“He is not here, but is rise: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
(Luke 24:6, 7)
The fact that Christ spent time in a tomb declares three things: sin’s biggest work; love’s greatest work; and Christ’s triumph.
Sin’s biggest work
“He was buried” is the Spirit’s affirmation, and it is central to the gospel’s message (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Perhaps a common question in reference to His death is, “why did Christ die?” One of the answers to this question is He died to satisfy the divine demands regarding man’s original sin. There are those who teach that infant baptism satisfies the demand. That is ludicrous for the word of God teaches that “without the spilling (shedding) of blood there is no removal (remission) of sin” (Hebrews 9:22). If we eliminate the fact of sin’s presence and penalty, His death has no meaning. At the cross sin abounded to its wicked climax, for there it super abounded beyond anything it had done before, and yet there, grace did much more abound. One has well said: “The cross is God’s final treatment of sin, apart from sin, the cross has no meaning. It was the exhibition of the worst in the heart of man, and the best in the heart of God.”
Love’s greatest work
God delivered or gave up Christ, for our sins, and raised Him on account of our justification (Romans 4:25). Our beloved Lord deliberately gave up His life for us. Love alone gave Him to die for our sin. Love alone enabled Him to give Himself out in death and love could not be satisfied with anything else.
And finally, Christ’s triumph
Christ not only, died, but accomplished what no other could do in dying. Death did not come to Him in the fulfillment of His mission; it was the fulfillment of His mission. His death was no accident (Luke 23:46). His start of destiny was His death on Calvary.
“It is in this the atonement lies. Christ finished it. He finished it alone. Praise His holy name!!”
~ Pastor John
