sin. We must face it. Our sins are the object of God’s wrath. Every sin displeases God. One of the things Christ did at the cross was make the offering that turns away wrath and as we put our trust in Him we need not fear it anymore. This is assurance of peace for Christians. We have nothing to fear. He dealt with all aspects of our need: infirmities, sorrows; moral and spiritual guilt that alienate us from God. We declared war against God by our sin; He brings peace through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20).

Transformation…change. 53:10-12 The Lord is committed to do His will, Servant is involved in what the Lord willed. Whoever becomes a recipient of God’s favor through His offering become His children (Offspring). 53:10 When a person believes, Jesus sees His offspring. See means experience. A relationship is started. You become a member of His family. We stray like sheep, we return like children. The guilt offering was made, now He is gathering His family. The work of paying for sin was finished on the cross, the harvest of bringing in those who believe and are saved through faith in that sacrifice continues. By believing in Christ, we become God's children; adopted into God’s family. He draws us near in relationship; initiated, sustained by Him. 53:5 by His wounds we are healed. Isaiah uses healing in a total sense; a person fully restored and complete. The spiritual work of transformation God does in the lives of those who believe. Those who are in Christ are 2 Cor. 5;17 new creations. They have a new life; reoriented by Jesus and centered on the truths of His Word. The cross becomes the compass by which everything is reoriented.