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Romans chapter 4, Romans chapter 
4. I'll read the chapter and then 
our focus will be on verse 25, so beginning in chapter 4 at 
verse 1. What then shall we say that Abraham 
our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham 
was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but 
not before God. For what does the scripture say? 
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but 
as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on him, 
who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 
just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to 
whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. Blessed are 
those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. 
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. Does 
this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only or upon 
the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted 
to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While 
he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while 
uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, 
a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had while 
still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those 
who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness 
might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision 
to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also 
walk in the steps of the faith, which our father Abraham had 
while still uncircumcised. For the promise that he would 
be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed 
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For 
if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and 
the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about 
wrath. For where there is no law, there is no transgression. 
Therefore, it is of faith that it might be according to grace, 
so that the promise might be sure to all to see, not only 
to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of 
the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is 
written, I have made you a father of many nations. In the presence 
of him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead and 
calls those things which do not exist as though they did. who, 
contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father 
of many nations. According to what was spoken, 
so shall your descendants be. And not being weak in faith, 
he did not consider his own body, already dead, since he was about 
a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He 
did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but 
was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully 
convinced that what he had promised he was also able to perform, 
and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now, 
it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to 
him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who 
believe in him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 
who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised 
because of our justification. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
thank you for the written word of the living and true God. Thank 
you for this book of Romans and the great detailed exposition 
of the gospel that we find here. And God, guide us and navigate 
us now by the Holy Spirit as we look at this one particular 
passage in the context, and may it again edify, strengthen, and 
encourage each of our hearts. Forgive us for all of our sins 
and our transgressions, and bless this local church, we pray, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, this is a very dense 
section of Paul's argument in the book of Romans. Essentially, 
it starts at chapter 3, verse 21, and goes to the end of chapter 
4. And the primary focus is on justification 
by faith alone. Before Paul gets to the example 
of Abraham, he gives, first of all, a statement concerning justification 
and the righteousness of God. So before Paul starts to treat 
of the doctrine positively in terms of its effect, not only 
for Abraham but for us as well, he wants to make sure we understand 
that God has authorized this, God has instituted this, God 
is the driving force behind it. That's how chapter 3 verses 21 
to 26 function. It demonstrates that in the gospel, 
God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 
So God doesn't compromise His holiness, God doesn't get rid 
of His law, God doesn't look away with reference to justice, 
but rather at the cross, God upholds His justice, God demonstrates 
His righteousness, and at the same time demonstrates that mercy 
and grace and kindness to the elect of God who find their justification 
at the hands of this righteous father. And then he makes a few 
statements concerning justification by faith specifically in chapter 
3, verses 27 to 31. And then he explains the doctrine 
relative to Abraham. He cites Abraham, and then David, 
and then returns to Abraham. And essentially what Paul is 
saying is that the doctrine of justification by faith alone 
is no new thing. Everybody that has ever been 
saved, it was according to God's grace and it was through faith 
in Jesus Christ. Remember Abraham believed God 
and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. So Abraham 
becomes this sort of paradigm or figure in redemptive history. And so Paul takes that now and 
shows how it relates not only to Abraham, but to us. And that 
brings us to verses 23 to 25. He says, now it was not written 
for his sake alone that it was imputed to him. And the imputed 
to him is the idea of righteousness. In other words, we need a righteousness 
to be able to stand before a holy God. We don't have a righteousness 
because we're unholy men. We have rebelled, we have transgressed, 
we have lacked conformity. To that law, as the prophet Isaiah 
says, all we like sheep have gone astray. So God imputes or 
gives or confers or hands over to us this righteousness. It's received by faith alone. 
It is ultimately the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which He accomplished 
in His act of obedience. So verse 23, it was not written 
for His sake alone that it was imputed to Him, but also for 
us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in him, who raised 
up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because 
of our offenses and was raised because of our justification. 
