Why Did Jesus Come to Die? (Reason 2)

March 10

Why Did Jesus Come to Die? (Reason 2)

Today I’m sharing the second reason for Christ’s death, condensed from John Piper’s book Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die.

Jesus came to die…

2. To Please His Heavenly Father

Jesus did not wrestle his angry Father to the floor of heaven and take the whip out of his hand. He did not force him to be merciful to humanity. His death was not the begrudging consent of God to be lenient to sinners. No, what Jesus did when he suffered and died was the Father’s idea.

The prophet Isaiah foretold the sufferings of the Messiah, who was to take the place of sinners. He said that the Christ would be “smitten by God” in our place.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted…. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:4, 6b)

Christ did not intrude on God’s plan to punish sinners. God planned for him to be there.

It was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief (Is. 53:10).

This explains the paradox of the New Testament. On the one hand, the suffering of Christ is an outpouring of God’s wrath because of sin. But on the other hand, Christ’s suffering is a beautiful act of submission and obedience to the will of the Father.

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:2).

Oh, that we might worship the terrible wonder of the love of God!

John Piper, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die, pgs. 20-21

Your sister in Christ,

Bethany J.