He Died for Our Sins

We have heard many sermons on the sufferings of Christ on the cross. Words do not have the capacity to communicate the suffering Christ experienced as he died for our sins. The loneliness of the cross was terrible. Jesus was forsaken by his friends, and in the midst of his agony he even felt forsaken by God and cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Order of the Events of the Crucifixion:

Arrival at Golgotha (Calvary), Mt 27:33; Mk 15:22; Lk 23:33; Jn 19:17
Offer of a benumbing drink, Mt 27:34
The crucifixion, Mt 27:35
Cry, 'Father, forgive...', Lk 23:34
The parting of Christ's garments, Mt 27:35
Jesus mocked, Mt 27:39-44; Mk 15:29
The thieves rail on Him, but one believes, Mt 27:44
Second cry, "Today you will be with me...', Lk 23:43
Third cry, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' Jn 19:26-27
The darkness, Mt 27:45; Mk 15:33
The fourth cry, 'My God, my God...', Mt 27:46-47; Mk 15:34-36
Fifth cry, 'I am thirsty,' Jn 19:28
Sixth cry, 'It is finished,' Jn 19:30
Seventh cry, 'Father, into thy hands...,' Lk 23:46
Jesus dismisses His spirit, Mt 27:50; Mk 15:37

The shame of the cross is frequently forgotten by modern-day Christians. Crucifixion was the ultimate in insult and public contempt for a criminal. It is impossible for us to even begin to understand the horror of the cross to the sinless soul of the divine Son of God.

The writer of the book of Hebrews says that part of our Lord's motive for enduring the agony of the cross was for "the joy that was set before him." Hebrews 12:2 Is it possible that one could endure such agony, such loneliness, such shame, such horror and yet experience joy in doing so? The writer of Hebrews says yes. There were at least three joys that led Jesus to the cross.

1. The joy of glorifying God. In his great prayer, Jesus prayed, "Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy son also may glorify thee" (John 17:1) Jesus came to the earth to make known (or glorify) the nature, character, and purpose of God.

2. The joy of the highest possible personal achievement. Jesus rejected Satan's temptations and endured the cross because there was no other way to save people. In doing so, he was to achieve the highest possible destiny for his life.

3. The joy of saving souls. Jesus endured the cross to experience the joy of saving you and me from sin. We were slaves and he came to set us free. We were guilty and he came to cleanse us. We were helpless, and he came to rescue us. We were in a hopeless condition, and he came to give us life. He makes forgiveness possible. He gives new life, eternal life, spiritual life, divine life.

Was the death of Christ on the cross a waste as far as you are concerned? If you have rejected him, then as far as you are concerned, he died in vain. Let his death on the cross be your death to sin. Let the life he revealed on the first Easter morning be your life.

Let his example challenge you to give your life completely to the divine plan. Determine to live so as to glorify God in your daily life that others might come to your Savior and be saved by his death on the cross and be transformed by his living presence.

Prayer:

Of all of God's gifts
Easter shows us our fate
Forgiven we will rise
And pass through Heaven's gate

This Easter remember
The sacrifice of a Son
And through His resurrection
Eternal life we have won

This Easter I pray
That the love of God
Is resurrected
Reborn, renewed
Inside your heart.

God Bless You!

Cami