And again, if you have your Bibles open, we will be in that section of 1 Peter chapter 2 that Steve read for us.
We are beginning a new series called Gospel Truths and Gospel Culture.
And we're beginning with a theme of substitution.
To borrow that line from Man of Sorrows,
In my place condemned he, the Lord Jesus, stood.
And so why this series on Gospel Truth and Gospel Culture?
Well, let me begin by thinking about the largest diamond ever discovered in the world.
Perhaps you know its name. It's the Cullinan diamond.
It weighed in at some 3,106 carats.
Discovered in a mine in South Africa in 1905.
Since 1907 has been part of the Crown Jewels.
If you ever want to see it, you can go to the Tower of London.
If you ever want to touch it, you will not be allowed to.
It's far too precious.
But the wonderful thing about diamonds, so I'm told.
I've never experienced this.
But as you turn the diamond, you see its many facets.
You see it refracting the light.
However you turn it, you're going to see fresh glimpses of beauty.
And so with that in our minds,
let's think about the Gospel.
Why are we doing a series on the Gospel
and the culture that the Gospel produces?
Because it's always good for us as the people of God
to slow down and examine
the good news at the heart of our faith,
the person at the heart of our faith,
the Lord Jesus,
to let his beauty shine in our lives.
There are, for a church in every age and generation,
at least two dangers in this regard.
One, we can assume the Gospel,
in which case we will probably very quickly lose the Gospel.
We can use Gospel speak without necessarily knowing
what it is that we're talking about.
So it's good for us to slow down
so that we together understand
the wonderful reality
that is the good news of what God has done for us in Jesus.
But the other danger for us
is that there can be a disconnection
between the truth that we believe
and the lives that we live.
There can be a great difference
between what we affirm
statements of faith
with the way that we share our lives together.
And so I want us to take time
for the next few months
to think about the Gospel
and to see how that should shape
our culture, our life,
our family life together as a church.
I didn't necessarily plan this,
but during my sabbatical,
that was definitely where God led me.
Most of my thinking was about
how should the people of God
and our life together look different
because we believe Jesus is Lord.
So our aim every time that we meet
is that as Christians,
we would delight again and again
in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.
And for those of us who are here
who are not Christians,
that you would be drawn to the Lord Jesus
as you come to discover
what God in Jesus has done.
and that these Gospel truths
would more and more shape
how we share life together.
That there would be a Gospel culture
in our church.
And for us to do that,
let's go right to the heart of the Gospel.
Let's think together about substitution.
And our approach today
is going to see this great theme
largely through the eyes of Peter,
the disciple.
So Peter wrote this letter,
but it was also Peter
who provided the content
for Mark's Gospel.
So we'll dip into Mark's Gospel
a little bit
to get a sense of how Peter
understands substitution.
Our little section, I think,
gave us an insight
into why Peter is writing his letter.
New followers of Jesus
are now facing pressure from Rome.
They're facing opposition.
And so what Peter does time and again
is he brings to them,
here is what God has done for you in Jesus.
Here is the good news
that has saved you
so that,
in the case of this little section
we just read,
that as those believers
are united to Christ by faith,
they would then follow his example
and be ready to suffer
for the sake of the Lord God.
So we're going to be in this section,
18 to 25,
and I hope it will help us
answer three questions.
Three simple questions.
One, what is substitution?
Two, who is the substitute?
And three, why do we call substitution
good news?
So first, what is substitution?
And I think at this stage
it would be helpful to clarify
because I imagine most of us
if we hear the word substitute,
perhaps we will think
in terms of sport.
One player goes off,
another player comes on.
Or we might think of the classroom.
A teacher is unavailable
and so there is a substitute
who is brought in.
Or maybe you're just thinking
of your online supermarket shop.
Your product was not available
so a substitute product
is provided.
Now that gets to part of the image
but not the whole image.
It's not simply one person
taking the place of another.
In the Bible,
substitution is the idea
of one person taking the place
of another,
bearing their pain
and saving the other
from that pain.
So perhaps in modern day
it might be a better image
for us to think about
a bodyguard
jumping in front of a politician
or a president
to protect them from a bullet.
Perhaps a parent
giving their life
to save a child
from drowning.
Those noble acts
of loving self,
giving sacrifice
that we hear about.
Well the idea in Peter's mind
as he thinks about substitution
is drawn from
the Old Testament.
