30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 18 31-34 KNOWING THE THINGS THAT ARE SPOKEN OF HIM 07 The death of Jesus on the cross
📖 Luke 18:31-34
22Oct2020 - *The death of Jesus on the cross* - _Luke 18:31-34_ - KNOWING THE THINGS THAT ARE SPOKEN OF HIM 7 – Bible reading: _I Corinthians 15:1-4_
The Lord longs for us to understand the things that are spoken of Him. He does not want us to be like the disciples, who were not with Him, as He went to the cross. They were only expecting Him to set up His kingdom but shut out from their mind, the necessity of Jesus having to go to the cross.
_Luke 18:31-33 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. (32) For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. (33) They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."_
Yesterday, we considered the matter of His body that was broken for us. We will now go further into _Luke 18:33 They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again_
Jesus told the disciples that He will be killed. Why was it necessary for Jesus to be killed?
Before we answer this question, we will take into the realisation that we are touching upon the core gospel message. Paul gives us the condensed form of the gospel message in _I Corinthians 15:1-4
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, (2) by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. (3) For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that *Christ died for our sins* according to the Scriptures, (4) and that *He was buried*, and that *He rose again* the third day according to the Scriptures,_
The three core items of the gospel message are 1. The death of Jesus 2. The burial of Jesus and 3. The resurrection of Jesus. These three elements must be understood and these three must be shared as we communicate and share the gospel with others.
Now let us answer the question as to why did Jesus have to die. _Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins._ Life is in the blood. _Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'_
Our problem of sin had to be settled and paid for and it was only Jesus, who was sinless, who could be our substitute. _I John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin._
We were therefore redeemed and the settlement of our burden of sin was set aside by the death of Jesus on the cross. _I Peter 1:18-19 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot._
Secondly, our sin caused death. God had warned the man that the day that he would eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would surely die. They ate the fruit and so, man is surely dead.
We are dead, not only physically, for the process of death and decay has set in, in our body. We are surely dead because we have broken our relationship with God, which has caused the cascading effect of death within us. We are dead within.
We are also dead in our relationships with one another as human beings and we are dead in our relationship with God’s creation.
Being separated from God, we were not under His covering over us and so Satan took advantage of the situation and has taken us captive and he is causing death on us. _Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage._
Jesus took man’s death on Himself. _Matthew 27:45-46 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. (46) And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"_
The entire sin of the human race was loaded on Jesus, who was representing man on the cross, being fully man. He was in a continuous relationship with the Father, for there was no sin in Him.
Now, on the cross, he was undertaking the wrath of God. Sin justly deserves the wrath of God. Jesus took the anger of God, for our sin, on Himself during the three hours of darkness.
Then Jesus cried out, _"MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"_ On the cross, when the entire sin of the human race was loaded on Jesus, the relationship between Jesus and the Father, broke. Jesus could not call Him as Father, which was how He was addressing God till that moment. Instead, Jesus cried out, "MY GOD, MY GOD…”. The Father forsook Him. Jesus died.
NEVERTHELESS… on the cross, Jesus was reunited with the Father. _Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.' " Having said this, He breathed His last._
This is the last word that Jesus spoke from the cross and His last word was glorious. He could call God as “FATHER…”
Our death, which was the consequence/reward/wages of our sin, was paid for by Jesus on the cross. The death cost was settled and we are no more under the verdict/punishment of death. We have been set free because Jesus surely died on our behalf.
*Thought to ponder*
```Do you see now why we call Good Friday as Good Friday and not... Bad Friday?```