Couldn’t God have accomplished all his goals, including forgiving us as sinners, without the pain and trauma of the cross?

Tonight we gather as a church in spiritual unity with believers all over the world to celebrate the central tenet of our faith. If you look at a fire, you’ll see blue, orange, yellow flames rising to the sky. What you’re seeing is the fire that has cooled. It emanates from a center where the flame is so hot that it’s clear or white. The visible flame is the product. It shoots out in many directions from a much hotter source. Tonight, we as the church are the visible flame produced by a single source. Now this is true all of the time, but you can see it especially well on Good Friday. If you want to know where to find the single source of the white hot center of Christianity, you will find it in this. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. That’s the white hot center of Christianity. It is the most indispensable truth of our Christian faith. No doctrine of Scripture is more foundational. If you remove it, you do not have Christianity. As Jesus himself explained in Matthew 20, in Mark 10, he came not to be served, but to serve by giving his life as a ransom for many. That’s Jesus mission statement. He came to deliver the required ransom to release his captive people. We are captive to our sin. We are chained down by our evil. The ransom that is required that’s necessary for release is death. That’s what has to be paid.

And so God the Son became a man who could die. God took on human flesh so that the flesh could die in our place. That’s why he became a man. When you put your faith in Jesus, what you’re saying is that you trust that his death is your death. You are reaching out and you are taking hold of the glorious gift that God took your punishment to set you free. Now the question comes up every once in a while, from time to time, especially among those who are not yet Christians but who are considering Christianity, they will ask, was the cross necessary? Was it necessary? Couldn’t God have accomplished all his goals, including forgiving us as sinners without the pain and the trauma of the cross? I’d like to revisit a passage of scripture that we were in as a church just two weeks ago. Luke 18:31-34. But specifically, I want to look at verse 31 tonight. Jesus is traveling in this passage to Jerusalem. No one is making him go there, but he’s going because he wants to. And because he’s supposed to. And he explains to the 12 disciples that he’ll be arrested and shamed, flogged, killed, and then he’ll rise again. And they hear this, but they don’t fully understand this. It doesn’t make sense to them why their anointed king, their Messiah, their Christ has to go through all of those awful things. In Mark chapter eight, we’re told that that Peter even took Jesus aside and began to argue with him about why he had to go to the cross.

Can you imagine rebuking Jesus? But that’s what Peter did. And yet, when people say things today like, well, I would have done it differently, or I don’t see why the cross is necessary, they’re really doing the same thing. They’re rebuking the plan. You see, it’s the same question, really, isn’t it? Is this all really necessary? Couldn’t we just skip past all the awfulness and simply have a glorious God, a forgiven people, banishment of all evil, and a kingdom that never ends. Can’t we just have that? So let’s answer the question, starting with Jesus words in Luke chapter 18, verse 31. And then I’m going to take you to a rather odd place for a Good Friday. I’m going to take you to Daniel chapter seven to explain what Jesus is saying in Luke. And then we’ll jump back into John chapter 12, where Jesus definitively shows us why we cannot skip the cross. Here’s Luke 18:31 and taking the 12, he said to them, see, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. So Jesus is going up to Jerusalem to fulfill the prophecies about the Son of Man. Now, this phrase, might confuse us because Jesus is speaking in the third person here. It sounds like he’s referring to someone else, the Son of Man being someone else.

It would have been easier for Jesus for us, if Jesus had simply said, I’m going, I am the Son of man, so I have to go to Jerusalem. That would have been clearer to us. But what he’s doing is he’s leaving this open to his disciples and to us to make the connection. Jesus is the one who’s going to Jerusalem. And then he says that the prophecy must be fulfilled for the Son of Man. Therefore, Jesus is the Son of Man. And doing it in this way causes us to determine what we believe. It’s an invitation to make a commitment and a confession. I believe Jesus is the Son of Man. Now that is an enigmatic name shrouded in mystery. I imagine there are probably quite a number of you here tonight that don’t quite know what to do with that phrase, with what Jesus means by Son of Man, and don’t feel badly at all, if you don’t. Don’t feel badly at all if that’s you. It’s imagery from one of the most difficult types of writing in the Bible; apocalyptic literature, visions and symbols, sometimes about the future. God would sometimes give his prophets themselves a vision that they themselves did not fully understand when they were recording it. And the vision of the Son of Man comes from the prophet Daniel. It’s recorded for us in chapter seven. He’s laying in bed one night and God gives him a dream-like vision, which he then writes down.

