The Motive For Christ's Death Series

THE MOTIVE FOR CHRIST’S DEATH

1 Corinthians 15:3

Imagine the scene: the Sinless Son of God hangs on a cross, rusty spikes have been driven through His hands and feet. Blood pours from His brow where a cruel crown of thorns has been placed. The flesh on His back hangs like ribbons from the awful scourging He has endured. For hours He hangs there in indescribable agony, suffering for the sins of the world. At noon the earth becomes as dark as midnight, the separation that Jesus experiences at this point is far more excruciating than the physical pain He has faced thus far. In great anguish He cries "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?"

His suffering continues for a while longer and when all things are accomplished He says "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' His sacrificial work is complete, He declares "It is finished". The precious Lamb of God takes His last breath. Jesus dies and an earthquake rumbles across the earth. The veil of the Temple rips into, the enemies of Christ rejoice, and a few faithful followers weep and mourn. This was a tragic scene, but this was not the end; three days later, Jesus rose from the grave.

- We rejoice in the hope that the Resurrection brings, but we must never forget the agony of the Cross, and the reality that Jesus’s sacrifice was for us. I would like to look to I Corinthians 15:3 and consider:

THE MOTIVE FOR CHRIST’S DEATH

Paul says to the Corinthian Christians, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures”.

In this declaration, Paul echoes the teachings of John the Baptist, the Apostles, and of course Jesus Himself. John the Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29). The Apostle Peter said, “Jesus bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24). The Apostle John said, “Jesus appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin”. (1 John 3:5) and “God loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10). The Apostle Paul said, “Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25). Later in Romans, Paul would proclaim “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17). In Mark 10:45 Jesus declared His purpose for coming to earth, He said “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

- These verses (and many more) teach us that:

CHRIST’S DEATH WAS VOLUNTARY

Jesus laid aside the glories of Heaven and took on a robe of human flesh. That condescension in itself is beyond our comprehension. Even more astonishing is the reality that He did this knowing that He would face rejection, suffering, and ultimately death.

Perhaps the most amazing truth is that He did it for us. Paul says that (Jesus), though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)

The Jews who were so intent on killing Jesus did not have that power. The Sanhedrin did not have the power to kill Him. Even with their legitimate governmental and religious authority among the people, Herod, Caiphas, Annas, and Pilate did not have the ability to kill Jesus. Even the Romans soldiers that carried out the crucifixion were not able to kill Him. Jesus’s life was not taken from Him by any mortal man, He willingly laid it down.

The fact that Jesus voluntarily gave up His life is seen throughout the events of His passion. The gospel writers tell us how He was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, abandoned by the Apostles, falsely tried and condemned by the Jews, rejected by the crowds, and executed by the Romans. We are given graphic details concerning His death; scripture tells us that He was stripped of His clothes, mocked and blasphemed, beaten, spat upon, and scourged. We read about the scarlet robe, the crown of thorns, the wooden cross, the spikes driven through His hands and feet, and the spear that was thrust through His side.