LUKE 23:33-46

'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?' is evidence of the ultimate result of sin: separation from God. Momentarily, perhaps, but genuinely, the Son was separated from the Father as He bore the sins of man 'in His own body upon the tree.' Here indeed we see both the goodness and severity of God." God's holiness demands wrath upon unrepented of sin. His mercy demands forgiveness of those who turn in faith to Jesus. When we survey the cross, we see God's wrath and mercy: both meeting, both satisfied, both fulfilled. When we survey the cross, what does it show us?

1. THE CROSS SHOWS US GOD'S UNMITIGATED HATRED OF SIN:
1. Oh, how God hates sin! Wouldn't you hate that which destroys your children, ruins your home and bankrupts your nation?  God hates sin the destroyer!  The Bible makes that so plain:
1. Jeremiah 23:19 (NIV) "See, the storm of the LORD will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked."
2. Ezekiel 18:4 (NIV) "The soul who sins is the one who will die."
3. Romans 1:18 (NIV) "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,"
2. All that because God utterly hates sin! For the sake of our eternal destiny, we must get hold of that truth!
1. Never imagine that sin is no big deal! Sin is a wrecker of all that is good; a polluter of mind, heart and conscience, it is moral cancer.
2. Never think that God has gone soft on sin and will simply tolerate it benignly.
3. Jeremiah 44:4 (NLT) "Again and again I sent My servants, the prophets, to plead with them, 'Don't do these horrible things that I hate so much.'"
4. Proverbs 8:13 (NLT) "All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech."
5. Ephesians 5:6 (NLT) "Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him."
3. Here's how God describes sin:
1. It is an abomination: Luke 16:15.
2. It is vile: Romans 1:24.
3. It is despicable: Titus 1:16.
4. It is detestable: Ezekiel 7:9.
5. it is abhorrent: Leviticus 20:21.
6. it is contemptible: Nahum 1:14.
4. A man was in the back yard hoeing his garden with his daughter when he heard her say, "Oooo! Pretty! Pretty beads!" He walked over to see what she was talking about and saw her reach down to pick up a coral snake which she had mistaken for a string of beads. The man quickly chopped the head off the snake to protect his daughter. It was a threat to her and he hated it. That's how God feels about sin, and graphically tells us so by sending His Son to the cross.

So the cross tells us of God's unmitigated hatred of sin.

2. THE CROSS SHOWS US GOD'S UNCOMPROMISING JUSTICE: 
1. If God says He will punish sin, and doesn't do it, His integrity is down the tube. By the same token, if God says He will forgive sin, and doesn't, the same holds true. The cross shows God's justice by punishing sin and providing forgiveness. Jesus took that punishment and supplies that forgiveness. 
2. We must never think that 
1. God will simply overlook our sin. "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31 (NIV). 
2. Somehow we have a special dispensation of leniency in God's eyes so that He will allow us to get away with something He'll judge others for. "God shows no partiality." Romans 2:11. 
3. We will cleverly escape God's scrutiny. "The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good." Proverbs 15:3 (NLT). 
3. The punishment of sin is justice; the forgiveness of sin is equally justice because both faithfully fulfill God's decree and promise. 
1. David said, "Against You, and You alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight. You will be proved right in what You say, and Your judgment against me is just." Psalms 51:4 (NLT). That's the justice of punishment. 
2. John testifies, "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." 1 John 1:9 (NLT). 
4. A certain king, in order to stifle growing crime, decreed that anyone guilty of theft would have his eyes gouged out. As it turned out, his own son was found guilty of theft and was sentenced to have his eyes gouged out. The king upheld the law and had one of his son's eyes gouged out, and then stepped down from the throne to have one of his own eyes gouged out. He fulfilled the law, and yet showed mercy. God went him much better! His only begotten Son took the full penalty for sin: God's justice and mercy were satisfied in the cross.

The cross shows us God's uncompromising justice.

3. THE CROSS SHOWS US GOD'S UNFATHOMABLE GRACE AND MERCY:
1. Let me remind you that grace is God giving us what we do not deserve. Mercy is God not giving us what we certainly deserve. It is withholding from us the punishment we have earned by sin.  
2. God poured the wrath we deserve on Jesus and poured the forgiveness we don’t deserve on us! That's grace and mercy!  Isaiah 53:5 (NLT) "But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!"
3. Think about someone who wronged you, lied about you, hated you, stole from you, physically harmed you and in general made life miserable. They deserve punishment! Then think of having the opportunity to get even; to revenge yourself. And think about your child. And think about having your child die on behalf of that enemy. For me that is unthinkable. But I am not as merciful as God is. Praise Him that He gave His child on behalf of His enemies.
4. A man once severely injured an enemy. Day by day that enemy plotted revenge. Years went by and one day he had his opportunity. His malefactor had come under his power and he could snuff out his life in an instant. But he spoke, "Years ago you injured me. I still bear the scars. It was in my heart to kill you when I had the chance. I now have that chance -but I have become a Christian and vengeance is not mine. Instead of revenge, I am going to show you mercy. I freely forgive you for your wrong." That's mercy.

God hates sin, but loved the world. God is unflinching in justice, but quick to forgive. God is infinite in mercy and offers that to all who will trust His Son, Jesus Christ. How severe God is to sin - and how good He is to repentant sinners. God is not willing that any die in sin, but that all die to sin and live in His Son. God through the cross showed His hatred of sin, His absolute justice, and His kind mercy. He offers it to you this morning. You don't have to get good and then come. You don't have to get rid of baggage and then come. Just come. Jesus calls, Jesus invites, Jesus hopes you will come - Just as you are.

Stories from various unidentified sources

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