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 - April 8, 2000

Simplicity in Christ #8

Listen

The Simplicity of Inner Purity

The Lord warns of things that take up time and energy (Luk 21:29-36). One day we'll stand in His presence with confidence or shame. We enter eternal life by faith because He paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. Daily deliverance from our problems is in view in Mat 5:1-48. Simplicity is not necessarily easy, but has focus. We are so distractable. Mat 5:8 — "the pure in heart ...will see God" doesn't refer to eternity, but daily life. When did God last answer your prayer? There is an interaction with the Lord in daily life (Joh 14:21, 1Jo 1:3-4). Where is your life and attention focused? (Mat 6:19-23). "If your eye is good" — good means "single" (Mat 6:22). If you loose clarity or focus, we loose the sense of His prence and power. He should be more real than the circumstances and people around you. "Persue peace with all men" — the real issue is how do I see men through the eyes of Jesus Christ, not how they treat you (Heb 12:14, Rom 12:18). The double-minded man doesn't have an abundant life because of a lack of spiritual focus (Jam 1:7-8, Jam 4:8). Until we have spiritual focus, we won't "see the Lord" (Heb 12:14-15). We live in a bitter world. We carry wrongs in our heart and defile other people (Heb 12:15). "Martha was destracted with much serving" and "Mary has chosen the good part" (Luk 10:38-42). Simplicity is the one thing Mary sought and Martha lost. Mary gained a reward "that will not be taken from her". You can have everything, but not the "one thing" (Mark 10:17-27). The purpose Christ lays hold of us is the prize — His pleasure (Phi 3:7-14).

Scripture References: Hebrews 12:15, Matthew 6:19-23, Hebrews 12:14-15, John 1:3-4, James 4:8, John 14:21, James 1:7-8, Philippians 3:7-14, Matthew 5:8, Romans 12:18, Mark 10:17-27, Matthew 5:1-48, Hebrews 12:14, Luke 10:38-42, Luke 21:29-36, Matthew 6:22