“From start to finish, Jesus’ life and ministry were aimed at dealing with our sin. The angel who announced His birth told Joseph, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21b). This is why Jesus was born into obscure poverty, His infant body placed not on a royal bed but in an animal’s feeding trough. Though very God of very God, He was born into humiliation so as to take up the cause of sinners. This is why Jesus insisted on receiving the baptism of repentance. John the Baptist tried to refuse, saying, “`I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, `Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented” (Matt. 3:14b-15). This is why Jesus associated with sinners, a practice that drew the criticism of the Pharisees. They complained to His disciples: “`Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when [Jesus] heard it, he said, `Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick…. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”‘ (Matt. 9:11b-13).
“Above all, this is why Jesus meekly submitted when He was unjustly convicted, even though Pontius Pilate had declared Him completely innocent. This was why Jesus accepted the dreadful lash of the Roman scourge, when He might have called down legions of angels to His defense. This is why He permitted Himself to be abused, allowed His body to be draped with a mock purple robe, and submitted His head to be pierced with a bloody crown of thorns-that He might be presented before history as the very picture of sinful mankind judged, condemned, and punished. And this is why the Son of God willingly took up the cross, forsaken by God and man, and died for sins He did not commit. Jesus Himself summed up the purpose of His whole saving work: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
“Do you see why, therefore, we not only can but must bring up the issue of sin in our offer of God’s salvation? If sin was so important to God that He sent His only beloved Son into the world to deal specifically with it; if sin is so great a barrier between God and man that only the precious blood of Christ could remove it; and if Jesus was so committed to the salvation of sinners that He was willing to go to this horrific length to achieve it, how dare we cover up the topic of sin as some embarrassment to us or an impediment to the success of Christ’s church! Do you see why we must be willing to ask people to confess their sins in worship that is offered up in Christ’s name? Do you see why we must preach a gospel not just of cheery sentimentality but of the true and bad news of sin for which Christ paid so great a cost?”
“Above all, this is why Jesus meekly submitted when He was unjustly convicted, even though Pontius Pilate had declared Him completely innocent. This was why Jesus accepted the dreadful lash of the Roman scourge, when He might have called down legions of angels to His defense. This is why He permitted Himself to be abused, allowed His body to be draped with a mock purple robe, and submitted His head to be pierced with a bloody crown of thorns-that He might be presented before history as the very picture of sinful mankind judged, condemned, and punished. And this is why the Son of God willingly took up the cross, forsaken by God and man, and died for sins He did not commit. Jesus Himself summed up the purpose of His whole saving work: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
“Do you see why, therefore, we not only can but must bring up the issue of sin in our offer of God’s salvation? If sin was so important to God that He sent His only beloved Son into the world to deal specifically with it; if sin is so great a barrier between God and man that only the precious blood of Christ could remove it; and if Jesus was so committed to the salvation of sinners that He was willing to go to this horrific length to achieve it, how dare we cover up the topic of sin as some embarrassment to us or an impediment to the success of Christ’s church! Do you see why we must be willing to ask people to confess their sins in worship that is offered up in Christ’s name? Do you see why we must preach a gospel not just of cheery sentimentality but of the true and bad news of sin for which Christ paid so great a cost?”
