His crucifixion: who really killed Jesus?

The Passion of the Christ, part 4 of 4
Pastor Vince DiPaola

Freak accident, man’s plan, or something else?

I. Some suggest it was cruel fate that killed Jesus.

II. Some suggest the Jewish leadership killed Jesus. (see 1 Thessalonians 2:14–15)

III. Some suggest the roman government killed Jesus. (see Matthew 27:26)

IV. Some suggest the sins of the world killed Jesus. (see 1 John 2:2)

But these suggestions don’t explain it completely.

“In this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus…
both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,to do whatever Your hand and Your plan had predestined to take place.” (Acts 4:27–28)

V. The ultimate explanation: Jesus volunteered
His life to satisfy the heavenly father.

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.I have the authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (John 10:17–18, NIV)

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…” (Isaiah 53:10, NIV)

Why Such A Sacrifice?

1. To please the heavenly father’s holy desires.

“Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2, NIV)

2. To payoff the enormous ransom due for our sin.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins*… the Father has sent the Son to be *the Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:10&14b, NIV)

3 To prove that He is the savior worth following.

“Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. Therefore God highly exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” (Philippians 2:8–9, NIV)

“We see… Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death. (Hebrews 2:9)

My Response?

“[Jesus] personally bore our sins in his own body on the cross, so that we might be dead to sin and be alive to all that is good.” (1 Peter 2:24, JB)