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The Divine Exchange by Pastor John Samson
Surely he has borne our griefs (lit. sicknesses) and carried our sorrows (lit. pains); yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes 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. - Is. 53:4-6
The cross was no accident, but the center point of a plan devised by God before time began. The plan culminated in a divinely ordained exchange which would take place at Calvary. All the wrath and punishment due to us for our sinfulness was to come upon Jesus; and the good due to Jesus due to His sinless obedience was to come upon us. The innocent would bear the just punishment of the guilty, and the guilty would receive all the benefits due to the just.
I remember around two decades ago, hearing a sermon regarding this divine exchange. What I heard still affects me greatly today. For His glory, and out of His love for us, God met all of our needs at the cross: spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, material, financial, temporal and eternal. As we think about these eight declarations concerning what Christ achieved for His people in His death, burial and resurrection, let us celebrate the perfect and finished work of the perfect Savior:
1. Jesus was punished so that we might be forgiven (Is. 53:4, 5)
2. Jesus was wounded so that we might be healed (Is. 53:4, 5; 1 Pet. 2:24)
3. Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness that we might be made righteous with His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21)
4. Jesus died our death so that we might share His life (John 10:10; Rom. 6:6, 7; Gal. 2:20)
5. Jesus was made a curse so that we might receive the blessing (Gal. 3:13, 14)
6. Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance (2 Cor. 8:9)
7. Jesus endured our shame that we might share His glory (Ps. 69:7; Is. 53:3; Heb 12:2; Heb. 2:10)
8. Jesus endured our rejection that we might share His acceptance (Matt 27:45-47; Eph. 1:3, 4)
Comments
He died for our justification by taking our sins on Himself.
And because of His righteousness He was raised from the dead for our justification as well. And it's this very righteousness that is now ours.
A great exchange indeed.
Posted by: Devin | April 14, 2006 06:24 PM
Isn't it interesting that those who have received Christ as Lord and savior see this "exchange" and it breaks their hearts. However, those who have not don't understand what the big deal is. They trample Christ's sacrifice as the Lamb of God under their ungrateful feet. He incurred the wrath of God due us all. Oh please Lord never let me take my salvation for granted!
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Posted by: Mike Ratliff | April 16, 2006 10:17 PM
Resurrection Sunday is a precious reminder of the glorious truth that Jesus "was declared to be the Son of God in power...by his resurrection from the dead" (Rom 1:4).
Posted by: Davey | April 16, 2006 10:40 PM
its indeed a blessing to abide in his grace in these days of danger.......its comforting to also kno that he has plans 4 us plans to prosper - not to harm us - so lets put our hope in him and be blessed
Posted by: namrata | November 24, 2007 07:09 PM