Let me invite you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and to the words that we have in verse 21.
! That's where we land this evening. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21.
!
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness.
Of God.
There are multiple ways in which your life and my life and our experience in this world overlaps with the experience that Jesus would have had when he walked upon this earth.
So for instance we could say that Jesus like we do experienced the variety of changes in weather.
He knew what it was to face a cold biting wind chill.
He knew what it was to experience the sun beaten down upon him.
And all the variety of weather types in between.
Our Lord when he walked on this earth would have experienced the various different weather issues that we would have had.
In the community that he lived he would have heard the music and he would have seen the various dances of his day.
He made reference to that with regard to the children in the Gospels.
He knew what it was to experience travel.
Living in the north of the country.
Heading down to Jerusalem for the feast occasions that God in his mercy provided for his people.
When they could celebrate together God's goodness in the past.
Jesus knew what it was to travel.
But of course his travel itinerary was wider than simply the feasts.
Because Jesus was traveling in two different places to share the message that he had.
So he experienced travel just as you and I did.
And the likelihood is as well that Jesus knew what it was to have to work to provide.
We surmise because of what we know of the customs of that day.
That it was commonplace that if there was a particular trade that was associated with the head of that house.
That the family would follow in that trade.
Especially the elder children within that family.
So it's highly likely that Jesus followed in the trade of Joseph who was a carpenter.
So Jesus knew what it was to have to work.
So if we talk about the weather.
Or if we talk about music.
Or if we talk about dancing.
Or if we talk about travel.
If we talk about work.
Well Jesus understood that.
Jesus met introverts.
And he met extroverts.
Just like we meet introverts.
And we meet extroverts.
He would have interacted as we know in the gospels.
With young and with old.
Just like ourselves.
On the one hand.
He would have seen raw.
Nauseating hypocrisy.
And he would also have seen.
Selfless acts.
Of loving service.
He would have witnessed these things unfolding.
Perhaps we don't tend to think of our saviour in this way.
But it's highly likely that there were certain foods.
That he preferred over others.
He had a human frame.
Like you and I.
There's nothing to suggest that he wouldn't have had certain foods.
That he preferred over others.
That there would have been times.
That he would have no doubt overheard arguments.
There would have been other occasions in life.
When he would have been confronted with.
Even things like.
Falling and cutting his knee as a toddler.
Or facing illness.
In different parts of his life.
Now the reason I mention illness.
Is because illness brings a particular.
Type of questioning.
Into our experience.
When we go through.
A short illness.
Or whether we're in a protracted illness.
One of the things that the enemy of our souls does.
Is that he begins to sow seeds of doubt.
With regard to the goodness of God.
Has God really love and care.
And is he really committed to us.
In the way he says he is.
Because after all.
We're going through what we're going through.
Now theologically.
There's.
He could drive a bus through the argument there.
But that's what Satan does.
And so when it tells us in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15.
That Jesus was tempted in every way.
Like we are tempted.
And we are tempted to question the goodness of God.
When we go through difficulties.
Then the implication would be.
That at some point Jesus must have experienced.
Certain insinuations as well.
Coming from various things like having to navigate illness.
And so.
Jesus.
His experience.
And our experience.
The overlap.
Let's turn back to Joseph for a second.
We don't have any reference to.
Mary's husband Joseph.
After the birth narratives.
And the assumption is that.
Joseph had passed away.
Before Jesus' public ministry.
Had began.
And so therefore Jesus.
Knows what it is to be part of a family.
That experiences bereavement.
That then changes.
The roles.
Of individuals.
Within that family.
With others.
Therefore having to take.
Positions of leadership.
And accountability.
That he is the first born.
In that family.
That he would have had.
And so.
When we.
When we list all these things.
We can realize.
Why.
It tells us in Hebrews.
That he was.
He was tempted in every way.
Like we are.
But that he was also.
That he is this.
He is this sympathetic high priest.
Because he does understand.
He understands the challenges.
That you face.
That I face.
Either individually.
Or corporately.
He understands.
And when we come to him.
As our great high priest.
In prayer.
There's that sense of.
Of sympathy.
That comes out.
From the heart.
Of our saviour.
Because of what we're going through.
So there's much.
Of our existence.
That overlaps.
With the existence.
That our saviour would have had.
But there's also much.
