Why Did Jesus Have To Die? 2 Shocking Things That Killed Jesus
/I stood at the kitchen sink arguing with God. Be nice. Love God. Be good. The mantra of my life.
I stared out the kitchen window and smugly checked off those 3 little boxes. With every little Sunday school song and every Bible story that very theme got pounded into my head. Just be good + be nice + love God equals fire insurance.
I had fire insurance and nothing more. God read my heart and that’s when the argument started. I proudly said in not-so-many words, “Lord, I do those things so well!”
Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
As I fondly looked back at the highlight reel of niceness and conveniently ignored the ugly swamp, God was going for my jugular. I went to church, sang on the worship team and took meals to the elderly. I had my spiritual ducklings all following in a nice, cute little row. In my puffed up vanity God so sweetly whispered into my thick skull, “Then why did Jesus have to die?”
Umph. With one little nudging question from the Holy Spirit, God’s trajectory kicked in. I needed a whole lot more than fire insurance. I needed a humble, authentic faith and relationship with Jesus Christ that would withstand real fire, and not just cover the smoke damage.
I was shocked when I realized my good deeds didn’t amount to a hill of beans and I was even more shocked when I learned that my 2 sins killed Jesus.
2 Reasons Why Jesus Had To Die
There are 2 little things—just 2 tiny things God asks of us. Love God and Love others. I stink at both of those. How about you?
2 shocking things that killed Jesus“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
1) My inability to love God perfectly is what killed Jesus.
The first and most important thing God asks of me is to love Him, and I am totally unable to do it perfectly. I couldn’t love God fully, wholly, or completely and that breaks me. Its makes me a sinner.
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH…
How's that going for ya?
Yeah-me too.
I was a lawbreaker that took Jesus to the cross.
Some days I am too spiritually strung out that I can’t put 2 coherent words together in a prayer. Other days my sin-sickened heart clings to idols and gets distracted by worldly glitter. Love God with all my heart seems like an impossibility. My heart is can be so willing, but my flesh is can be so weak. Sister, you are the same way.
2) My inability to love others perfectly is what killed Jesus.
The second most important thing God asks of me is to love others. I am unable to do that perfectly and it makes me a sinner.
LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF…
I am guessing this is where we all start spiritually wheezing.
I am a lawbreaker that took Jesus to the cross.
All I have to do is look around the battle field to realize I really stink at grace. Pride, selfish motives, grudges, unforgiving attitudes…ugh. It’s like standing in black tar up to my kneecaps and expecting to win first place in a marathon.
God knew I was going to be lousy at loving others well, so He sent Jesus to fulfill that law for me. He sends the Holy Spirit to love through me, despite my imperfections. My friend, He does that for you, too.
So Why Did Jesus Have To Die?
My inability becomes God’s ability to extend hope, mercy and grace!
For crying out loud. God gave me 2 things to do and I profoundly bungle up both of them?!
YUP.
I have a choice to make. I could wallow in self pity and victimhood while I blame everyone around me for it all, or I could turn to Jesus and repent. I could rely on fire insurance and avoid authentic faith while I wear a plastic smile, or I could turn to Jesus and repent. You have that same option to repent and turn to Jesus, friend.
Christ died for the very thing that you couldn't do!
Obey the law and obey it perfectly.
No one on this planet is capable of loving God perfectly. And God knew you couldn’t so he sent Jesus to do it for you. God is so good and full of grace! The Ten Commandments put us on the hook of conviction and the cross takes us off while paying the penalty.
Thank God He had a plan to take care of your sin! Jesus perfectly obeyed every command that God outlined in Scripture, in your place and on your behalf FOR YOU. When God called you to Himself He placed you securely INSIDE the person of Christ. God no longer holds your imperfections against you, but looks on you through the blood of Christ.
There is NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. That is how God loves you-perfectly.
You are redeemed when you are found in Jesus. Christ fulfilled what the law demanded of you and by doing so it gives you peace with God and the power to live rightly. My friend, that creates a heart of worship and gratitude! Read this passage slowly and soak in the promise and blessing of Christ living in you.
" But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him...But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities."
Isaiah 53: 4-6, 10-11
GOD BRUISED CHRIST TO MAKE YOU HIS BRIDE.
GODS WRATH THAT WAS INTENDED FOR YOU WAS ABSORBED BY JESUS.
Your sin, imperfection, disobedience and each iniquity is paid for and that produces a heart of worship.