And that system of sacrifices
given by God
always intended
to point to something greater.
To point to the reality
that in God's perfect timing
he would send
his own son Jesus
to be our substitute
to die as a sacrifice
so that you and I
by trusting in him
might know salvation.
So we can see this
if you look at your Bibles
in for example
verse 24
Peter speaks of Jesus
and he says
he himself
bore our sins
in his body.
A sacrifice language.
We can also see
it in the quotations
from Isaiah 53.
He committed no sin
and no deceit
was found in his mouth
by his wounds
you have been healed.
We can also see it
in 1 Peter chapter 1
and verse 18.
For you know
it was not with
perishable things
such as silver or gold
that you were redeemed
but with the precious
blood of Christ.
When Peter thinks
about Jesus
the substitute
he thinks of that
sacrificial work
fulfilled by Jesus.
So
let's think about that
together.
So every time
an Old Testament
worshipper
went to the temple
with a guilt offering
or a sin offering
a few things would happen.
They would bring
an animal
with them
and that animal
would then
they would then
lay their hand
on the heads
of the animal
to say
my guilt
and my sin
is now being transferred
and then that animal
would be killed
and the blood
would then be sprinkled.
And so the message
in the temple
was clear.
That substitute
dies for my sin
their blood
covers my guilt
so I can be
in the presence
of a holy God.
Perhaps we can go
since we're going
in the book of Exodus
in the evenings
we can think about
the Passover event
when God's people
Israel were slaves
in Egypt
and God announced
that his judgment
was going to pass
right through
the nation
of Egypt.
But in his mercy
he said to his people
there is a way
for this judgment
to pass over you
and what was that way?
They had to take
a spotless animal
and they had to kill it
and they had to
sprinkle the blood
on the doorpost
that they lived in
and then
the judgment
would pass over.
Why?
Because a substitute
has taken their place.
And so every
Old Testament worshipper
understood this
but then
remarkably
in Isaiah 53
God reveals
there would be
a still greater substitute.
It was never
God's intention
that an animal
could be
a proper substitute
for a person.
So Isaiah 53
God reveals
that a man
would come
the servant
of the Lord
would come
the God man
would come
and he would be
the substitute.
And so we need to see
that from beginning
to end
the message
of the Christian faith
is not
Jesus is my example.
Now sometimes
where people go wrong
they think
well
Jesus gives
me a moral code
and he gives me
a set of rules
and if I try really hard
that's what Christianity
is about.
No it's not
Jesus is my example.
Christianity is
Jesus is my
substitute.
I will never
understand
the Christian faith
and its good news
until we understand that.
Now let's think
of it another way.
another way to think
about substitution.
Substitution in the Bible
is presented
as the answer
to humanity's
greatest problem.
So naturally
maybe especially
as we watch
the news
we check our
social media feeds
we perhaps
typically think
our biggest problems
lie outside of us.
And there are many
aren't they
and they are real.
The cost of living
crisis
environmental
disasters
global
conflicts
violence
on our streets
the ongoing
impact of
pandemic.
So we typically
think that the big
problems are outside
of us and the
solutions
again by nature
we think
the solutions
are within.
They're within us.
We have the ability
we have the resources
we can fix these things
we can find
the answers.
And what the Bible
does
is the Bible
humbles us
because it shows
it's the other way
around.
Because the Bible
says time and time
again the biggest
problem lies inside
of us.
It's the problem
of our sin
before God.
It's our rebellion
against Him.
It's our law breaking.
That's the problem.
It's the guilt
that we have
in the eyes
of a holy God.
It's the fact
that by nature
because of our sin
we stand separate
from God.
We are enemies
of God
and we are heading
for a lost eternity
in hell.
That's the biggest
problem
we all face.
And the solution
wonderfully
the solution
doesn't lie
inside of us
it lies
outside of us
in God
giving His Son
Jesus
to save
and to forgive
and to bring peace.
So the Bible
is clear
and Peter
is clear
the heart
of the problem
is the problem
of our human hearts
and the sin
that lies
within.
And it's so important
for us to recognize
these two realities
if we are to understand
why substitution
is good news.
