V17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
V20-21 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17, 20-21
If you’re anything like me, when it comes to wrapping presents, it’s an uphill struggle.
Christmas Eve rolls round, and there’s still presents needing wrapped. I get the paper, scissors, and Sellotape, maybe a tag if I’m feeling ambitious, and here I go again, full of ambition.
It doesn’t take long until I’m in a fankle with the tape, the paper is getting scrunched, and I’m losing hope of actually completing the task.
What I’d love, is for someone to come along, tell me to go grab a coffee and put my feet up, and they could take over for me. It would be great if they could do the job that I feel I can never do properly. I’d be so thankful if they took my place.
Christmas is about an even better substitution though.
Jesus, the holy one, the Son of God, stepped into the very world He had created, to be the ultimate substitute.
My issue with wrapping presents isn’t really that big a deal. If I took my time I would get there. I don’t really need a substitute.
But sin is a problem I can’t do anything to fix. I absolutely need a substitute to take my place and deal with it. I need my old, sinful, ruined heart to be exchanged for a new one.
You see, our sin problem is deep. Sin isn’t just the occasional naughty thing do. Sin is our deep-rooted rebellion against the holy God. Sin defines our existence. We’re slaves to sin, we can’t escape it.
Sin means we live for ourselves, not God.
Sin means we’re filled with pride, anger, lusts, selfishness, envy, hatred, conflict.
Sin means we’re filthy, and far away from the holy God.
Sin means we’re guilty, and heading for punishment.
Rightly, God will punish all sin.
That’s why Jesus was born.
The angel told Joseph: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
He came to free his people from slavery to sin.
He had no sin of His own, but He came to take the sin of many.
In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul writes: “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
God sent His sinless Son to swap places with His people. It’s often called “The Great Exchange.”
Jesus came to die the death of sinners, so that sinners could be brought back to God. He took the punishment on the cross, so that anyone who trusts in Him would be free from their sin for all eternity.
Not only does he take our unholiness, but he gives us his holiness, so that in His holiness we can stand in the presence of the holy God.
The holy one, the Son of God, took the place of ruined sinners, so that ruined sinners could come to the holy God.
Only Jesus could have done that.
O Come Let Us Adore Him!
A thought to remember: Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took the sin of His people, so that His people could be brought near to God.
A question to ask: Today, are you trusting that Jesus has taken your sin, and brought you back to God?
A bit more to read: 2 Corinthians 5:1-21
A song to sing: Amazing Grace