Introduction
Two lessons, several missed last Sunday night, thus review briefly, and foreshadow the future.

I am a Christian because of the initiative of God--grace. I am a Christian first and foremost because God has graciously provided. I will be always grateful. This is my basic theology--thinking about God.

Intellectually, mentally. I am a Christian because of the identity of Jesus, his claims cannot be denied--truth. I am a Christian secondly because I see no other explanation for the Jesus story than that it is true. This is my understanding of Jesus.

Today, I am a Christian because of Jesus' cross--love. This touches my emotional side. As we will see, this furthers my understanding of God and Jesus. This is the capstone of the divine side.

Tonight, I am a Christian because of my identity--this touches my self-understandings, sense of self.

Finally, next Sunday morning, I am a Christian because of my hope, which is in fact the hope of all humanity. Because of the answers Jesus provides in a hopeless situation. This touches my eternal need, the need to understand the future with confidence.

Jesus' claims relate both to his person and his purpose. We must see Jesus the man and also his mission. Today we seek to relate to both his life and his death.

Anyone familiar with Christianity must be struck by the emphasis on his death. Not just on his passion/suffering, but on his death. It is the certainty of his death that ultimately makes important the center of Christianity in his resurrection. In other religions, the death of a religious leader is mourned as the cessation of his career. What continues is their teaching and inspiration already given. The situation with Jesus is markedly different. His teaching and example during his lifetime were stellar, but have only increased after his death. From the beginning, his followers emphasized his death. 1 Cor. 2:2; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 4:10. The gospels devote a disproportionate amount of space to the details surrounding his death. This is only a reflection of the fact that Jesus' teaching during his life were also focused on the certainty of his early, untimely death. Jesus said he finished his mission, John 17, but he was crucified in his early 30s. He was rejected by his own people, he was an apparent failure, mocked, scourged, treated as a criminal, yet he claimed to fulfill his mission by his death. He anticipated, although with a certain trepidation, fulfilling his work. He did not have the 62 years of Muhammed, the 80 years of Buddha, the 72 years of Confucius, or the 120 years of Moses, the identified Jewish leader.

Jesus' death was an important part of his self-understanding, as seen in the three passion predictions, Mark 8,9,10. His death was his "hour." During his last hours he instituted his own memorial service, bread in memory of his broken body, and wine in memory of his blood poured out. Both elements speak to us of his death. The centrality of the death of Jesus in Christianity is perhaps nowhere more apparent in Scripture than in the weekly memorial of the Supper in the early church. The modern church is in danger of forgetting this centrality as the Supper is pushed to the fringes in favor of "more enjoyable" aspects of worship. In some groups, it is totally ignored for weeks on end. You can attend many assemblies in some churches and never find any focus on the death of Jesus. It is never mentioned. Maybe once a quarter, and certainly once a year in Easter. Jesus made clear that what was to be remembered was his death.

Thus the cross became the symbol of Christianity, the ultimate expression of Jesus' love, the demonstration of God's love. The symbol is especially interesting since it was a sign of shame in the Greek and Roman culture. Why this emphasis then? Why did Jesus die? What are we to see? Some would say, he died because he preached subversive, anti-Jewish doctrines. Some would point out that his revolutionary thinking disturbed the prejudices of his contemporaries. Some would call him a martyr. The Bible makes clear that he laid down his life, John 10, Gal. 1:4. Several things I wish to point out so that we might clearly see the love of God and his son. All are expressions of his love.

I. Jesus died to ratify the promises of old, repeal Old Law
Col. 2:14, against us. That which was standing against us had to be taken out of the way, annulled, but only through fulfillment. Jesus at the cross took away the animosity between God's OT law and mankind. Also, the natural animosity between Jew and Gentile, Eph. 2:11ff.

II. Jesus died to reveal God to us.
Jesus died to show us God, his character, his greatness, his majesty. Rom. 3:25-26; 5:8. The death of Jesus is public demonstration of his justice and his love. Note three points from Rom 5:8--God gave---to die---for us.

III. Jesus died to redeem us, ransom, release, renew, reconcile.
Rom. 5:1, he died for our justification, atonement. The cross was the only basis upon which God could forgive sin. We do not appreciate the need of the cross, nor the depth of God's gracious love. Anselm, 11th century, Why God Became Man, "You have not yet considered the seriousness of sin."

The problem is sin, and the problem is seen in the nature of God--especially his holiness. Sin cannot enter his presence, sin is repulsive. But God is also love, but not sentimental love, but holy love. Can God punish sin without contradicting his love? Justice demands he must. How can God be consistent? This is the divine dilemma. The answer was the cross, for justice was satisfied--the penalty for sin was paid, holiness was satisfied for sin has been dealt with, and God's love is intact. On the cross, divine love and justice are reconciled, and holiness is maintained. 2 Cor. 5:14ff.

IV. Jesus died to ruin, rout, ravage, ransack, rummage, ravish the forces of evil.
In the cross, Jesus conquered the powers of evil. Col. 2:15. 1 Cor. 15:57; Rom. 8:37. We see in Christ the victory over evil. The cross is not defeat and the resurrection victory. The cross was the victory, and the resurrection endorsed, proclaimed, and demonstrated the victory. This theme of victory in the cross was lost through centuries, but recovered in the Reformation. We must in a balanced understanding of the cross, as we surround the table, confess Christ as fulfillment--ratifying the promises; teacher--revealing God; Savior---redeeming us; and victor-- overcoming evil.

V. Jesus died to realize the realm of righteousness.
Finally, Jesus died so that the realm of righteousness might be fully realized without threat of evil. This is similar to the point just made. Jesus has once and for all vanquished those who will not choose to follow him. The kingship of Jesus is secure. He is prophet--revealing, priest-- redeeming, and king--reigning.

All of these are demonstrations of the love of God. Why am I a Christian? One reason is the cross of Christ, the ultimate expression of love. The cross gives God's grace credibility, the cross gives Jesus' identity credibility; the cross demonstrates love. The only God worth believing in is the God on the cross. God can die, so that we can live. And he and we live forevermore.

The crucified Christ is the Lord for me. He laid aside his immunity to pain. He gave up heaven. He sacrificed equality with God. He entered our world. He suffered, he died in our stead, we can be forgiven. Our sufferings are small compared to his. The question mark concerning human suffering remains for many, but stamp over it the cross, cover it entirely. God self-justifies, and justifies us.