Jesus’ Perspective on His own Death

These are Written
Believe
Should Not Perish
3:16
Never, Never
Life, Love, Light
Condemned by Choice
This and That
Seven Expressions of Love from the Cross
Why?
I know, I know!
What?
UGH!
Expedient
Gain Grace?
The Gift
The Hands of God
Immortality
COME UP HERE
Not by Works of Righteousness We have Done
Jesus’ Perspective on His own Death
I AM

Download or order the free booklet “The Gift” here: https://basictraining.org/the-gift/

Thanks to the American Bible Society “The Gospel of John” for the video scenes.

I want to remind us of the perspective that Jesus, our Savior, had concerning His own death. Because I think it helps us appreciate it a little bit more. His death was 1) Purposeful, 2) Voluntary, 3) Joyful, and 4) Glorious.

Well, first of all, His death was purposeful. He recognized that He was going to die. John 12:27 says, “What shall I say, Father, do not let this hour come upon me. But that is why I came.”

The purpose of his death was also voluntary. It was a voluntary or volitional outpouring of His love, and it showed full and true submission to God, the Father. Romans 5:8, “for God demonstrates his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” In the garden, Jesus said three times to the Father, “not My will, but Your will be done.” In John 10:17-18 Jesus said, “The Father loves me because I’m willing to give up My life in order that I may receive it back again. No one takes My life away from Me. I give it up of My own free will. I have the right to give it up and I have the right to take it back.This is what my father has commanded me to do.”

His death was purposeful. His death was voluntary. His death was also joyful. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus was fully aware of the pain and the suffering that He would face at the cross, but He had his eyes on the joy, and that joy was purchasing our eternal destiny.

And then finally, Jesus considered death as the path to glory. In John 12:23 He said those words, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to receive great glory.” And this is an amazing verse to me because this is shortly before the passion week. This is shortly before He would go through all of that suffering, the betrayal, the arrest, the scourging, the piercing of his hands and feet, the crown of thorns on his head, and the gathering up the sins of the world that pierced His heart. He didn’t say the time has come for the Son of Man to be tortured and tormented and suffer for the sins of the world. No, He said, “the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” He ignored the suffering and kept his eyes on the glory. And if we can grasp the truth of that verse, it would totally change our perspective of the sufferings in our life.

So this is His perspective of His own death. He was born to die.

Gene Cunningham - May 23, 2000

Living Sacrifice 37

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A believer who lives expectantly has hope; Blessed Hope (Tit 2:13), Living Hope (2Pe 1:3-4), Purifying Hope (1Jo 3:3). "hagnizo" - progressive growth and refining that we do not make happen, but by living in the hope. Hope has power to change our attitude (e.g. Mat 5); we'll live differently. We'll live as the man that found "the pearl of great price" (Mat 13:46). We're purified by focusing on the prize, not the things that entangle (i.e. expectation). Hope can purify us (2Pe1:2-4). God's grace is multiplied to a believer who goes beyond knowledge ("epignosis" -- 2Pe 1:2), namely, implements the life God offers. We don't have the discipline to overcome the things that distract us, but the power is available through expectation -- purifying hope. All hope in this life disappoints (money, sex, power) our hope needs fixing elsewhere. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick... (Pro 13:12) -- all hope in this life disappoints. "Everything pertaining to life and godliness..." (2Pe 1:3) is Christ living in a through us. We must reach out and claim a promise in the word of God (2Pe 1:4). You can't earn eternal rewards or blessings, but we can lose it (Rev 3:11, Eph 1:3). Criteria is " ... to all who have loved His appearing." (Tit 2:13). "...Glory and virtue ..." (2Pe 1:3, Joh 1:14) refers to God's essence. The promises are "great and excellent..". When we let Chist take His throne we are a witness -- giving a reason for our hope (1Pe 3:15). "...having escaped the corruption that is in this world through lust" (2Pet 1:4). We've already escaped -- it's not our struggle. In the life of those great are illustrations of the power of expectation. If we have hope our soul is secure (Heb 6:16-20, Heb 7:6). Real life begins in eternity. Faith is the foundation for hope (Heb 11:1, Heb 11:6). Hope is the one thing all those listed had in common (Heb 11:13); their faith instilled in them hope. Abraham, Joseph, Moses all illustrate hope. (Rom 8:23)

Scripture References: Revelation 3:11, Hebrews 11:1, Proverbs 13:12, Hebrews 7:6, Matthew 13:46, Hebrews 6:16-20, John 3:3, John 1:14, Romans 8:23, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 11:13, Ephesians 1:3, Hebrews 11:6