So when he refers to God raising, or rather God imputing to us 
who believe in him, verse 24, who raised up Jesus our Lord 
from the dead, verse 25, at least in the first statement, explains 
why it was that Jesus was dead. In other words, this God, this 
father raised up his son from the dead. Verse 25a describes 
or defines or tells us why Jesus died in the first place. Charles 
Hodge said this verse is a comprehensive statement of the gospel. Verse 
25, the denial of the propitiatory death of Christ or of his resurrection 
from the dead is a denial of the gospel. Now, Hodge wasn't 
overstating the case there. If you deny those things, you 
deny the Christian gospel. Matthew Poole commented on verse 
25. He says, this one verse is an abridgment of the whole gospel. If somebody ever asked you, what 
is the gospel? You would certainly be well served 
by citing Romans chapter 4, verse 25. I want to look at two things 
as we consider this particular passage. In the first place, 
the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ, and then secondly, 
the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ. And in 
the first place, notice the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ. Notice in verse 25, who was delivered 
up because of our offenses. We need to understand in the 
first place that the gospel, the cross work of our Lord Jesus, 
was not first and foremost an example. It is certainly exemplary. It does function as an example, 
say, in 1 Peter chapter 2, where the Apostle Peter points us to 
Christ. as one who modeled a steady composure 
under suffering the way that the people of God are supposed 
to. But we don't see the pinnacle of Christ's cross work in the 
exemplary function. The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 
chapter 1 Verses 23 and 24 says, we preach Christ crucified to 
the Jews, a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. But 
to those but to those who are being saved, both Jews and Greeks, 
Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. So, yes, there's 
an example there, but that's not the first priority. The first 
priority of the death of Christ is redemption. It is salvation. It is reconciliation. It is the 
purchase of those who are dead in their trespasses and sins 
by the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice what Paul says 
specifically. It was for sin, who was delivered 
up because of our offenses. Now the offenses are obvious. 
It is a transgression of God's holy law. If you go back to the 
book of Romans, chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, and you move all 
the way to chapter 3 at verse 20, it fleshes out the sorts 
of offenses, the sorts of transgressions, the sorts of sins that Jesus 
was delivered up because of. And so it's not for some nebulous 
potential out there, but rather it is for the specific sins of 
the elect of God that were laid upon the Savior and the Father 
punished Him in our place. That is the glory of the atonement. 
It is substitutionary. When Christ went to that cross, 
He didn't go because of His own sins. He didn't go because of 
His own crimes. He went rather for our sins. 
But again, it's not nebulous, it's not generic, it's not sort 
of undefined. Hebrews 2.17 tells us, And then 
it goes on to say, Again, there's an idea that Christ 
made this atonement and that it's available for anyone that 
wants to avail themselves of it. That is simply not the case. When Christ went to that cross, 
it was for the sins of the people, and in this, the people greatly 
rejoice. It wasn't a hypothetical atonement, 
but rather it was particular, it was limited, it was definite. 
Christ went to the cross for the sins of His people. And as 
we consider this particular statement, who was delivered up because 
of our offenses, We ought to ponder that the cross teaches 
us certain truths. It does demonstrate the righteousness 
of God, that he's both just and the justifier of the one who 
has faith in Jesus. It teaches us the willingness 
of the Son of God to go to such great lengths to purchase us 
from the slave market of sin. But it also underscores just 
how bad sin is. Sin is wretched, sin is an offense 
to God Almighty, sin is horrific, and it took the very blood of 
the Son of God Himself to atone for it. In the Trinity Hymnal, 
the older one, I don't know that this song is in the new one, 
It says, there's a particular hymn by Thomas Kelly, and it 
says, ye who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil 
great, here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the sacrifice appointed, 
see who bears the awful load, tis the word, the Lord's anointed, 
son of man and son of God. Ye who think of sin but lightly, 
nor suppose the evil great, here may view its nature rightly, 
here its guilt may estimate. So the cross proclaims the odiousness 
and the wretchedness and the reprehensibility of sin itself. So Jesus was delivered up because 
of our offenses. And that is the particular aspect 
that we need to concern ourselves with. God's justice demands that 
we be delivered up because of our sins. But the glory of the 
gospel is that Christ took our place. Christ went in the stead 
of his people. Christ wrought out atonement 
on behalf of those whom the father had given him. There's an analogy 
in the Old Testament, Leviticus chapter 16. Leviticus 16 is sort 
of the central chapter in the book of Leviticus, not only structurally, 
but literarily and theologically as well. It deals with the day 
of atonement. And you see the high priest given 
that particular responsibility to kill the one goat and then 
to take the blood and go into the Holy of Holies and there 
make atonement, there pour out that blood on the mercy seat. 
