Sermon Tone Analysis

Christ’s Victory Accomplished Through Suffering (3:18a)

Easter Sunday | | April 1, 2018

Christ’s Victory Accomplished Through Suffering (3:18a)

An extremely challenging passage.

This morning we step into a passage that might be considered an odd choice for an Easter Sunday service.

What I desire to do this morning is break up this message into two parts.

The first will consider the statement in , “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.”

Following our meditation on this verse, we will celebrate communion, as a reflection of the last true Passover and the first Lord’s Supper, the Thursday night prior to the death of Christ.

Following communion, we will transition into our celebration of the resurrection through song, scripture reading, and a closer look at the end of this section in First Peter.

In verses 19 through 22, Peter discusses both a proclamation and salvation offered by and in Christ.

Christ’s sacrifice was the ultimate example of suffering.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins” ( ESV).

If Christ also suffered, then we can logically conclude that other people have as well suffered.

In fact, the primary purpose of the book of First Peter is to encourage a group of suffering believers.

We find in chapter 2 a discussion on the suffering of these believers, but more specifically we find a discussion in the immediate preceding context.

Look up just a few verses.

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled” ( ESV).

Just three verses later we read, “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” ( ESV).

These believers were suffering and motivated by a desire to encourage them, Peter reminds them.

Christ also suffered.

Christ also suffered.

In asking you to suffer for righteousness sake He is only asking you to do something that he was willing to do himself and in fact did do himself.

He was an example for you.

Isn’t it nice, amid something new (whether it be a new job, hobby, or concept), to have an example to follow?

Jesus seemed to understand this human need.

As a sophomore in high school, my friends suggested and convinced me to drop basketball and join the wrestling team.

I walked into wrestling practice that first day with no knowledge of what to do.

As the weeks went by my coach would use different players, usually the new guys, to show wrestling moves on, single leg take down, ankle pick, firemen’s carry, etc. We’d get tossed all over the place so that we could see an example of the move.

It was painful but extremely helpful.

Consider suffering for doing what is right.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have an example of what that might look like?

Peter tells us that Jesus offers us an example.

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed.

( ESV).

Perfect example.

Christ was not simply an example, but he was the perfect example.

In learning a new task, most assuredly we would desire the best example we could find.

We’d hate to follow someone’s example only to find that they weren’t really good at the task.

This is not the case with Christ.

He offers us a perfect example.

He paid the ultimate price.

He was the ultimate example.

[Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

( ESV).

Christ’s sacrifice was a single offering for sins.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins” ( ESV).

There is no further work for Christ.

It was comprehensive.

Let’s dwell on the fact, for just a moment, that Christ offered one sacrifice.

To appreciate the full weight of this singular sacrifice, we should better understand the sacrificial system of the Old Testament.

Of course, this moment doesn’t allow for much depth in the Old Testament sacrificial system, but let me offer the cliff notes (or spark notes) for a quick overview.

We are going to do a quick dive into the book of Leviticus in a moment.

Before we do let’s first realize that there were at least two offerings offered every day, by the priests, for the sins of the people.

Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly.

39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. . . .

42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations (, ESV).

In addition to these to daily offerings, Leviticus outlines for us at least 5 other offerings.

(1) The first chapter outlines the burnt offering that was a voluntary act of worship or commitment to God.

It could also be used to atone for unintentional sins.

(2) The second chapter outlines the grain offering.

This offering was taken from the fruit of the field and was offered to express thanksgiving to God for his provision.

(3) Chapter 3 outlines the third offering which was a peace offering.

This was a sacrifice of thanksgiving and fellowship which would often be followed by a shared meal.

These three offerings were all voluntary offerings, primarily for worship and thanksgiving.

There were as well two required offerings.

(4) The sin offering must be offered to atone for sin and cleanse from defilement.

The guidelines for this offering are in .

Chapter 5 walks us through some of the sins one might commit to need a sin offering.

If someone sins by not testifying to something they witness, they are guilty.

If someone touches something unclean, they are guilty.

If someone utters rash speech, he is guilty.

If this individual comes to realize their sin, they must follow the guidelines, come to the tabernacle (or temple) and offer a sin offering.

(5) The rest of chapter 5 outlines the guidelines for the guilt offering.

The guilt offering was brought if someone sinned unintentionally and restitution was needed to be made.

Now, let’s jump to chapter 16, and there we find that, on the Day of Atonement, an annual sacrifice for sins was offered.

It was only on this day that the high priest could enter the holy of Holies to perform elaborate rituals to atone for the sins of the people.

Admission to the holy of Holies was barred to all except the high priest, and then he could enter it only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to create a perfect and remarkable coalescence of the most sacred individual, the most sacred of space, the most sacred day of the year, and the most sacred rite.[1]

These were all sacrifices offered in the temple.

These do not include the many types of offerings that God directed them to perform outside of the sanctuary.[2]

So then, each day, sacrifices were being offered.

Imagine the number of sacrifices being offered as person after person brought different types of sacrifices to the tabernacle or temple to either worship God, display gratitude for his provision, or sacrifice for intentional or unintentional sins.

Consider the effort put in by the people to follow the guidelines for each of these sacrifices.

Consider the awkwardness and potential shame as day after day they would lead their perfect lamb to the tabernacle and offer sacrifice, once again, for their sins.

I imagine the noisy neighbors or the insightful priest that leans over to their companion and whispers, “Isn’t this like the fifth time this week that Joab is making a sin offering?

Yikes!”

All of that was comprehensively eliminated with the sacrifice of Christ – once! “For Christ also suffered once for sins” ( ESV).

Paul refers to the sacrificial system as “a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” ( ESV).

We have a high priest that “has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself” ( ESV).

So, the perfect sinless Son of God died for the sins of the world.

It was a penalty due to all the unrighteous that He bore in their place.

MacArthur.

He took the judgment that belonged to us, He was the perfect full final sacrifice for sins.

And what do we learn from Him?

That unjust suffering at its most extreme point can be triumphant.