Day 4 (18.05.2021) – Why did Jesus die on the Cross?

This is brief outline of today’s session

1 Jn 1:5 - God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.

Wherein, Satan’s realm is darkness and sin. Death is spiritually being cut-off from God.

Rom.6:23 - For the wage paid by sin is death; the gift freely given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin separates us from God and none of the people could stand in the gap between God and man.

Wages of sin is death. Sin entered into Adam and Eve’s nature and it is the desire of the flesh. It is a strong inclination to do our own will rather than God’s will. If we follow this inclination, then that is sin. We sin either in thought, word or deed. It could be as small a sin as a ‘white lie’. If we are sinning in thought, word and deed, Satan starts demanding that we die.

Rom. 5:12 - Well then; it was through one man that sin came into the world, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned.

Lev. 17:11 - For the life of the creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you for performing the rite of expiation on the altar for your lives, for blood is what expiates for a life.

Heb.9:22 - In fact, according to the Law, practically every purification takes place by means of blood; and if there is no shedding of blood, there is no remission.

Sacrifices year after year and cleansing of sins are incapable of taking away sins. It was not liked by God. Ref: Heb.10:1-4

God’s Gift for us is Jesus. Ref. Jn. 3:16 - For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

What a Role Model in Jesus?

  • Jesus the Son of God, was tempted like all of us. He was born of God’s spirit giving Him the strength to take death on the cross. He exercised obedience in the flesh, because He was born as a man in this world.

  • Jesus learned to deny Himself as a man, to stay away from the desires of the flesh. Jesus spoke with authority and conviction, but death was there in His inner man. He died like a criminal. We are serving a God who is completely pure without sin.

  • Satan could not claim Him either physically or spiritually – Jesus was just for the unjust person.

  • The Holy Spirit was His driving force.

  • All of our sins came upon Jesus at that final extent, when holiness leaves Him temporarily for a while and that is why He cried, “ My God … Why have you forsaken me”. Sometimes we feel that vacuum too, that God has left us. Jesus knows that well because He too underwent the separation.

  • Though He suffered, He did not give any inclination to sin.

  • Just like a race, finishes at the finish line, so did His life on the Cross for our sins, by those final words ‘all is finished’ – This is to mean the victory over our sins. The curtain tearing is symbolic of it.

  • He rose from the dead with a glorified body. He manifested the fullness of God’s nature. And promised to send the ‘Helper’.

Why we are still tempted in the desires of the flesh and how to overcome?

  • Forgiveness alone was not the only goal of Jesus life. It was the beginning.

  • He said to pick up your cross and follow.

  • He gave His Holy Spirit to overcome the desires of the flesh.

  • We can also cease from sin and partake as His Brothers and Sisters.

  • By death, Jesus opened a new way to the Father, who followed Him.

  • Jesus, way of life/living. He has set us free. He will not feel ashamed to call us His own

      • Ref: Heb.2:14 & 15

  • It didn’t end with Jesus. He knew we needed a ‘Helper’. The power of Holy Spirit is needed to pick us our cross daily to follow Him.

DLP in Eve’s life

D – Desire to be like God

L – Lust on seeing the apple given by serpent

P – Why should I listen to God?

Why was Holy Spirit given?

  • As human, we play with sin. Gravity of sin is death. Even a small one as such will separate us from God. It is Satan’s territory.

  • Remember the magnet example. God cannot pull us out of sin, unless we will to come out of it.

  • Holy Spirit is in fact sent as a ‘Helper’ to nudge us while be tempted to sin, knowingly or unknowingly.

  • Helper helps us to reconcile with ourselves and others.

Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus

  • Prophesies about Jesus had come to pass. Ref: 1 Pt1:10

  • Holy Spirit revealing at varied times to prophets from Genesis to revelation about Jesus.

  • Jesus was taught by the Holy Spirit. Ref: Acts 1 & 2

  • God had anointed him with the power of the Holy Spirit. Ref: Acts 10:38

  • He rejoiced in the Spirit. Ref: Lk.10:21

  • He offered Himself a sacrifice. Ref: Heb9:14

  • He rose again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Ref: Rom. 8:10-11

Conclusion

  • Every morning the Blessings are new. The early bird received the Manna.

  • Try always to remain in the Presence of God.

  • Strive to be in God’s love always.

  • You will not be put to shame, if you stood for God.

  • Never go against your conscience when it comes to sin – be it home or workplace. Do not submit yourselves to people with position, particularly, when you feel it is against your conscience. Seek the ‘Helper’ at all times.

Home Assignment 1:

Retrospection - Look into your inner self / conscience.

Write your sin(s) on a sheet of paper.

Home Assignment 2:

Full fasting – Consume bread and water if needed.

Stay spiritually connected with the Lord and believers.

Home Assignment 3:

Take to the sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession – with Body, Mind and Soul.

Like the Prodigal son we will come to the Father in all Glory.