WHAT THE DEATH OF JESUS MEANS TO US Matthew 26:45-52
“He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Phil 2:8 In the
NT 175 times the death of Christ is mentioned. So all the great doctrines of the Bible are built
around this subject. A doctrine that we are speaking of is an absolute truth. As we see this the Cross
and Christ are one because they were nailed together. So if we are to preach the cross we have to
preach Christ and that He was crucified. The cross brings us the grace that puts sin away which is
the enemy of the human heart and soul. The death of Christ on the cross puts the end of sin that
separate our way to come to be right with God. For the wages of sin is death and that means
separation from God. It bothers me that any one would deliberately want to be separated from God
who loves them. Yet there are many in our town who chose to live in sin and not come to God for
forgiveness from sin and peace that passes all understanding. I want to speak about what His death
did and what it means to us today. We find it was:
I. A VERY SHAMEFUL DEATH. If you would look up history you would find that for the Romans
back in the days of Jesus if you had robbed or committed murder the punishment was to be stripped
naked and crucified. If you look closely at Jn 19:23,24 we find only did they take his clothes they
gambled as to who would take them home with them. He was the very Son of God being in the form
of a man being made naked to all eyes that looked upon Him. If I had been God that would not have
happened. For if I could split the Red Sea, if I could cause fire to come out of heaven to destroy
cities and if I could cause the earth to open up to swallow up a bunch of wicked people do you think
I would let these puny men disgrace me before those I was trying to help? The Bible tells us that He
“endured the cross, despising the shame” for you and me and all who have sinned, even those who
put Him to death. It tells us way back in the OT that “cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree,” which
means to die on a cross. He took our sin and suffered for our shame for sin and shame can’t be
separated. Have you been ashamed for the sin you have done? Hb 6:4It is impossible for those who
have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall
away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all
over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and
that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8But land
that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be
burned.” What a pity if we prove ourselves to be ashamed of Him who was not ashamed to be put to
death by the awful and shameful death on the cross. He took our place that we might be saved from
the guilt and power of sin in our lives and the shame to stand before a holy God blameless. How
much thought have you given to the shame He had by being put on the cross.
II. IT WAS A WILLFUL DEATH. On Christ’s heart was written “The Will of God.” All of His life was
governed by what will please the Father.
One Solitary Life Two thousand years ago there was a man born contrary to the laws of nature. This
man lived in poverty and was reared in obscurity. He did not travel extensively. Only once did he
cross the boundary of the country in which he lived. And that was during his exile in childhood to
Egypt. He possessed neither wealth nor influence. His relatives were inconspicuous and had
neither training nor formal education. In infancy he startled a king. In childhood he amazed Jewish
leaders. In manhood he ruled the course of nature, walking upon the billows as if pavement. He
hushed the sea to sleep. He healed multitudes without medicine and made no charge for his
service. He never wrote a book and yet all the libraries of the country could not hold the books that
have been written about him. His name stands highest of heavenly glory, acknowledged by angels
and feared by devils. He never wrote a song, and yet he has furnished the theme for more songs
than all the songwriters combined. He never founded a college, but all the schools put together
cannot boast of having as many students. He never practiced psychiatry and yet he has healed
more broken hearts than all the doctors far and near. Names of great scientists, philosophers, and
theologians have come and gone, but the name of this man abounds more and more. Herod the
Great could not destroy him and the grave could not hold him. His name stands highest of heavenly
glory, acknowledged by angels and feared by devils. I am far within the mark when I say that all the
armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever
sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as
powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.
”The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one
takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and
authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." That Christ would die
for his people runs through this section of John’s Gospel. Both the love and the plan of the Father
are involved, as well as the authority he gave to the Son. Christ obediently chose to die; otherwise,
no one would have had the power to kill him. This is not the death of a martyr in an ordinary sense.
Now we know there are people who have laid down their lives for others. None of them said as
Christ did, "I have authority to take it up again." He is the only one who had the power to take His life
back again. His death would not have gained much if this in fact did not happen. He lived a sinless
life and was the perfect sacrifice that the Father could accept what He offered for the sins of all
people everywhere. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
His death was voluntary. He gave His life. So His life was voluntary for us. He lived here on
the earth for us. His death it says was a sweet-smelling savor to God that satisfied the need for a
perfect sacrifice for our sins. Is there a sweet savor smell in your soul?
III. IT WAS A DEATH THAT WAS PREDICTED TO HAPPEN. He was "the Lamb who has been
offered in sacrifice ever since the creation of the world."
"He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your
sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so
your faith and hope are in God."
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."
"a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie,
promised before the beginning of time"
It was not an after thought that led God to give His Son for our sins. Before time was God was
thinking about you and your salvation. You can not get away from that fact no matter what you do,
where you go or what you say. He came into this world to die for our sins. We know that it says, "He
came not to be served but to serve and to give His life for a ransom for all who will believe. All the
holy men of the OT spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit about the suffering and death of
Christ and the glory that would follow.
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers
"I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did
not hide my face from mocking and spitting. he will crush your head, and you will strike his
heel." and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed
me."
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one
from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up
our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by
him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are
healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the
LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open
his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is
silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who
can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the
transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with
the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it
was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life
a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will
prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be
satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their
iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with
the strong,because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the
transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
"He said to them, ’How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets
have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And
beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the
Scriptures concerning himself". The death of Christ and His resurrection is the most eminent,
influential, authoritative, commanding, persuasive fact with in the entire writing of Scriptures. To
miss this would be to have a faith that is lived in vain.
IV. IT WAS A SUBSTITUTIONARY Death. He Gave up His Life with the Purpose of Saving Us from
Our Guilt and Sin. It was by His death that we are brought nigh to God and in fact it is His Spirit that
draws us to the Father that we might receice forgiveness of our sins. He bore our sins on His body
on the cross and made our oiffering there. " who gave himself for us to redeem us from all
wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God." The death of Christ on the cross was the sinner’s only way to have peace
with God the Father. All the sacrifices that we might want to make or give will not and can not bring
us peace with God. His death is the last rememebrance of our sins if we but believe. he even says
that, "Your sins and iniquities will I remember no more." With Christ’s Death on the cross God was
inifintely and everlastingly pleased. Because He died for us we do not have to die and be eternally
separated from God. Are you pleased with that? Is your life right now pleasing to Him?
It took six hours on that Friday that we call Good Friday for Jesus to die. Those were not six normal
hours they were the most critial hours in history. God put in our world at that time three anchor
points that can withstand all that life would send our way. 1. Our lives are not hopeless. This anchor
secures the hull of our hearts. It says that when things are wrong we know that Someone is still in
contrl and we have a purpose. 2. Our failures are not fatal. He loves who we are. He has all the right
to condemn us but provides a way that we am set free. We make mistakes but God doesn’t and He
made us. 3. Our death is not final. There was a stone that seemed would block His way of leaving
that tomb. He did not let that stone stop Him. It is said when the stone was rolled away He was
already gone. It was rolled away so we could see it was empty. He arose from the dead so that we
to will be resurrected to live forever in heaven with Him. Why would anyone refuse His offer?
