Why Did Jesus Die? Series

Introduction:

We are approaching the time of year in which Christians look and remember the death of our Lord Jesus. The movie “the Passion” has stirred a renewed interest in the death of Jesus. Many people after watching that movie and contemplating the life and death of Jesus ask the question, why Jesus had to die. I know that in many ways the death of Jesus was a gruesome thing, but it was a needed thing. The death of Jesus on the cross has stirred much controversy over the course of history. People have despised the meaning behind the cross. Because of the cross lives have been changed, nations have fallen, and governments have been established. The death of Jesus is one of the most talked about and debated events in all of history. Let me assure you today that the death of Jesus on the cross in not a fable or a fictional story, but is an actual event in history. The death of Jesus has also had great meaning on believer’s lives. Many people treasure the cross and the meaning behind it. People where crosses on their necks and in the ears, but we should never become so focused on the cross that we loose the meaning.

There have been a lot of meaningful events that have taken place in history, but the death of Jesus in foundational to the Christian faith.

Although I know the significance and the necessity of the cross, I am still left wondering why really did Jesus have to die, and why did he have to die the way that he did?

I sometimes try to picture for myself the scenes surrounding the death of Jesus. I picture the look of innocence on His face as he was betrayed and arrested. I picture the sadness on his face as he stood facing a crowd and the yelled for him to be crucified. Then I picture the pain on his face as hung bleeding on the cross, and I still wonder why. The reason why is you and me. Jesus had to die because we chose sin above God. We love sin more than we love God, and Jesus wanted to bring about a restoration between us and the Father.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

I hope that as we enter into this holiday season that we do not treat this like just any other season, but that we look back thankful for the cross. I think that sometimes we become so used to the idea that Jesus died on the cross that it has no impact on our lives. The fact that Jesus died for our sins should impact us deep down and penetrate our hearts, and then leave us as it left the Jews on Pentecost; pierced to the heart wondering what we can now do.

I know that to the world they do not understand the death of Jesus, as Paul said in Corinthians that God choose the foolish things like the cross to shame the wise. The world will never understand such a sacrifice of our savior. They will never understand why God would allow Jesus to go through what he went through, but hopefully we can better equipped to share this message with other people. The world may laugh and scorn that we value the cross in the way that we do, but without the death of Jesus we would be lost in our sins.

Text: Isaiah 52:13-53:13

I. To obey the Father

One reason why Jesus had to die for our sins was out of obedience to God the Father. Jesus had to die simply because it was the will of God that he did. We know what God’s will is early on. Just after Adam and Eve sinned and lost the fellowship they had with God, God said that he would provide a way for a restoration to take place. God then through Abraham gave the promise that from him would come the Messiah. We see that promise flow through the Old Testament. It was the will of God that a sacrifice once and for all for people’s sin. It was God’s will that Jesus should suffer and die for our sins.

Jesus knew from very early on in his life what His purpose was, he knew what He came to do. The gospels tell us that he fixed his face to Jerusalem and did not turn back. Many times he would speak of what he had come to do.

Jesus knew it was the will of God that he be killed. Jesus told his disciples that he must be handed over and killed and then rise again on the third day. One reason that Jesus was killed in the way that he did was because it was God’s will. We learn from the Old Testament sacrifices that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Jesus needed to die because it was God’s will that he be killed so that he could be a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus was completely obedient to the Father’s will.