HOW Jesus saves a Person FROM their sin
DATE: 11 Dec, 2005 AM
PLACE: BBC Ballincollig
I. Introduction (Matthew 1:21; Lev 16:30)
A. A most fascinating thought this morning. It is found in Matthew 1:21 relating to the very NAME of the baby being born in that manger at Christmas
B. That name shows the fact that Jesus did not come and be born to save us IN our sins, or to allow us to REMAIN IN our sins, but came and died 33 years later to save us FROM our sins – well, that’s what Christmas is all about – a finished job - Mission accomplished.
C. You see, what that Baby was, born in that barn 2,005 years ago, was a complete package. Nothing missing. No batteries to purchase. No film to buy. No internet to plug in. Nothing more for us to do but watch as He alone reaches down into our world and saves a sinner completely “FROM their sins”
D. There are Four Things Jesus Saves a Person FROM
1. Sin’s Pleasure
2. Sin’s Penalty
3. Sin’s Power
4. Sin’s Presence
II. Message - The Saving of a Soul (Mt 1:21; Rom 10:9)
A. Saved from Sin’s Pleasure - The Lord Draws Us First (Jn 6:44,65)
1. There is pleasure in sin (Heb 11:25) – but there is bondage in sin too
2. God goes looking for us – always has
3. God spends His time attracting us – Interesting us in Himself
4. God brings us to a place where we can choose Him over self!!! If you have any interest in the Bible or in God, or in Jesus Christ, it is because God got your attention, and you are just responding to it!
5. Awesome! He doesn’t leave us to the devil, or even to ourselves
6. Example of Israel when they went down to Egypt, they were given the BEST of the country, and lived well. Later, they became SLAVES of Egypt and cried for deliverance!
7. God saved them FIRST from sin’s pleasure
B. Saved from Sin’s Penalty (2Cor 5:21)
1. The Law Condemns Us (Rom 3:19)
a. There is no salvation without knowledge of what we are being saved FROM
b. Sinners are guilty before God, and condemned already – don’t need more evidence
c. God’s law PROVES that we are sinners – every last person on this planet
d. People hate condemnation – they hate being guilty – they hate judgment
e. If you feel that way, then, GOOD! Allow the Lord to intervene and SAVE you then!
2. The Cross Substitutes Us (Isa 53:4-6; Isa 38:17)
a. “There is no free lunch” they say
b. Yes, God is a very forgiving God, and a loving God
c. But He is NOT a stupid God that just overlooks all our sinfulness and rebellion and lets this world get away with all their wickedness
d. Instead of destroying US, He makes a switch – does a swap on the cross
e. Takes a dirty, rotten, filthy, wicked sinner, who deserves to die for his own sins, and replaces him with the sinless, spotless, perfect Son of God
f. And then God kills HIM instead of ME!!!
g. That’s what frees us from sin’s grip!
1) Jesus being tortured instead of ME
2) Jesus being whipped and beaten for MY sins – not His
3) Jesus accepting the blame for all our sins, and the sins of the whole world
3. It is THEN that God Forgives Us
a. Can you see just how great that gift is – the gift of forgiveness?
b. The penalty of our sin is indisputable – we are in trouble
c. And yet, God became that Baby to get us OUT of trouble!
4. It was all shown in Exodus 12 where we have God’s people being delivered from the penalty of sin.
a. On the Passover night the angel of death came and slew all the firstborn of the Egyptians. But why spare the firstborn of the Israelites? Not because they were guiltless before God, for all had sinned and come short of His glory.
b. The Israelites, equally with the Egyptians, were guilty in His sight, and deserving of unsparing judgment.
c. It was at this very point that the grace of God came in and met their need. Another was slain in their place.
d. An innocent lamb was killed and its blood shed, pointing to the coming of "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."
Saved from Sin’s Pleasure, Sin’s Penalty…
C. I am Being Saved from Sin’s Power - The Holy Spirit Straightens Us Out (Titus 2:11-14; Rom 6:7,18,22)
1. This is a good part to understand
2. Salvation of the soul is not all that God wants to save
3. He wants to save your “life” too
4. The gospel message should be seen as not only a message of good news for lost people to be saved from sin’s penalty, but also as a message of good news for Christian people to be saved from sin’s domineering power. The goal of the gospel is not merely to forgive us, but to change us into true worshippers of God who finally can live and live free and full.
5. We often reduce the gospel to "God’s plan of salvation" for lost people to be saved from sin’s penalty, not realizing that it is also "God’s plan of salvation" for Christians to be saved from sin’s power.
6. “The same gospel message that saves sinners also sanctifies saints."
7. So the Lord gets busy doing two things every moment of every day that we live on this planet
a. Pulls us AWAY from sin – what we WERE in bondage to
b. Pulls us TO righteousness – makes us WILLING SERVANTS of living clean, and righteous
8. All the while, He keeps washing over us in His Blood
9. This is where the daily moment by moment battles in your life are fought – in yielding to His gentle pull, or resisting it
10. Either you let the Holy Spirit straighten you out, or the wages of sin will kill you in the end! End of story!
11. It is pictured by Israel’s wilderness journey.
a. Israel did not enter the Promised Land immediately upon their exodus from Egypt: they had to face the temptations and trials of the desert where they spent forty years.
b. But God provided all they needed to get them through: Manna every morning, quail every evening; A cloud to guide them by day, and a pillar of fire to light their way at night; Moses to lead them; clear instructions (the Bible) to instruct them; and lots of grace to fill in all the gaps!
c. That’s what we have today!
Saved from Sin’s Pleasure, Sin’s Penalty, Sin’s Power…
D. One Day Soon I Will Be Saved from Sin’s Presence - The Rapture (or Death, whichever comes first) Completes Us (1Cor 15:53,54)
1. Here is the best part
2. The struggle with sin won’t go on forever, and salvation will be complete one day! Hallelujah!
3. You see, God saved this sinner’s soul 25 years ago
4. But one day, this old body will be replaced, and the very ability to sin will die with it!
5. In heaven there will be no more sin, no more failures, no more sorrows, no more DEATH - We will finally be complete
a. Jesus died to save me from the pleasure of my sin
b. He died to save me from the penalty of my sin – eternity in hell
c. He died to save me from the power of sin – daily victory through His blood
d. Jesus died to one day save you and me from the very presence of sin
6. The final picture of salvation in the Old Testament is found in the actual entrance of Israel into the promised land. They crossed over the Jordan River, and they were home! Hallelujah!
III. Conclusion
A. If you are here today, it’s because you responded to the Lord drawing you and interesting you in Himself!
B. Would you be honest and agree that God’s Law has found you out to be guilty, and that you are in serious trouble with God?
C. Do you realise that God did something marvellous on the cross?
1. Takes a dirty, rotten, filthy, wicked sinner, who deserves to die for his own sins, and replaces him with the sinless, spotless, perfect Son of God
2. And then God kills HIM instead of ME!!!
D. The Scriptures Command Everyone to repent, and receive the forgiveness of sin – the complete forgiveness of our sins that is offered to us free, but at the cost of Christ’s life on the cross!
1. Repentance is a decision to reject your sins and your religion
2. Faith is a decision to ACCEPT forgiveness from Jesus Christ
E. Did you know that the Holy Spirit’s primary job in your life once born again is to STRAIGHTEN Us Out? Are you yielding to His efforts?
F. Let me remind you that one day, the Rapture (or Death) will fully, and finally complete Us
1. No more sin, no more failures, no more sorrows, no more DEATH
2. We will finally be complete
G. And it is all because that first Christmas was perfect – complete – just what this entire world needed!
Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church
Ireland