A VALENTINE REMINDER

                                          

1 PETER 3:18                                                                      

Pastor Rick Jackson

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

Suffering is a common enough experience. We all suffer to some degree. If I were to ask you if you have ever suffered everybody here could give testimony to the fact that they have suffered.

You can suffer many different ways- physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and so on. Suffering is common. You might suffer a lot, you might suffer a little, but suffering is something we all do.

Job, who suffered as few have said, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” Job 14:1

Paul not only suffered physically but also materially. He said in Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

Moses chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.”

But One has suffered so that we would not have to suffer. He suffered something greater than the sufferings we have mentioned, and this is THE MESSAGE OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE, AND IS, A VALENTINE REMINDER – JOHN 3:16.

Jesus Christ the Just suffered for us poor sinners- the unjust. That is, He suffered in our place, instead of us. That’s the substitutionary atonement of Christ.

1. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE PENTATEUCH [Genesis-Deuteronomy]

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The woman’s seed is Christ- all others are of man’s seed. The Just for the unjust.

In Ex. 12 we see the story of the Passover lamb. How the lamb suffered so that those that applied its blood in faith escaped the plague that killed all the firstborn in Egypt. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7 For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:

We could go on in the Pentateuch but you get the idea. The Just for the unjust.

2. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE HISTORICAL BOOKS [Joshua-Esther]

In Joshua Jesus is the Captain of our Salvation. In Ruth we find Christ as the Kinsman Redeemer paying the debt He did not owe. As the song says, “I owed a debt I could not pay, He paid a debt He did not owe.” The Just for the unjust.

3. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE POETICAL BOOKS [Psalms-Song of Solomon]

Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

4. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS [Isaiah-Mal.]

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.

5. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPELS [Matthew-Mark]

Luke 24:25-26 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

6. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF ACTS

Acts 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

7. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE EPISTLES [Rom.-Jude]

(1) The Epistles of Paul - 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

(2) The Epistles of Peter - 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

(3) The Epistles of John - 1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

(4) The General Epistles [James, Jude]- James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

8. IT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE APOCALYPSE [Rev. 1:5-7]

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.