It's important
we understand
first
that we are more
guilty
and sinful
than we realize
and secondly
that God
is more holy
and righteous
than we realize.
by way of
a picture
and by way
of confession
from time to time
I find myself
digging in the garden
sometimes weeding
sometimes planting
but often
maybe some of you
can relate to this
I find myself
quite lazy
when it comes time
to come back inside
forget to take the shoes off
can't be bothered
to clean my hands
and what's the result?
you find those
telltale muddy
footprints
all through the kitchen
you find the towel
that's covered
in dirt
and grime
there are smudges
everywhere
mud sticks
mud affects
everything
and it's a picture
of our own
sin
and we need to understand
that our thoughts
our words
our actions
our motives
before a holy God
are not pure and perfect
and then because
God is holy
and God is righteous
he cannot simply
sweep our sin
under the rug
he cannot turn
a blind eye to him
he can't say
never mind
you'll do better
next time
because if God
doesn't care about sin
if God does not
act righteously
then he ceases
to be who he is
the Bible says
he is a holy God
he is a just God
so he cannot be unjust
so then the question
becomes
how can God
be true to himself
how can he be both
just
and
loving
how can he
justly deal with sin
and how can he love
people like us
who are sinners
the answer
is wonderful
the answer is by
God himself
providing
a perfect
substitute
by the son
of God
coming to receive
the judgment
that we deserve
so that sinners
might receive
pardon
that's the heart
of the gospel
that's the heart
of the good news
so that's what
substitution
is
next
let's think about
who is
this substitute
so we sang
in my place
condemned
he stood
so let's
think together
who is
he
this one
who stood
condemned
in the place
of sinners
and again
this answer
though we may be
familiar with it
should
truly amaze
us
it's also
a way to help us
with the question
is it fair
so sometimes the question
is that
is it fair
that one person
should pay
for the sins
of another
and hopefully
as we think
about who is
the substitute
we'll go some way
to answering that
so who is the
substitute
according to
Peter
well look at
verse 21
we're given a title
there to this
you were called
because Christ
suffered for you
Christ is the one
in verse 24
he himself
bore our sins
so let's think
who is this
Christ
that's a title
that we find
from the Old Testament
God's promised
king
the one who
would be
anointed
given a special
role
this role
to be king
and saviour
and it's this
king
this perfect
one
who is loaded
up
with sin
condemned
at the cross
and so remember
we said at the
beginning that
Mark's gospel
records
Peter's testimony
to the life
of Jesus
and when you
read
in Mark's
gospel
you discover
so much
of Peter
telling us
about the
identity
of Jesus
so verse 1
chapter 1
verse 1
it's the good
news
his gospel
is the good
news
about Jesus
Christ
the son of
God
so who is
this Christ
he is
none other
than the
eternal
son of
God
the one
who became
truly human
to be the
king and the
saviour
the world
was waiting
for
and you go
through the
gospel
Mark
really divides
his testimony
into two
the first
eight chapters
are revealing
the glory
of Christ
so we see
his amazing
miracles
here's the
one who
heals the
sick and
stills the
storm and
even raises
the dead
he is the
one with
incredible
authority
Jesus says
that he has
the authority
to forgive
sins
that he's
lord of
the sabbath
the people
are amazed
that we never
heard teaching
like this
before
and so the
first eight
chapters
he cries
astonished
by the glory
of Jesus
in his
actions
and in his
words
but then
chapters nine
to sixteen
there's a
turn
and it's
revealed that
this same
glorious king
has come to
be the
suffering servant
spoken of
in Isaiah
53
this wonderful
king sent
by God
to be our
saviour
will die
the death
of a criminal
back to
first Peter
and three
truths about
who is
the substitute
first of all
in verse
22 and
23 we
discover that
Jesus is a
sinless
substitute
so it
begins there
he committed
no sin
all of the
actions of
Jesus are
righteous and
holy and
good
he goes on
no deceit
was found
in his
mouth
Jesus spoke
truth
every word
that came
from his
mouth
was
righteous
verse 23
when they
hurled their
insults at
him
he did not
retaliate
when he
suffered
he made
no threats
his responses
were always
perfect and
righteous
even under
the most
intense
suffering
end of
verse 23
instead
he entrusted
