The Substitute!

One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in His death so that everyone could also be included in His life. 2 Corinthians 5:14 The Message

This past week, I had a chance to chat with a nurse at one of my doctor’s offices while I was waiting. Surprisingly, she enjoyed talking as much as I do, and when we moved through the usual conversation, she let me know that her daughter plays basketball for Pitt State. She went on to say that her daughter is a substitute for the team, and that she would probably get no playing time in the Final Four game on that night. I ended up watching the game and found her daughter on the bench where she remained until the final four seconds when she got into the game. It made me think of all those who sit on the bench but still put in the same amount of work without the recognition. Being a substitute isn’t easy in this life.

After my thirty years of teaching, I began to fill the gaps of my time after retirement by occasionally being a substitute teacher. I admit that I knew that substitute teachers provide the perfect excuse for students to break all the regular teacher’s rules, but I never imagined how stressful a day could be for the substitutes. It’s like the students had a meeting to dream up plans for things they could do to upset the routine of the day. I know they plotted because in their minds, a substitute doesn’t know their names, they don’t know their parents, and most importantly, they won’t be back the next day. The substitute had no authority. We were considered a stand in for the regular teacher. We weren’t the real deal, rather we were just a substitute.

A substitute is defined as a person or thing acting or serving in place of another. In this case it is another trained indiviual who comes in the absence of the regular teacher and is to facilitate learning.

There are other instances of being a substitute. In 1863, two years after the beginning of the Civil War, Congress passed The Enrollment Act which required every male citizen between the ages of 26-45 to enroll in the Army as a way of providing fresh manpower. However, the Policy of Communication allowed a drafted citizen to pay $300 to opt out of service. Grover Cleveland and John D. Rockefeller were two famous Americans who used this act. The act generated a huge amount of resentment especially between the wealthy and the poor who couldn’t afford to opt out.

The Power of Substitution Act was even more devasting. This policy allowed a draft eligible man to NOT join the Army if a substitute, that was otherwise exempted, could be found. It ended up causing massive problems because the troops chosen by substitution ended up being too old, too young, or in poor health. The policy was later abolished because the perfect substitute didn’t exist.

The word substitute seems to have some bad connotations, but not in the Bible which clearly teaches that Jesus was born to be our substitute. The Message in II Corinthians 5:21 says it this way; “For our sake, he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We know He substituted for us on the cross, but how can we explain this deep love? We want to ask, “What does His love look like?” Look at the cross. If you had been the only person who ever lived, Jesus would have died just for you. But “what does his love cost?” you might ask. The answer is, Nothing! It comes with no strings attached. You didn’t do anything to deserve it, and when you mess up, you don’t forfeit it. Nothing can come between us and God’s love. Romans 8:23

Jesus was the perfect substitute which God sent in to take away our sins, and this sacrifice offers to each of us a path to forgiveness and reconciliation. The right substitute can win eternal life for us all. The best news is this substitute does know your name, He does know your parents, and He will be back every day for all of eternity!