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River Church Sermons


Apr 14, 2019

Life From Death #2

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

4-14-2019, By Louie Marsh

Why Did Jesus Die? – To bring us TO GOD.

 

18  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV)

 

Jesus died to bring us back to God, by forgiving our sins. To give us this opportunity  there were four things that Christ had to do – and in doing them He allowed us to come to God through Christ and have our lives changed forever.

 

Four Things the Death of Christ Does for Me.

 

  • Propitiation:
  • I can live SECURE in Christ.

 

25  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:25-26 (ESV)

 

This strange sounding word is also found in the KJV (1 John 2:2, 4:10) –

It comes from the ancient shrine – it means to appease or to pacify anger! The Bible teaches that God cannot live in the presence of sin – and since we sin that‘s bad news for us! Further sin angers God because He knows it’s true evil.

 

5  I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? Hosea 8:5 (ESV)

 

How does God deal with this? By sending His Son to remove His anger by removing the sin! The first thing Christ did was remove the thing that kept God apart from us, by paying the price for our sins!

 

  • Redemption: -
  • I can live FREE in Christ.

 

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

 

 18  knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19  but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Peter 1:18-19 (ESV)

 

This word comes from the ancient market place. It literally means “a ransom or price of release.” It was used of buying or selling slaves.

 

Christ died to set us free from our slavery to sin, moral guilt and the devastating effects of sin.

 

Notice the order that we’re taking here – first God deals with His anger towards our sin, then He rescues us from destruction by the death of Christ – do you see how much God loves you??

 

3) Justification:

  • I can live ACQUITTED in Christ.

 

23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…28  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.  Romans 3:23-24, 28 (ESV)

         

This word is from the court of law - - it’s the positive counterpart of redemption – here God bestows on us a right standing with Him. We are pronounced legally clear of any guilt and our record is wiped clean! We stand before God pure – as if we had never sinned!

 

4) Reconciliation:

  • I can live ACCEPTED in Christ.

 

9  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:9-11 (ESV)

 

This word comes from the home of course. Today we still talk about marriages being reconciled. Reconcile means to restore a broken relationship – and that’s what Christ’s death on the cross does! By removing His wrath, releasing us from slavery from sin, restoring us to right standing with Him – then God can renew His relationship with us in Christ!

 

Two Things That Flow From This:

 

1)  No CONDEMNATION!

 

1  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (ESV)

 

2) God won’t QUIT  on me!

 

6  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

 

  • One Thing I Must Do – MAKE JESUS the Lord of my life.