He sees beasts and raging seas. There’s a four headed leopard in this vision with wings. It’s all very fascinating and confusing. It’s likely a picture of evil raining. But then there’s a throne in the vision and it’s blazing with fire. And on this throne is a figure that Daniel calls the Ancient of Days. And he’s all in white. And this great multitude of people are all standing around this throne. Daniel 7:10 says, A stream of fire issued and came out from before him. A thousand thousands served him, and 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him. The court sat in judgment and the books were opened. So the Ancient of Days here is clearly a picture of the Lord. He’s sitting on his throne room and he’s surrounded by his people. But there’s a judgment coming. The books are opened, it says. What sort of judgment is about to happen? Well, Daniel looks around at that moment, and he sees a beast that’s killed and destroyed. The body of the beast is destroyed, and the other beasts have their dominion or their rule taken away from them. Although the text does say that they’re given some power for a season, it says. And then we find out what happened. Let me read this part. I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man. And he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion and glory, and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. So, Daniel now sees a new figure come into his vision, but it’s not one who appears as a beast. This one appears as a human. That’s what a son of man is. A son of man is a human. It’s a human being. And this human being is presented before God on His throne. What will God do? Well, he takes the rule and the power away from the evil beast and he gives it to this son of man. He gives him dominion and glory and a kingdom. Clearly, this Son of Man is going to take over and rule in the place of evil, and all the other nations are going to bow down and come under the supreme authority of the One Son of Man. They’re going to serve him. His kingdom, unlike all the other nations and governments and rulers, is everlasting. There’s no term limit for the Son of Man. He’s going to reign forever. There’s no point when God will take away his reign, and no other nation or government or army or world superpower will ever be able to destroy the kingdom of the Son of Man. When Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, this is what he’s saying.

He’s saying, I am this. He wields supreme authority over all the earth. He says it plainly in Matthew 28, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me that granting of authority is what is envisioned here in Daniel. So there is no kingdom or government regime, ayatollah, president, congress, military or nation that will ever unseat the Son of Man. As his gospel spreads and people trust in him, they’re going to enter into this kingdom. Now, of course, we are still part of whatever secondary nation we happen to live in, but the lesser authorities don’t command our primary allegiance. Now, we still have not answered the question, but we can expand upon it. If Jesus is the Son of Man vested with all authority to reign over all of creation, why did he have to die on a cross, if he’s this? There’s no cross in this vision. There’s no cross in crossing Daniel’s vision. He doesn’t talk about any dying at all. In fact, doesn’t a horrible death on a cross seem to fly in the face of a glorious God reigning over all the earth? And yet here is Jesus walking boldly to Jerusalem, because he has to fulfill the entire plan that’s required of the Son of Man. The key here, the key to understanding this, is to understand that once we identify Jesus as the one in Daniel’s vision, all the other passages about the Messiah also apply to him.

And I don’t have time tonight to take you on a long journey through all of those, but we can just let Jesus summarize it for us. That’s what he does in John chapter 12. Just before he enters Jerusalem, now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say, Father save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. Does this seem familiar? Does this sound like something you’ve heard? There’s a crowd gathered. Jesus is there. A voice thunders from heaven affirming that what Jesus has said that God will be glorified? A few verses earlier in verse 23, he said, the time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. But then he immediately follows that by explaining that a grain of wheat has to fall into the ground and die for it to bear fruit. Jesus isn’t just explaining how seeds work. He’s using this seed image to explain that the process of him being glorified requires him to pass through death. And that’s what’s troubling his soul now, here in verse 27. He doesn’t want the pain of death, but he knows that it is a necessary step to his glorification and reign. But we still don’t yet have an answer to our question why? Why is this a necessary step? Why can’t we just skip to the end where Jesus reigns in glory? Let me skip down to verse 31.