Of our existence.
That does not.
Overlap.
With the existence.
Of our saviour.
There's certain things.
That Jesus.
Had and did.
That we cannot.
Really.
Relate to.
From the inside.
So we mentioned some of these.
Last evening.
In the sense that.
We do not have.
That unique power.
That only he possessed.
Therefore it's unique.
But that power.
To speak into death.
And for death.
To release.
From its grip.
Those.
Who had breathed.
Their last breath.
Or power.
To speak to the.
Natural elements.
So that they recognise.
The voice of their creator.
And they obey.
Instantly.
Or the power.
To deal with disease.
And to drive disease.
Or demonic possession.
Out.
The power.
To declare.
Someone forgiven.
We.
We do not have that power.
And we can't really.
Enter into.
What that power.
Is actually like.
We similarly.
Didn't have.
The authority.
That Jesus had.
When Jesus spoke.
At the end of.
Of the Sermon on the Mount.
Which is.
A remarkable.
Explanation.
Of how Jesus.
Expects his people.
To live.
A kingdom life.
In a fallen world.
It says.
Those who heard him.
They were amazed.
Why were they amazed?
Because of the authority.
By which he spoke.
Nobody's ever spoken.
Like this guy.
Nobody says that about you.
Nobody says that about me.
Nor should they.
But Jesus had a power.
And he had an authority.
And he had a knowledge.
That we can't really relate to.
Because when he's.
Confronted with his enemies.
And.
And Jesus.
Having.
Having declared.
The sins of this man.
Who's dropped down.
In front of them.
Forgiven.
Jesus.
Reads what's in the minds.
Of his enemies.
And he answers their.
Issues.
Before they even articulate.
Their issues.
And on a number of occasions.
It's made clear.
That Jesus had this knowledge.
That obviously we.
Do not have.
And of course.
We can take this.
A couple of steps further.
Because our life.
And Jesus' life.
They don't overlap.
Because Jesus' motives.
We're perfectly pure.
And even the good things.
That we do.
Are not perfectly pure.
Because there's that little something.
In the back of our minds.
Wondering if.
Somebody somewhere.
Is going to recognize.
What we did.
Or.
It's going to be noted.
In some particular way.
See our motives.
Even when we are.
Engaged in the highest of activities.
Can be so compromised.
Not with Jesus.
His motives were pure.
And true.
Why?
Because he was living.
A sinless.
Life.
And if we think.
Well it's hard for us.
To compute.
His power.
And his.
And his authority.
And his.
And his knowledge.
And his motives.
Well it's even harder.
For us to compute.
What a sinless.
Life.
Jesus lived.
And yet.
There is.
So much.
To be gained.
For us.
By actually.
Coming out of gear.
And switching off.
The ignition.
And staying in this position.
Where we think for.
A few minutes.
This evening.
About the unique.
Sinlessness.
Of Jesus Christ.
And how that.
Impacts.
Your life.
And how that.
Impacts.
My life.
And how that.
Has changed.
The very world.
And so therefore.
That's why we are landing.
In.
2 Corinthians 5.
Because it talks there.
About the.
The one.
He.
He was made.
To be sin.
The one.
Who knew no sin.
Let's.
Ground.
What we're saying.
In its context.
These words.
Are speaking.
About a peace.
Process.
There are.
Warring parties.
The.
Warring parties.
Is the.
Broken.
Rebellious.
Sinful.
Human race.
And a pure.
And holy.
God.
The reconciliation.
Process.
Has.
At its.
Crux.
The work.
That will be undertaken.
At the cross.
Of.
Calvary.
That there will be.
A.
Transformation.
In.
Status.
From those.
Who are.
Who began.
That peace.
Process.
As enemies.
Of God.
Will now.
Become.
Part of the.
Family.
Of God.
There's going to be.
A transformation.
In status.
Because of this.
Peace process.
Which.
Concentrates.
Upon.
The reconciliation.
Work.
That Jesus.
Would secure.
At the cross.
Of Calvary.
So that's what this whole section.
Is talking about.
And it's.
It's talking about.
How this.
Peace process.
Is secured.
Because.
Status.
Change.
And the first.
Status.
That we're going to be.
Thinking about here.
As we become.
New creations.
Is as we think of.
The status.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is the one.
Who.
For 33 years.
Had one.
Status.
That is.
Sinless.
Described here.
As the one.
Who knew.
No.
Sin.
He was.
Holy.
Without.
Sin.
No.
Wrongdoing.
No.
Failing.
No.
Flaw.
Sin.
Had no.
Hold.
On him.
In any way.
In that sense.
There was nothing.
In his attitudes.
Or in his motives.
Or in his words.
Or in his actions.
That in any way.
Could be described.
As sinful.
He was in that sense.
Impeccable.
That's not to suggest.
However.
That.
That Jesus.
Didn't experience.
Temptation.
He did.
And.
Sometimes.
That temptation.
Was subtle.
Sometimes.
It was violent.
Sometimes.
It was momentary.
On other occasions.
It lasted for.
Upwards of.
Of 40 days.
He.
Even though.
He was.
Sinless.
That didn't mean.
That the temptations.
In that sense.
Were not.
In any way.
Problematic.
Well.
They were.
He was.
Tempted.
In.
In every way.
And.
The.
The fact that he was able.
To withstand.
Temptation.
Didn't mean.
That the temptation.
Actually.
Became less.
As time went on.
But actually.
The more.
He withstood.
Temptation.
Then the greater.
The temptations.
Would actually be.
I mean.
Can you imagine.
Some of what Satan.
Must have thrown.
At him.
When he's on the cross.
And the.
The sheer agonies.
Of what.
He's going through.
Physically.
And he's crying out.
In the darkness.
Because that cloud.
Has descended.
In his soul.
As well as.
Physically.
With the darkness.
Because that cloud.
Has descended.
And he cannot feel.
The felt.
The awareness.
Of his father there.
And he's crying out.
My God.
Why have you forsaken me?
And Satan's going.
Exactly.
He has forsaken you.
You're nothing to him now.
Really.
I mean.
You don't have to stay on that cross now.
You're nothing to him now.
There's nothing.
There's nothing for you to be gained.
By staying on that cross.
He's turned his back on you.
It's only fair.
That you turn your back on him.
Really.
Enough.
You've done this for 33 years.
Come on.
Come down off that cross.
You know.
So.
On one direction.
It comes in that.
And then the other direction is.
You know.
Do you remember.
I offered you the kingdoms of the world.
And you said no.
And now look at you.
And so you can imagine.
The variety of insinuation.
And attack.
That Satan.
Would have.
Thrown.
At the Savior.
Throughout his ministry.
In different ways.
In different times.
In different places.
And yet.
When we.
When we drill a little bit deeper.
Into what the Bible teaches us.
It tells us that Jesus was free.
From actual sin.
That means.
That there was never an occasion.
Where Jesus.
Felt.
Guilt.
Over something he said.
Or did.
Or thought.
Or didn't say.
Didn't do.
Or didn't think.
There was never an occasion.
Where Jesus.
Had to.
Repent.
And to come.
And ask for.
Any personal.
Forgiveness.
From his father.
For what he did.
Or didn't do.
Either sins of omission.
Or commission.
There was never an occasion.
There was never any.
Actual.
Sin.
That Jesus.
Committed.
At any point.
Sin.
And there was no.
Inherited.
Sin.
Either.
Because you and I.
Sin.
In two ways.
We sin.
By nature.
And we sin.
By practice.
If there was no.
Practical.
Sin.
On the part of the Savior.
Well.
Was there any.
Natural sin.
That was.
Somehow.
Within this.
The orbit.
Of our Savior.
That Satan.
Could somehow.
Capitalize on.
And the answer.
Is no.
Because.
When he was.
Conceived.
In the womb.
Of the Virgin Mary.
We're told.
Specifically.
That the Holy Spirit.
Overshadowed her.
Ensuring.
That there was.
None of Mary's.
Original sin.
Transmitted.
To Jesus.
Because.
There was nothing.
Within.
Jesus.
That was.
Sinful.
That Satan.
Could somehow.
Exploit.
And I see this.
Because there are.
Within every single.
One of us.
Things that Satan.
Exploits.
And whether it is.
Pride.
Or whether it is.
Our lust.
Or.
Whether it is.
Our selfishness.
Or whatever it might be.
It's in there.
And it's.
And it's in there.
Because.
We've got.
Inherited sin.
It's why.
It's why we don't sit.
