Jesus did not come just to perform miracles and teach about the Kingdom. Jesus says the main reason He came to earth was to die (John 12:27).
Without Jesus dying for the sins of the people, there would be no good news.
As Jesus approaches the final days of His ministry, He begins to speak to His disciples about His coming death:
We are going up to Jerusalem... and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him, and kill Him. Three days later He will rise. — Mark 10:33–34
The disciples have a difficult time understanding what Jesus means until He shows them more clearly during His last meal with them. At this final meal, Jesus shifts the focus of the meal to speak about Himself and what is soon to come. Before passing out the bread, Jesus says to them,
This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. — Luke 22:19
And before passing around the cup, He says to them, this cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you. — Luke 22:20
Jesus is telling them that by being broken in His death for them, He is like the Passover lamb. Just as God delivered His people from slavery by the blood of the lamb, Jesus will deliver His people from sin by His blood. His broken body and poured-out blood save those who believe in Him. But this sacrifice is different because it establishes the new covenant promised by the prophets.
Those who believe in Jesus will be saved and brought back to God forever.
Under pressure from the religious leaders, one of the disciples, Judas, betrays Jesus and hands Him over to be arrested. Jesus is placed on trial, and while no valid charge is brought against Him, the crowds persuade the governor, Pontius Pilate, to have Him crucified.
Jesus is stripped of His clothes, beaten and flogged, and forced to carry His cross to the place of His crucifixion. He undergoes the worst form of torture and death known at the time as His hands and feet are nailed to a wooden cross.
But in His death, Jesus is not only being rejected by men. He cries out from the cross,
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? — Matthew 27:46
In His final breath, Jesus cries out,
It is finished. — John 19:30
On the cross, Jesus was not merely dying the death of a sinner. He was dying for the sins of the people, being separated from God, and paying the full price for their sins in their place.
Jesus died for the sins of all people. He was separated from God and paid the full price for our sins in our place.
The Resurrection of Jesus
When Jesus took His final breath and gave up His spirit, it felt like the disciples had suffered their worst defeat. Their beloved Teacher had spent years proclaiming He was the promised Savior who had come to rescue them and the promised King who had come to reign over a new Kingdom. But how could He be a Savior when He could not save Himself? And how could the King reign over an eternal kingdom when He had been defeated?
On the first day of the next week, two women who were Jesus’ disciples went to visit His tomb. But instead of finding a stone covering the tomb, they were shocked to find it open and an angel sitting on the stone.
Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen. — Matthew 28:5–6
Soon, Jesus appears to the women, and eventually to all of His disciples, in a resurrected body, turning their sorrow over His death into inexpressible joy. Just as He had promised, Jesus had carried their sins and defeated death. But He could not remain with them forever. Jesus was returning to the Father, and the disciples would now have a new mission as His witnesses to the world.
As we enter Holy Week, let’s fix our eyes and hearts on Jesus, our Savior. He who our reconciliation with God possible by pouring Himself out on the Cross deserves our adoration and attention!
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