He Took My Place - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Apr 13
- 6 min read
He Took My Place
Romans 5
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Intro: The Doctrine of the Substitutionary Atonement is a vital doctrine to the child of God.
The first demonstration of this doctrine is found in the Garden of Eden when God killed innocent lambs in order to “cover” the sinful shame of Adam and Eve, after their weak and insufficient attempts with the fig leaves.
Then throughout the Old Testament, thousands of lambs, bullocks, goats and birds died and shed their blood as a picture of the Perfect Sacrifice that would one day satisfy the wrath of God.
I needed a Substitute because I too was:
A. Weak – when we were yet without strength
B. Wicked - Christ died for the ungodly.
C. Wrong - while we were yet sinners
Many times, we’ve heard preachers make the remark, “He took my place.”
This morning, we will look at several literal places where Jesus went in His journey to pay for our sins.
Jesus didn’t only take my place as my substitute, but He went to places where I could have never gone.
We will look at four literal places where Jesus went for us.
He Took My Place at…
I. GETHSEMANE - The Place of Submission
John 18
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
He took my place because I could not have surrendered and submitted to God’s ultimate will!!
I was at enmity with God – living a life of rebellion and self-will.
My life was one act of defiance after another.
The shortest definition of sin in the Bible is found in the account of Lucifer being cast from Heaven when in his heart, he said multiple times “I WILL”.
The Garden of Gethsemane:
The place of Supplication has now become a place of Sorrow
The place of Sweetness has now become a place of Sweat
The place of Blessing has now become a place of Betrayal
The place of Bliss had now become a place of Blood
The place of Asking had not become a place of Agony
The place of Communion had become a place of Commotion
The place of Teaching had become a place of Treachery
I would have never submitted to that PLACE!!
He submitted to God’s will in spite of:
The Carelessness of his Followers – some were sleeping; one was selling him; they all fled away
The Conflict of his Flesh – he didn’t want to go through the pain and separation from God
The Cup of his Father – he MUST die in order to redeem the very men that were about to kill him
Acts 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Acts 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
His Submission was a result of:
1. An awareness of the Father’s Preeminence
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Luke 2 – Jesus at 12 years of age said, “I must be about my Father’s business.”
2. An awareness of the Father’s Plan of Redemption
John 12
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
3. An awareness of the Father’s Promise to Resurrect – pictured by Isaac’s obedience
If He had not taken my place at Gethsemane, the Plan of Salvation would have been dead on arrival!
He Took My Place at…
II. GABBATHA - The Place of Sentencing
John 19:13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
I could never have survived that place:
I would have DENIED my guilt. One thing man is known for is refusing to admit their sinful state.
I would have DEBATED my accusers. …as sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
I would have DESECRATED the law. Reduced it to legalism; unfair impositions on my will
I would have DEGRADED the lawgiver.
I would have DISPUTED my sentence.
BUT…
I was ALREADY guilty; there was no need for false accusers. Mark 14:55, 56
I was ALREADY condemned to die. – John 3:18; Romans 6:23; Mark 14:64
I was ALREADY dead. – Ephesians 2; Romans 5:12-21
He Took My Place at…
III. GOLGOTHA - The Place of Sacrifice
John 19
17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
He was the Perfect Sacrifice: I could not have gone through this place.
My death would have been deserved.
My death would have been right.
My death would have been just another execution of a guilty man.
BUT – because He took my place, HIS death was accepted as the Final Sacrifice for sin.
Not our sins only, but the sins of the whole world!
1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
His death on the cross:
Satisfied the Wrath of a thrice-holy God. (Isaiah 53)
Settled the Payment for my Sin.
Set me free from the Penalty of Sin
He Took My Place at…
IV. The Garden Tomb - The Place of Salvation – (John 19:41-42)
I could not have gone through this place.
Even if I could have lived a perfect life, and endured the pain of the cross, I could not have RAISED MYSELF from the DEAD.
Acts 13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead:
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
The Apostle Paul was very clear – without the Resurrection, we would all still be lost!
1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
The Gospel message is the DEATH, BURIAL, and RESURRECTION!!
1 Corinthians 15
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: