I Believe Jesus Died, Buried And Descended

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 16; Lord's Day 16
Psalters: 351, 342, 47, 358
Series: Heidelberg Catechism (2018-20)
  1. The character of His death.
    1. First, consider what death is: the wages of sin, i.e., God’s just response of wrath against sin.
      1. Death by crucifixion means that one was cursed of God (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13).
      2. Burial is a part of death, completing death.
      3. Hell shows the fullest reality of death, viz., it is the full concentration and experience of divine wrath.
    2. Jesus experienced death in all its parts, being more conscious of what death is than anyone else.
      1. Death was a contradiction for Him (as a human) because He never sinned and did not deserve to die.
      2. Thus Jesus died willingly, voluntarily, of His own will.
  2. The benefits.
    1. The willing obedience (lovingly) of Jesus to die is a marvel of grace and love.
      1. God’s grace sent His own Son “for sin” (Rom. 8:3), i.e., to deal with sin in all its nature and consequence.
      2. Jesus’ death was the only and the most perfect sacrifice for sin.
    2. How can death be considered “abolished” (II Tim. 1:10) (brought to nothing) when we still die?
      1. First, now the death of believers is an entrance into eternal life.
      2. Second, we must die to abolish sin which resides in the body of this death and the sinful desires of the flesh.
      3. The final, ultimate victory will be achieved in our bodily resurrection (I Cor.15:54-58).
    3. Jesus’ burial shows that Jesus left nothing out of our punishment (it did not prove that He was actually dead).
    4. Jesus’ death earned for us deliverance from hell’s agonies and it earned entrance into the presence of God’s love.