Welcome to “The Chaplain’s Chair,” a thought-provoking podcast about religion, faith, family, and yes, even some politics sprinkled in from time to time!
March 24, 2024

The Passion of Jesus Christ

The Passion of Jesus Christ

This week’s podcast is going to look at the climax of Passion Week, the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and what that means for us. I limit the application to Jesus’ suffering in Gethsemane, His betrayal, arrest, faux trial and beatings, His scourging, His condemnation to death in a mock trial, suffering that brutal walk to the hill of the cross, His agonizing hours on the cross, His cry of loneliness in His final minutes, His final breath, the lancing of His side, and His burial in a borrowed tomb secured by a Roman guard.

“Passion” means something someone suffered.

Why is this week important? Why is the Passion of Christ—the death of Jesus Christ—important? Because of all of the weeks in the year, of all accounts in the Bible, this drives home to man the magnitude of sin, the consequences of it, and what God went through—what Jesus went through to save you from it. It’s an eternal lesson, with eternal consequences, which is wrapped in the love of God toward men—you and me.

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Weekly Podcast Bible Study
  1. Foretold
  1. The Substitutionary Death

              Isaiah 53:8 “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”

  1. Daniel 9:26 “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.”
  2. Zechariah 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
  1. Details from Psalm 22
  2. Pierced hands and feet (Psalm 22:16) “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.”
  3. Gambled for His clothes (Psalm 22:18) “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”
  4. His cry on the cross (Psalm 22:1) “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”
  1. Appointed
  1. An Atoning Death
  2. Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
  3. 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:”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Results—The Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ was all-encompassing, and many Christians have not even begun to learn or to grasp the magnitude of what Jesus accomplished in His passion.
  1. Atonement
  2. Romans 5:10-11 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” The word “expiation” is applicable also.

Webster’s “A repairing of the broken relationship” by atoning for crimes which caused it, amends to the offended party, if you will.

  1. Propitiation
  2. I John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Webster’s “In theology, the atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage his wrath and render him propitious to sinners. Christ is the propitiation for the sins of men.”

  1. Substitution
  2. John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

Taking your place, taking the penalty that was intended for you

  1. Redemption
  2. I Peter 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Webster’s “In theology, the purchase of God's favor by the death and sufferings of Christ; the ransom or deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God's violated law by the atonement of Christ.” Not only to release you from the bondage of the penalty of sin, but to purchase God’s favor toward you—to make God your ally.

  1. Reconciliation
  2. Romans 5:10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
  3. Colossian 1:20-21 “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.”

Webster’s “In Scripture, the means by which sinners are reconciled and brought into a state of favor with God, after natural estrangement or enmity; the atonement; expiation.”

  1. Ransom
  2. Matthew 20:28 “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

**The word ransom means, literally, a price paid for the redemption of captives. In war, when prisoners are taken by an enemy, the money demanded for their release is called a ransom. That is, it is the means by which they are set at liberty. So anything that releases any one from a state of punishment, or suffering, or sin, is called a ransom. Men are by nature captives to sin. They are sold under it.

  • Let’s look at a couple of verses

Ephesians 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

1 John 5:19 “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”

  • Cursed by it

Galatians 3:10 “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”

  • Condemned by it

Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

Psalm 9:17 “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

Psalm 11:6 “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.”

Psalm 68:2 “As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.”

Psalm 139:19 “Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.”

Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Romans 2:6-8 “Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath…”

Jesus volunteered to do this…

  1. Voluntary
  2. John 10:18 “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.”
  3. Hebrews 12:2-3 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Jesus took on the curse of sin, the curse of the law…He became the curse

  1. Accursed
  2. 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:”
  1. Harmony of Theology

**How is God a holy and just God, who states the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and the “soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4) forgive and be merciful to a sinful wretch like you and I (Hymn “Amazing Grace”)?  The liberal view—and we touched out on it last week—is that God is too loving to send anyone to hell and just loves and forgives everyone, without a shred of accountability.  The primary response and objection?  God is too loving to send anyone to eternal hell for a temporary sin.  A substitutionary death of Christ is not necessary.  It’s wrong.  The New Testament doctrine is clear.

  1. Requirements for Payment Without Christ
  2. Payment Must Be Eternal

**Can a man pay for his own sin?  No…because it would take an eternity of punishment because God is eternal.  That is why we are helpless

  1. God is an eternal being
  1. Payment Must Be Made for Sin to Be Expunged
  2. Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
  3. John 12:24-25 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
  1. Death is required at the Hands of the Sinner
  2. Romans 6:23
  1. The Justice of God
  2. The purpose of the law
  3. Romans 7:24-25 “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
  4. Galatians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
  1. The warning of the law
  2. Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
  3. Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
  4. Romans 6:23a “For the wages of sin is death…”
  1. Sin must be punished
  2. Numbers 32:23 “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”
  3. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
  1. The Shortcomings of Man
  2. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
  3. Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
  1. A Gift of Love
  2. Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
  3. I Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
  4. John 3:16-17 “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
  1. Our Position in Christ
  2. Crucified with Him
  3. Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
  4. Dead with Him
  5. Romans 6:11 “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
  6. Buried with Him
  7. Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

The Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ dealt with the sins of mankind.  Your sins died WITH Him. The penalty for YOUR sin was paid by Him. Your reconciliation to God was negotiated by Him.