The title of this week’s lesson gives us a very good question to contemplate here in this classroom today. Men have contemplated and attempted to give a logical answer to the question of why would God give such a wonderful gift as atonement to humanity when it cost Him so dearly. Jesus Christ the Son of God made the ultimate and very painful sacrifice for sinful mankind. Jesus Christ by His death saved you and me and countless other men, women and children from the everlasting flames of hell. How can we explain Jesus ultimate sacrifice for us?
Men a lot smarter than any of us in this room have a hard time explaining Jesus atonement for sinful man. One man that we often read about in the Bible who held a very exalted religious position in Jerusalem had a hard time understanding Jesus. Even with all of his spiritual training he couldn’t understand the question of why would Jesus die for us. Jesus Himself had to explain to this important member of the Sanhedrin. Members of the Sanhedrin were the ruling class of Israel. Jesus spoke with this member of the Sanhedrin who by choice had determined that he would avoid and remove himself from any type of impurity.
Pharisee’s where men who lived by a very strict religious code of conduct; they separated themselves from normal society and lived by a very strict religious code. The Pharisee Nicodemus had seen Jesus Christ perform miracles and had heard Jesus delivering His gospel message. Nicodemus believed that Jesus was truly a teacher sent from God. Nicodemus had a lot in common with the majority of us. Have you never wanted to do something, but you were too concerned about what others might think to do the right thing? Nicodemus wanted to go and learn more about Jesus. So why did Nicodemus wait until nighttime to go and speak with Jesus.
Have you ever resisted or failed to declare your Christianity, because of what you thought others might say? Nicodemus had spoken with Jesus only a short time when Nicodemus asked the question that all of humanity ask. Nicodemus asked in John 3: 9 “How can this be? ” Nicodemus was asking the same question that many of us still ask today: How can this be? John 3:2-9 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him. ”3 Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. 4 “How can someone be born when they are old? ” Nicodemus asked.
“Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born! ” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again. ‘ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. ” 9 “How can this be? Nicodemus asked. The author of our lesson tells us there are many theories concerning the subject of atonement. Of course atonement is the study of how can the death of Jesus Christ save sinners. The author spoke about his minor studies in seminary concerning the subject of atonement.
Even though the author had received a doctorate degree related to the subject of atonement; he still feels that the mystery of the saving death of Christ is still very difficult to understand. John 3:13-15 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 4 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. ” Ephesians 1:7-10 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
It is our great privilege to be accepted by God, acceptance by God implies his love for us. There is only one way that we can be made acceptable to God. Redemption has nothing to do with how good you live your life. All of those wonderful works you perform will never make you acceptable in God’s eyes. We can only find acceptance in the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on Golgotha; Jesus blood spilt that day on the cross allows for all of our guilt and stains that come from our sins to be removed. Forgiveness from and release from sin can only be found in the blood of Jesus Christ that was willingly shed for us.
Corinthians 5:21 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Have you ever listened to someone who tells you what a good person they are; and maybe they are a very good person who really does do many wonderful and good things for others? But no matter how good a person is, there is still a problem that can’t be avoided. Sin and death go together since that faithful day in the Garden of Eden when Adam foolishly listened to Eve instead of God. That was the day sin came into the world.
Romans 6:23 tells us the consequences of Adam and Eve’s failure to obey God. Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. When did you start sinning and have to start worrying about dying? Sadly for humanity, it goes all the way back to that terrible day in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:17 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. ” Ezekiel 18:20 begins by telling us some very bad news about sin and then some better news. 0a The one who sins is the one who will die. 20b The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The first words in the final sentence in Ezekiel 20 explains to us why we should be living a spiritual correctly lifestyle. The second part of that same sentence explains to us what you are going to receive if you are living a vile lifestyle. 20 The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
Is it a requirement to be free from all those sins and vices that fill so many people’s hearts, must you be sin free before you can receive the salvation that is available to us from Jesus Christ? The answer to that question is no! Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. When a sinner replaces their sin filled hardened heart with a new heart that’s filled with the love of Jesus Christ; the Holy Spirit will open that persons mind to a new understanding.
A saved person will become convicted of their sins, their shortcomings, their derelictions, their failures and the transgressions that controlled their lives. The Holy Spirit will press the message of God’s saving grace into a forgiven sinner’s heart. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
Is it as hard for you to understand, as it is for me to realize that even a sinner like myself now knows that God has found favor in even someone like me; I have been forgiven of all my sins. God has found favor in me and has forgiven me, and will one day welcome me into heaven. Can you even begin to imagine that the King of Kings the one who died for your sins is seated at the right hand of God at this very moment; and what is the King of Kings doing? Hebrews 7:25 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
We end this week’s lesson where we started, with the term atonement. Atonement in a dictionary means forgiveness, the act of remitting, reduction of severity. Atonement as used in our lesson is how the death of Jesus Christ saves sinners. There may be many theories about Christ atonement of sinners, but I think the very best explanation for atonement is found in John 3:16. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.