The Easter story continues with the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. As mentioned in the 5 Powerful lessons about Palm Sunday, Jesus had to die on a cross and no other means because that is what had been prophesied. Jesus could not have died by the burning furnace or lions dens or even by lethal injection hence his birth was all timed to happen in the time when the death punishment was crucifixion on the cross. Jesus was between two criminals also crucified, one representing Jews and the other representing Gentiles.
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Luke 23:39-42
By his death on the cross, he united both Jews and Gentiles to himself and to God and broke the wall of enmity between them, Jesus brought peace by his death. This is good news.
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2:14-18
Jesus the son of God, the King of Jews, the morning star, the light of the world is crucified by sinners and even on the cross he continued his mission of reconciliation and maintaining peace. He did not condemn the criminal who ranged insults at him neither did he ask for the destruction of the soldiers who had mocked and beaten him all night and finally nailed him to the cross. In his suffering he still was able to pray for forgiveness to all his enemies because they crucified him out of ignorance (Luke 23:34), little did they know it was all God’s perfect plan to save mankind.
God created us in his image to rule on earth just as he rules in heaven. He wanted us to have dominion and power over everything else that he created including Satan. God also in his wisdom knew that Satan in his cunning way will cause man created in God’s image to sin or turn against God and face judgement and condemnation just like he Satan did and has been judged to destruction by hell fire.
But God loved us so much that instead of going to hell with Satan, he decided to come and die to save us because he had already declared and Satan also knows that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). Satan sinned and there was no blood shed to cleanse his sin and forgive him, God did not make that provision for him because he was full of pride and wanted to be like God, hence got thrown out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-12).
God’s provision of a lamb, Jesus Christ to die and save mankind from sin did not just happen but was part of God’s wonderful plan since the foundation of the earth. Think of it as insurance, thinking ahead of yourself and purchasing a plan to cover you just incase of any mishapen. If we can think of insurance and protect our future, how much more God our creator in whom is all wisdom.
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Revelation 13:8
Jesus paid it all, there is no arrears to pay. He who was without sin became sin for us. The punishment of our sins was laid on him. By his strips we are healed. Jesus gave up his spirit and died. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man! Luke 23:47
Oh what manner of love is this. Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:13
Jesus is Alive and Lives Forever More
The good news is that he did not remain in the grave, oh no, death could not hold him captive. How can the one who created life be overcome by death? How can Jesus not be alive? The one who brought back people from the dead to demonstrate to his disciples that he has power over death. The one who said ‘Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” It is very easy for some of us to believe in this powerful story and like Billy Graham, we believe in the words of the bible with or without scientific proof. Science discovers new things daily and will one day discover the truth but it will be late.
Why is it so difficult for some people to believe that Jesus rose from the death and defeated the power of death? How can Jesus who brought back Lazarus who had died for four days not be able to bring himself back after dying for three days. Have you ever thought about why Jesus delayed when he received message that Lazarus was sick? Why did he wait till Lazarus was dead for four days? It is obvious that Jesus wanted to show everyone that he had power over death and death had no power over him, death could not hold him captive, even in the grave Jesus is Lord. Wow this is indeed good news. The devil thought killing Jesus was the end of the story but he was in for a shock.
having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:14-15
Even the disciples had to see the empty tomb themselves to believe that Jesus had actually risen. They could not believe it even though he told them about it before his crucifixion. They forget very easily like most of us, we forget what God says in his word and sometimes suffer unnecessarily. The soldiers were paid to lie about the resurrection of Jesus. They were bribed to change the good news into false news that the disciples of Jesus stole his body when they the soldiers were alseep. How did they know this when they were asleep?
The tomb was sealed so well to prevent this from happening in the first place and let’s say it did, how dead were the soldiers that they could not hear the disciples breaking the seal of the tomb to steal the body of Jesus. Where would they hide the body without the mighty Roman soldiers finding it. The disciples themselves were shocked but the evidence empowered them to go all over the world to preach what had happened and we also today continue with this same message. Jesus Christ is
