The Sacrifice

Jesus Christ gave up everything He had to become a frail flesh and blood human being, tempted in all things as we are.  He left all of His former glory which He shared with the Father, willingly (Phil 2:4-8).

While on earth was His sacrifice merely giving up His physical life albeit in a cruel and torturous way? Were His earnest tears and prayers solely for courage to bear a terrible physical death?  What was the Father’s role?  What was the price He – and His Father - paid so that we could attain eternal life?

As related in the article 'Marred More Than Any Man' Christ suffered insults, slanders, lies, betrayal, degradation, illegal beating and finally death that we might have forgiveness of our sins, and receive eternal life.  Christ willingly endured all things that we might share in the glory that He has with the Father.

In fact, that marring of both Father and Son began the moment Adam rejected God and will continue until Christ takes up His position as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Throughout the ages God has been blasphemed, misunderstood, cursed, and blamed for the sorrows of this world – and He has never stopped loving us.

On the eve of His crucifixion in Gethsemane Christ prayed so fervently that it was as if He exuded drops of blood (Luke 22:44) so intense were His feelings.  An angel came to attend to Him (v43).   

• • • • He faced a particularly unpleasant physical death.

• • • • He faced the prospect of eternal death if He failed at this point, and the failure of the planning that began   before the foundations of the world were laid, and His reason for being on earth. 

• • • • He faced the fact that if He were not resurrected then no-one could ever be resurrected nor achieve eternal life and that mankind would die out very quickly under Satan’s rule. 

• • • • He faced the prospect of becoming sin: that is, by taking on the sins of the whole world He would be so       vile in His Father’s sight that His Father would briefly turn from Him (Mark 15:34). 

• • • • He paid the price for our sins that we might live. The Father faced the prospect of being alone for eternity with only the angels with Him, and Satan and his demons opposite.  There would be no glorious, perfect Kingdom for all to be a part of.  Satan – Evil – would in fact have triumphed.

• • • • Christ knew that his Father would reject Him for that brief terrible moment on the cross and was able to bear it because His prayers were answered in Gethsemane, and He faced the final part of His sacrifice with even more courage and determination.

• • • • The Father knew that He had to reject His Son at the moment of His greatest need and accepted it as part of the sacrifice He had to make.

The Father created man and devised His plan of salvation with His Son because God is love. (I Pet 2:20, I John 4:8)  The Being who became the Father did not devise a plan of salvation because He was lonely – it was because He is love and wanted to share all that He is, and has, with others.  If His beloved Son hadn’t succeeded then our Father faced a loneliness beyond belief. His part in the sacrifice was immense. He watched His Son suffer while on this earth. He faced becoming the loneliest being in the universe for ever and ever and ever………..

As a man, Jesus learned to depend totally on His Father. He knew what was at stake. He knew that the structures, systems and ways of this Satanic Babylonian world are worth less than nothing compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

It has been said that Christ, our High Priest who was tempted in all things as we are (Hebs 4:15), returned to the Father, after the resurrection, and was able to tell Him exactly what it was like to be a human being.  Is this really true?

Did Christ really need to tell His Father what it was like to be a human being?   His Father knows – He watched His Son suffer the indignities heaped on Him from family, friends and enemies alike. He suffered with Him.  He watched the battles He fought, the temptations brought upon Him by Satan. He guided and directed His Son, strengthened and helped Him, encouraged and uplifted Him – as does any loving parent.

Do we not yearn for our child’s success?  Do we not suffer when our children suffer?  Do we not love them with all our heart and do everything we can to help them along life’s path?  

And the Father did this for His Son, Jesus Christ. And He does the same for us.  They both know exactly what it means to be physical, and they are there, always, guiding, helping, correcting, testing and trying, strengthening and encouraging us at all times.  Their plan and purpose for mankind is based upon our putting on the new man – the indwelling of Christ – and casting off the old man – the carnal physical self.

We are His family, His begotten sons. He loves every single person who has ever lived: whoever, wherever. He desires most earnestly that we receive the eternal life for which He and His Son have paid such a high price.

Satan thought that when Christ was dead and in the grave he had won!  I Cor 2:8 tells us that if the princes of this world (Satan and his demons) had known that Christ would be resurrected they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.   How he must have taunted God during those three days and nights.  And perhaps the Father kept His counsel and allowed Himself a secret smile of satisfaction at what was to come.

How abominable to believe that such creatures who rejoiced at the death of our Saviour, having caused that death in the first place, could ever be redeemed.  The fate of Satan and the demons, and the relative few who fail to bow the knee willingly and broken-heartedly before the King of Kings is eternal death, their smoke going up and disappearing into the aeons of time, ashes under our feet, forgotten. 

What jubilation and delight there must have been when the triumphant Saviour returned to His rightful place, at the Father’s right hand, from whence He had come.

When taking Passover and commemorating the death of our beloved Saviour, let us also consider the role of the Father.  The Godhead made a great sacrifice – risked all -  that we – once sinners and now forgiven – might live for ever in eternal peace, in harmony, joy, love and adoration of our Father and His Son.

END

If you want to comment on our website or discuss any of our articles we can be contacted by email at:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.