Grace Baptist Church, Nokomis, IL.

Text:

I would like to attempt to answer two questions. 1) How was it possible for Jesus to die in behalf of our sins? 2) How can Christ’s temporal suffering equal the eternal suffering that we deserve?

“For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:24-28)

The Israelites in the Old Testament were commanded in the Law to offer animal sacrifices. These sacrifices did not forgive sins. They pointed to Christ, who would forgive sins.

How can the death of Jesus pay the price for my sins? Christ appeals to God the Father for each person (v. 24). It’s not automatic. Each person must accept Christ’s appeal to God and claim Christ’s death for themselves.

How can Christ’s temporal suffering equal the eternal suffering that we deserve? We should note that the amount of suffering doesn’t have to be equal. Eternal suffering is the price we pay for sin. But Christ is the perfect Lamb of God (1 Peter 2:22). He never sinned. The fact that He died at all was a sufficient sacrifice.

But this raises another question: if Jesus merely had to die, why did He have to suffer to the extent that He did? God would not allow sin to go unpunished. The suffering and death of Christ satisfied the wrath of God.

Christ died once for all who would trust in Him, satisfying the wrath of God (v. 25-26). All of the sacrifices offered by the Israelites pointed to this one sacrifice. Christ is no longer suffering for our sins. He died once. The price has been paid.

We will all one day die (v. 27), unless Christ returns shortly. Life is short, and eternity is long. A judgment awaits all of us. We don’t know when, but Christ is coming back (v. 28). The first time He came, He came to deal with sin. When He returns, it will be for the joy and salvation of all who are eagerly waiting for Him.

There is a crucial word that we might miss unless we read the passage carefully. Jesus bore the sins of “many” (v. 28). He died for the world, but He only bore the sins of many. Did He bear your sins on the cross? It’s not something you have to wonder about. You can know that He bore your sins if you would only trust Him as your Savior and Lord.