What comes to mind when you hear the word “substitute”? Most of the time we are disappointed when we see a substitute. There are times, however, when substitutions are better. In this fourth week of our 40 Days of Lent, Pastor Todd Lester spoke about the Jesus’ fourth statement at the cross: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
For our 40 days of Lent, our Sunday messages will focus on what Jesus said while He hung on the cross. You have probably thanked Jesus for what He did on the cross, but have you ever thanked Him for what He said on the cross?

SEVEN WORDS FROM THE CROSS

JESUS SPEAKS ABOUT SUBSTITUTION

Matthew 27:45-46 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

WHAT HAPPENED? JESUS BECAME OUR SUBSTITUTE

1 John 2:2 He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

WHAT DOES IT TEACH US?

1. GOD IS HOLY

Revelation 4:8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

Habakkuk 1:13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery?

2. SIN IS UGLY

• Sin Alienates

Isaiah 59:2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.

• Sin Distresses

Psalm 38:4 My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear.

• Sin Condemns

Psalm 7:11 God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. SALVATION IS COSTLY

Romans 3:25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past.

Galatians 3:13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

WHAT SHOULD BE MY RESPONSE?

1. TURN FROM SIN

Romans 3:22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Hebrews 10:26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.

2. LIVE IN A STATE OF GRATITUDE

Romans 5:11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

3. REMEMBER WHAT SIN COST JESUS

1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

4. TELL OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

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