The Word Saves

July 17, 2022 Background Scripture: John 12:27 - 50 Lesson Passage: John 12:44 - 50 The Background Scripture depicts Jesus as going through some emotional turmoil as he contemplated his approaching crucifixion and death. Jesus described the turmoil as his soul being troubled. As was always the case, he steadied himself and reflected on the mission for which his Father had sent him into the world. He was feeling anxiety because of the method by which he would make salvation available to the nations of the world. I don't believe it is possible for any of us to know the depths of sorrow he was anticipating. Many of us fear death as a great unknown experience. However, Jesus is omniscient. He knows the future as clear as the present and the past. He knew that death is temporary. He knew he had the power of life and death within himself. On one occasion he even stated, "I have the power to lay down my life and I have the power to pick it up again." So, why was Jesus so emotionally torn about his impending situation? It was the method that he had to endure that caused his anxiety. For God's mission to be accomplished, Jesus had to become sin before his physical death would matter. Once he became sin, he would experience separation from the holiness of the Father. Jesus had not experienced that, ever. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Now, the Word had to become sin for salvation to be made available for the nations of the world. The soul that sins shall die. Every person born into this world, of man and woman, was born in sin with this eternal death penalty hanging over us. The only way for humanity to be saved is for the penalty of sin to be paid. Jesus was not born of man and woman, so he was not born in sin. Jesus lived a sinless life. Because of Jesus' perfect holiness before God, he could give himself as an offering for the sins of others. To do that he had to take on our sins and pay the price of death. Jesus was our substitute. He died in our stead. After Jesus became sin and died, God accepted Jesus' death as being in our place. None of this would have mattered if the sinless Word had not become sin and died as a just punishment. Simply put, he became what we were that we might become what he is. How does one who is intrinsically holy become sin? Sin enters when the Law is violated. The Law says everyone who hangs on a tree is accursed. To be accursed of God is to be made sin to God. Crucifixion is death by being affixed to a tree. If Jesus' sentence had been death by a sword, or some other method, we would still be in our sins. Crucifixion caused Jesus to become accursed. When Jesus was nailed to that tree, he became what we needed for salvation. The Law had been violated and through his death, the Law was satisfied. At the time of Jesus' death, God tore the curtain that separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place in the Temple. Access into God's presence was implied by the torn curtain. This was a physical indication that Jesus had accomplished his mission. Access to God could only be granted when sin was removed. God spoke through Isaiah and said, "So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please; and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." God sent His Word to save us from our sin. Today, we thank God that His Word saves! Robert C. Hudson July 3, 2022