Jesus Died the Accursed Death

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Galatians 3; Lord's Day 16
Psalters: 276, 328, 272, 311
  1. The necessity.
    1. Why was it necessary that the Son of God humble Himself even unto death?
    2. His death was required by the justice and truth of God.
      1. God’s Word teaches that death is NOT a normal process, but a violent intervention of God as punishment.
      2. God’s attributes require that every sin against God be punished.
    3. Man cannot bear and satisfy God’s wrath; only God can bear His own wrath.
  2. What was the nature of Jesus’ death?
    1. First, His death was a crucifixion, i.e., He was cursed of God.
    2. Two things made Jesus’ crucifixion unique. He laid down His life (John 10:18), dismissing His spirit like a king (John 19:30),
      1. The fact that He is the eternal Son of God, Who is eternal life, made the death unparalleled.
      2. And His death was voluntary.
  3. Jesus’ death provides much comfort for us.
    1. His sacrifice of Himself completely satisfied God’s justice with respect to the guilt of all of our sins.
    2. And we are cleansed from the power of our sins (sanctification), so sin no longer has the right to reign over us (Rom. 6).
    3. If Jesus’ death was perfectly sufficient, why must believers still die?
      1. First, our deaths are not necessary as payment for sin, as is evidenced in the departures of Enoch and Elijah.
      2. Second, though death was conquered by Christ, the entire victory is not yet realized.
      3. Third, faith must be exercised so we see death as a blessing, an abolishing of sin’s presence in us and a passage to glory.
    4. As a result, Jesus’ death changes the nature of our death.