Now is the judgment of this world. Now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So, here’s the judgment, the ruler of this world is a reference to Satan and his limited authority, and he’s going to be cast out. Meaning his authority and dominion will be taken away from him, and then the beast will be destroyed. But here’s what we didn’t have in Daniel’s vision. This is where the cross inserts itself. The method of this judgment will be Jesus lifted up. The way the beast will be destroyed is by having Jesus lifted up from the earth. This is a reference to the cross which John explains in verse 33. The beast will be destroyed. His authority is going to be given to the Son of Man when the Son of Man goes to the cross and dies. And why is that? Because that act will draw all people to Jesus. Do you see him? Do you see what he’s saying here? He’s going to draw all the people to himself through this act. They’ll be ransomed out of captivity to Satan and brought to Jesus. Everyone who trusts in the Son of Man will be transformed from one kingdom to another.

Okay, you’re picked up, you’re scooped up out of this kingdom of Satan. You are brought into the kingdom of the Son of Man. They experience a change in rule and the cross makes the transfer of authority complete. It is possible. It is possible to skip the cross and go straight to the glorious reign of Jesus. It is possible for that to happen, but none of us would be in that kingdom. Jesus had every right to skip the cross. He had every right to go right past it. But if he did, we could not be in that kingdom. God would be no less glorious. Jesus would reign. His kingdom would be no less glorious. But you and I would not be in it because we would still be under the grip and the reign of Satan. Our sin requires payment, and without Jesus paying our debt in full, releasing us from the bondage of our sin, we’d never be able to draw near to Christ. We’d never be able to come to him. Listen to the crowd’s response to what Jesus has said here. It sounds just like the person today who can’t understand why the cross is necessary. So the crowd answered him, we have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is the Son of Man? How can you say that the king that we’ve been waiting for has to die? How can it possibly be a part of the plan of the Son of Man to be lifted up on a cross? That makes no sense.

That’s not even in our Hebrew Bible. Why would you say that? They knew the Son of Man would reign forever, right? Daniel 7, they knew that was going to happen, but they didn’t know that for us to join him, he would have to die. That cross is for you and me. That’s why. That’s why the cross. For you and me. That cross is our entrance to the glorious reign of the Son of Man forever. Jesus answers the question, by the way. He answers their question, but he does it in typical Jesus fashion. He never in all the Gospels, never once in all the Gospels does Jesus say, I am the Son of man. He could have right here. He’s being asked directly. He could have said it right here, Instead, so Jesus said to them, the light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become Sons of Light. He changes the imagery on them. Isn’t that just like Jesus? To change the imagery, to change the subject almost. But to still answer the question in a different way? Look what he’s saying.

You want guidance? You want to know the answer to your question. You want clarity? You want to know the right way forward? Follow the light. It’s an invitation to be with Jesus. And I extend that invitation to you tonight. Jesus died for your sins. It’s the white hot center of Christianity. Have you trusted in the Son of Man who was lifted up for you? Have you come under his reign? We’re going to celebrate communion tonight. The bread represents Jesus broken body. The cup represents his shed blood. When we eat and we drink, we affirm that Jesus death was for our sins, but it also speaks to our citizenship. It also talks about which reign we’re under now. It’s a declaration that we’re no longer under the reign of Satan with his defeated kingdom and sin and death. We’ve now entered the kingdom of the Son of Man, and Jesus is our King. The bread and the cup are open to all of you who worship Jesus as the Son of Man. If you don’t believe that yet, we would ask you tonight not to participate, but to use this time to consider who do you believe Jesus is? Who is he then? I’d say to you what Jesus said to that crowd. The light is right here in front of you, for a while. But will you follow it? Will you believe in it? I’m going to invite our servers to come forward as I pray. Let’s pray.

Podcast (sermons): Play in new window | Download