Substitutionary atonement.
Jesus took what you deserved—And gives you what He deserves.
1. Jesus Lived For You
The life Jesus lived–He lived it for you!
When Jesus showed up on the scene as a baby in Bethlehem, that was not the beginning of Jesus.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
The Word was with God, and the Word was God. Not a creature made by God, but God the Creator. — Augustine of Hippo, the tractates on the Gospel of John, 4th–5th century AD
God was a baby
Luke 2:52
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
God was a teenager
Hebrews 4:15
We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus fully embraced the human experience—but unlike us, He navigated it perfectly.
1 Peter 2:22
He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
Jesus didn’t live a perfect life to impress you—He lived a perfect life to represent you.
Jesus lived the life you should’ve lived.
We look to Jesus not only upon the cross, but through the whole course of His earthly journey, and we see a life of spotless righteousness. That righteousness is not only to be applauded—it is to be imputed. God sees us in Christ as if we had lived His life. — Charles Spurgeon
He didn’t just die in your place—He lived in your place too.
When you put your faith in Christ, you don’t just get a clean slate—you get Jesus’ slate.
2. Jesus Died For You
Romans 6:23
The wages of sin is death.
Wage - payment someone earns in exchange for work.
Sin earns death.
Romans 5:12
Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
Because Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, the wage of sin had no claim on Him.
Death could not claim Him for itself, for He was sinless; yet He gave Himself to death, that by His obedience even unto death, He might undo the disobedience of Adam. — Irenaeus of Lyons
2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
The gospel isn’t just about what Jesus took. It’s about what He gives.
Jesus received a punishment He didn’t deserve—so you could receive a reward you could never earn.
3. Jesus Rose For You
Matthew 28:5-6
Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Without the resurrection, the cross is a sad moment—not a saving one.
#1. When Jesus walked out of the grave… sin didn’t.
You were made for resurrection life—to walk out of the tomb clothed in something new. A new self. A new mind. A new identity. Clothed in Christ. Covered in His righteousness.
#2. Jesus’ resurrection didn’t just restore life—it restored relationship.
Jesus didn’t rise just to prove a point. He rose to pull you close.
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
That’s the gospel. Jesus lived for you. He died for you and He rose to walk with you.
#3 New nature is now natural
Isaiah 64:6
all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…
Isaiah 1:18
Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.
Wool grows white from the inside out—that’s its nature.