The Victory of Christ
February 29, 2016
Luke 23:46 “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said,
“Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit.”
Having said this, He breathed his last.”
It’s interesting to note that none of the gospel writers say that Jesus died. He yielded up his spirit. Sin destroyed His temple. On the human level He was dead—the temple was dissolved. But on the divine level He finished the work He came to do. He committed His spirit to the hands of the father—this act was both voluntary and free. No one took Jesus’ life. He laid it down. While the crucifixion is sad and difficult to think about, we must remember that the cross was not a tragedy but a victory. This is why we call Good Friday “good.” Let us not be mistaken, the crucifixion was not a moment where evil defeated God and then Easter Sunday was a moment when God beat evil. This is not true. God won on both days. Jesus’ crucifixion did happen at the hands of sinful men, however; we must keep in mind that ultimately God was in control here, not men. The cross was His plan, not theirs. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday intentionally. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested. Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified. This was not simply a sacrifice…it was a self-sacrifice. The Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers did not take His life from Him; He was laying it down of His own accord. And when He had accomplished salvation—Jesus of his own volition gave up his spirit.
– Rev. Brandon Dasinger/Teaching Pastor and Director of Missions
“Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit.”
Having said this, He breathed his last.”
It’s interesting to note that none of the gospel writers say that Jesus died. He yielded up his spirit. Sin destroyed His temple. On the human level He was dead—the temple was dissolved. But on the divine level He finished the work He came to do. He committed His spirit to the hands of the father—this act was both voluntary and free. No one took Jesus’ life. He laid it down. While the crucifixion is sad and difficult to think about, we must remember that the cross was not a tragedy but a victory. This is why we call Good Friday “good.” Let us not be mistaken, the crucifixion was not a moment where evil defeated God and then Easter Sunday was a moment when God beat evil. This is not true. God won on both days. Jesus’ crucifixion did happen at the hands of sinful men, however; we must keep in mind that ultimately God was in control here, not men. The cross was His plan, not theirs. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday intentionally. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested. Jesus allowed Himself to be crucified. This was not simply a sacrifice…it was a self-sacrifice. The Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers did not take His life from Him; He was laying it down of His own accord. And when He had accomplished salvation—Jesus of his own volition gave up his spirit.
– Rev. Brandon Dasinger/Teaching Pastor and Director of Missions