Why did Jesus have to die?
Series: Searching for the Truth about Easter
Matthew 20:17-19
March 13, 2005
Introduction
George Atley was killed while serving with the Central African Mission. There were no witnesses, but the evidence indicates that Atley was confronted by a band of hostile tribesmen. He was carrying a fully loaded, 10-chamber Winchester rifle and had to choose either to shoot his attackers and run the risk of negating the work of the mission in that area, or not to defend himself and be killed. When his body was later found in a stream, it was evident that he had chosen the latter. Nearby lay his rifle -- all 10 chambers still loaded.
George Atley shows us the reality of what it means to truly sacrifice for the good of others and I believe gives us a rare glimpse of the character of Jesus working in thew lives of His people.
Warren Sapp the great defensive player for the NFL once said of his former coach Tony Dungy: “I would take a bulletin for that man if I knew it wouldn’t kill me.”
A sacrifice is an act of giving up something one values for the sake of something that is of greater importance. Oxford Press
Sacrifice is very much a part of understanding the nature and work of Jesus Christ. In fact, without this understanding Jesus simply does not make sense at all. I believe that the life Jesus led was one of continuous sacrifice.
• He gave up the glory of Heaven
• He gave up human comforts to reach the lost
• He gave up popularity and acceptance to share the Truth
• He gave up His “rights” to accomplish a greater good
• He gave up everything so He could reach those who needed Him most
• He gave up life so you could keep yours
20:17 Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
Let’s review for just a moment about the things stated about Jesus last week
1.) Son of Man - He completely identified with humanity
2.) Son of God - He is completely identified with God
3.) I Am - He is God almighty
If Jesus is God and He came to identify with humanity and God at the same time, why did Jesus have to die? After all he is God and surely there could have been another way to accomplish the plan of God the Father. What was so important about Jesus coming to earth, living out a sinless life and dying on the cross?
Jesus had to die to demonstrate the love of God
Humanity had a problem that is almost as old as time, we have fallen from the purpose and plan that God had when we were first created. Literally, humanity had known God but had chosen to apart from Him. Sin is both rejection of God and rebellion against God. In other words, sin is the act of turning away from God and doing what we know to be wrong. The results of sin was a marred relationship between God and humanity.
The goodness of God in humanity had been replaced with a stubborn selfishness. The glory of God had been replaced with the gain of self. The power of God had been replaced with the helplessness of humanity.
Sin destroyed the relationship with God
Sin was the obstruction that caused a separation to develop between God and humanity. Adam had walked with God in the garden and now that personal relationship was forever damaged because of sin. Sin had created a fundamental breech in the divine human relationship and it was one that we could not repair.
Sin delivered death into the world
Adam and Eve were made to live forever and be in fellowship with God in a deeply personal way. Just as sin destroyed the fellowship that Adam and Eve were meant to enjoy, it also brought death into the picture. The life that they were meant to have was now surrounded by the power of death. When sin entered the world so did death. The bible teaches that the wages of sin is death. In other words, the just payment that sin gets us is death. The reality of sin is entirely connected with the reality of death.
Jesus came into this world to suffer and die as a way to reveal the love that God has for every person. Jesus came so that He could show God’s limitless and abundant love.
Paul writes in Romans - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Even though we were still filled with sin, Jesus made the choice to show God’s love by dying for us. Jesus came to this world to die, nothing more and nothing less.
Jesus had to die because a price had to be paid
There is a little piece of silk in the museum of Springfield, Illinois, that could not be bought for any amount of money. Why the value attached to it? Because of its significance. That little bit of silk is all covered with blood. It was once a part of a dress worn by a beautiful girl, who sat by Abraham Lincoln when he was shot; and it was that beautiful girl who took his head in her lap, as a mother would receive the head of a baby, and it was that girl who held him while he bled his life out. The State of Illinois purchased that dress, and cut out this piece of silk covered with the blood of the great statesman, emancipator of an enslaved race, and the man who in the programme of God became a cohesive force in the salvation of this great nation.
If sin results in death, someone or something had to pay the price. Let’s be honest, none of us want to pay the price for our own sins. The Old Testament is filled with rituals and regulations for living but it is also filled with the grace of a loving God. God instituted a system of sacrifice to cover the sins committed by His people. The price of sin was paid for in blood.
