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 04

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Our goal is to prove the will of God in our life (Rom 12:1-2). In union with Christ 2Co 5:14-17 we are a new creature and are to live for Him. We are uniquely gifted. Every Christian has a ministry to fulfill His plan and purpose (1Co 12:5-7). Danger in planning our lives without taking into account the brevity of it and the plan of God (Jam 4:13-17). We must seek to do His will with a sense of urgency (Joh 7:17). We need to be daily seeking God's will by prayer and develop a sense of urgency (Joh 9:4). Believer dedicated to God's will (i.e., walking in the light) proves to himself, to the world, and to the fallen realm it is perfect (Joh 8:12, 1Jo 1:7). Man is by his nature after the fall arrogant (Jam 4:16). Biggest battle in history is the battle of wills starting with Satan (Isa 14:12-13). Arrogance is self-centered rather than Christ-centered, and disregards the will of God.

10 rules for time management: recognize and act on the knowledge that: (1) root cause of using time wisely is bad habit; (2) control your own time or someone else will; (3) you can only spend time, not save it; you can invest your time in eternity; (4) it necessary to learn to say "No" (Rom 12:2); (5) if you don't have time to plan you can't be efficient with time; you need to take God's will into account; (6) you must organize your time or lose it; (7) recognize the dollar value of time -- "lay up treasures in heaven"; (8) time is the greatest resource we have; (9) continual courage is needed to overcome time wasters -- to wring out the value of a day; (10) the key to successful management is to build good habits. The Ephesian Agora -- market -- was available to anyone. The wise person in the marketplace of life chooses to keep on purchasing, redeeming time (Eph 5:16 - exagoroazo - a habit which forms your character). We were once in darkness, but are now transferred into light (Eph 5:8-15, Col 1:13, 1Co 15:22). He has transferred us out of the realm of darkness into the light by faith. In Adam all die; in Christ all are made alive. Believers are "dead" if unfruitful (Eph 5:9-13). Jesus refused to cast His pearls before swine (Mat 7:6); He searched for good soil (Mar 1:35-38). The "sleeper" is the believer out of fellowship and "unfruitful" from eternal perspective (Eph 5:14). We need to be vigilant, and wise to redeem the time because the days are evil (Eph 5:15). We are "wise" and "acceptable" to the Lord if we redeem the time (Eph 5:16-18). (1) Believers are commanded to redeem time (Eph 5:16); (2) Redeeming time is necessary because days are evil (Eph 5:16) and time is short (1Co 7:29); and opportunity is passing (Col 4:5). (3) 7 ways to redeem time: by filling of the spirit (Eph 5:18); study God's word (Rom 12:2); applying the word of God (1Pe 2:15); endurance suffering through faith rest (Rom 8:18); prayer (Jam 5:15-18, Eph 6:18, Heb 13:15); submission to authority (Eph 6:1-2, 1Co 11:3); function your spiritual gift (1Ti 1:6, 1Ti 4:14). 5 reasons to have a sense of urgency: (1) time is short; (2) failure possibility is real; (3) loss is greatest in eternity; (4) loss at the judgement seat is shame; (5) redeemed time is all you can take with you.

Scripture References: Ephesians 5:18, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 6:1-2, Mark 1:35-38, James 4:13-17, Colossians 4:5, Isaiah 14:12-13, Hebrews 13:15, Matthew 7:6, Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 5:16, James 4:16, Ephesians 6:18, Ephesians 5:9-13, Ephesians 5:16, John 1:7, James 5:15-18, Colossians 1:13, Ephesians 5:16-18, John 8:12, Romans 8:18, Ephesians 5:8-15, Ephesians 5:15, John 9:4, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:16, Ephesians 5:14, John 7:17