Introduction:

Hebrews 2:9-10 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (10) For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

Proposition: The Son of God became the Son of man "for the suffering of death." Amazing!

As we trace the path of our Savior from the throne of life to the tomb of death and behold him who was rich, for our sakes, becoming poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich, we cannot fathom the depths of the wonders before us. We know that every step in the path of our Redeemer’s humiliation was ordained in the eternal purpose of God.

Yonder - amazing sight! - I see

The incarnate Son of God

Expiring on the cursed tree,

And weltering in His blood.

Behold, a purple torrent run

Down from his hands and head,

The crimson tide puts out the sun;

His groans awake the dead.

The trembling earth, the darkened sky,

Proclaim the truth aloud;

And with the amazed centurion, cry,

"This is the Son of God!"

2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Galatians 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

• Was it to save my soul? I know that he did so that I might live. He suffered, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring me to God. But was there no other way for the omnipotent God to save me?

• Was all this done to demonstrate the greatness of God’s love to me? Indeed it was (Rom. 5:8; 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10).

"Could we with ink the oceans fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade, --

To write the love of God above

Would drain the oceans dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky!"

Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

1 John 3:16 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

1 John 4:9-10 "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

"Jesus, who left His throne on high,

Left the bright realms of bliss,

And came to earth to bleed and die,

Was ever love like this?"

But, surely, God could have revealed his love to me in some other way. Why did he slay his Son? What necessity was there for the Son of God to suffer and die upon the cursed tree?

This is a doctrine of utmost importance. It is the glory of the gospel and the glory of the Christian religion. It is the satisfaction of divine justice by the death of Christ the distinguishes Christianity from all other religions. Take the cross out of Christianity, take away the satisfaction of Christ by his death upon the cross, and Christianity is of no more value and benefit to the souls of men than Judaism, Islam, or Hinduism. This is a matter of paramount importance because without satisfaction for sin, there could be no salvation from it.

Hebrews 10:26-29 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (28) He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: (29) Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

1. "We see Jesus."

• The Fulness Of The Godhead (Col. 2:9).

Colossians 2:9 "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

• The Fulness Of Grace (John 1:14; Col. 1:19).

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

Colossians 1:18-19 "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell."

• The Fulness Of Redemption (Eph. 1:7).

Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

2. Who was made a little lower than the angels."

3. "For the suffering of death."

The Son of God came into this world for the purpose of suffering death! He did not come to be an earthly monarch in Jerusalem. He did not come to establish a new religion. He did not come to be a reformer, an example of morality and virtue. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became a man so that he might die in the place of men and redeem them. He came here to die because there was no other way for his people to be saved and live.

4. "Crowned with glory and honor!" (Phil. 2:8-11).

Philippians 2:8-11 "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (9) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

This statement, like all others, must be interpreted within its context and in the light of the entire Word of God. Is this a declaration that Christ died even for those for whom he refused to pray (John 17:9), for those who are not his sheep (John 10:11), for those who are vessels of wrath fitted to destruction (Rom. 9:22), for those from whom he has hidden both his works and his grace (Matt. 11:20-25)? Of course not! Does this statement mean that Christ died for those who suffer the wrath of God in hell? No! That would be a declaration that there are some for whom Christ shed his blood in vain. Such doctrine is a denial of the efficacy of his atonement, a denial of our Savior’s very divinity, and a denial of the gospel. What, then, is the meaning of this statement? "That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."

Christ died not merely as good example, or merely for the good of men, but as the Surety, in the room and place of men. However, the word "men" was added by our translators with no apparent reason, except to make the sentence read more easily. In the Greek text there simply is no word in this verse that should be translated "man." The sentence literally should be translated, "That he by the grace of God should taste death for every," or "for all," or "for every one."

• For every one of the sons he would bring to glory (v. 10).
• For every one of the brethren he is not ashamed to own (v. 11).
• For every member of the church, in the midst of which he will sing praise (v. 12).
• For every one of the children God the Father gave him to save, for whose sake he assumed flesh and blood (v. 13).
• For every one of Abraham’s seed, God’s elect, whom he took hold of to save (v. 16).

It was necessary, if God would save sinners and bring them to glory, that the Son of God must suffer in their room and stead all that the law and justice of God could demand. The Scriptures plainly declare that there was a necessity for the death of Christ (Matt. 16:21; 26:29; John 3:14).

Matthew 16:21 "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."

John 3:14-16 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

• The Decree Of God (Acts 2:23).

Acts 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."

• Christ’s Covenant Engagements (John 10:17-18).

John 10:14-18 "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."

• The Prophecies Of The Old Testament (Matt. 26:54).

• The Election Of Grace.

