A Real Death For A Real Atonement
Preaching
What Jesus Did:
The Answer To WWJD
Which is more important, the death of Jesus, or the resurrection of Jesus? At times throughout Christian history and within Christian denominations, one gets emphasized over the other. Some have emphasized the death of Jesus. He died for our sins, therefore, we are to feel sorry, ashamed, guilty. We want to do things to atone for ourselves. We want to find ways to become holy by keeping legalistic requirements. Others have emphasized the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is alive. We can rejoice and be glad. We do things because Jesus has atoned for our sins. There is no need for sorrow, shame, or guilt. We are forgiven. Obviously, both of these perspectives have biblical merit. We need to hold these in balance. In this chapter we consider the importance of Jesus' death. In the next chapter, we consider the importance of Jesus' resurrection.
• What arguments have you heard that attempt to deny the death of Jesus?
It is important to understand that the death of Jesus was a real event. One way nonbelievers dismiss the significance of Jesus' death is to say that Jesus never really did die. Some have believed that Jesus, as God's Son, would never suffer death in a body. They say this because they believe God could never become a physical human being, subject to death. They say this to deny the resurrection. They say this to deny the reality of the atonement. They say he only appeared to die, or that he swooned and the guards thought he was dead when really he wasn't. They say it was someone who looked like Jesus and that the real Jesus and Mary Magdalene ran off to India, had children, and lived happily ever after. The problem with all of these statements is that there is absolutely no biblical confirmation for any of it. Neither is there any credible historical material to support these speculations.
• What kind of evidence would be necessary to prove that Jesus actually died on the cross?
It is important to establish that Jesus did, in fact, die. What evidence is there that Jesus died? There is more than sufficient evidence from the Bible. First, those who witness the death of Jesus on the cross react as if Jesus died. The Centurion confesses faith. The crowd goes away sorrowful and mourning. The soldiers confirm to Pilate that Jesus is dead. The soldiers see no need to break Jesus' legs, because he is already dead.
The physical trauma Jesus endured was enough to cause death. Historians attest that many prisoners died just from the flogging. Crucifixion was capital punishment, intended to cause death. While I won't go into all the gory details, everyone else that we know of who was crucified eventually died, including the two thieves crucified with Jesus. There were several traumas inflicted during crucifixion, all of them potentially fatal. Prisoners were traumatized through beating, bleeding, rusty nails, pain, and exhaustion, to name a few. The spear thrust to the side created one more serious wound, which would eventually be fatal. Medical research based on the Gospel accounts supports that death was the expected outcome of such intense trauma.
• If you had responsibility for Jesus' burial, what would you have done?
Jesus is buried by his friends. Certainly, if they had any hope that Jesus was alive, they would have concealed that from the guards and sought friendly medical help immediately. But they did not do that. They buried him. They thought he was dead. When they go to the tomb on Easter morning, they are prepared to anoint a dead body. They thought he was still dead on Easter morning.
Jesus' enemies want the tomb sealed. Why? They did not doubt that Jesus was dead. They wanted to prevent the disciples from stealing the body. Even in their cover-up after the resurrection, they did not propose that Jesus didn't die; they proposed that the disciples transferred the corpse. In the mind of Jesus' enemies, he died on that cross.
• Do you find this evidence convincing?
That he died seems to be well attested. But the more important question for us and the entire world of human beings is this: Why did Jesus die? The answer to this question is what makes Jesus' death so important for us. If this was just the death of another Jewish holy man or wonder worker, then it is no big deal. If this is just the death of another innocent victim at the hands of the Roman army, no big deal. Jesus would not be the only innocent to die in the Roman empire. Human beings come and go from this planet every day, as they have for thousands of years. Why is the death of this one man so important?
• What do you believe makes the death of Jesus so significant?
The Bible says that the death of this man was uniquely significant for all of history because he was the Son of God, dying on the cross as an atonement for human sin. Jesus made atonement for our sin. Atonement doesn't seem to be a popular idea in today's culture. We don't want to hear about an angry God who punishes sinners, but that is the message of the Bible. The Bible says that human beings have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. The God of the Bible is holy and perfect. Why should this holy, righteous God junk up his heaven with sinful human beings? God is righteous and just. God has shown us how he wants us to behave, and he has warned us of the consequences if we do not obey his law.
We like to think there is a bright side and believe that human beings are getting better and behaving better. Doesn't this deny reality? Terrorists continue to slaughter innocent people to advance their cause. Children kill other children in the school yard. There is always a place in the world with tension or actual war. These facts identify the world's "major" sinners.
