1. Why Did Jesus Die? The Cross – Part 1 Galatians 6:7-8, 14

2. The Cross of Jesus – intro.   The first testimonies about the “gospel,” are the key. (Martin Lloyd-Jones, The Cross) The Apostles – what did they say? Jesus teachings? Or the cross?   Cross was not popular then (nor now). Jews – those who hang upon it are cursed Gentiles – foolish for God to die or he is not God.

3.   1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.   Galatians 6:14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, …

4.   To be “saved” means: the receipt of forgiveness for my sins so that upon my death my soul spends eternity with God; and, my salvation is the experience of abundant life on this side of death’s door.   James 1:21, John 10:9-10, 17:3, Colossians 2:13-14

6. 1. 1.God is holy. A. A.God’s holiness is his very nature.   Leviticus 19:2; I Samuel 2:2; Ezekiel 32:22 B. B.Sin is serious to God.   Romans 6:23, Gal 6:7-8, 1 Peter 4:17- 18 C. C.Sin is ultimately a rejection of God, His will, and His purposes for our lives.   Isaiah 53:3, 6; Romans 1:18-19

7. 2. 2.God is just. A. A.Sin is destructive. Sin is like “seed” that bears fruit.   Galatians 6:7-8; Galatians 5:19-21 B. B.How can a moral, holy, loving God allow sin to occur and do nothing?   Genesis 2:17; 3:23-24; Romans 6:23 C. C.Either sin is an offense to God or God is not holy.

8.   The prophets saw God as active in the affairs of man. Amos 3:6, “When disaster comes to a city has not the Lord caused it?”   Leon Morris – The Atonement: We do ourselves a disservice if we shut our eyes to the fact of God’s anger at personal sin. God is angry at all evil.

9. 3. 3.God’s just response to sin is called His “wrath.”   Romans 5:9   2 Kings 22:13   Ezekiel 7:8-9   Daniel 8:19, 11:36; Zeph 3:8   John 3:36   Eph 5:6-9   Revelation 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:19-20; 15:1.

10.   John Piper – The Passion of Jesus Christ. We will never stand in awe of being loved by God until we reckon with the seriousness of our sin and the justice of God’s wrath against us.

11. 4. 4.Jesus died on the cross to “absorb” the wrath of God.   Propitiation: Greek – “hilasmos”: Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:9 1 John 2:1-2 1 John 4:10   Absorb, turn away or off, versus appease.

12. Ark of the Covenant

13. Mercy-Seat (the cover for the Ark of the Covenant)

14. Christ absorbs, turns away the wrath completely.   Jesus’ death on the cross satisfies God’s justice. It is finished:   John 19:30 (It is finished)   Colossians 2:13-14 (sin is nailed to cross)   Romans 8:1(no condemnation)   1 Corinthians 1:17 (cross is not made void)

15. 5. 5.The cross is the place where God’s love is revealed. 1. 1.Justice made demands. Romans 6:23 2. 2.God satisfied those demands on the cross.   1 John 4:10. In this is love, not that we loved God, but God loved us… 3. 3.Christ willingly became the sacrifice of God.   Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

17.   John Piper – the Passion of Jesus Christ. If God were not just, there would be no demand for His son to suffer and die. If God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving, therefore His love is willing to meet the demand of His justice.