Helions Bumpstead Gospel Hall

4 facts about the man Christ Jesus

Motivated by grace - He left heaven 2 Cor 8: 9

Moved by love - he came to earth 1Tim1: 15

Mutilated by sinners - He forgave them Luke 23:34

Made sin by God - He died for sinners Romans 5:6,8

1. 2 Cor 8:9 'for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor'.

This verse is deeper in meaning than it appears. Yes He became poor in the sense that he left heaven for earth, but the key is THE GRACE of our Lord Jesus!

Knowing what was before Him, knowing every experience that He would face He still came! Why? He was motivated by grace! In other words, the great riches of God should be made available to men! Salvation, forgiveness, peace, eternal life, justification and so much more! What motivates you in life? There is a reason behind every thing we do! What was the reason for Him leaving heaven? He was MOTIVATED BY GRACE!

2. But it was love that brought Him to earth! I Tim 1;15 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners'. Love for our never dying souls brought Him to earth. Moved by love for sinners He came to earth. The apostle says 'Of whom I am chief', now you may not be as bad as what Saul was before he was converted, but the fact is that if Christ saved the very worst sinner then He can save you!

But perhaps that's where we need to pause. Are you aware that you are a sinner? I could give examples of what sin is, but I take you back to the law, which is our schoolmaster to bring us to God, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

thou shalt not have any Gods beside me
thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
keep the Sabbath
honour thy father and thy mother
thou shalt not kill
thou shalt not commit adultery
thou shalt not steal
thou shalt not bear false witness
thou shalt not covet

Your own life's record condemns you! It proves how relevant Gods Word is, 'all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.' But out of love for you He came to earth! Does that not touch you?

3. What was the response of men when faced with the One who moved by love for them came into the world? Luke 22:63-64 23:11 33-34 He was mutilated by sinners! The intense hatred of men for the One who was motivated by grace, and moved by love to leave heaven and come into the world; their hatred is seen in what they did to Him!

'The plowers plowed upon my back, they made long their furrows' Psalm 129:3

'I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, I hid not my face from shame and spitting' Is 50:6

Truly He was mutilated by sinners! His visage was so marred MORE than the sons of men!

4. But the greatest of all is that He was made sin by God and died for sinners! Romans 5:6-8'for when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly' 'But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'.

This, my friend is the heart of the Gospel! The Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, Holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners was made sin. He who knew no sin etc MADE SIN! This transcends what men did to Him when they mutilated Him.

When was He made sin? In 3 hrs of darkness, when it pleased the Lord to bruise Him and to put Him to grief, when He made His soul an offering for sin! When the judgement for the sinner's sins was laid upon Him!

Upon the cross the Lord Jesus said 'IT IS FINISHED!' Then and only then did He bow His head and die!

Friend, He who was motivated by grace to leave Heaven, moved by love for sinners to come to earth, who was mutilated by sinners and made sin by God to die for sinners, was buried, raised the third day, and ascended into heaven, will soon come again...

Motivated no longer by grace but Righteousness!

Moved no longer by love but Judgement!

It will be a day of the Lord's fierce anger, the prophet Zephaniah warns 'that the great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteneth greatly.' It will be a day of wrath, trouble and distress and strong men will cry bitterly!

He who was mutilated by sinners and made sin by God will be seen in all His awesome glory and wreak vengeance upon the unsaved! And when He has finished His 1000 year reign He will cast the unsaved into the lake of fire, where there is deep darkness, constant horror, agonizing eternal life, eternal punishment and everlasting torment! My friend, divine justice will catch up with you! To face the first death, (of your body) is sad but to face this the second death is terrible! It could be that tonight God says to you, you've had your opportunities, you fool tonight I require your soul!

Flee today to the only One who can save sinners! The man Christ Jesus.

What must you do to be saved?

Repent of your sin, forsake it and confess it and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Acts 16:31.

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