OceanSide church of Christ




Click here to see all of the YouTube videos belonging to OceanSide
(opens in a new browser)

 Previous Return to Sermons Next  Click to download Audio

WHY JESUS’ DEATH SHOCKS ME

Victor M. Eskew

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    On FB individuals will often ask questions in order to get responses from their contacts. 

 

B.      Recently, this question was asked:  “Which famous person’s death shocked you the most?”

1.      Martin Luther King, Jr.

2.      Princess Diana

3.      Michael Jackson

4.      Robin Williams

5.      President Kennedy

 

C.     As I thought about the question more, this headline came to my mind:

1.      “Son of God Dead:  after about six agonizing hours on the cross at Golgotha, Jesus, commended His spirit to God and gave up the ghost.”

2.      I am shocked by the death of Jesus Christ.  And, the more I study His crucifixion, the more shocked I become.

 

I.                   HE WAS GOD

 

A.    Jesus was not just a man.  He was God who took upon Himself the form of a man.

1.      John 1:1, 14

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…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.

 

2.      Philippians 2:6-7

 

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.

 

B.      He was God.

1.      He is the Creator.  He is the Redeemer.  He is the Governor among the nations.  He is sovereign.  He is Lord. 

2.      He is a being who possesses all of the attributes of deity:  omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, love, grace, mercy, justice, wrath…

 

C.     God was allowed to be put to death.  When I think of that, I am shocked.

 

II.                HE DID NOTHING WRONG

 

A.    In our society, we are angered when we find that individuals have been imprisoned for years who did not commit the crime for which they were charged.

 

B.      Jesus was put to death, but He did absolutely nothing wrong.

 

C.     It was admitted numerous times that Jesus was an innocent man.

1.      Pilate’s wife:  “Have nothing to do with that just man” (Matt. 27:19)

2.      Pilate:  “I find no fault in this man” (Luke 23:4).

3.      Before Herod:  “…and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him” (Luke 24:15).

4.      Judas:  “I have betrayed innocent blood” (Matt. 27:4).

5.      The thief:  “But this man hath done nothing amiss” (Luke 23:41).

 

D.    He was innocent.  His innocence was proclaimed by those in charge of the trials.  Still, Jesus was put to death.  Again, I am shocked.

 

III.             HE PROVED WHO HE WAS (His works)

 

A.    Jesus did not just claim to be the Son of God; He proved who He was by His works.

 

B.      His works demonstrated the great power that He had.

1.      Power over sickness

2.      Power over the demonic world

3.      Power over nature

4.      Power over death

 

C.     Two verses:

1.      Jesus asked the Jews to look at His works (John 10:37-38).

 

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works:  that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him

 

2.      The works would prove who He really is (John 5:36).

 

But I have greater witness than that of John:  for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

 

D.    Think about this.  Jesus proved who He was.  He manifested great works, works they could not deny.  Still he was put to death.  Again, I am shocked.

 

IV.             HE FUFILLED PROPHECY

 

A.    Jesus told the Jews that the Old Testament Scriptures testified of him (John 5:39).

 

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:  and they are they which testify of me.

 

B.      There were so many prophecies the Jews could have checked.

1.      Prophecies dealing with lineage.

2.      Prophecies involving His birth.

3.      Prophecies about events in His life.

4.      Prophecies about His character.

5.      Prophecies about His teaching and works.

 

C.     The Jews studied the OT Scriptures.  They were in great anticipation of the coming Messiah.  Jesus fulfilled the prophecies to the letter.  Yet, the Jews still killed Him.  I am shocked!

 

V.                MAN WAS SO UNWORTHY

 

A.    The death of Jesus was for all men.

1.      I Timothy 2:5-6

 

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

 

2.      Hebrews 2:9

 

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for all men.

 

3.      I John 2:2

 

And he is the propitiation for our sins:  and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

B.      Question:  What man was worthy of this sacrifice?  The reality is that man was so unworthy.

1.      Few honored God

2.      Few sought to know and do His will

3.      Many were unappreciative of God’s blessings

4.      Man lived to fulfill his selfish lusts

 

C.     Man was not worthy of the Christ, but He died anyway.  I am shocked.

 

VI.             HE DID NOT HAVE TO

 

A.    Jesus did not have to offer Himself up on the cross (John 10:17-18)

 

Therefore doeth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  No 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.

 

B.      Jesus freely chose to die.  Again, as I look at the condition of those for whom He died, I am shocked that He would make such a decision.

 

VII.          A MANIFESTATION OF HIS LOVE

 

A.    The reason Jesus died is because of His love for the lost.

1.      John 15:13

 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

2.      But, Jesus showed an even greater love because He laid down his life for His enemies (Rom. 5:10).

 

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

 

B.      Such love should shock us.

1.      Mentally, we understand the love of Christ.

2.      We do not always feel it emotionally.

3.      Illustration:  We have been sentenced to death by the electric chair.  The day of our execution comes.  We have our final meal.  We watch at the clock ticks closer and closer to the hour of our death.  Our cell door opens.  The warden tells us:  “You are a free man.”  We are astounded.  We learn that our father took our place in the electric chair just a few minutes before we were freed. 

 

VIII.       IT WAS FOR ME

 

A.    We noted that the death of Jesus was for all men.  They were sinners, enemies of God.  This makes His death shocking.

 

B.      But, the reality is that His death was for me personally. 

1.      He did it for me.

2.      The old hymn, “At the Cross,” says:  “For such a worm as I.”

3.      I truly am unworthy. 

4.      I am very shocked.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    There are many deaths that transpire that shock us.  In fact, most do.

 

B.      The one, however, that should shock us the most is the death of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

 

C.     If the death of Jesus does not tug at your heart-strings,

1.      You do not understand who He was.

2.      You do not realize the depth of His love.

3.      He you not comprehend the importance of the action.

 

D.    Those who do understand are

1.      Humbled

2.      Are filled with love for God

3.      Are willing to submit their lives to Him because of the sacrifice He made.