The Death: Finished

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Introduction: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This past week, on April 3, we were able to commemorate a heart-breaking tragedies of this country. We had a moment to pause and reflect upon the death of one of America’s most acclaimed heroes—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The night of April 3, 1968 was a night to remember. On this night there was a tumultuous thunderstorm, and through it gathered 3,000 activists into Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, Tennessee. There, they rushed into the doors of this historic building to await the arrival of a revered leader who had impacted all of their lives in a way that was unparalleled.

30 minutes passed...45 minutes passed… 60 minutes passed…and he wasn’t there. He did not show up. The crowd was growing anxious as they awaited the arrival of their leader. They were all waiting on his address concerning the city’s black sanitation workers. Yet, they would soon learn that he was being held up at the airport due to a safety precaution that was an attempt to protect his life.

Ninety (90) minutes from the expected time of his arrival, in comes the dynamic speaker and the crowd is overjoyed with his presence. The ever-so confident leader approached the podium, took a brief pause to gather himself, and then began by commending the audience for braving the night’s storm. And though he attempted to exude the strength of a warrior, those closest to him recognized the fragility of a man who had spent most of his life fighting for the welfare of others.

Individuals who attended reflected on how thunderous lightning that would interrupt the evening. His occasional flinch at the unexpected shouts of the storm was telling of a man who was tired, weary, and afflicted by the burden of loving his fellowman. On this night stood the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr to deliver what would be his final sermon on the eve of his assassination.

Though the toil of a long fight for freedom was obvious, the content of his message was delivered with clarity and conviction. In his address, he mentioned how difficult the road forward was. He stated, “…the world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion all around.”

He added that there were 1300 of God’s children in Memphis, Tennessee suffering— “sometimes going hungry, going through dark and dreary nights.” He shared of the struggles experienced in Birmingham, Alabama—how hundreds of activists were attacked by dogs and fire hoses, and even experienced imprisonment. Yet, with peaceful protest they withstood the acts of Bull Connor.

The question on my mind as I recall the things Dr. King did for the sake of others is, why? Why did Dr. King commit to this life?

Dr. King once said on another occasion, “If a man has not found something worth dying for, he is not fit to live.”

Though he was a minister, Dr. King understood the value of bringing justice and equality to all people. He stated in his speech that night,

It’s alright to talk about “long white robes over yonder,” in all of its symbolism. But ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here. It’s alright to talk about “streets flowing with milk and honey,” but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here, and his children who can’t eat three square meals a day. It’s alright to talk about the new Jerusalem, but one day, God’s preacher must talk about the new New York, the new Atlanta, the new Philadelphia, the new Los Angeles, the new Memphis, Tennessee. This is what we have to do.

At the end of Dr. King’s speech in Memphis, he stated,

Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to have a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

On this night, April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. realized he did not have long on this earth to live. He understood the power of sacrificing one’s life for a great cause. He was convicted by a greater power and would not be moved from the vow He made to God and to others.

Dr. King was 39 years old when he died.

The Mission of Dying

Today, I present to you one who is greater than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I present to you the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ who died at the age of 33 years old, because He understood His mission was—not to be popular, not to be widely sought after, not to be famous, wealthy, or “happy.” His mission was to die.

Mark 10:45 “45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

John 10:17“17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again.

Luke 9:22 “22 “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.””

John 12:23–24 “23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.” John 12:27 “27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!”

And though Jesus had much more to accomplish in the resurrection, He considered His death to be the completion of a mission.

John 19:28–30 NLT

28 Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The Accomplishing Death of Jesus

What was the mission Jesus referred to? And what did it accomplish? There were two goals in the death of Jesus Christ:

Bring mankind back to the Father.

Romans 5:10 “10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.”

Colossians 1:22 “22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

welcomed, holy, and blameless

Defeat death (Bring death to death).

Hebrews 2:14–15 “14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”

In order to do this, Jesus understood the veil needed to be torn in the Temple.

Luke 23:45 “45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.”

The word torn means to be ripped forcibly or violently. This was not slither. This was a violent and demonstrative rip.

Scholars have noted,

The veil of the temple was a significant fabric partition in ancient Israelite worship, separating the inner sanctum (Holy of Holies) from the outer sanctum[1]. This veil served multiple purposes: it guarded the ark of the covenant, symbolized the separation between God and humans, and marked where the divine and human met[1][3]. Only the high priest could pass through it, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement[1][3].

[1] Meyers, C. (1992). Veil of the Temple. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 6, p. 785). Doubleday. [3] Chase, M. L. (2020). 40 Questions about Typology and Allegory (B. L. Merkle, Ed.; p. 147). Kregel Academic.

The tearing of the veil in the temple declared two things. First, we understand it declared the access of all people into the presence of God. It made the connection and communion between God and man possible. However, it also condemned the established temple system as no longer relevant and useful, because what was in this sacred space is now throughout the entire world without the use of the revered Temple.

Hebrews 9:1–15 NLT

1 That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. 2 There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. 3 Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. 4 In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now. 6 When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. 7 But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. 9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 10 For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established. 11 So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. 13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

The Four Basic Doctrines of Christ’s Death

Charles Ryrie noted four doctrines of Christ’s death:

Substitution

Christ died in our stead and afforded us the opportunity to pay our debt of sins.

Imagine you had a debt. A kind person may pay the debt for you. However, he would do you one better if he gave you the money to pay the debt on your own behalf. This is what Jesus did for us—once and for all.

Redemption

Christ liberated us because of the debt that was paid.

Reconciled

Christ changed our relationship with God from hostility to harmony and peace.

Propitiate

Christ satisfied the wrath of God by offering Himself.

Here are the four results of Jesus’s death for the believer:

Substitution: I am debt-free [sin], (which means worship is not my way of earning but showing gratitude.)

Redemption: I am redeemed.

Reconciled: I am in relationship.

Propitiation: I am a friend of God.