Meanwhile, there is the rest of us, the "minor" sinners. Companies coldly lay off workers while the top echelon of executives gain bigger bonuses and stock options. The military burns toxic waste in the desert then denies that the place even exists. We sneak around and use cable scramblers so we won't have to pay the cable company for the shows we are receiving. Are we so great? Do we really deserve to get into heaven?
The Ten Commandments were never repealed or replaced. Are we doing all that well? Is God our only God? Can we really say we have no idols? Do we honor the Lord's Day and keep it holy? Are parents honored by their children? Do we see murder or theft in the land? Are we all sexually pure? Do we ever lie or get envious over what another person has? The evidence is plain for all to see. We are sinful, and we need help.
• What is the evidence that you are a sinner?
The penalty for sin is death. This is not just physical death but spiritual death as well. Sinners will be eternally separated from God for eternity. That is death. In order for sin to be taken away, atoned for, or paid for, someone or something has to die. When Adam and Eve sinned, Scripture says that God made them skins to clothe them. Where did God get the skins? Some animal had to die, to pay for the sin of Adam and Eve and clothe their nakedness of shame. Blood was shed to atone for sin, starting with the very first sin.
The Israelite system of worship involved all sorts of sacrifices to atone for sin. But ultimately, animal sacrifices cannot completely atone for human sin (Hebrews 10:4). Every human being is sinful; no one is pure enough to qualify as a sacrifice. So God came to earth in Jesus, in a body prepared for that one purpose: to be the Lamb of God, to be the sacrifice for sin. Jesus was a perfect human being. He was never guilty of any sin. Jesus was a willing sacrifice. Nobody forced him to do it. He gave his life willingly for our sakes. Jesus himself interprets his death as a ransom for many, for the remission of the sins of many. The earthquake and the rending of the temple veil show God's acceptance of the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. The spear thrust described in John's Gospel is also symbolic of the sacrifice and atonement. Theologically for John, blood and water symbolize life. Jesus' life blood is shed for our atonement. Water is a symbol both for our cleansing and the presence of Holy Spirit.
The Bible says that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Just as we became sinners because of Adam, we can become righteous because of Jesus. Just as we choose to sin, we must also choose to have faith in Jesus. Salvation is neither automatic nor universal. We must choose to be forgiven, just as we have chosen to sin. We can choose to be forgiven by asking Jesus into our lives as Lord and Savior. We can also choose not to be forgiven, and incur God's full wrath when we die.
It is important for us that we believe that Jesus died, and that we understand and accept why he died. We have the proof that he died. The Bible is in agreement in all its witness. The Bible also agrees on why Jesus died. He died for us. Because he died for us, we are called to live for him. Today, you can be forgiven, if you will accept the sacrifice that God has provided for you in Jesus Christ.
WWJD -- Have a time of confession for your "major" and your "minor" sins.
• What arguments have you heard that attempt to deny the death of Jesus?
It is important to understand that the death of Jesus was a real event. One way nonbelievers dismiss the significance of Jesus' death is to say that Jesus never really did die. Some have believed that Jesus, as God's Son, would never suffer death in a body. They say this because they believe God could never become a physical human being, subject to death. They say this to deny the resurrection. They say this to deny the reality of the atonement. They say he only appeared to die, or that he swooned and the guards thought he was dead when really he wasn't. They say it was someone who looked like Jesus and that the real Jesus and Mary Magdalene ran off to India, had children, and lived happily ever after. The problem with all of these statements is that there is absolutely no biblical confirmation for any of it. Neither is there any credible historical material to support these speculations.
• What kind of evidence would be necessary to prove that Jesus actually died on the cross?
It is important to establish that Jesus did, in fact, die. What evidence is there that Jesus died? There is more than sufficient evidence from the Bible. First, those who witness the death of Jesus on the cross react as if Jesus died. The Centurion confesses faith. The crowd goes away sorrowful and mourning. The soldiers confirm to Pilate that Jesus is dead. The soldiers see no need to break Jesus' legs, because he is already dead.
The physical trauma Jesus endured was enough to cause death. Historians attest that many prisoners died just from the flogging. Crucifixion was capital punishment, intended to cause death. While I won't go into all the gory details, everyone else that we know of who was crucified eventually died, including the two thieves crucified with Jesus. There were several traumas inflicted during crucifixion, all of them potentially fatal. Prisoners were traumatized through beating, bleeding, rusty nails, pain, and exhaustion, to name a few. The spear thrust to the side created one more serious wound, which would eventually be fatal. Medical research based on the Gospel accounts supports that death was the expected outcome of such intense trauma.
• If you had responsibility for Jesus' burial, what would you have done?
