SCARS OF REDEMPTION
Pastor Mark Warda
Woodland Church
Good Friday, April 3, 2026
GOD’S STORY OF REDEMPTION
(John 3:16, NLT) “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life”
As soon as sinned entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, God’s plan to send His one and only Son was initiated.
(Genesis 3:15, NLT) “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Jesus the “Son of Man.”
(Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, NLT) “I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him; many millions stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. … As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.”
Jesus was fully God and fully man.
If Jesus had not been fully man, and perfectly sinless, He could not have been the substitute to die in our place.
Jesus the Suffering Servant.
A lamb was not human and was only a temporary sacrifice.
A lamb was not aware of what was happening and had no choice in the matter. But Jesus was in control. He chose to offer His life willingly.
(Isaiah 53, NLT) “Who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.
But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”
(Mark 9:12, NLT) “And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?”
(Isaiah 53:5, NLT) “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”
Our sin is centered in our will. Temptation is not sin.
Until we say “yes” to temptation, no sin is committed.
Jesus was tempted in every way we are but was without sin.
(Isaiah 53:7-9, NLT) “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers “
Unlike an animal, Jesus voluntarily said “yes” by consenting to His substitutionary death.
(Mark 8:31, NLT) “Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead.”
(Mark 9:30–31, NLT) “Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.”
(Mark 10:32–34, NLT) “They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”
(Mark 10:45, NLT) “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
To ransom something is to pay a price to redeem it or secure its freedom.
Jesus’ final words before He gave up His life on the cross were, “It is finished!” which can be translated as “Paid in Full!”
(John 14:6, NLT) “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
Two Greek words for “redemption”
agorazo which means to buy.
exagorazo, which means to buy out.
They are both related to the word agora, which means the market place, so together they mean “to buy out of the market place” so that the one who has been purchased might never return there again.”
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NLT) “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price.”
We’ve been bought not borrowed!
We’ve been redeemed not rented!
A scar is evidence of healing.
A scar is evidence of closure.
A scar reminds us of God’s faithfulness.
Sharing the story of our scar can help others.
God doesn’t give us scars to remind us that we have been hurt.
God gives us scars to remind us that we have been healed!
In hardship and pain, God is in control.
God may allow scars to draw you closer to Him.
God may intend to use your scar to minister to someone.
(Hebrews 12:2, NLT) “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NLT) “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
(James 1:2-3, NLT) “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
A scar is proof of identity.
Identity of Paul.
(Galations 6:14, 17, NLT) “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.”
Identity of Jesus.
(John 20:24-29, NLT) “One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
Our identity in Christ.
Our scars that remain are not to remind us of our failures, but of God’s victory.
(2 Corinthians 1:5-7, NLT) “For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.”
(John 20:19-21, NLT) “That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”
God uses the scars in our life to show others Jesus.
Growthwork
- Be willing to allow God to trust you with a scar in order to minister to a person He has in mind.
- The word “passion” comes from the word “to suffer.”Chose to be a “passionate follower of Christ” by being willing to identify with Christ when life is uncomfortable.
- Share your story with someone so that like Thomas, they will see and believe.
- Invite someone to Easter Sunday service with you.