Our toddlers down.
And tell little Johnny.
When he's.
He's reached the age of two.
Johnny.
It's now.
Time for me to tell you.
How to lie.
It's now time for me.
To explain to you.
That you really do.
Need to throw a strop.
If you don't get your way.
We don't need to tell.
A toddler that.
Do we?
Because it's already in them.
But not with Jesus.
Because there was nothing.
That Satan could somehow.
Capitalize on.
Within the character.
Of our savior.
So when Jesus said.
In.
In the gospels.
In John chapter 8.
Verse.
46.
When he's been.
Assaulted by his enemies again.
And he says.
Can any of you prove me.
Of sin.
Or convict me.
Of any sin.
Silence.
How his enemies.
Would have dearly loved.
To be able to see.
Well actually.
Do you remember that day?
Oh we saw.
We saw your reaction.
But there was silence.
Because his enemies.
Couldn't.
Convict him.
Of sin.
But more impressively.
His friends.
Couldn't.
Convict him.
Of any sin.
More impressively still.
His family.
Couldn't.
Convict him.
Of any.
Sin.
Because the people.
Who know us.
The best.
They see us.
At our worst.
And worthy.
To itemize.
All the things.
That they see.
That other people.
Don't see.
Well that list.
Would be long.
And it would be very.
Uncomfortable.
Wouldn't it?
But there's.
No occasion.
That Mary.
Is pinpointing.
Any sin.
On the part.
Of Jesus.
So we think.
Of Jesus's friends.
Think of those.
Who are close to him.
Let me give you.
Two examples.
Let's think.
First of all.
Of Peter.
And of course.
Peter's there.
We mentioned it.
Last evening.
Front row view.
For what.
The miraculous.
Wonderful.
Impact.
That Jesus.
Was having.
The words.
Of God.
Were flowing.
From his lips.
The power.
Of God.
Was.
Was making whole.
What was broken.
He.
He saw Jesus.
In public.
And he saw Jesus.
In private.
And he saw Jesus.
Teach.
And he saw Jesus.
Correct.
He was on the end.
Of Jesus's.
Rebuke.
He saw.
He saw all this.
With Jesus.
Over the course.
Of three years.
And there was.
There was nothing.
To register.
In Peter.
That he could.
Somehow go back.
And think.
Well yes.
There was an afternoon.
One March.
When.
When things.
Didn't work out.
The way they should.
There was nothing.
There was.
There was no.
Opportunity there.
Where Jesus's words.
Were more cutting.
Than there should have been.
Or whether his.
His tone was.
Superior.
Or whether.
Whether his attitude.
Was.
Was somehow veered.
Into the self-righteous category.
There was never an occasion.
So later on.
When Peter.
Writes about Jesus.
How does he describe him?
He describes him.
As a lamb.
Without spot.
Or blemish.
Just nothing.
Negative.
About him.
And even if we sat.
Peter down.
And said.
Well Peter.
Well how about Jesus's.
Interaction with Judas.
Come on.
You must have picked up something.
There must have been something.
In the things that he said.
Or the way he said them.
And Peter would turn around.
Like the rest of the disciples.
And say.
There was absolutely nothing.
At all.
To indicate.
That Judas.
Was going to be treated.
Any differently.
By Jesus.
Peter.
Front row view.
He's a lamb.
Without spot.
Or blemish.
Well what about John.
Well John's perhaps.
Even closer to Jesus.
Isn't he?
The disciple.
The beloved disciple.
The one who leaned back on him.
That final evening.
That he was with his disciples.
And John is quite clear.
In his letters.
If anyone claims to be without sin.
Well they're deceiving themselves.
But he doesn't include Jesus.
In that category.
Because when John describes Jesus.
He describes the one.
In whom there is no sin.
There is no defect.
There is no excess.
There is nothing there.
That could ever come into the category of sin.
So his family.
Couldn't pinpoint any sin.
His enemies.
Couldn't pinpoint any sin.
His friends who saw him.
When nobody else was seeing him.
On the road for that three years.
They couldn't pinpoint him.
With any sin.
And you see.
That's why we struggle.
Isn't it?
Because.
Because when it comes to.
To our relationship with God.
Well.
Our human response is that there is.
That there's a reluctance to obey God.
And there's almost a resentment.