And then there's a second goat and they call that the scapegoat. 
And so the high priest takes his hand and he lays them on 
that goat, and he confesses the sin of Israel. Again, not generic, 
not undefined, not nebulous. Most likely, he goes according 
to the Decalogue, confessing the transgression of Israel committed 
against God Most High. Once that hand or that gesture 
is done and the sins are confessed, then that lamb, or rather that 
goat, is driven out into the wilderness. It's a wonderful 
picture of the expiation or the removal of our guilt and sin. 
You see, what happens in the Old Testament, Christ accomplishes. That is typological and Jesus 
fulfills it. He is the anti-type and in him, 
we have forgiveness. In him, we have the removal of 
guilt. In him, we have the removal of all the sanctions that were 
upon us for our having transgressed that holy law of God. It's a 
beautiful and a blessed transaction that occurs. And again, he was 
delivered up because of our offenses. And we need to appreciate that 
and praise God Almighty. Now, when it says He was delivered 
up because of our offenses, there is divine initiative there. The 
Son is certainly willing, and He shows us that and demonstrates 
that throughout the gospel records. But most likely what's in view 
here is the Father. In Isaiah the prophet, in Isaiah 
53 11, it says that Yahweh was pleased to bruise Him. In Acts 2, the apostle Peter 
says that the crucifixion of Christ was according to the predetermined 
plan of God Almighty. In Acts chapter 4, when the apostles 
are praying, they acknowledge the same thing. that it was God 
who ordained the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this book 
of Romans, you see that emphasis right here in chapter 3. Notice 
in verse 25, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood. That's the divine initiative 
in this transaction. It's not that we sought God, 
it's that God sought us. From the very moment Adam and 
Eve transgress, they run and they hide. God comes after them. God kills animals and covers 
them. God seeks out Abraham. God is 
the one who comes to Isaac and Jacob. God is the initiator. God is the one who saves. And 
it's the father who delivered up the son because of the offenses 
committed by the elect. And in chapter 3, 25, he says 
that he was set forth as a propitiation, a rich and beautiful and lovely 
word describing the atoning work of our Lord Jesus. It presupposes 
wrath. God's wrath is targeted against 
all sinners. Propitiation is Christ's taking 
the wrath of God in himself for us. He doesn't deflect the wrath, 
he doesn't send the wrath away, but rather he drinks the cup 
of God's wrath to its bitter dregs. That's how propitiation 
is wrought out. And then he goes on to say, through 
faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God 
passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate 
at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and the 
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Turn over to 
Romans chapter 8. Again, just to see this emphasis 
in terms of the divine initiative in the cross. Romans chapter 
8, verse 31. What then shall we say to these 
things? If God is for us, who can be 
against us? He who did not spare his own 
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with 
him also freely give us all things? It's an argument from the greater 
to the lesser. If the father didn't shrink back 
from delivering up his son on our behalf, and delivering up 
there means to the cross, to the shame, to the suffering, 
to the punishment, to the death ultimately, if he does that, 
how is he gonna leave us on Thursday? How is he not gonna be there 
for us in our time of need? If he does the greatest in terms 
of the crucifixion of his beloved son, then how will he not be 
there for us in crunch time that we undergo. It's a beautiful 
thing and a glorious doctrine and a glorious truth, but it 
does underscore again, divine initiative. Now we know in terms 
of the death of Jesus, there was an instrumentality of the 
Jewish leaders. Certainly Pontius Pilate signed off. He gave the 
execution order. So that instrumentality is there 
to be sure. Peter doesn't minimize their 
lawlessness or their vileness or their wretchedness in Acts 
chapter two, but ultimately it comes from the hand of God. Octavius 
Winslow said, who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas for money, 
not Pilate for fear, not the Jews for envy, but the Father 
for love. It's a beautiful thing when he 
says it that way. It is the Father's love. I think 
at times we have this idea that Jesus came to sort of secure 
God's love for us. Jesus came as a result of God's 
love for us. Jesus doesn't procure the Father's 
love. Rather, Jesus is the manifestation 
of the Father's love. John 3, 16, God so loved the 
world that he gave his only begotten Son. There's no New Testament 
God appeasing the wrath and fury of the Old Testament God. No, 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in perfect unity and harmony. to save us from our sins. So 
the reason for his death, it wasn't first and foremost exemplary, 
it was first and foremost atonement, it was redemptive. And then in 
terms of the specifics, he was delivered up because of our offenses. 
