THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST–Part 1
JOHN 19:16-18
Introduction:
This is the first of two messages on the Death of Jesus Christ. This study has been a great blessing to me personally. I have never been touched by the Lord as I have been this time during the preparation of these two message about the death of my LORD. I hope that these messages with bless your heart as I have been blessed in their preparation. I must admit that I have leaned heavily on an elder brother for much of the information. He is Arthur Pink and his book entitled The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross.
Now let us consider the death of Jesus Christ.
I. THE DEATH OF CHRIST WAS NATURAL.
A. It was a REAL death.
1. Jesus is the Son of God, Matthew 3:17, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
2. His blood that was shed was divine.
B. He became “FLESH” that he might taste death for every man, John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
1. Thus having become incarnate the Lord of glory, He was capable of suffering death, John 10:17-18, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
2. So it was that he “tasted death” for every man, Colossians 1:21-22, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:”
C. The evidence that his death was natural…
1. Is seen when he is laid in the tomb, Matthew 27:58-60, “He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.”
2. Jesus remained in the tomb three days, Luke 24:45-46, “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:”
II. THE DEATH OF CHRIST WAS UN-NATURAL.
A. We mean that it was abnormal.
1. Being incarnate He was capable of death, however death had no claim on Him.
2. The reverse was true:
a. He had no sin nature because His blood was from the Heavenly Father, Matthew 1:21, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”
b. He “did no sin,” 1 Peter 2:22, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”
c. He had “no sin,” 1 John 3:5, “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”
d. He “knew no sin,” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Hence, we say, for the Holy One of God to die was un-natural.
III. THE DEATH OF CHRIST WAS PRETERNATURAL.
A. It was DETERMINED BEFOREHAND, Revelations 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
1. Before Adam was created, the Fall of man was anticipated.
2. Before sin entered the world, God had planned salvation from sin.
B. Christ was FOREORDAINED to be the Savior.
1. A Savior who should suffer the Just for the unjust, 1 Peter 3:18, ”For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”
2. A Savior who should die in order that we might live, 1 John 3:16, “ Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 4:9, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
B. In this we see just how great God’s love is for all mankind, 1 John 4:10, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
CONCLUSION:
The death of Christ has been the greatest blessing ever known to man. By that death man can have forgiveness of his sin and eternal life in the presence of the God of Heaven.