Lesson 1:
Why Did Jesus Have To Die?
1. Why did God create me?
a. God created Man in the divine image. (Genesis 1:26-28)
b. God created us for holiness and divine fellowship. (1Thessalonians 4:3-8)
c.
Unfortunately, man has corrupted the purpose for which he was made.
(Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 3:23)
2. Why is sin so horrible?
a. Sin separates us from God. (Genesis 3:22-24; Habakkuk 1:13; 1John 1:5-8; Isaiah 59:1-2)
b. Sin carries a heavy price. (Romans 6:23; 1:32, 18; 3:9-18)
3. What is mercy?
a. Less than we deserve for our sins. (Psalm 103:8-12; 130:3-4)
b. But how can God be just and yet give us less than we deserve?
4. How can the debt of sin be paid?
a. The price of sin is life – death – blood. (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22)
b. God appointed substitutionary atonement, i.e. sacrifice.
i. For the patriarchs (Genesis 3:21; 8:20; 22:13; Job 1:5)
ii. For the Israelites (Leviticus 4:27-31)
iii. For all men thru Christ (John 1:29-34; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Colossians 1:13-14)
iv. Jesus’ is the superior sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1-4; 2:17-18; 4:15; 9:15; 10:10)
5. Jesus is the offering that satisfies the blood-debt of sin.
a. This is the “deep magic” of Narnia in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
b. Jesus is our propitiation (atoning sacrifice/appeasement). (Romans 3:21-26)
c. The cross is both just and merciful. (Psalm 85)
d. Calvary satisfies the demand holiness and the desire of love.
6. We are saved by Christ’s death when we willingly die with Him.
a. I must surrender the life I have taken and misused that God gave me.
b. Only then can I be re-created in the divine image. (Colossians 3:9-10)
c. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) (cf. Galatians 2:20; 6:14; Romans 6:1-23)
7. God delights in mercy! (Micah 7:18-19; Ezekiel 33:11; Hosea 14:1-9; Psalm 86:15; Titus 3:3-7)