Leviticus 17:11 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the alter to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." (Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22) This is an Old Testament scripture which is a shadow of the sacrifice Jesus became on the cross. Hebrews 10:5-7 "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure. Then I said, "Behold, I have come--in the volume of the book it is written of me--to do your will, O God." Jesus became the burnt offering in complete surrender to God. John the Baptist made the first public announcement when he saw Jesus coming to the Jordan River: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29-36). Jesus was many different things upon the cross. First he was the sacrificial lamb, secondly he was the temple: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19) Jesus was the tabernacle among us (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Thirdly, Jesus was the serpent. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (John 12:32), that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:14-15) Read (Numbers 21:5-9). As the serpent Christ was made sin who knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). He brought healing (Matthew 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53). As the serpent he produced life (John 3:14-16, Romans 10:9-10, 1 John 1:9).  

The fourth image, that of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18) who was willing to lay down his life for his sheep. Jesus gave his life unselfishly. "Therefore My Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down myself" (John 10:17-18)

The fifth picture is the seed buried in the ground which will produce fruit (John 12:20-28). "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain" (John 12:23-24).

Jesus had to die on the cross! The sinner is dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1). They have no life. They need to be spiritually resurrected, and this can only happen through what Christ did upon the cross. The lost person can come to life through Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). There are three kinds of death. There is the physical death (James 2:26) which is the separation of the inner man from the body. There is spiritual death (Isaiah 59:2, Matthew 8:22, Colossians 2:13, 1 Timothy 5:6) is the separation from God because of sin. And lastly there is eternal death which is called the second death, the eternal separation from God because man chooses to live a life of sin (Matthew 10:28, Revelations 2:11, 14:9-11 20:14, Isaiah 66:22-24). Jesus truly experienced death so that we might have life.

On the cross Jesus was many things. He took upon himself the absolute worse of mankind in order to make mankind the very best. He went through darkness so that we would have light. He was forsaken that we might have acceptance. He was misunderstood that we might know the truth. He died that we might live.

Those around the cross mocked Jesus and made fun of him saying "If you are the Christ save yourself and come down off the cross." Nehemiah makes a great statement to the words of the crowd "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down" (Nehemiah 6:3)

Jesus drank the cup of his Father upon the cross, which means He drank from many cups. John 19:29 "I thirst!" This is the only statement from the cross in which our Lord referred to His own physical needs.

First there was the cup of charity, when they offered Jesus the wine mingled with myrrh, an opiate to deaden his pain. That cup he rejected (Mark 15:23). There was the cup of mockery when the soldiers at the cross ridiculed him and offered him wine (Luke 23:36). The cup of sympathy when somebody put sour wine on a sponge and lifted it to his dry lips (John 19:29) The cup of iniquity, "Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?" (John 18:11). Jesus was smitten on the cross like the event which took place in Exodus 17:6 when Moses smote the rock and water came forth. John 7:37 "If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink." Jesus drank from all of these cups of suffering (Matthew 20:22-23) so that we would not have to drink from the same cup. We drink from the river of life, from the well that never runs dry!

Jesus was our substitute, our replacement our ransom when he obediently took up his cross. It is time each Christian take up their cross and be willing to share in the shame, suffering and even death if necessary of Jesus Christ. Without the cross our life would have no meaning, it would be fruitless. But we thank God daily that he allowed that one seed to fall into the ground that it would bare much fruit. That seed is Christ which most of you claim you have in your hearts. Spiritual birth must be followed by spiritual growth (2 Peter 3:18). Examine yourself, measure your life against the cross and see which carries the most weight. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said "There are no crown wearers in heaven who were not crossbearers here below."

Matthew 1:21 "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins," Jesus lived with sinners, died with sinners, and he died for sinners of which I am one saved by grace!

Dale Thompson