The Substance

In this part of the sermon: He reviews previous sermons on the centrality and setting of the atonement, using the archery target analogy, and introduces the current topic: the 'substance' or essential part…

The atonement is likened to the bullseye of an archery target, with concentric circles representing other biblical truths (God's character, salvation, person of Christ, royal priesthood) that provide its setting. This helps visualize the centrality and interconnectedness of the atonement.

We come this morning to our third study of this glorious and profound truth of the atonement made by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In our initial study of this doctrine, I attempted to set before you the centrality of the atonement, the atonement in biblical revelation. Our study on that occasion led us to the conviction that the doctrine of the atonement is nothing less than the center of gravity in the teaching of the entire word of God. In our meditation yesterday morning, we addressed the subject of the setting of the atonement in biblical revelation. And I suggested that the analogy ...

2:47 - 4:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He meticulously defines 'substitutionary' using the analogy of a substitute teacher or player, emphasizing that Christ acted 'in the stead' or 'in the place of' sinners.

The common experience of a substitute teacher or a substitute player in sports is used to explain the meaning of 'substitutionary' – acting 'in the place of' or 'in the stead of' another. This makes the abstract theological concept concrete and relatable.

What do I mean by the use of the word. Substitutionary. The most frequently used synonym is vicarious. But we don't use.

21:31 - 21:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He connects the concept of substitution to the Old Testament Levitical sacrificial system, particularly the sin offering and the Day of Atonement, as a divine object lesson in…

The Old Covenant practice of bringing a lamb for a sin offering, laying hands on it, and its subsequent death and consumption by fire, illustrates the principle of substitutionary curse-bearing. It shows the transfer of guilt and the bearing of God's wrath by an innocent victim.

This is the pulse beat of the biblical doctrine of atonement. Surely, this was the central reality conveyed in the whole Levitical system. When you came as a worshiper in the old covenant and you desired to bring a sin offering, you had to take a lamb, not from your neighbor's flock, but from your own flock. Something that, in a sense, was a part of you.

32:22 - 32:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But now I've said it was substitutionary curse bearing. And what do I mean by those words?

The ritual of the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement, where the high priest laid hands on it and pronounced the sins of the people before it was driven into the wilderness, further underscores the principle of strict substitution and the removal of sin.

I deserve the consuming fire of God's wrath. My lamb, my pigeon, my dove, dies the death of brutality with its head wrung off or its throat slit. It is now consumed by the fire of God upon his altar in priestly presentation. And surely that came to its apex in the day of atonement when the entire nation, as it were, held its breath while the hands of the high priest were placed upon the scapegoat.

34:36 - 35:16 Read in full sermon

Driving home: that cup was full of the unleashed fury of Almighty God God of burning holiness God of inflexible justice the stuff of which that cup was made was these very attributes of God

The 'cup' Christ dreaded in Gethsemane is described as being full of 'the unleashed fury of Almighty God,' representing God's burning holiness and inflexible justice dealing with sin without mercy. This explains Christ's intense agony and the 'volcanic eruption' of His human will.

If we never see beyond the terrible kiss of betrayal of Judas if we never see beyond the sham puppet court before the heathen and before the religious leaders if we never see beyond the touching at some points and at other points provoking scenes of the spittle upon His holy face the mock coronation with the purple robe and the crown of thorns my dear people if we never see beyond Roman soldiers and foul spittle upon His beard if we never see beyond the nails which impaled Him and the ropes which probably held Him if we never see beyond the things we have never understood the heart of the cros...

44:24 - 45:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: that cup was full of the unleashed fury of Almighty God God of burning holiness God of inflexible justice the stuff of which that cup was made was these very attributes of God

Martin quotes Hugh Martin's observation that from Gethsemane to Golgotha, Jesus appeared outwardly as a 'guilty condemned felon.' This illustrates how God engineered visible events to demonstrate the invisible spiritual reality of Christ bearing the charge of our sins.

exactly what it will mean for you if you die impenitent it meant the full fury of the wrath of God drunk into the depths of the soul the felt horror of abandonment the felt pain of utter rejection by God no wonder He cried if it be possible let this cup pass for in the language of the hymn writer death and the curse were in our cup O Christ t'was full for thee you see unless you understand that the heart of the atonement is substitutionary curse bearing Gethsemane is a mystery that has no answer and surely as Hugh Martin has so perceptibly and beautifully penned in his book the shadow of Calva...

48:46 - 50:12 Read in full sermon

Driving home: this is My attitude to sin for if ever God would be lenient to sin surely surely when His own beloved Son is bearing the sin and follow Jesus was never more loved of the Father than when He was most cursed

The darkness at noon during the crucifixion is described as God stretching an 'inky black cloth' or 'curtain' across the sky, signifying that behind this veil, in the court of heaven, God was dealing with Christ as the sin-bearer, pouring out His wrath.

God had charged Him with our sins He with the charge and the imputation and layings He bore His cross laid in with our sins He was impaled upon the cross laid in with our sins He was lifted up upon the cross then as though God is determined to get the message through He does one more thing He takes an inky black cloth an inky black curtain and He stretches it from the eastern to the western horizon and at noonday He plunges the entire world in a darkness like the darkness of Egypt that could be felt why? because the other side of that inky black veil the court of heaven is set the books are op...

53:08 - 54:36 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the priestly dimension of the atonement, explaining that Christ was not only the victim but also the High Priest who actively and voluntarily offered Himself…

The account of Jesus' arrest, where the soldiers fell to the ground when He said 'I am he,' illustrates that Christ was not bound by their cords but by His own voluntary will, emphasizing His active role as both offerer and offering.

but repair by its light the wonder that all that he did was voluntary when he prayed in Gethsemane not my will but thine be done he didn't mean thy will be done upon me he meant thy will be done by me and you know how he confirmed that when they came forth to take him you remember what they said who's Jesus where's Jesus he said I am he and what happened the soldiers fell to the ground Jesus as it were pulled back the veil of who he was just a moment of time and he was saying in essence if you come to apprehend me I'll tell you who I am I can strike you to the ground with a word I am he and th...

66:06 - 67:34 Read in full sermon