If you have ever been to a meat processing plant, the killing of an animal is never a pleasant thing to witness. I believe that is the point here because God wanted His people to understand that their sinful actions carried consequences that cost life. The priest would take the animal offered (a bull, a lamb or a pigeon) and kill it. Then the priest would carefully dissect the animal appropriately and sprinkle the blood over the altar to provide the need price for sin.
Day in and day out the priests would hear confessions and then shed blood on behalf of the guilty. Sins were committed and blood was spilled. People sinned and life was lost. This was God’s way of covering the sins.
27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27-28
Jesus came to pay a price he did not owe, because you had a price that you could not pay. Jesus died so that you would not have to suffer the consequences of sin or to continue to give offering after offering just to cover your sins. Jesus came so that you could be set free from the penalty of sin and the bondage of the Law. Jesus came to fulfill what you could not and to do for all of humanity what we could not do for ourselves.
Jesus shed His blood so you would not have to shed yours. I believe that this is sometimes a fact that we too easily forget and one that we often feel we should forget. After all, knowing that you had a hand in the death of the One who is God, is somewhat troubling. Knowing that you had a part in taking the blood of Jesus is hard to fathom. Even though it is hard to understand and accept makes it no less real.
Blood is one of those things that we tend to shy away from. It is one of those things that we try to avoid. It is one of those unpleasant realities that we tend to try to forget.
• Blood is disturbing
• Blood is disgusting
• Blood is distasteful
However, in God’s eyes blood is essential and absolutely necessary for our sins to be forgiven.
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgivenes. Hebrews 9:22
Jesus died because there was no other way to provide for our needs. Jesus died not only for the sins committed before His death but also for those that would come after His death. You and I are just as responsible for the shedding of Christ’s blood as anyone else. He died so you would not have to.
Jesus had to die to provide our redemption
Jesus comes into the picture as our substitute, he put Himself in our place and died the death we rightfully deserved. Jesus shed His blood to pay the price for the sins that we committed and effectively bought our redemption with His own blood.
The term redemption meant to buy back at a costly price for the purpose of freedom. Often this applied to the payment of a ransom. Jesus literally bought us back from the power of sin and death that would have destroyed us. Jesus bought us back with the shedding of the divine blood that coursed through His veins. Jesus bought us back from the power Satan had over us. Jesus bought us back so we could be free.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace Ephesians 1:7
Fanny Crosby’s hymn Redeemed communicates this truth quite beautifully. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am.
Jesus has given to us a precious and marvelous gift that we may never fully be able to understand. He has offered us life by the means of His death. Jesus gave Himself to buy you back from the darkness of sin and death.
Jesus paid it all! Jesus paid for the time you lied to your husband. Jesus paid for the time you desired a woman who was not your wife. Jesus paid for the time you used your words to hurt instead of help. Jesus paid for the time you cursed God’s name in anger. Jesus paid for the time that you took what did not belong to you.
Jesus paid for every time that you ever sinned. Jesus paid for every time that you turned your back on God. Jesus paid it all! You debt has been canceled and the slate has been wiped clean.
Conclusion
Several years ago one of the key laymen in my church had to have open heart surgery and there was some concern about his need for blood. The surgery was going to require him to have some blood given to him from the blood bank. However, there was a bit of a problem, he had a rare blood type that was not available from the blood bank.
Upon hearing this his son came forward to donate the blood that his father would need to accomplish the plan. This is exact same thing that Jesus did for us, He gave His blood so that the Father’s plan could be completed.
Look at the words of Jesus in Matthew 20:19 again with me. Jesus says that He was going to die but He also says something else at the end of that verse. On the third day he will be raised to life! The blood of Jesus gives us something that nothing else can, hope.
The simple fact is that Jesus had to first die before he could be raised to new life. Jesus gave His life as an act of love, an act of sacrifice and an act of redemption. The blood He gave was the ultimate donation to the existence of humanity.
Jesus has given us a precious gift, what are you doing with it?
For those of you who have not found your way to come to Christ, you have a deep need to accept this donation of blood and allow it to change your life.
For those of you who are new believers, you have a need to share the news of the blood of Jesus with those you know who need it the most
For those of you who have been believers for a long period of time, appreciate it. Live out your life with a bold thankfulness for what Jesus has done for you and for the power you have experienced.