7. "For whom are all things and by whom are all things."

Here the Lord God is described as that One who is both the ultimate end and first cause of all things (Rom. 11:36).

All things are for him. -- He made all things for himself, for the glorifying of all the perfections of his nature (Pro. 16:4; 2 Cor. 5:18).

All things are by him. -- All things in nature, all things in providence, all things in redemption, and all things in grace are the work of God.

8. "In bringing many sons unto glory."

This is an intimation of God’s gracious designs toward his elect. Those whom Christ came to save are many, and they were already the sons of God by eternal adoption and divine predestination long before Christ came to redeem them (Gal. 4:4-6). In the covenant of grace, our God declared, "I will be their Father, and they shall be my sons and daughters."

• We were chosen to be the children of God from eternity.
• We were given power and authority to become the sons of God and given the nature of God’s sons in regeneration (John 1:12-13).
• We were openly and manifestly declared to be the sons of God when we believed by faith in Christ.

Note: Faith does not make us God’s sons. Adoption did that. Faith receives the adoption of sons and looks upon God through Christ as our Father (Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:15-16).

• The sons of God are many, a great multitude which no man can number, ten thousand times ten thousand!

• The Many Chosen Of God!
• The Many For Whom Christ Gave His Life A Ransom!
• The Many For Whom His Blood Was Shed For The Remission Of Sins!
• The Many Made Righteous By His Obedience!
• The Many For Whom Many Mansions Are Prepared In The Father’s House!

9. The Person by whom God’s elect are brought to glory is Christ, "the Captain of their salvation."

10. As the Captain of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ was "made perfect through sufferings."

That is to say, the way, the means by which our great Savior saved us and perfected, or completed his work as the Captain of our salvation, was his perfect sufferings and death as our Substitute. Apart from his sufferings for the satisfaction of justice there could have been no salvation. It is written, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered: And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Heb. 5:8-9).

Let me draw this message to a close by making these six statements. Here are six statements that simply cannot be refuted and must not be ignored.

1. All men and women by nature, since the fall of our father Adam, are sinners, alienated from God.

2. It is the will of God to save sinners. "He delighteth in mercy!"

1. Every chosen sinner must be saved (2 Thess. 2:13-14).

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

2. Every predestined son must be saved (Rom. 8:29-30).

Romans 8:28-30 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

3. Every heir of the covenant must be saved (Eph. 1:3-7).

Ephesians 1:3-7 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

4. Every child of Adam whose name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life from the foundation of the world must be saved (Rev. 13:8).

Revelation 13:8 "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

3. It is impossible for a holy and just God to save any sinner apart from the satisfaction of justice (Heb. 9:22).

Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

4. The only way the justice of God could ever be satisfied is by the substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Job 33:24; Rom. 3:24-26).

Job 33:24 "Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom."

Romans 3:24-26 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

1. The love of god the Father for his Son proves it. Would God almighty slay his darling Son, if there were any other way to save his people consistent with his justice?
2. The prayer of Christ in Gethsemane proves it (Matt. 26:39). If the salvation of his people could be accomplished by any means other than his death upon the cross, would not God the Father have granted his tormented Son the desire of his soul?

What can justice satisfy?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

What can God’s law magnify?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh, precious is the flow,

That makes me white as snow!

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

5. It is impossible for God, in his holiness, to punish any sinner for whose sins justice has been satisfied by the blood of Christ (Isa. 53:11 Romans 7:1-4) - The law has no claim upon an executed felon!

Payment God cannot twice demand,

First at my bleeding Surety’s hand,

And then again at mine!

Isaiah 53:10-11 "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (11) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."

Romans 7:1-4 "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? (2) For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. (3) So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. (4) Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."

6. Every sinner who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ has been chosen, redeemed, and called, and must be forever saved!

1. What a horrible evil sin is - Nothing but the blood of Christ could make satisfaction for it.
1. God almighty will punish sin - The death of Christ as the sinner’s Substitute demonstrates the strictness of God’s holy law.
1. Yet, there is a way open for sinners to come to God. Christ is the Way. He has made satisfaction for sin. If you trust him, if you come to God by faith in him, the Lord Jesus Christ has, by the shedding of his life’s blood at Calvary, as the sinner’s Substitute, made satisfaction for your sin!
1. Admire and adore the perfections of our God (Psa. 85:10-11).

Psalms 85:10-11 "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (11) Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven."

• Admire his love!
• Adore his mercy!
• Rejoice in his grace!
• Stand in awe of his wisdom, holiness, justice, and truth!

• Wisdom found a ransom.
• Holiness approved of it.
• Justice is satisfied with it.
• Truth proclaims it.

Amen.