The Death Of Jesus
It’s only natural that people talk about the birth of Jesus around Christmas time. People all around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is an exciting time. But why was Jesus born in the first place? Why did He leave Heaven to come to the very earth He created and be born of the virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit? Why did Jesus do this? He was born to die. Jesus came to save His people from their sins. So in addition to everyone celebrating the birth of Christ, it makes sense that we should also talk about the death of Jesus.
Since it’s near Christmas, it is fitting to talk about the birth of Jesus. Luke 1:26-38 says: And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Fear Not
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Miraculous Birth
The miraculous birth of Jesus is something to talk about in awe and wonder. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the promised Savior of mankind. The Lord Jesus came to save His people from their sins. He was born to die. Yes, He was born in a manager because there was no room for him in the Inn. He was born in Bethlehem. An angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The wise men from the East followed the star to Bethlehem to see the one born who would become King. Jesus fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, just about His birth. The Lord Jesus is the only one who has ever been born of a virgin and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was fully God and fully man. He was born of the virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. There has never been a birth like it before and no birth shall ever be like it again. Jesus was Emmanuel – God with us. So even though much of the focus right now is on the birth of Jesus (and rightly so), we must never lose sight of the fact that Jesus was born to die. He came to save people – His people from their sins. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. The Lord Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.
Higher Standard
Christ the Lord was born to do what you and I cannot do – He came to live a perfect, sinless life. Think about that. Jesus never sinned. Not one time! He always perfectly obeyed God the Father. Jesus never lied, stole anything, lusted or coveted. He sure never blasphemed God’s Holy name. Jesus perfectly kept the 10 Commandments and not just in the letter of the Law, but in the spirit of the Law. He held Himself to a higher standard.
For example, Jesus said in Matthew 5:20-22: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
He also said: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28). Jesus said being angry without a cause (anger that is not righteous anger), is the same thing as murder. Lusting after someone is the same thing as committing adultery with person. Jesus held Himself to an even higher standard than physically keeping the 10 Commandments.
Lord Jesus Perfectly Kept God’s Standard
The Lord Jesus perfectly kept God’s standard. Again, Jesus never sinned at all. Yet, Jesus was born to die. He came to this very earth that He created, subjected Himself to God the Father and to Mary and Joseph, never sinning, yet willingly was obedient unto death, even death on the cross.
Jesus Christ took the place of guilty sinners like you and me. He allowed the Roman soldiers to beat Him unmercifully. In fact, Isaiah predicted (through the power of the Holy Spirit) that Jesus would be beaten beyond recognition; and He was! Jesus was bruised for our iniquities. By His stripes we are healed. Jesus never sinned, yet He took the punishment that guilty sinners deserve.
Jesus was beaten across His back with 39 lashes of the cruel whip. Ripping His back open. Suffering unimaginable pain. Yet, He endured this. The guiltless for the guilty. The righteous for the unrighteous. The sinless for the sinful. The blameless for the criminal. Jesus took the place of guilty sinners.
Greatest Pain Inflicted By God
The Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to the old rugged cross. The spikes were driven into His hands and feet. Jesus hung on that cruel cross for six, long grueling hours. The whole time, suffering God’s wrath over sinful creatures. Jesus suffered immense physical pain. He endured mental and emotional anguish. Jesus was mocked and scoffed at. He suffered great shame and humiliation while hanging on the cross. But the greatest pain of all was inflicted by God the Father, when God poured His righteous wrath over sin out upon His own precious, sinless Son.
Then Jesus died on the cross. His last words were “It is finished.” Jesus was faithful to the end. He gave up the ghost. He commended His spirit into the Father’s hands. Jesus died on the cross and was buried in a tomb. Oh, the reality is we desperately need to talk about the death of Jesus. Yes, He was born through a miraculous birth. But He was born to die. His total focus was obeying God all the way to the end. By suffering, bleeding and dying on the cross, Jesus paid the sin debt that He did not owe. Jesus died in the place of guilty sinners who deserve God’s wrath, but instead, who receive God’s mercy through repentance and faith in Jesus.
Jesus Didn’t Stay In That Tomb
Praise God, Jesus didn’t stay in that tomb. On the third, day He rose from the grave. Jesus Christ defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan and God offers eternal life to each and every person who repents from their sins and puts their trust in Jesus. It’s not the birth of Jesus that we really should focus on, but the death of Jesus. Christ Jesus came to save His people from their sins. He is the victor. He is the one who perfectly kept God’s Law. Jesus is the one, the only one who paid the sin debt for guilty sinners like you and me.
Oh, but friends, you must receive this free gift. It is the most amazing, most precious gift of all time, but you must receive it. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Receive salvation – repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ the Lord. Then read the Bible and obey the Lord.
Jesus Was Born To Die
Jesus was born to die. Yes, The Lord was born and that’s why we celebrate Christmas, but it’s the death of Jesus that’s so important. Jesus suffered, bled and died for guilty sinners like us. We die because we sin. The soul that sins, it shall die. Jesus never sinned, yet He gave His life as a ransom for many. That is love. But God demonstrated his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Receive everlasting life. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus. Submit to the Lord Jesus. Repent and believe the Gospel. Be saved; be saved tonight. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved (Romans 10:13). And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3). These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:13).
Abundant Life Now
Not only do you receive eternal life when you repent and put your faith in Jesus, but you also receive the abundant life now. The abundant life is not health, wealth and prosperity. The abundant life is the life where Jesus is with you for the rest of this life and for all of eternity. The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
Jesus also tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus will never leave you alone nor forsake you. He will never push you away when you receive His salvation. All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out (John 6:37).
Trust Jesus
Oh, come to Jesus tonight. Admit that you are a sinner. Confess and forsake your sins. Cry out for God to have mercy on you. Repent from your sins and put your trust in Jesus. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Trust Jesus; truly trust him with all your heart.
Don’t trust in yourself, your own “goodness” or your own good works. Don’t trust in the many false gods. Trust in Christ alone. Trust Jesus and be saved. Surrender your life fully and completely to Him. Only Jesus saves. Trust Jesus Christ our Lord and be saved. Today is the day of salvation. Repent and put your faith in Jesus. Then celebrate the death of Jesus as well as His resurrection. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you (2 Corinthians 4:14).