Christen asked what she described as a 'lame' question. I suspect it is the most profound one we can ask, so thanks for putting it out there.
Why did Jesus have to die?
I don't like going to the dentist. I'm better now than I used to be; irrational fear turned to more realistic anxiety. It means that I feel very virtuous when I make the appointment. There's no doubt that it's a good choice, the doubt comes from whether I will keep the appointment. In fact, until I'm actually in the chair, there is always the risk that I'll find some 'good' reason to postpone or cancel.
That's why Jesus 'had' to die. Because until the moment of his death, there was the possibility of him changing his mind. In fact, even when he was on the cross, he was tempted him to do just that. "Come down from the cross, save yourself, then we'll believe you".
So the question quickly morphs into this one:
That's why Jesus 'had' to die. Because until the moment of his death, there was the possibility of him changing his mind. In fact, even when he was on the cross, he was tempted him to do just that. "Come down from the cross, save yourself, then we'll believe you".
So the question quickly morphs into this one:
What choice was so important that it had to be validated by death?
To answer that we need a bit of background. God created us to be recipients and givers of divine love because he is in nature, 'love'. We were created 'in God's image', we were like him in character (though not in attributes - for example, whilst I can readily make a mess, I can't make a universe). In this way, God provided everything we needed to enjoy life to the full and for ever.
Now at the heart of love is the freedom to choose. Paul writes that 'love does not insist on it's own way'. And we see that built into the heart of creation - God puts us in a garden in which there are two trees; one leads to life, the other to death. Like any loving Father, he gives boundaries, clearly stating the consequence of each choice, but then, out of love, gives the power to choose.
First Adam (the Bible's description for mankind) is tempted by Satan to become like God in attributes as well as character. Always impressed by power, reach and knowledge, the enemy thinks we will be too and tempts mankind to be like God in areas of His knowledge. He was right. In a garden, First Adam grasped at what wasn't his, at what he didn't need and in so doing, broke relationship with God. Previously everything we needed came from God, he gladly supplied it, not to control, but to bless. Now, we have all the needs that we had before, but we can't receive what we need from God. We will have to work for them, making do with paltry substitutes; security instead of peace, entertainment instead of joy, pleasure instead of fulfilment, living instead of life.
And because we have handed over the power we received to the enemy, he has authority to act directly against us, enslaving us, blinding us to the real situation, creating a worldview that thinks these substitutes are the real thing, that our dissatisfaction can be overcome by acquiring more of them. So we live in a world where death is all around, creating pain, suffering, disease and every evil thing.
God knew at the outset that this was a possibility, that mankind, against all reason, might choose the way of death. Of course, one of the lies the enemy has sown is that it was inevitable. That it was impossible for mankind to always live in perfect relationship with God. that somehow the fall was built into the fabric of creation and that rather than being our choice, our responsibility, it is in some way God's fault. First Adam took the same view "The woman you gave me, she did it"
Talk about tough choices. Knowing in principle the pain and awful suffering it would cause, God's considered view was that the joy of us living in perfect relationship with him and each other was worth the potential pain. Even when the rescue plan included coming in person and bearing the consequences himself. More than that, He believed that in the end, when all things were concluded, we would freely agree.
In Genesis 1:2 it talks about the 'spirit of God brooding' John puts it like this in his gospel 'In the beginning was the conversation'. From the outset, God counted the cost, evaluated the options and chose to commit to creation. It's the equivalent of making the call to the dentist. The plan is in place should it be needed.
Now at the heart of love is the freedom to choose. Paul writes that 'love does not insist on it's own way'. And we see that built into the heart of creation - God puts us in a garden in which there are two trees; one leads to life, the other to death. Like any loving Father, he gives boundaries, clearly stating the consequence of each choice, but then, out of love, gives the power to choose.
First Adam (the Bible's description for mankind) is tempted by Satan to become like God in attributes as well as character. Always impressed by power, reach and knowledge, the enemy thinks we will be too and tempts mankind to be like God in areas of His knowledge. He was right. In a garden, First Adam grasped at what wasn't his, at what he didn't need and in so doing, broke relationship with God. Previously everything we needed came from God, he gladly supplied it, not to control, but to bless. Now, we have all the needs that we had before, but we can't receive what we need from God. We will have to work for them, making do with paltry substitutes; security instead of peace, entertainment instead of joy, pleasure instead of fulfilment, living instead of life.
And because we have handed over the power we received to the enemy, he has authority to act directly against us, enslaving us, blinding us to the real situation, creating a worldview that thinks these substitutes are the real thing, that our dissatisfaction can be overcome by acquiring more of them. So we live in a world where death is all around, creating pain, suffering, disease and every evil thing.
God knew at the outset that this was a possibility, that mankind, against all reason, might choose the way of death. Of course, one of the lies the enemy has sown is that it was inevitable. That it was impossible for mankind to always live in perfect relationship with God. that somehow the fall was built into the fabric of creation and that rather than being our choice, our responsibility, it is in some way God's fault. First Adam took the same view "The woman you gave me, she did it"
Talk about tough choices. Knowing in principle the pain and awful suffering it would cause, God's considered view was that the joy of us living in perfect relationship with him and each other was worth the potential pain. Even when the rescue plan included coming in person and bearing the consequences himself. More than that, He believed that in the end, when all things were concluded, we would freely agree.
