Substitutionary

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According to the Chicago Tribune, on June 22, 1997, parachute instructor Michael Costello, age 42, jumped out of an airplane at 12,000 ft. with a novice skydiver named Garret Griffith, age 21.

The novice would soon discover just how good the instructor was—for when the novice pulled his ripcord, his parachute failed. Plummeting toward the ground, Garret faced certain death.

At that moment, the instructor did an amazing thing. Before hitting the ground, Michael rolled over so that he would hit the ground first and the novice would land on top of him. The instructor was killed instantly. The novice fractured his spine in the fall, but he was not paralyzed.

One man takes the place of another. One substitutes himself to die so another may live. It does happen. It has happens often throughout history. One man gives up his place in the lifeboat . . . another gives up his life preserver . . .one will step in front of a bullet . . . a parent will push a child out of danger taking the hit themselves. And yes, a man will take the sins of the world and die in our place.

Why would anyone need someone to die for us? Out of love? Yes! Out of commitment? Yes! But when we’re talking about Jesus, the answer is because we’ve sinned and there is no way for us to pay for it without help. We need a Savior. Jesus had to die on the cross so sinners could be saved; of which we all are. We’ve all sinned and we are all unworthy.

Our Children’s Minister was asked by a man visiting our church, “Do you allow people with tattoos to worship here?”

She said, “Yes!”

“How about men with ear rings?” he came back.

“Again, Yes!”

Then the man cleared his throat and asked, “How about people who have had trouble with the law?”

 

She smiled and answered, “Yes!” Then with a big grin she said, “Have you met our
(Yes . . . very funny Marcia!).

Because of the substitutionary death of Jesus, no matter how bad your past was, you can change the end of your story.
Consider Mary Magdalene. Every Gospel writer mention a list of people who came to the tomb of Jesus and discovered it empty; included in all of them is the mention of Mary Magdalene. She is one of the great proofs of the resurrection. She is also one of the great marvels of the gospel message. Mary Magdalene was a prostitute who Jesus healed and then she became a follower. But she was also the first one to see an empty tomb and see Jesus resurrected. That means Jesus’ greatest moment in all of history—the resurrection—was announced first to a prostitute!

Here’s why this is so beautiful. The most broken follower of Jesus is the first to hear the news of the resurrection. Do you catch how powerful that is? That means anyone can become a follower of Jesus and receive forgiveness and eternal life. ANYONE!

The story of the thief on the cross who heard, “Today you will be with me in Paradise,” is another great example of the grace of Jesus. Here is man whose life’s decisions had been so self-destructive that society had concluded it would just be best for everyone in he was destroyed. In a final moment of remorse and crying out to Jesus, he hears the promise of Heaven.

We have all run away from God and that’s why Jesus came to die for sin in the first place. He came to reconnect us back to our heavenly father. Jesus doesn’t just want to save us from eternal hell, though that’s true, but he wants to save us from the hell we’re in right now as well.

Ron Otto, preaching minister at Lincoln Christian Church

 

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