About the claims that God has upon our lives.
Until we realize that actually.
Our maker knows exactly what's best for us.
And submitting humbly.
And asking for his mercies.
Is the wisest course of action.
But by nature.
We're not at that place.
There is that.
That sense of reluctance.
And that sense of resentment.
But not with Jesus.
Because.
To do.
Your will.
As he speaks to his heavenly father.
I take delight.
So he has lived this.
Perfectly.
Sinless.
Experience.
He knew no sin.
So the obvious question.
The obvious question.
Why on earth.
Does he want to have anything to do with me.
Or with you.
He is perfectly sinless.
So why would he want to have anything to do with me.
Or to do with you.
For 33 years he had that status.
And then that status changed.
For our sake.
God made him.
To be.
Sin.
God made him.
To be sin.
At Calvary.
Everything.
Changed.
At Calvary.
On behalf of his people.
On behalf of his universal.
Worldwide.
Church.
Throughout the ages.
He is the one.
Who is taking.
Our liabilities.
And our debts.
And our spiritual dimension.
To himself.
And he is going to pay them for us.
As somebody put it.
He has placed himself.
Into that relationship.
With the law of God.
In which we.
Stood.
He put himself.
Into that relationship.
With the law of God.
Into which we stood.
And we were.
Lawbreakers.
He.
As a sinless one.
Is voluntarily.
Putting himself.
Into that position.
Where he is.
Identifying.
With sin.
He is.
Becoming.
Sin.
Taking.
To himself.
Everything.
That was liable.
To us.
For our punishment.
Because.
Of our reluctance.
And our.
Resentment.
Of God's word.
And God's ways.
And claim upon.
Our lives.
Galatians 3.
Will tell us.
As we know.
That.
He will become.
Sin.
Because he becomes sin.
He becomes.
A curse.
Cross.
And so.
On that cross.
He is.
Cursed.
He is.
Banished.
He is.
Dealt with.
As.
The greatest.
Sinner.
And so.
We have.
The greatest.
Contrast.
That can ever be.
It's quite something.
When you see.
Different contrasts.
In color.
And we see.
Different contrasts.
In behavior.
And in results.
And a whole host.
Of things.
In life.
But actually.
The greatest.
Contrast.
In this world.
Is Calvary.
Because.
You have.
The sinless.
Eternal.
Son.
Taking to himself.
Our sin.
And becoming.
Soaked.
In it.
Drenched.
By it.
Absorbed.
So that when the father.
Is looking at the son.
He is seeing.
Sin.
Because.
The sin.
Of the people.
Of God.
Is being.
Concentrated.
In one time.
And one space.
And one person.
At Calvary.
And.
I may have used this.
Illustration before.
Well.
I know I have in other places.
I'm not sure about here.
Maybe some of you.
In your.
Younger days.
On a hot.
Sunny.
Summer.
They were.
Maybe hotter.
And sunnier.
Back in the day.
But you know.
That you could do certain things.
With a magnifying glass.
Conscious.
There's young folks in here.
I don't want to be giving you bad ideas.
But magnifying glass.
If it's really strong.
Sunny day.
You can take a magnifying glass.
And you can.
You can tilt it.
Towards the sun.
And if you have a piece of paper.
You can.
Make sure.
That.
What.
That.
What comes through.
The magnifying glass.
Lands as a dot.
On that piece of paper.
Depending on the strength of the sun.
That.
That piece of paper.
White piece of paper.
Will turn brown.
Again.
Depending on the strength of the sun.
It'll eventually start.
Smoking.
And.
Fire.
Can come from it.
And so.
You know.
Over the years.
There's been.
Many.
Heath fires.
Over the.
Throughout the country.
That's been started by broken glass.
Sun reflecting on it.
Heating up.
And then fire.
But what's.
What are we actually doing.
With the magnifying glass.
And the dot.
Well.
You're.
You're capturing to an extent.
The vastness.
Of the power of the sun.
And it's been concentrated down.
Onto one spot.
No analogy works perfectly.
When we think of Calvary.
But you have the vastness.
Of the sin.
Of the people of God.
Concentrated down.
On one spot.
On one.
Sinless.
Perfect.
Person.
So that sin.
Is being dealt with.
Once and for all.
Because you see.
For our salvation.
Bethlehem.
And it's good news.