In Genesis 1:2 it talks about the 'spirit of God brooding' John puts it like this in his gospel 'In the beginning was the conversation'. From the outset, God counted the cost, evaluated the options and chose to commit to creation. It's the equivalent of making the call to the dentist. The plan is in place should it be needed.
The plan is for a new Adam to come and reverse the effects of First Adam's choices. But how does that work?
First AdamNot like God in attributes Like God in character Falls to temptation Grasps at equality with God Acquires knowledge Looks like they keep living But the consequence isdeath | Last AdamLike God in attributes Like God in character Resists temptation Does not grasp Empties himself of all the attributes Looks like death won But the consequence is life |
If Jesus accepts the role of Last Adam, he will come to earth, choosing persistently, in the face of awful temptation, to empty himself of his rights, his attributes as God. He will become just like that First Adam, proving that it was possible to have resisted the temptation. He will declare that this is what he is doing by identifying with humanity through baptism, he will be born like any other baby, he will grow up and learn like any other boy. And just as Adam was tempted in a garden, so will Jesus be. Just as Adam had a choice of life or death, so in Gethsemane, Jesus will have the same choice; death on a cross or rescue from that cross by 12 legions of angels.
And in that garden, the commitment made in Genesis must be turned into reality. That which seemed worth it in theory must now be re-evaluated in the face of it's actuality. Jesus sweats blood over the choice. No temptation ever greater. No question harder to answer.
And in that garden, the commitment made in Genesis must be turned into reality. That which seemed worth it in theory must now be re-evaluated in the face of it's actuality. Jesus sweats blood over the choice. No temptation ever greater. No question harder to answer.
Are these people worth it? Worth the unbearable agony, the crushing pain of sickness, disease, hatred and death? Worth the outrage, the wrath of God, poured out on glib humanity through this representative? Are we worth it? Are you worth it?
And the answer, so straightforward in eternity, becomes impossibly demanding in his broken humanity. Redemption waits. Only if Last Adam persists in choosing to live as First Adam will death be defeated. Not the casual choosing of that First Adam, but the deliberate forcing of will into compliance. A choosing that commands every tearing sinew into obedience whilst every fibre of being demands him to turn away from the cross. He sweats blood and his friends sleep.
In the midst of that agony, the mob arrives and Judas kisses him. Jesus looks beyond the crowd, beyond the cross and looks into your eyes. Your fallen, broken, sinful, hopeful, downtrodden, exalted eyes and decides. Holding out his arms, almighty God chooses. For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. The joy of breaking open a way for you and him to be in eternal loving relationship, starting now.
And in dying, the choice is forever sealed. It cannot be revoked, that's why he had to die. Even in the face of death, Last Adam persisted in identifying with humanity,being like God intended, demonstrating that it was possible. And by that, simultaneously judging the sinful choice of First Adam and at the same time, undoing it.
In the midst of that agony, the mob arrives and Judas kisses him. Jesus looks beyond the crowd, beyond the cross and looks into your eyes. Your fallen, broken, sinful, hopeful, downtrodden, exalted eyes and decides. Holding out his arms, almighty God chooses. For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. The joy of breaking open a way for you and him to be in eternal loving relationship, starting now.
And in dying, the choice is forever sealed. It cannot be revoked, that's why he had to die. Even in the face of death, Last Adam persisted in identifying with humanity,being like God intended, demonstrating that it was possible. And by that, simultaneously judging the sinful choice of First Adam and at the same time, undoing it.
Wow! What does that mean for me?
Now we get the chance to do the same. Just as Jesus identified with us, becoming like us, so we can identify with him and become like him. We can choose to die; to our old ways, thought patterns, learned emotional responses, to our agenda, to our view of what is right and wrong. We can choose to die to past hurt, refusing to be directed by it, refusing to be indebted to those who hurt us. Identifying instead with God's view of us. agreeing with his agenda, his thoughts, his feelings. And as we choose to die, so we receive power to become children of God, growing up and learning to hear his voice, understand his ways, learning to trust him to be the provider of our deepest needs. We grow into a freedom, a fullness of life, a peace and a joy that makes the dying seem inconsequential.
And when we finally die, those choices are sealed, irrevocable and God gives us what we have chosen. Unfettered relationship with him and all who love him; life for ever, in all it's glory and wonder. life without death or any of the symptoms of death.
Just as it was for Jesus, this is not a casual choice, nor a one off choice. It is a deliberate, blood-sweating choice that needs to be made day by, day, moment by moment, until you die.
And when we finally die, those choices are sealed, irrevocable and God gives us what we have chosen. Unfettered relationship with him and all who love him; life for ever, in all it's glory and wonder. life without death or any of the symptoms of death.
Just as it was for Jesus, this is not a casual choice, nor a one off choice. It is a deliberate, blood-sweating choice that needs to be made day by, day, moment by moment, until you die.
Is he worth it? Is Jesus worth the abandoning of everything the world says is valuable?
Moses said "See, I set before you today, blessing and curse, life and death. Therefore choose life" He understood it, he decided. Joshua said "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord". He understood it, he decided. Paul said "For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain" He understood it, he decided.
Now you've heard it too....
Now you've heard it too....