Now let's look secondly at the redemptive purpose of the resurrection 
of Christ. The fact is stated, and was raised 
because of our justification. Again, we saw that fact stated 
this morning in Matthew chapter 28 at verses 1 to 10. You see 
that fact stated in John, in Mark, in Luke. You see that fact 
stated in a whole host of places. In fact, turn to 1 Corinthians 
chapter 15 for one other sort of specimen passage concerning 
the resurrection of our Savior. The entirety of the chapter is 
devoted to an argument concerning resurrection, but he starts off 
with the foundation, the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Verse 
1 in 1 Corinthians 15. that Christ died for our sins 
according to the Scriptures. Now, the Scriptures are the Old 
Testament. You need to understand that. 
When Paul's writing 1 Corinthians and he refers to Scripture, he 
is not referring to New Testament documents. The Old Testament 
prophesied the death of the Savior. We see it in the prophet Isaiah, 
specifically in Isaiah 53. We see the cutting off of Messiah 
in Daniel chapter 9. We see it typologically in Abraham 
going up to Mount Moriah with Isaac. We see it throughout the 
Old Testament. And then notice he goes on to 
say, and he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according 
to the scriptures. Again, not New Testament scriptures, 
though the New Testament certainly highlights or underscores this 
blessed fact, but as we read this morning, Psalm 16. Other 
passages in the Old Testament highlight the resurrection of 
Messiah, the fact that he will indeed complete God's work, supposes 
or assumes that he will in fact be alive. So this is foundational 
for the apostle Paul. He goes on to say he was buried, 
that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures, 
and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the 12. After that, he 
was seen by over 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater 
part remained to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 
After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then 
last of all, he was seen by me also, as by one born out of due 
time." So going back to Romans chapter 4, just as he was delivered 
up because of our offenses, he was raised for our justification. And again, the emphasis is on 
the father raising him from the dead. It's not that Christ does 
not participate in that particular action, but what is in view here 
is the Father raising the Son from the dead. Turretin explains 
it this way. Although the resurrection of 
Christ is often ascribed to the Father, he gives several passages, 
it does not follow that it cannot be ascribed to the Son, because 
whatever the Father does, the Son in like manner does. And 
as the resurrection is an outward work, it ought to be undivided 
to the whole Trinity. So it is what the Trinity does, 
and in this particular instance, we see appropriated to the Father 
the reality that He raised His Son from the dead. So the Son 
is delivered up because of our offenses, and that selfsame Son 
is raised up for our justification. And that is the result of the 
resurrection. Now, when we look at that particular 
statement, justification, we ought to appreciate, especially 
in this context, that it's a forensic term. Paul is not talking about 
moral transformation here. Paul is not saying this occurred 
so that you and I might be great girls and guys. Sanctification 
certainly follows, and Paul will definitely deal with that, but 
in this context, in Romans chapter 3 and 4, he is highlighting and 
accenting the judicial character of justification by faith, the 
forensic nature of it. This righteousness is imputed 
to us. It is received by faith alone. That blessed righteousness 
is also accompanied by forgiveness of sins. So the justification 
that Paul is speaking about is defined, I think, beautifully 
by Westminster, Shorter Catechism, when it says, justification is 
an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts 
us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of 
Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. There's people 
that are Christians, and I don't doubt their Christianity, but 
a lot of Christians want really practical sorts of things. And 
they like tips, they like hints, they like principles, they like 
the sorts of things that we can put on a list and just sort of 
do. My encouragement, brethren, is to get that definition down. There's nothing more practical, 
nothing more blessed, nothing more great for the Christian 
to apprehend than the reality that God, in justification, forgives 
us of all our sins and receives us as righteous in His sight 
only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received 
by faith alone. Whenever I deal with new believers 
and it comes time to talk about our confession of faith, I always 
emphasize chapter 11. If you understand the Bible's 
teaching on the doctrine of justification, which I think our confession 
gets really, really good, that opens up a world of comfort. 