Of great joy.
For all people.
Is not enough.
You see.
For our salvation.
Gethsemane.
And.
Your will.
Not my will.
Be done.
Is not enough.
There needs to be.
A Passover lamb.
Who will be slain.
Who will take away.
The sin of the world.
There needs to be.
A scapegoat.
Upon whom.
The sins of the people.
Will be placed.
And that scapegoat.
Is laid out.
And laid away.
Into that wilderness.
He is to become.
Like us.
So that we might become.
Like him.
And so his.
State is changed.
Where he becomes.
Reckoned.
And charged.
And prosecuted.
And punished.
For your sin.
And for my sin.
But think of it this way.
It's not simply.
Your personal sin.
That the saviour.
Is.
Is having to.
Deal with the consequences of.
It's the person beside you as well.
And the person beside them.
And the person in front of you.
And the person behind you.
And the people from the previous generations.
And the people from the.
On the far side of the.
Of the earth.
And different.
Of different countries.
And the people through.
Through the generations of history.
Past and history to come.
And so.
And so it would be.
And will be.
Genuinely terrifying.
For any individual.
To face.
The wrath of God.
For their sin.
If any of us.
Die outside of Christ.
On that final day of judgment.
We will have to answer.
For our sin.
He answered.
For more.
Than just.
One person's sin.
He answered.
For the sin of his people.
So that's why Martin Luther.
Back at the referendum.
He described Jesus.
As the greatest sinner.
As the greatest thief.
As the greatest adulterer.
As the greatest liar.
That ever was.
Because the sins.
Of his people.
Were being placed.
Upon him.
So whatever that springs to mind.
In your head.
Whether it is.
Is lust.
Or hatred.
Or impure motives.
Or pride.
Or jealousy.
Or whatever else it might be.
All of that is.
Is dripping.
Of the saviour.
The spotless.
Sinless saviour.
Who's now dripping.
In our.
Sin.
So that we.
Might be.
Able to be.
Able to be at peace.
With the God.
He made us.
And the God.
That we had rebelled.
And rejected.
And ignored.
In the world.
He created.
And so.
The status.
Of our saviour.
Changed.
Uniquely.
Sinless.
Actually became.
Uniquely.
Sin filled.
Didn't he?
Upon that cross.
So that.
The penalty.
For your sin.
And my sin.
Has been dealt with.
So with that in mind.
Therefore.
What applications.
Can we take.
From.
A passage.
Like this.
And there's.
I think.
Two.
The first.
Is this.
That.
Because.
His status.
Changed.
Our status.
Changed.
He became like us.
So that we might become.
Like him.
So the passage says.
For.
For our sake.
He was made to be sin.
Who had no sin.
So that we might become.
The righteousness of God.
This great transaction.
Takes place.
Our sin.
Goes to him.
His perfection.
And righteousness.
Comes to us.
Our status.
Has been.
Changed.
And.
If we.
Drill a little deeper.
As to what that means.
That means.
When we come into.
A living relationship.
With Jesus Christ.
Then we are.
We are justified.
That we are.
Being sanctified.
And there is this.
Definitive.
Status.
Change.
In our lives.
Which means.
That.
On our most.
Faithful.
Days.
We are.
As accepted.
Before our Savior.
As on.
On the days.
That our faithfulness.
Is really.
To be questioned.
Because just as we.
Did not.
Secure our salvation.
We also cannot.
Scupper our salvation.
Because.
If it is based.
On the person.
And work.
Of Jesus Christ.
He who has begun.
That work.
He will continue.
That work.
Now that's not a license.
For just doing.
What we want.
That's not a license.
for somehow thinking we can dilute our daily interaction with our Savior.
That's not a license to say we don't need to pray and speak to our Lord
and we don't need to hear what he has to say to us in our word.
No, it's actually the complete opposite.
It's the complete opposite.
Because it is the motivation that we have to live for our Savior
because our status has been changed and it won't be changed again.
And so we are safe and we are secure with all of our frailties,
with all of our ability to let our Savior down,
all of our sin, past, present and future, absorbed by the Savior,
dealt with on the cross so that your status is secure.
So that therefore means for any who have this fear in the back of their mind
that's preventing you from doing what the Lord's asked you to do
and remember his death in a particular way,
by taking bread and taking wine,
acknowledging yourself, professing yourself to be part of the people of God.
