The important thing to remember
about Easter is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Once Jesus Christ
was resurrected from the dead, that allowed us to be resurrected from the dead. But
before he could be resurrected, he had to die first. No man could
take his life. He had to lay it down freely. Isaiah 53: 5 But he
was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. God
sent his son, down here to earth so that man and God could finally be
reconciled together again. Jesus Christ was our lamb led to the
slaughter. He never sinned against God or man. He went around doing
good deeds always, healing and feeding both naturally and spiritually. Even
Pilate could find no wrong in him. A pure innocent man gave his life
that we might be saved.
He gave his body willingly to
be tortured, mocked, humiliated, spit upon, and ridiculed so we can claim
healing for ours. His beard was yanked out by the roots (Isaiah
50:6). There was a crown of thorns shoved down on his head. Most the
flesh on his back was torn off through beatings. Last of all, he had
to carry his own cross. Even our Lord, after he spent the entire
night and most of the next morning being tortured, was so weak in his body,
that he couldn’t endure the weight of the cross, and fell in the street a
bloody mess. He allowed himself to be nailed to that cross, and hung
up to die one of the most excruciatingly painful deaths ever devised.
Isaiah 52: 14 As many
were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form
more than the sons of men: The word astonied comes from
the Hebrew word shamem. It means to stun: grow numb; stupefy; be
shocked; make amazed; be astonished; wonder. Jesus Christ the Son of
God was almost unrecognizable as a man.
He did all of this willingly,
for you. The God of glory, the creator of heaven and earth himself,
took on the body of man, and willingly gave up his life, to redeem us from the
curse Adam put us under. And believe me, his pain was every bit as
severe as ours would have been under the same circumstances. He was
God dwelling in a human body.
The night Christ was betrayed
Luke 22:39-44 39) And
he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his
disciples also followed him. 40) And when he was at the place, he said unto
them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41) And he was withdrawn from
them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42) Saying, Father if
thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine,
be done. 43) and there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening
him. 44) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Christ knew what things he must
suffer that night and the crucifixion that awaited him the next day. I
don’t think Jesus feared the pain and suffering or even his own death, but dreaded
the thought of all the sin of the world coming upon him. His perfect sinless body was to take on the
sin of the world. His flesh knew that he
was God, and he could take over the world, and be the Kings of kings right then
and there. He could call down a legion of angels and destroy the
entire Roman army, simply by just speaking it so. He was in such
turmoil, God sent an angel to comfort him and help him through it.
I Corinthians 11:23 – 26 23) For I
have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That
the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24)
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, “Take, eat: this is my
body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” 25)
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, “This
cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in
remembrance of me.” 26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink
this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Christ’s death was the birth of
the New Covenant between God and Man.
Luke 23:44 48 44) And
it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until
the ninth hour. 45) And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the
temple was rent in the midst. 46) And when Jesus had cried with a
loud voice, he said, “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit:” and
having said thus, he gave up the ghost (breathed his last). 47) Now
when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God saying, Certainly this
was a righteous man. 48) And all the people that came together to
that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and
returned.
All the fearful things taking
place along with the supernatural darkness over the land made the people
realize the great sin they had committed and they smote their breasts.
In the book of John chapter 19
verse 28 it states that Christ, right before he breathed his last, knew that he
had completed the work he was sent here to do, and at that point he also
proclaimed in verse 30 “It is finished.” As the Roman soldiers took
a spear and pierced his side, blood and water flowed, just as in the birth of a
child, thus giving birth to the new Covenant of God and man.
That day, Jesus took on all the
punishment we deserve, and transferred to us all the righteousness he deserved.
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