You've heard the story of Martin Luther who was just plagued by 
his own sin, plagued by his own rebellion, plagued by his own 
wickedness as he was a monk. Remember R.C. Sproul saying, 
what kind of sins could a monk get into? I mean, Martin Luther 
would go into the confessional and he'd be in there for hours. 
And, you know, Sproul asked the question, you know, what is he 
in there confessing? I coveted brother so-and-so's bond. I mean, 
you know, there's how much trouble do you get into in a monastery? 
Well, you get into a lot of trouble if you know your own heart. Doesn't 
matter where you are. Doesn't matter who you're with. 
Doesn't matter what you're about or doing. If you contemplate 
for a moment on God's law in your own heart, you will see 
the bankruptcy. You will see the depravity. So 
anyway, Luther had this great crushing burden of sin over him, 
and it was Romans 1, 16 and 17 that opened paradise for him. 
For I'm not ashamed of the gospel, the apostle Paul writes, for 
it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, to 
the Jew first and also to the Greek. Why? For in it, the righteousness 
of God is revealed from faith to faith. And Luther understood 
Paul's point. When Paul says that in Romans 
1, 16 and 17, we see a parallel in Philippians chapter 3, 9. 
It's not God's perfection of righteousness, though God possesses 
that, but that righteousness that is spoken of there in Romans 
1, 16 and 17 is the righteousness that God demands and that God 
supplies. For in it, the righteousness 
of God is revealed from faith to faith. That, as it is written, 
the just shall live by faith. So there is a perfection of God, 
righteousness, justice, holiness. But there is this gift of God, 
righteousness, that comes in the gospel as a result of the 
finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. For Luther, that is when 
paradise opened, when he understood The gospel. When he understood 
that it's not good advice, but rather it's good news. When he 
understood that guilty, vile, helpless, we, spotless Lamb of 
God was He, full atonement can it be? Hallelujah, what a Savior. When Luther understood that, 
he then rejoiced. Now, when it comes to these two 
things, look at what the text says. He was delivered up because 
of our offenses, death, and he was raised because of our justification, 
resurrection. The two events are inseparable. The resurrection is the necessary 
follow-up to the death of our Savior. Listen to Warfield. He 
says that he died manifests his love and his willingness to save. That he rose again manifests 
his power and his ability to save. Now, please follow because 
this is crucial, because I'm sure there's somebody saying, 
he was raised because of our justification. The Apostle Paul 
typically connects justification to death. Here he connects it 
to resurrection, but he has just spoken of death. Again, two inseparable 
events. Listen to Warfield. That he died 
manifests his love and his willingness to save. That he rose again manifests 
his power and his ability to save. We are not saved by a dead 
Christ who undertook but could not perform, and who lies there 
still under the Syrian sky, another martyr of impotent love. If we 
are to be saved at all, it must be by one who did not merely 
pass to death on our behalf, but who passed through death, 
that's crucial. In one word, the resurrection 
of Christ is fundamental to the Christian hope and to the Christian 
confidence. All our assurance of salvation 
is suspended on this fact. So there is this close and inextricable 
connection between the death of Christ and the resurrection 
of Christ. This morning I mentioned Romanism. 
Again, not trying to unnecessarily pick on them, but when you have 
Christ still on the cross, that's not the entire message. Christ 
was on the cross, he entered the tomb, but on the third day 
he was raised from the dead by his Father. Charles Hodge says 
the resurrection of Christ as an historical fact established 
by the most satisfactory evidence authenticates the whole gospel. In other words, if Christ said 
he was who he said, and Christ died but did not rise again, 
then there is no authentication, there is no confirmation. We 
might muse and say, what a noble character, what a wonderful human, 
what a kind man, what a compassionate fellow, but we wouldn't be able 
to testify that he is in fact the savior for sinners. It wasn't 
just death, but it's resurrection as well. He goes on to say, as 
surely as Christ has risen, so surely shall believers be saved. Verse 25. Now, if we ask the 
question, what is the theological connection between resurrection 
and justification? I want to answer that. First, 
the resurrection testifies that Christ is in fact the Son of 
God with power. Look back at Romans chapter 1. 
