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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 - January 8, 2000

The Divine Mentor #1

The Divine Mentor (the Holy Spirit), Jesus promised to the disciples before His departure. He introduced the "living water" in Joh 7:37-39. The Spirit worked with old testament saints (Zec 4:6, Joe 2:28) but now works in us. This was anticipated in the Old Testament (Isa 12:3, Isa 43:20, Isa 44:3, Isa 55:1). Joh 13:10-15 has the Spirit pre-figured in the cleansing water Jesus washes their feet (1Jo 1:9). Jesus' command in Joh 13:34-35 "love one another" is impossible without the Spirit (Rom 5:1-5, Gal 5:22-23, 1Co 13:1-13). In Joh 14:12-17 the Spirit is the "Paraklete"("called along side") -- the Helper. His character as Mentor: mother comfort (1Th 2:7); father as teacher of children (1Th 2:11); coach urging an athlete (2Ti 2:1); commander urging soldiers in battle (2Ti 2:3). Spirit is Truth (Joh 13:25-27) is involved in our recall -- He guards and gives peace (Phi 4:6-7). Joh 15:1-7 says the Spirit is the "fruit-bearer". Joh 15:26-27 says the Spirit is "witness" (Act 1:8). Joh 16:5-11 says the Spirit is conviction -- convicing men. Joh 16:12-15 says the Spirit is guidance (1Ki 19:1-13). He'll keep us from deception (Luk 21:8), deliver us from fear (Luk 21:9), provide us a witness (Luk 21:13), give us endurance (Luk 21:19), guide us where we need to be (Luk 21:21), give us joyous expectation (Luk 21:28), warn us of danger to our heart (Luk 21:34), and give us a watchfulness (Luk 21:36).

Scripture References: John 13:25-27, John 7:37-39, John 16:12-15, Isaiah 55:1, Luke 21:28, John 14:12-17, John 16:5-11, Isaiah 44:3, Luke 21:21, Galatians 5:22-23, Acts 1:8, Isaiah 43:20, Luke 21:19, Romans 5:1-5, John 15:26-27, Isaiah 12:3, Luke 21:13, John 13:34-35, John 15:1-7, Joel 2:28, Luke 21:9, John 1:9, Luke 21:36, Philippians 4:6-7, Zechariah 4:6, Luke 21:8, John 13:10-15, Luke 21:34

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