Session 13

How Did That Happen?

From The Gospel: Five Words You Need to Know

READ:                                 
• John 3:16–18    
• Isaiah 53:4–6    
• Romans 5:1–11
• 1 Peter 3:18
• 2 Corinthians 5:21                            

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions;he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace  and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. —Isaiah 53:4–6
                    
Yesterday we saw that we have no appeal to bring before God for the death we deserve. But here is the good news: Christ saves us from our sin by becoming a substitute for us. Jesus hung on the cross in our place and God placed on Him the iniquity (the wickedness) of all who believe in Him. Jesus took the curse that should have been on us and bore the sin that would have brought us eternal death and condemnation forever. In other words, Jesus took your place and your punishment for your sin on the cross. God sent His son to take our place. Jesus hung on a cross that you and I deserved. What is even more unbelievable is there was nothing in us that made Jesus do this. There was no good, no attractiveness in us, He did it because He loves us and that’s who He is. This is the only way we can be made right with God by believing in and accepting Jesus as our substitute.
                    
RESPOND:
                    
• What does Jesus do to take our place? How does He take our place?
• What makes Jesus qualified to be our substitute?
• Have you ever had to take the punishment for a crime or for being disobedient?
• What punishment does Jesus take on?
• Take a minute to write down all you need Jesus to take from you in order to replace it with something better.