February 10, 2013

True Atonement

As Christ emerged triumphant over death, so in our suffering God works His victorious purposes.

Scripture:  Hebrews 2:9-18

Sermon Notes:

  1. We have a calling to exercise dominion under the Lord Jesus.
  2. The calling has not yet been fulfilled in us, but Christ became the true man, making atonement by His suffering and death.
  3. The message of the cross is ridiculed in our day (1 Cor 1:18-21)
  4. In His death and suffering Christ was crowned with glory and honour, and now He is restoring us by His atonement for the purpose of serving God as His vice regents.
  5. All things in the universe are made for God (v10), and by the agency of the Son (Col. 1:15-18; John 1:1-3).
  6. There is nothing arbitrary about the cross.  Christ’s suffering was necessary to bring God’s purpose and work to maturity.
  7. The atonement is nothing other than God’s perfect plan.  Christ was not victimized; He submitted to death purposefully as a substitute for the sin of His people.
  8. Christ is made to us a perfect sacrifice; there is no inherent virtue in suffering in itself, but suffering in the context of God’s purposes leads to maturation.
  9. Through suffering God works in us; we are enabled to identify with the suffering of other people. 
  10. Nobody wants to suffer; but like Christ we should be willing when God calls us to suffer.
  11. Christ’s victory was accomplished through His suffering.
  12. As Christ emerged triumphant over death, so in our suffering God works His victorious purposes.
  13. In chastisement, God is polishing and perfecting us; sanctification is the path to glorification.
  14. The incarnation is a central aspect of our faith.  Because Christ shares our humanity, our salvation is possible and we are brothers with Christ by regeneration.
  15. The suffering of Christ is foretold in Psalm 22 (cf. Jn. 19:24).
  16. To declare God’s name is to reveal God’s person and character. 
  17. Because we are the kin of Christ, we progressively look like Him, as we are sanctified in godliness.
  18. Though Christ knows our sins, He is not ashamed to call us brother, publicly.
  19. We have one Father in Christ, having been regenerated in Christ, and so we are referred to as Christ’s children. 
  20. Jesus shared our flesh and blood, for the purpose of nullifying the power of the devil and loosing the bonds of death.
  21. Satan is the plague bearer, and all who follow him will die.
  22. The fear of death is growing in our age.  People are afraid of getting old and of aging.
  23. We have sure hope of victory over death (1 Cor. 15:54-57).
  24. It is not the natural lineage but the spiritual which makes us true children of Abraham’s faith.
  25. Christ is our merciful and faithful high priest having been made like us in all things, so that He might be merciful toward our weakness.  Christ is fully faithful to absolve us of our sins.
  26. We are saved in a way that takes into account God’s wrath against sin.  Christ expiates God’s wrath against our sin.
  27. The function of Christ is to bear away God’s wrath.
  28. Having been tempted as we are, Christ is able to sympathize with us.
  29. Jesus faced the muck and mire of human sin and temptation and the personal temptation of Satan, and yet was without sin.
  30. Jesus is able to deliver us from temptation.
  31. All societies outside of Christ are established on sin and are doomed to death.

Application Questions:

  1. What is the world’s common response to the cross?
  2. Why is the cross the only remedy for the human condition?
  3. How is Christ’s humanity essential to our salvation?
  4. Why is Christ willing to call us brothers despite our sin?
  5. How does Satan spread the fear of death?   How can we reach those around us who are in bondage to this fear?
  6. Describe Christ’s benefits to us as our faithful high priest.
  7. What is God’s purpose for suffering in our lives?
  8. When we face temptation, how does Christ help us?
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