Anyone who's got that nagging fear at the back of their head,
but what if I mess up?
But what if I can't keep it up?
What if I...
And there's a whole host of things.
And guess what?
You're going to mess up.
And there's going to be times that you really are not going to be living the way you should be living.
And there's going to be times, as disappointing as it is,
that you will let your Savior down.
But it's not about what you can do.
It's about what he has done for you.
And if your status has been changed because you have experienced the wonderful saving power of Jesus,
then take your place with his people in obedience to his word
and remember how the sinless one became sin for you.
So your status has been changed in Christ and it's not going to be changed again.
Praise God.
And the second application comes along the lines of the context that we have here.
In the light of our status being changed, then we are now ambassadors, aren't we?
You'll have picked up that phrase, that word, in a number of different ways throughout this passage,
that we're those who are making our appeal.
We are those who are going out in his name.
We are ambassadors for Christ in that sense.
And what does an ambassador do?
Well, an ambassador is sent by the home nation to a foreign nation, to a different land.
Sometimes to a people who speak a different language,
to a people who certainly have a different culture,
have a different, perhaps, tradition, have a different outlook.
And they are to be in that foreign land, as it were,
to represent the interests of the homeland.
And to make sure that in every opportunity that is given to them,
that the standards, everything about the homeland that makes it so precious
is communicated to the people of the land to whom that they are an ambassador in.
And so that's what we are.
We are ambassadors, aren't we?
We're ambassadors for Jesus.
We're ambassadors for the one who was and had lived that sinless, perfect life
that alone qualified him to become that sacrificial death on the cross in our place.
We are his ambassadors.
And we're living in a world that's got different standards
and different outlook and a different culture.
And so we're in this world, but we don't belong to this world
because we're ambassadors of Christ.
And we are telling people, we're telling people that there is hope.
We're telling people there's a peace process.
We're telling people that everything that they are searching for,
that they've been seeking for, they've been looking for,
they're actually only going to find ultimately in Jesus.
And we're going to tell them that there is an urgency.
There's an urgency to become part of this peace process
and to benefit from it.
Because the urgency is, we don't know what happens tomorrow.
We don't even know what happens tonight.
Because the urgency is now, tonight, right now.
It's the day of salvation.
And so as ambassadors of Christ, we tell of the wonder and beauty
of the uniquely sinless Savior who took our sin
and absorbed it and paid for it
so that we forevermore will have a status that has been changed by him.
Amen.
Let's pray.
Father, thank you for being able to think for a few moments this evening
about these great truths.
we realize that we are on holy ground.
We realize that we have limitations in our language
as we try to communicate what our Savior went through.
If anything was said, Father, that is inaccurate,
I pray that you would forgive.
We thank you that you have provided that peace process.
And we thank you that so many of us
have been recipients and beneficiaries of it.
And we pray that we would go in our way delighting this evening
that we are found in Christ.
Bless us, we pray.
We ask this in our Savior's name.
Amen.
Well, we're going to conclude by singing in Psalm number 32.
Singing from the Sing Psalms version of the Psalter, Psalm 32.
We're going to sing from the beginning, page 38.
Psalm 32, page 38.
We're singing from the beginning down to the end of the verse marked 6.
How blessed the one who has received forgiveness for his sin,
whose sins are covered from God's face,
whose debt is cancelled in God's grace.
There's no deceit in him.
And so on to verse 6 to the tune Arlington.
We're going to stand as we praise God.
Amen.
Our grace to the one who has received forgiveness for his sin.
Whose sins are covered from God's grace,
whose death is cancelled in God's grace.
There's no deceit in him.
When I kept silent all my bones,
With no one in dwell or night,
Beneath your hand I felt entrapped,
O day and night my strength was sound,
As in a summer crowd.
When I laid bare my sin to the guilt that lay within,
I said, O Lord, I have transgressed,
And you for me, when I confessed,
You pardoned all my sin.
So let the Lord be great too,
While you are to be found.
Surely when waves are sweeping past,
And mighty waters rising past,
You keep them safe and sound.
Until the Lord returns,
Or until he calls us home.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine on you,
And be gracious to you.
May the Lord turn his face towards you,
And grant you his peace,
And the people of God said,
Amen.