himself to
him who
judges
justly
Jesus
in all of
his motives
desires to
do the
will of
his father
his obedience
is perfect
and
complete
maybe you
find yourself
reading the
old testament
and ask
yourself
why is
there the
big emphasis
on these
animals that
are sacrificed
having to be
pure
the answer
is because
they're
representing
a perfect
pure and
holy
savior
so jesus
is holy
and jesus
is sinless
because he
is the
son of
god
we also
discover that
jesus
is the
sin
bearing
substitute
verse 24
can be
described in
terms of
a great
exchange
so what
happens
there
he himself
bore our
sins in
his body
on the
tree
on the
cross
so that
we might
die to
sins
and live
for
righteousness
there on
the cross
jesus
becomes
sin
with
our
sin
so that
we might
become
righteous
with his
righteousness
peter
uses
an
interesting
phrase
in verse
24
in the
newer
version
of the
niv
it
doesn't
necessarily
pick it
up
when it
says
he himself
bore our
sins in
his body
on the
cross
literally
he bore
our sins
in his
body
on the
tree
and so
again
maybe you
have the
question
why is he
talking about
the cross
as being
like a
tree
it's
because
peter
knows his
old
testament
and he
knows in
the
old
testament
that
everyone
who hung
on a
tree
was
recognized
to be
under
the
curse
of
God
and so
peter
deliberately
uses
this
language
to show
to you
and to
me
that
jesus
the
perfect
sinless
son
of
god
was
willing
to go
under
god's
curse
so that
you and
i might
know
god's
blessing
what
what we
discover
happening
at the
cross
is that
jesus
experiences
holy
anger
against
sin
from
his
father
so that
his
people
those
who
trust
in
him
never
will
third
thing
to notice
about
who
our
substitute
is
he
is
a
reconciling
substitute
look at
verse 25
for you
are like
sheep
going
astray
but now
you have
returned
to the
shepherd
and the
overseer
of your
souls
the image
in isaiah
53
god's
people
straying
into
sin
the lord
lays the
iniquity
on him
the image
of the
straying
sheep
that by
nature
left to
ourselves
we are
as people
separated
from god
we are
in
danger
we are
facing
death
in
our
sin
but
jesus
comes
as the
good
shepherd
the good
shepherd of
luke
chapter 15
who searches
for lost
sheep
in his
love and
grace
who joyfully
brings them
home
to his
father
he's the
good shepherd
who in
john
chapter 10
declares that
he knows
his sheep
and he
loves his
sheep
and he'll
lay down
his life
for his
sheep
so it's
through the
cross of
jesus and
it's through
the work of
jesus the
substitute
that you and
i as spiritual
strays
as spiritual
runaways
can be brought
home
because jesus
in his own
body takes
the sin
and guilt
that we
deserve
he pays
the price
we should
pay
and he
does that
so that
we might
be called
home
if we
will receive
him as
lord and
savior
the bible's
remarkable
message
is it's
none other
than
the god
man
who bore
the sins
and took
the place
and faced
the judgment
for his
people
romans 5
verse 8
god demonstrates
his love
for us
in this
while we
were still
sinners
christ
this christ
died for
us
maybe we
find ourselves
wrestling with
this reality
peter
who wrote
our letter
he definitely
wrestled with
this reality
he couldn't
see any way
that the cross
could be jesus
destiny or jesus
mission or
good news
jesus if you're
the king why
would you suffer
in humiliation
but after the
resurrection
then peter
understands
and then
substitution
becomes the
heart of the
gospel
that he
loves and
proclaims
let me ask
you today
can you
say
and believe
and rest
your hope
on this
reality
he himself
bore my
sins
in his
body
on the
tree
so that
I
might die
to sins
and live
for righteousness
if that's
your reality
praise god
and if not
ask
for the
faith
to believe
it
here is
the one
who is
totally god
and totally
man
hanging
in the
place of
sinners
and that
reality
actually gives
the answer
to the
question
is the
cross
fair
can
someone
pay
for the
sin
of another
perhaps
we've had
that question
before
and when we
think about
it in terms
of human
justice
so if we
were in a
human law
court
and a
judge
decided to
punish
an innocent
person instead
of a guilty
one what
would we
call that
we'd call it
injustice
wouldn't we
but in
God's law
court by
God's design
what do we
call it
when the
innocent
dies in place
of the guilty
we call it a
miracle of
grace
we call it
the gospel
but maybe
you ask
how can
this be
and it's
because of
the identity
of Jesus
because Jesus
is fully
God
he is the
lawmaker
who gives
himself for
lawbreakers
and so we
understand in
