TEXT: 1 Peter 2:24-25 (Read vv. 11-25)
READING: Romans 6:1-23
SUBJ: The intensely personal consideration of Christ our sin bearer and the personal nature of the applications of the fruit of His sacrifice.
AIM: That we may be more intensely considerate of His personal identity with us in every way.
INTR: Salvation cannot be a personal reality until we see the intense commitment of Christ to bear our personal sins.
1. The fallacy of a generalized view is realized in the failure to see sin and its atonement as a truly personal issue (what are a few more sins since they are all taken away).
2. Sanctimony in Church services that does not carry over to life in general betrays a lack of sensing that it was my sin on Christ.
3. We are in fact both reminded and comforted by what we see at the cross—by His death our life was confirmed as legitimate and acceptable.
THESIS: A personal salvation is essential because personal sin is a fact and the fruit of such a salvation is a personal righteousness.
I. His intense personal involvement in effecting the salvation of His own.
1. Note that the language here is reflected in the use of “His Own Self” which might otherwise seem to be reflexive or meaning the same thing.
1) The intent is to draw attention to the necessity that He both act as priest and sacrifice.
2) He alone was most eminently qualified
2. The action: He personally bare our personal sins “to the tree,” not just on the tree.
1) It is thus implied that our sins were on Him all along – “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
2) This was in the sense of bringing the sacrifice to the altar in the Old Testament.
3) See Him then first as the priest responsible for a proper presentation and also as the sacrifice brought by the priest.
4) See further: Leviticus 4:3-5 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering. 4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD. 5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
3. The judgment executed upon Him was upon His person and it was as a result of an intensely personal involvement with those for whom He died.
II. Our death to sin (that is having died)
1. The suffering and the offering of Christ has its fruit unto righteousness.
1) See: Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
i. Think on what it is to be free and the fact of bondage to sin
ii. The servants of righteousness (as the product of freedom – and they cannot coexist)
2) The folly of presumptuous sin continued is that there can be no presumption of salvation there.
3) See then: Acts 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. AND Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
2. By Whose stripes…
1) The further implications that sin is a disease
2) The painful cure was inflicted on Christ and the disease is taken away.
III. What we were and what we are become (The manner of our comfort)
1. All of God’s children are by Him considered sheep and He cannot lose one
1) The brutish tendency of sheep to wander (especially into the wilderness of sin).
2) The effect of this righteousness is to bring us to Him
2. So then, ye are returned
1) To the shepherd (Note the nature of in Psalm 23)
2) And Bishop – The overseer and administrator
3) Of your souls – Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
