Sermon Info
Summary
Jesus’ death matters. It was prophesied and purposeful. The wages of sin is death. In the Old Testament, there was the sacrificial system. In this system, there were animals that were killed for the atonement of the sins of the people. Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice. He lived 33 sinless years, then died on a cross to pay the price for our sins. It was our sin that put Jesus on that cross. But, Jesus conquered death and made a way for us to be forgiven and to have eternal life. Praise God for His grace and mercy. Jesus died for you, so now let’s live for Him!
Content
Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
Our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is the most joyous time of the year in the church. But if we don’t spend some time in reflection of the pain and suffering that Jesus endured in our place, we will miss just how awesome the story of His resurrection on the third day is!
There are billions of people on the Earth today, and countless more throughout history. Almost all of them are remembered for the events of their life, but only one is known for His death as well: Jesus Christ. The life of a great inventor or leader might have improved the lives of others for many years, but their deaths cannot save us from our own. Only Jesus has the power to transform and redeem the eternity of each and every one of us, because of his violent — yet voluntary — death.
So why did Jesus have to die, if He would be raised back to life anyway? Well, since the first sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, sin has driven a wedge between God and man. That sin must be addressed. The political messiah that the Jews wanted could have delivered earthly freedom, but never could have atoned for our sins. Only the sacrifice of our sinless spiritual Messiah, Jesus, could forever mend the broken relationship between our Holy God and His sinful people. God’s plan to address sin was not popular among the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, but our God is a God of mercy and justice!
Jesus Paid for Our Sins
It is pride that keeps most people from Jesus. We may feel that we can do some good to counteract our sins. Or we may deny our sins, and feel all we do, we can justify. Romans 3:23 is clear: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No one else could do what Jesus did. As imperfect people, we can die in our sins, but not for our sins. We need Jesus, because even our own deaths could not atone for the sin we commit in our lives.
Mark 15:21 reads, A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way home from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. This man, Simon, could carry the cross, but he could never take the place of Jesus. Only Jesus, who was subjected to temptation like you and I but never succumbed, was worthy of being the perfect sacrifice.
The sacrificial system of the Old Testament required that God’s people bring burnt animal offerings to the altar for the atonement of their sins before God. As Romans 6:23 reads, For the wages of sin is death…
But in Matthew 5:17, Jesus proclaims, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Jesus, being put to death on the cross, was the ultimate sacrifice: Old Covenant sacrifices were temporary, but Jesus’ sacrifice was eternal. Jesus’ death was planned, and it was purposeful!
Seeing God’s Grace in Jesus’ Death
Jesus had to die for our sins; we had no hope on our own. Let’s praise God that it is not about what we do but about what He has done! Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)
Let’s all behold and appreciate the significance of the Father’s gift to us: a Lamb whose sacrifice pays for the past, present, and future sins of all who receive Him. Friends, Romans 6:23 does tell us the wages of sin are death, but also that . . .the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our Lord.
In baptism, we celebrate the grace of God by publicly acknowledging our acceptance of Jesus’s sacrifice. The motion of entering the water represents our death to our old way of life. Our moment submerged in the water is like the brief burial of Jesus. And our re-emergence represents the new life we have in Christ Jesus, who has overcome death and enabled us to overcome death through Him.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 tells us, Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. Because of Jesus, we need not fear even death; and because of His love for us, we can live for Him.
