The third part of Easter is the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus came to sacrifice Himself on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sin so that He could save us from our sin. In the Old Testament, God showed the people of Israel how to deal with their sins. Since the penalty of sin was death, God taught His people to sacrifice clean animals on behalf of their lives. Leviticus 17:11 says, "For the life of creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." The word "atonement" means "a sacrifice in place of another." Instead of people dying for their sins, they would sacrifice animals as a replacement for their death. The blood of the animals then covered their sins; as a result, they were forgiven, and their relationship with God was restored.
When Jesus came, He came as the Lamb of God. When John the Baptist was about to baptized Jesus, he said, "Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:9). Jesus came to replace the animal sacrificial system. In the Old Testament, people were constantly sacrificing clean animals for their sins, but with Jesus, He only died once and for all for our sins. The blood that He shed on the cross washed away our sins, which the animals' blood could only cover (Hebrews 10:4).
When Jesus was carrying the cross, He was carrying it for us. When he was dying on the cross, He was thinking about us. When Jesus said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). He meant that He finished His mission in dying for our sin. Through His death, we conquered death. Jesus took our sins and put them on Himself so that He could save us from our sin. The cross represents His love for us. If we doubt His love and His forgiveness, we need to look at the cross. For on the cross, He sacrificed His life on behalf of us. He loves us to the death.
Ask yourself these questions: What is the penalty of our sin? Why did Jesus die on the cross? How should I respond in knowing that Jesus died on my behalf?
Write down all the worries that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, for dying for my sin. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for sacrificing your life on my behalf so that I can be forgiven of my sin. Thank you for loving me. In Your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.