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8/5/2016 am Basix 3 – Why the Cross?

Basix 3 – Jesus: what did he do? And in particular, what was the Cross all about? Why was it needed? It’s quite obvious that Jesus chose a path that he knew would lead to his own death.. What kind of ministry is it, that is designed to end in such a way? Jesus was tempted – by the Devil at the start of his ministry, and then by the words Peter spoke at Caesarea Philippi, to go another way about this. He prayed in the graden just before the cross – if there’s another way! But there clearly wasn’t. So what was he doing?

So I asked myself how Jesus saw his ministry ending, and why. I’m just going to look at what Jesus himself understood and said about the Cross – no Paul, nothing from Hebrews or elsewhere.

Jesus talked about it quite a bit (Matthew 16:21, for example: “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”) And Jesus made it clear that his death accomplished a number of things: It was ‘for the forgiveness of sins” – the words of the Last Supper. His death is ‘according to Scripture’. But just how his death does that, he doesn’t explain. We have to read between the lines – but fortunately, that isn’t quite as difficult as you might imagine.

First, Jesus is the Passover Lamb. John sees him, and says he is ‘the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’. Jesus, at the last supper, says ‘this is my body, given for you; this is my blood, poured out for you.’ There is no question – Jesus knows that his death is the one sacrifice that will make a difference. Let me be absolutely clear – this is not, as some have described it, ‘cosmic child abuse’, as if Jesus were the unwitting and unwilling child. Jesus is the Son, but he is no child. And to place God the Father as the one who subjects Jesus, the powerless object, to his anger, is to misunderstand the Trinity completely. Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit act as one in this – it is what God has chosen to do. Jesus pays the price that must be paid; he bears the punishment that must be endured. So what does the Cross accomplish? In Jesus, our death has been died already. So when we are united to Jesus, when we are incorporated in Him, then our penalty has been paid. It hasn’t been set aside, or declared unsafe; it has been paid. The first thing that Jesus accomplishes is to deal with our sin.

Second, Jesus defeats the powers of evil. Matt 26:64 “I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” At the Cross, human violence and evil all ranged against Jesus. Jesus death may well have been God’s grand plan; but Jesus’ suffering and torture were inflicted on him by men. And then the resurrection – which says ‘Jesus wins!’ Jesus willing acceptance of the sin of us all has shown us that love beats violence, and Jesus conquers death, sin and evil. ‘Christ is risen – death has been conquered!’ Jesus knew that he was giving his life for us; he also knew that he was conquering death: John 12:31 ‘ “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.’

And then thirdly, Jesus understood that his actions on the Cross were a demonstration of the depth of God’s love for us, and an example of the love which we are to exhibit for others. John, as he records the amazing conversation with the disciples at the last supper, shows us that perfectly. As Jesus speaks, he keeps saying John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” And he repeats that command, in different ways. Live in me; obey my teaching. And then he drives it home: John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” Jesus knew that the Cross shouted out ‘Love like this!”

There are more ways still to understand the Cross. It’s the richest sign of the presence of God imaginable. But here are the three ways that Jesus used to help us understand. First, Jesus pays the price – he forgives our sins. On that foundation everything else rests. Second, he defeats sin, death and evil – and the resurrection trumpets his victory. Third, he demonstrates the infinite depths of love – and calls on us to live the same way. He knew what he was doing – and what he was doing is amazing.

If you have, perhaps for the first time, seen just how great Jesus’ love for you is. If you have caught a glimpse of the astonishing victory that can be yours in Christ. If you have understood that his death is your death, if only you will lay hold of it – then don’t let this moment pass. Make no mistake: He calls you to take up your cross daily and follow Him – to surrender your life and follow Him. Lose your life for his sake, and you will live his life instead: forgiven, ransomed, victorious and loved. Pray – as you have never prayed before. Pray in this moment, that the death Jesus died on the Cross would be your death; the punishment he bore would be your punishment, that the victory he won would be your victory, that the life he rose to live would be your life, and the love he showed would be the love you know and the love you show too. Pray that – and he will hear and respond.

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