The Reason Jesus Came to Die
To Provide the Example for us to Follow
Ephesians 5:25
The way Jesus lived his life is the example of how we are to live our life.
The apostles understood this. John wrote, “Whoever claims to believe in him must live as Jesus lived." Do you believe in Jesus? Then you are to live as he lived. His life is the example we are to follow.
Jesus taught them, "The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his lord." Jesus tells us, “..the servant is to be like his lord… We are to be like him.
He set the example by which we are to love one another. He said, “love one another; as I have loved you."
He said, “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." His life is the example we are to follow.
The Bible says we are to… "Imitate God in everything because we are his children." Paul wrote, “Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God.”
Jesus gave himself an offering and sacrifice to God. The Reason Jesus Came to Die was To Provide us an Example to Follow.
His death provides the example for us to follow in four areas.
First, his death provides the example we are to follow in MARRIAGE.
Does this seem strange that his death is the example for us in marriage?
On the one hand you have Christ on the cross on the other hand a husband and wife in marriage. How does this compare? What’s the association between these two?
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5 Paul is comparing the r/ship of a husband and wife w/ Christ’s r/ship to the church.
He says here, Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
That phrase gave himself up is a reference to his death on the cross. Paul says, Jesus loving the church and dying for her is the example husbands are to use in loving their wives.
God’s design for marriage is such that the husband is to love his wife the way Christ loves his church and is seen in his giving himself up for her.
In our society, a ring tells us that a man is married. In the Bible, love is the distinguishing mark of a husband and the example by which he is to love his wife is the way Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Second, his death provides the example we are to follow in MINISTRY.
We all have a ministry. Ministry is simply helping others. You may not say you have a ministry. You may say, “this is what I do for the Lord”, or “this is what I do for the church.”
The word ministry simply means service. A service you do for others. Mt 20 Jesus said I came not to be served but to serve…
Christ is the example for us. Titus 2:14 [He] gave himself up for us to redeem … and purify for himself a people for his own poss-ession who are zealous for good works.
Underscore he died “to purify for himself a people . . . zealous for good works”. Good works is what we do for the Lord. It’s our service, our ministry.
Jesus mentioned our good works in Mat 5:16 when he said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Our good works glorify our Father in heaven.
Jesus prayed just before he died, "Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. He spoke this, signifying what death he would glorify God."
His death was the good work that brought glory to God. Our good works are our service/ministry and they bring glory to God. Christ giving himself on the cross is the example for us.
We serve, just as he served us.
In Mat 25 Jesus said, "For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.":35-36
He just described us. We were hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and in prison. And Christ came to us and gave himself for us.
You may not teach a bible class or preach a sermon or lead in singing. You may not stand behind a podium or a pulpit, but as a believer you have a ministry.
Your ministry maybe to an elderly parent or sibling or neighbor. It may be taking them to a Dr. appointment or picking up a prescription, but we all have a ministry.
It may be helping at a local food pantry or women’s shelter or mowing someone’s lawn, but we all have a ministry. It may be visiting someone in the hospital or volunteering at the local jail, but we all have a ministry.
It may be a ministry of intercession/supplication/prayer, but we all have a ministry. It may be a ministry of giving or encouragement. He died “to purify for himself a people . . . zealous for good works”.
3. His death provides the example we are to follow in MISERY.
Misery is suffering. Jesus suffered greatly and his death is the ex. of this.
The Bible says, "He is despised and rejected…; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" Isa. 53:3 I don’t know what you’re going through right now in your life, but God does. He knows our suffering. He knows when you are suffering from some sickness, sorrow, trial or trouble. He knows when you are tempted and tried. Jesus was also.
The Bible says Jesus "bore our griefs, and carried our sorrows: he was oppressed, afflicted, stricken, and smitten. He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ... he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." 53:4-5, 7
His sufferings were not in vain and neither are yours. His sufferings had a redeeming quality and so will yours.
His sufferings brought us salvation and healing and forgiveness. Your sufferings will all work out for your good. He works all things together for our good. all things: sickness, sadness, trials, temptations, tribulations, triumphs.
Jesus suffered and so will we. Jesus said in this world he shall have tribulations. The books of Acts says we must through much tribulations enter the Kingdom of God.
Job, a man who experienced great suffering, said, “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” He also said, “shall we expect to good always and never trouble?”
Peter, who died a martyr’s death, crucified upside down, said, “Don’t think it strange when you go through hard times.” You’re not strange. Everybody has hard times.
Paul, who suffered greatly for our Lord and died a martyr’s death by beheading, reminds us the that God will not allow you to be tried above what you are able to handle, but will make a way of escape that you to endure it.
Like Jesus, our suffering will not last long. The Bible says, “Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.” There’s only so much rain in each storm.
God is our strength and help in hard times. David wrote, “Where does my help come from? My help come from the Lord, creator of heaven and earth.”
David also said, “I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.” God has not forsaken you in your suffering.
Jesus is our example in suffering.
#4. His death provides the example we are to follow in MARTYRDOM.
Jesus had a cross to bear and so do we. "Jesus said unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
Jesus carried his cross and so must we. He is our example. He said, "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Luk 14:27
What is a cross? A cross is a symbol of death? In biblical days criminals were executed by being nailed to a cross.
It’s a symbol of denial. Jesus said …, If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
The cross is a symbol of devotion. Jesus carried his cross because he was devoted to carrying out the Father’s will for his life.
It shows that we are devoted to Christ the one who carried his cross for us.
He never asks us to do something that he himself has not done for us.
We are to imitate Christ in his death. His death provides us an example to follow in
Marriage, Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Ministry, I came not to be served, but to serve and to give my life a ransom for many.
Misery, Jesus was a man of sorrows.
Martyrdom. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
May we faithfully follow his example.