Romans chapter 1, beginning in verse 1, Paul, a bondservant 
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated to the gospel 
of God, which he promised before through his prophets in the Holy 
Scriptures, concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was 
born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and now notice, 
and declared to be the son of God with power, according to 
the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Not 
that he became the son of God, but rather it testified that 
he was in fact the Son of God. The resurrection underscores 
the truth that Christ is the Davidic Messiah, the mediator 
of the New Covenant, the second person of the Trinity, who for 
us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. Secondly, 
the resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. The resurrection testifies that 
Christ's sacrifice was accepted. In other words, the father was 
pleased and raised him from the dead. John Gill says Christ's 
resurrection did not procure the justification of his people 
that was done by his obedience and death. but was for the testification 
of it." In other words, it testified concerning it. "...that it might 
fully appear that sin was atoned for, and an everlasting righteousness 
was brought in, and for the application of it, or that Christ might live 
and see His righteousness imputed, and apply to all those for whom 
He had wrought it out." In other words, when Christ is raised 
from the dead, it not only testifies that He is the Son of God with 
power, but it also shows us divine approbation for the sacrifice 
rendered up by the Son of God. The language of Hermann Bavink, 
the resurrection is, quote, a divine endorsement of His mediatorial 
work, a declaration of the power and value of His death, the amen 
of the Father upon the it is finished of the Son. I don't 
think that could possibly be said better outside of the written 
scriptural record. Thirdly, the resurrection testifies 
that satisfaction was rendered. Now, you might think this all 
sounds the same. It's not. The sacrifice was accepted 
by the Father, but the resurrection testifies that satisfaction was 
rendered. Older writers oftentimes refer 
to atonement as satisfaction. It's the underlying theme with 
reference to atonement. Christ satisfies divine justice 
by his sufferings and death at the cross. So again, God is angry 
with the wicked every day, Psalm 711. God hates the workers of 
iniquity, Psalm 5.5. God will bring men into judgment 
and punishment as a result of their sins. Propitiation answers 
the question, what happens to that wrath? Well, Christ takes 
it. Satisfaction deals with it from a bit of a different angle. 
The Father, the judge of all the earth, is satisfied. The 
requirements of his just law have been met by the Savior. 
The punishment that is due for sinners is received by the Savior. And so satisfaction is rendered 
at the cross. In other words, again, we have 
a definite atonement. We have a real atonement. We 
have atonement that's not just sort of set out there for anybody 
that wants to activate it, but rather the atonement is efficacious 
for those God purposes to save. Fourthly, the resurrection testifies 
that redemption was accomplished. What does Jesus say on the cross? 
The sixth saying of the Savior on the cross, he says, it is 
finished. That's a blessed statement that 
Christ utilizes from the cross. It's not, I am finished. It's 
not a weak sort of an insipid emptying of himself. It is a 
triumph cry. It is victory. It is finished. The work that the Father has 
given me is accomplished. That sixth saying of the Savior 
on the cross indicates that reconciliation, redemption is affected by the 
Son of God. And it's in what's called the 
perfect tense. I don't wanna sort of bore anybody 
here, but the perfect tense in Greek means something that happened 
in the past, but it has present and abiding effect on us now. And then, interestingly as well, 
when archaeologists go out, archaeologists, if any of you kids really like 
playing in the dirt or mud, consider archaeology. That'd be a good 
pursuit for you. Someday you could get paid to 
dig around in the dirt and mud. I mean, wouldn't that be great? 
