I’ve heard people say that Jesus was just a good man, a good teacher, but they deny that he is God. This is a travesty because the importance of Jesus’ death on the cross is rooted in the fact that he is fully God, and was also fully human.
As C.S. Lewis said, “Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.” He cannot be just a good teacher, because he claimed to be the Son of God. If he made that claim and it was not true, then he was either completely insane or a liar. That type of person does not make a good teacher. He can’t be just a good teacher. That is not an option. And if he’s not a lunatic or a liar, then who is he?
Jesus is Lord. Lord of all. King of kings.
Jesus, as fully human, lived a completely sinless life on earth.
He then willingly chose to lay down his life to take the punishment that every single one of us deserve. He stood in our place and took every sin upon him as he suffered and died. Our sins held him there on that cross.
Satan thought he had won. But Jesus was still in control. No one took his life from him, he laid it down. He could have exercised his ultimate authority on all of creation and saved himself, but instead he chose to offer the gift of salvation to anyone who will believe.
3 days later, because he is God, he conquered death and rose from the grave. He is alive! We serve a risen Savior – the one, true God.
Today is Saturday. The day we remember Christ’s death and his time in the tomb. But thankfully, he is not in that tomb today. He is alive and seated at the right hand of our Heavenly Father waiting for the day he will return to this earth to gather his followers to live with him forever.
Come, Lord Jesus, Come!