A Sermon on 'Propitiation' by Rob Smith at Morning and Night Church on the 11th of November 2007. Sermon Outline:
The Heart of the Cross
Getting Our Bearings
What Does It Mean
Propitiation = 'the appeasement of wrath'
What Doesn't It Mean?
Propitiation Does Not Equal Expiation
Why Does It Matter?
The Reality of God's Wrath
What Does Scripture Say?
"God's Wrath is his personal divine revulsion to evil [and] his personal vigorous opposition to it"
Some Key Passages
Romans 1:18
Romans 2:5-8
Ephesians 2:3
Three Common Objections
God's Wrath is a Pagan Idea
God's Wrath is Impersonal
God's Wrath is Negated By His Love
Our Greatest Need
Rescue From Wrath
An Atoning Sacrifice
A Great High Priest
The Satisfaction of God's Wrath
The Purpose of Propitiation
To Save Us From Our Sins (Hebrews 2:17)
The Source of Propitiation
The Love and Mercy of God (Ephesians 2:5; 1 John 4:10)
The Person Who Makes Propitiation
The Incarnate Son of God (1 John 2:2; Hebrews 2:17)
The Means of Propitiation
The Shedding of His Blood (Romans 3:25)
The Reception of Propitiation
Through Faith in His Blood (Romans 3:25)
Conclusion
Amazing Love
"[M]an is alienated from God by sin and God is alienated from man by wrath. It is in the substitutionary death of Christ that sin is overcome and wrath is averted, so that God can look on man without displeasure and man can look on God without fear. Sin is expiated and God is propitiated." (David Wells)