Sermon Tone Analysis

/The Empty Cross of Christ No. 4/

*Why Did Jesus Think He Had To Die?*

*Part III**--Preached:*  Morganton Church of Christ, Morganton, NC 3~/8~/2009 AM

 

I.

Introduction.

 

A.

As John the Apostle closes out his Gospel, he makes this grandiose claim about Jesus:

 

*John 21:25  *

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they ~*were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself ~*would not contain the books which ~*were written.

1.

One can understand why he would say that.

2.

After all, he KNEW Jesus, and knew that there was so much more that could be said.

B.

Well, the same is true when focusing on the cross of Christ.

There is so much more that can be said.

There is no way to exhaust the subject in a brief amount of time.

C.

And when we specifically ask the question, “Why did Jesus think He had to die?” the mere fact of the necessity of Jesus’ death calls forth answers on so many levels . . .

.

D.        We’ve seen thus far that Jesus died…

 

            1.

Because it was inevitable.

2.

Because it was the fulfillment of Scripture.

3.

We’ve noted that His death was ENTIRELY voluntary.

4.

That His death was the Father’s will.

5.

That in His death, He identified with sinners.

6.

That His death spelled judgment upon the world.

7.

And we’ve tried to show how His life was a sacrifice, and for this reason, He had to die.

E.

But as I said previously, we have yet to exhaust all the reasons for the cross.

I’m not entirely sure we can.

But, as the Apostle Peter said, we must always be ready /“…//to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” /(1 Pet.

3:15).

And there is need for this readiness.

1.

More and more, with less and lesser Bible training going on in the home, our culture is becoming ignorant of the gospel message and of its principal truths.

2.

I remember being shocked many years ago in the early 1980’s in studying with a young woman who had heard of the crucifixion of Christ but had never heard of the resurrection!

The only way I could understand that was to write it off to her not having much education and growing up in an unchurched home.

3.

While that is probably true, when I thought it, I thought of it as an exception and not the rule.

Now, twenty-eight years later, it IS the rule and not the exception.

F.

So more the need for us to return to the fundamentals, and what more fundamental truth than to examine the reasons for Jesus’ death on the cross.

Let us then continue:

 

 

II.

Body.

A.    His Death was The Ransom Paid By God.

 

            1.

This was Jesus’ own very clear claim:

 

                        *Mark 10:45*  "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,

and to give His life a ransom for many."

2.

This seems to stand in contradiction, however, to a statement in the Psalms, which when taken without reference to Jesus, makes perfect sense:

 

*Psalm 49:7-10*  No man can by any means redeem /his/ brother, Or give to God a ransom for him--  (8)  For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease /trying/ forever—(9)  That he should live on eternally; That he should not undergo decay.

(10)  For he sees /that even/ wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.

3.

The word ‘ransom’ was widely used in the ancient world in relation to the release of prisoners of war and the release of slaves.

But even here in Psalm 49, it is clear that a spiritual ransom is the subject.

The question then becomes, “Who is able to pay the ransom that will ransom men’s souls and guarantee them life?”

 

4.

The word of God is as relevant today as it ever was.

That is WHY it is the word of God! 

 

5.

People today who have never read the Bible and probably don’t believe it anyway —at least are not sure if it is true—find themselves in perfect agreement with Psalm 49:7-8.

a.