Text: Isaiah 53: 7-12
Title: Why God wanted Jesus dead?
“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…” (V10)
When the movie “ The Passion of the Christ” was first released it caused a great controversy.
Many people feared that those who watched the movie would leave blaming Christ’s death on the Jews.
Our scripture passage clearly tells us who is to blame for Christ’s death.
The responsibility for Christ’s death belongs on God will.
The prophet tells us in verse 10, “yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer.”
Now whenever you blame someone for something they did you always need to back it up with certain proof.
You need to back it up with;
a. Convincing evidence
b. A clear motive.
So this morning we want to take a look in our scripture passage for convincing evidence that it was indeed God’s will that brought about Christ’s death.
Then we want to look for the motive. Why would God want Jesus dead?
The first piece of evidence is found in verse 7.
“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.”
The first piece of evidence we want to present is Christ’s silence.
a. We are specifically told not once but twice that “he did not open his mouth.”
Let’s take a moment and think about what we know about Christ?
Was Christ the type of person to ever say nothing when he saw something happen that was not God’s will?
Remember when the Demon- possessed man confronted Jesus shouting at the top of his voice? Did Jesus say nothing? Jesus let the demons have it!
Remember the time his disciples became indignant after a woman came and anointed Jesus with oil? Did Jesus say nothing? Jesus let the disciples have it!
So why did Jesus say nothing when he was oppressed and afflicted?
And why did he say nothing when he was led like a lamb to the slaughter?
He said nothing because it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer.
A second piece of evidence is given to us in verse 9
“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.”
The second piece of evidence is Christ’s innocence
People are put to death for something they did wrong. Sometimes people are put to death for something they said wrong.
Did Jesus do or say anything wrong to justify him being put to death?
Regarding whether Jesus had done anything wrong the scripture tells us “he had done no violence.”
And regarding whether Jesus had said anything wrong the scripture tells us “nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
Throughout the New Testament both friends and enemies of Jesus testified to his innocence.
1. Friends (who knew Jesus the best)
a. Peter.
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.”
(1Peter 2:22-23)
b. John
“But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.” (1 John 3:5)
2. His enemies
a. Pilate
“I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty.” (Luke 23:22)
b. The Centurion
“The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “surely this was a righteous man.” (Luke 23:47)
A third piece of evidence pointing the blame for Jesus’ death on God will is Christ’s foreknowledge. (v11b)
" by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities." (v11b)
Jesus knew that it would be God’s will that would sent him to the cross.
’My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39)
Finally we need to find a clear motive for God wanting Jesus dead.
The clear motive is God’s love for the world (John 3:16)
God put Jesus to death because he loves the world. Jesus died that we might have peace and healing (Isa. 53:5)
Jesus was silent and innocent because he knew it was the only way we could be brought back to God.