You find things. Well, as persons have taken that task on, they 
have found the Greek word that Jesus uses here on bills, receipts, 
commercial, transcript or paperwork from commerce. And this word, 
it's technically, or the Greek word is tetelestai. It's not 
stamped, because they didn't have stamps back then, but it's 
in there. It means it's paid in full. It 
means that the transaction is completed, and that is what Christ 
says on the cross. Spurgeon makes this comment concerning 
the Savior with reference to this sixth saying from the cross, 
it is finished. He says, I am persuaded that 
it was so intended to be used for none of the... Oh, he's talking 
about it's for the benefit of his church. I am persuaded that 
it was so intended to be used for none of the words of our 
Lord on the cross are addressed to his church but this one. I 
cannot believe that when he was dying, he left his people, for 
whom he died, without a word. Father, forgive them, for they 
know not what they do is for sinners, not for saints. I thirst 
is for himself. And so is that bitter cry, my 
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Woman, behold, thy son is 
for Mary. Today shalt thou be with me in 
paradise is for the penitent thief. Into thy hands, I commend 
my spirit, is for the father. Jesus must have had something 
to say in the hour of death for his church, and surely this is 
his dying word for her. And it's a most excellent dying 
word for her as well. It is finished. Christ did what 
he came to do, and he successfully completed the task. So the resurrection 
testifies that Christ is the Son of God with power. It testifies 
that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. It testifies that satisfaction 
was rendered. It testifies that redemption 
was accomplished. And finally, it testifies that 
the session was initiated. And by session, I mean right 
now, the current session of our Lord. Go back to Acts chapter 
2, and we'll see that connection. Acts chapter 2, the apostle Peter 
speaking concerning Jesus, His person and work sets forth the 
true humanity of Christ in verse 22, the predetermined death of 
Christ in verse 23, the glorious resurrection of Christ in verses 
24 to 32, and then the triumphant exaltation of Christ in verses 
33 to 36. Now this triumphant exaltation 
of Christ refers to the session, the current session of Christ. 
In other words, what is Jesus doing now? Well, this is what 
we see here. Verse 32, this Jesus God is raised 
up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the 
right hand of God, and having received from the Father the 
promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now 
see and hear. Again, that's the emphasis in this passage. In 
Acts chapter 2, the primary focus isn't on the Spirit and tongue 
speaking. I'm not suggesting that we relegate 
the Spirit to some marginal status, but that's not the emphasis. 
The emphasis is that Christ, the ascended Lord, sits enthroned 
at the right hand of the Father, and He is the one that has poured 
out the Holy Spirit on this particular occasion. Verse 34, for David 
did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, the Lord 
said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies 
your footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know 
assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both 
Lord and Christ. So the resurrection testifies 
that the current session, or the session rather, was initiated. There's still stuff for the mediator 
to do. He ever lives to make intercession 
for us, but he will return in glory to judge the living and 
the dead. So there are aspects of the mediatorial 
work of Christ that still need to be accomplished, not relative 
to our salvation. That is a done deal. not some 
sort of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine where he continues to 
make atonement in the Holy of Holies. That's nonsense. Christ 
wrought out atonement in his life, his death, and his resurrection. But it does still remain for 
Christ to come again and to judge and to consummate the age. Well, 
in conclusion, in the first place, we ought to appreciate the necessity 
of the death of Christ. The evil of sin is no small thing. 
If you are not a believer here tonight, you need to ponder this. 
If you are reflecting or listening, perhaps, online, and you're not 
a believer, you may not think sin is that big of a deal. You 
may think something like, well, you know, everybody does sin. 
Yeah, everyone does sin, and it's horrible. It is abominable. It is wretched. God made us upright, 
and behold, we sought out many devices. Your devices might not 
be mine, my devices might not be yours, but that undercurrent, 
that theme that is connecting all of us is rebellion against 
the living and true God. If that necessitated the death 
of Christ for its remedy, then we ought to appreciate just how 
bad sin really is. As well, the remedy for sin involves 
forgiveness and the imputation of Christ's righteousness. The 
death of Christ secures that forgiveness. The life of Christ 
obviously secures the imputation of the act of obedience, but 
that death of Christ What does the Apostle say in Hebrews 9.22? 
Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. There 
is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. What does 
John the Baptist say when he beholds Jesus Christ in John 
1? He says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of 
the world. The Son of Man did not come to 
be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. In Him we have redemption through 
His blood, both Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1. This emphasis on 
the blood of Jesus Christ is not owing to a sick, twisted 
fascination on the part of the people of God, but rather it 
tells us or proclaims to us that in the death of the Savior, we 
have the forgiveness of sin. Secondly, the glory of the resurrection 
of Christ, the work of satisfaction having been accomplished, Christ 
was no longer under the dominion of death. Romans 6, 9 and 10 
tells us this. Hodge says, with the dead Savior, 
a Savior over whom death had triumphed and held captive, our 
justification had been forever impossible. In other words, if 
Christ is not raised from the dead, then we are still in our 
sins. That's what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 
15. That's a horrible condition to 
be in. So we need death, we need resurrection. As well, the work of satisfaction 
having been accomplished, the Father raised the Son, to testify 
concerning the completion of the work. As I mentioned this 
morning, we looked at the historicity of the resurrection and the gospel 
narratives and other New Testament passages. Paul deals with the 
theology. Not that Matthew, Mark, Luke, 
and John don't. Not that the other gospel or other New Testament 
authors don't, but Paul really investigates the theological 
sort of basis or foundation for these things, and they are most 
encouraging and most stabilizing. And once again, may I encourage 
you, encourage you the pathway to good practical Christianity 
comes through a robust appreciation of good Christian doctrine. In other words, without the theory, 
without the truth, without that substance, you will flounder 
in your Christian experience. Don't just reach for the book 
on how to be a good wife or the book on how to be a good husband, 
but reach for the book that explains to you the glory of the cross, 
the book that explains to you the glory of justification by 
faith alone, a book that explains to you the connection between 
justification and sanctification. In other words, brethren, feed 
your souls with the great doctrine of the cross of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Thirdly, if you look just ahead 
in chapter 5 at verse 1, we see the blessed result of His death 
and resurrection. Look at what Paul says. Therefore, 
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace is something everybody 
wants. Now there's the few sick individuals 
out there that seem to thrive in chaos. They seem to thrive 
when everything's a mess. They seem to thrive when everything 
is just coming off the tracks. But most people like a degree 
of peace. Most people are a little bit 
upbraided right now because we can't go outside or we are being 
frowned upon as we meet together in the church. There's this absence 
of or lack of, but that's at the horizontal level. The apostle 
is dealing with peace, with God, Therefore, having been justified 
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which 
we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Now look 
at how Paul gets real practical here. And not only that, but 
we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces 
perseverance and perseverance character and character hope. 
Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been 
poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to 
us. That's a good bit of practical theology based on his exposition 
of the cross and the empty tomb of our blessed Savior. It is 
absolutely crucial that we appropriate these doctrines in our minds 
and in our hearts. It is this which will promote 
stability, which will promote encouragement, which will promote 
comfort and security in the lives of God's people. When you get 
justification, the way that Paul deals with it, the way that Jesus 
teaches it, the way that the prophets and Moses dealt with 
it, when you understand it the way the best of the Reformation 
theologians articulated, that which is encapsulated in Westminster 
Catechism 33, there is a world of comfort and hope afforded 
to us by that glorious truth. And if you're not a believer 
tonight, it's faith in Jesus. It's look and live. It is believe 
on that one in whom there is forgiveness. All that the Father 
gives me, Jesus says, will come to me, and the one who comes 
to me, I will serve. certainly not cast out. It'll 
never be the case that a sinner coming after Jesus will be rebuffed, 
will be rejected, will be resisted. Christ came into this world, 
sinners to save. And if you look at 1 Timothy 
1.15, That's exactly what Paul says. This is a faithful saying. It's worthy of all acceptation 
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. But he 
puts sinners in the front of the sentence. Greek is interesting. It's not the typical sort of 
way we do things in English, where you have a subject and 
then a predicate. You can put the predicate and then the subject. 
Sometimes they do that for emphasis, and when Paul does that in 1 
Timothy 1.15, he is saying Christ Jesus came into the world, sinners! 
to save, the emphasis is upon the sinners there. So never conclude, 
well, I'm too sinful, Christ can't save me. You're so sinful, 
Christ alone can save you. Never try to argue yourself out 
of running to the Savior, believing on Jesus Christ, looking and 
living, because that is eternal life. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the clarity 
of Romans 4.25. And as Poole says, it is a great 
summary statement of the entirety of the Christian gospel. And 
I pray it would speak multitudes of comfort to our own hearts, 
that it would help steady us, that we would have that confidence, 
not in ourselves, but in our beloved Savior, and that we would 
rejoice in the goodness and in the kindness and in the mercy 
of our great God and Savior. We pray that many, many, many 
more people will believe this message, and many, many more 
people will come out of darkness into marvelous light. As we look 
at the book of Revelation, we see there's not just a handful, 
it's not just a small group of people, but a great multitude 
that no man can number, from every tribe, tongue, people, 
and nation. This gives us great hope, this gives us great encouragement. 
So God, we pray, send forth men to preach send forth all of us 
to testify, to witness, to declare that Christ is a real Savior 
for real sinners. And we pray these things in His 
most blessed name. Amen.