the gospel
that substitution
and grace
are part of
God's eternal
law court
there is a
principle of
justice and
mercy
written
in eternity
that we
see at
the cross
as we
close
why is
substitution
good news
it's not
always good
news in a
world of
sports
nobody really
enjoys being
substituted
unless they
absolutely have
to be
you can
guarantee
if you
watch
football for
a season
you will
inevitably see
at least one
grown man
having a
tantrum
having been
substituted
in our
natural
pride
nobody
wants to
need
a substitute
the cultural
air that we
breathe
tells us to
achieve and
to perform
yet substitution
is God's
way
and it's a
precious way
when we see
it in the
right way
so let's
close briefly
with three
ways it's
good news
for us
all
in some
ways restating
where we've
been
it's good
news when
we think
about justice
when we
think about
the justice
of God
since God
is holy
and we
are sinners
there is a
price that
must be
paid
the bible
says the
wages of
sin is
death
so there
are two
options for
each one
of us
either Jesus
pays for
our sin
at the cross
or we
pay for
our sin
for all
eternity
in hell
it's our
choice
and when we
understand that
then the gospel
is good news
because Jesus
was willing to
take our
hell so that
we don't have
to
the gospel
says Jesus
bore sin
took death
satisfied the
demands of
holy justice
so that when
our faith is
in Jesus
we can know
forgiveness
and we can
have assurance
we can look at
the cross and
say the verdict
is already
in
so it's good
news when we
think about
justice
it's good
news when we
think about
salvation
do you know
that saving
grace is
unique to
Christianity
every other
religion
every other
world view
operates based
on natural
pride and
says either
I don't need
a savior
or I can
save myself
but the
reality is
that we can
never match
God's
standards
and that
has never
been
God's
way
Mark
remember
Mark
records
Peter's
view on
the life
of Jesus
Mark
records
a wonderful
detail at
the cross
of Christ
so remember
Jesus dies
outside of
the city
but Mark
records that
as Jesus
dies
something happens
within the
city in the
temple the
curtain is
torn in two
that barrier
separating the
holy God
from sinful
people has
been torn
in two
the message
is clear
the way
back to
God is
open
through Jesus
and what he's
just done
in dying
on the cross
Jesus on
the cross
declared
it is
finished
God's
plan of
salvation
has been
completed
all that we
bring
is our
need
and our
trust in
him
and lastly
substitution
is really
good news
when we
think about
the love
of God
because the
message of
the cross
speaks
powerfully
of the
love of
God
remember
Romans 5
8
God
demonstrates
his love
and while
we were
still sinners
Christ died
for us
it speaks
of a
loving
father
who gives
his son
it speaks
of a
loving son
who willingly
gives his
life
so that
any of
us
by trusting
Christ as
savior
might receive
eternally
J.I.
Packer
a theologian
said the
measure of
love is
how much
it gives
and the
measure of
the love
of God
is the
gift of
his only
son
to be
made man
and to
die for
sins
and so
to become
the one
mediator
who can
bring us
to God
this week
I came
across a
story from
just after
the end
of the
American
Civil War
there was
a farmer
in Tennessee
who was
observed
kneeling
at a
grave
and he
was asked
is this
the grave
of your
son
and the
man
explained
no I
was due
to go
to war
but I
have a
wife
and I
have
seven
young
children
and so
the day
before I
was supposed
to go
my
neighbor's
son
came
and he
took my
place
and he
died
there
and so
the man
was then
asked
what is
it that
you're
writing
on the
tombstone
and this
Tennessee
farmer
wrote
he
died
for me
love
and
worship
in the
Christian
life
springs
from
knowing
this
reality
to be
true
in our
lives
the
son
of
God
loved
me
and
gave
himself
for
me
that's
why
substitution
is the
very
heart
of
the
gospel
let's
pray
and give
thanks
Lord
our
God
we
thank
you
that
woven
throughout
the
whole
Bible
is
this
testimony
to
your
eternal
people
by
sending
your
perfect
sinless
son
to be
the
substitute
that we
need
to
take
our
place
to
take
our
sin
to
take
the
penalty
sin
deserves
so that
by
your
grace
and by
faith
in
him
we
might
be
forgiven
and we
might
be
welcomed
into
your
family
we
might
have
peace
with
you
we
might
have
hope
in
life
and
death
may
you
give
to
all
of
us
a
growing
appreciation
of
the
message
of
substitution
that
it
would
fill
us
with
worship
and
fill
us
with
a
sense
of
grateful
joy
we
pray
in
Jesus
name
Amen
now
later