Jesus is buried by his friends. Certainly, if they had any hope that Jesus was alive, they would have concealed that from the guards and sought friendly medical help immediately. But they did not do that. They buried him. They thought he was dead. When they go to the tomb on Easter morning, they are prepared to anoint a dead body. They thought he was still dead on Easter morning.
Jesus' enemies want the tomb sealed. Why? They did not doubt that Jesus was dead. They wanted to prevent the disciples from stealing the body. Even in their cover-up after the resurrection, they did not propose that Jesus didn't die; they proposed that the disciples transferred the corpse. In the mind of Jesus' enemies, he died on that cross.
• Do you find this evidence convincing?
That he died seems to be well attested. But the more important question for us and the entire world of human beings is this: Why did Jesus die? The answer to this question is what makes Jesus' death so important for us. If this was just the death of another Jewish holy man or wonder worker, then it is no big deal. If this is just the death of another innocent victim at the hands of the Roman army, no big deal. Jesus would not be the only innocent to die in the Roman empire. Human beings come and go from this planet every day, as they have for thousands of years. Why is the death of this one man so important?
• What do you believe makes the death of Jesus so significant?
The Bible says that the death of this man was uniquely significant for all of history because he was the Son of God, dying on the cross as an atonement for human sin. Jesus made atonement for our sin. Atonement doesn't seem to be a popular idea in today's culture. We don't want to hear about an angry God who punishes sinners, but that is the message of the Bible. The Bible says that human beings have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. The God of the Bible is holy and perfect. Why should this holy, righteous God junk up his heaven with sinful human beings? God is righteous and just. God has shown us how he wants us to behave, and he has warned us of the consequences if we do not obey his law.
We like to think there is a bright side and believe that human beings are getting better and behaving better. Doesn't this deny reality? Terrorists continue to slaughter innocent people to advance their cause. Children kill other children in the school yard. There is always a place in the world with tension or actual war. These facts identify the world's "major" sinners.
Meanwhile, there is the rest of us, the "minor" sinners. Companies coldly lay off workers while the top echelon of executives gain bigger bonuses and stock options. The military burns toxic waste in the desert then denies that the place even exists. We sneak around and use cable scramblers so we won't have to pay the cable company for the shows we are receiving. Are we so great? Do we really deserve to get into heaven?
The Ten Commandments were never repealed or replaced. Are we doing all that well? Is God our only God? Can we really say we have no idols? Do we honor the Lord's Day and keep it holy? Are parents honored by their children? Do we see murder or theft in the land? Are we all sexually pure? Do we ever lie or get envious over what another person has? The evidence is plain for all to see. We are sinful, and we need help.
• What is the evidence that you are a sinner?
The penalty for sin is death. This is not just physical death but spiritual death as well. Sinners will be eternally separated from God for eternity. That is death. In order for sin to be taken away, atoned for, or paid for, someone or something has to die. When Adam and Eve sinned, Scripture says that God made them skins to clothe them. Where did God get the skins? Some animal had to die, to pay for the sin of Adam and Eve and clothe their nakedness of shame. Blood was shed to atone for sin, starting with the very first sin.
The Israelite system of worship involved all sorts of sacrifices to atone for sin. But ultimately, animal sacrifices cannot completely atone for human sin (Hebrews 10:4). Every human being is sinful; no one is pure enough to qualify as a sacrifice. So God came to earth in Jesus, in a body prepared for that one purpose: to be the Lamb of God, to be the sacrifice for sin. Jesus was a perfect human being. He was never guilty of any sin. Jesus was a willing sacrifice. Nobody forced him to do it. He gave his life willingly for our sakes. Jesus himself interprets his death as a ransom for many, for the remission of the sins of many. The earthquake and the rending of the temple veil show God's acceptance of the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. The spear thrust described in John's Gospel is also symbolic of the sacrifice and atonement. Theologically for John, blood and water symbolize life. Jesus' life blood is shed for our atonement. Water is a symbol both for our cleansing and the presence of Holy Spirit.
The Bible says that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Just as we became sinners because of Adam, we can become righteous because of Jesus. Just as we choose to sin, we must also choose to have faith in Jesus. Salvation is neither automatic nor universal. We must choose to be forgiven, just as we have chosen to sin. We can choose to be forgiven by asking Jesus into our lives as Lord and Savior. We can also choose not to be forgiven, and incur God's full wrath when we die.
It is important for us that we believe that Jesus died, and that we understand and accept why he died. We have the proof that he died. The Bible is in agreement in all its witness. The Bible also agrees on why Jesus died. He died for us. Because he died for us, we are called to live for him. Today, you can be forgiven, if you will accept the sacrifice that God has provided for you in Jesus Christ.
WWJD -- Have a time of confession for your "major" and your "minor" sins.
