Luke 23:13-25 – Our Perfect Substitute
There is a necessity about Christ being publicly proclaimed innocent. Jesus is about to be offered as a sacrifice for our sins. It is right that those who examine Him should formally pronounce Him guiltless and blameless. The Lamb of God is to be a perfect Lamb, and God so orders the events of Jesus’ trial that even when His enemies are judges, they can find no fault in Him. We should be thankful every day that our Substitute is perfect. Christ undertakes to stand in our place, to pay the debt we owe, and to keep the law we have broken. He does keep that law perfectly, satisfying all its demands, and accomplishing all its requirements. In Christ, all believers are counted perfect keepers of the law. God looks at us clothed in Christ’s perfect righteousness. If Christ is not perfect, His work as our Substitute is useless. God will not see perfect righteousness when He looks at us, Christ will have died for His own sins, not ours, and we will never be saved.
Man hates God and never is this more obvious than when the Son of God comes to earth and lives among His chosen people who despise Him, reject Him, and kill Him. The fearful responsibility that the Jews take upon themselves in crucifying Christ is not forgotten by God. From the destruction of Jerusalem 70 years after Christ’s death to their scattering throughout the world and their history of persecution, the Jews are a warning that it is a fearful thing to reject the Lord Jesus Christ, and that the nation that speaks against God must not be surprised if God deals with them accordingly. Yet even for the Jews there is mercy and forgiveness in Christ. If you are a Christian take comfort in the fact that you, like Barabbas, deserve death, judgement, and Hell, but a sinless Saviour has suffered in your place, and by believing in Him, the guilty may go free.
Questions
- Why was it necessary for Christ to live a perfect life?
- How are we like Barabbas?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that Christ is a perfect Substitute.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.