LifeWay Bible Studies for Life Series for April 1: Jesus died for our sins

LifeWay Bible Studies for Life Series for April 1: Jesus died for our sins focuses on Matthew 26 & 27.

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The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held in London. During the various individual and team events, we will witness some very exciting athletic performances and hear some very moving personal stories of the athletes’ personal journeys.

Perhaps nothing will touch the hearts of the athletes and the spectators more than the ceremonies where medals for winning are presented. Those strong and often stoic individuals who receive the gold medals signifying their first place finishes often find themselves overwhelmed with emotion as the flag of their nation is raised and their country’s national anthem is played.  The flag and the anthem are symbols of a country that has encouraged, supported, and sacrificed so that the athletes might have the opportunity to compete and win.
As much as I am personally moved by the symbol of our nation’s flag and the words of our national anthem—brave men and women giving their lives to preserve and protect freedom for us and to secure it for others—there is one symbol that draws a depth of emotion, love and gratitude that exceeds the symbols of our nation.

Jesus gave to his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion a new symbol that would remind them of why he must die. This symbol we call “The Lord’s Supper” was not limited to the original group of disciples but was extended to all who would come to faith in Jesus among all generations.

Matthew 26:26-28 contains one of the Gospel accounts of Jesus giving bread and wine from the Passover meal to his disciples.  As he gave them the bread, he indicated the bread symbolized his body (v. 26).  

For thought:
Before eating the bread, as I hold it in my hand, I think about the fact that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), left the spiritual realm to live as a human in human flesh (John 1:14), and yet he lived without sinning so he could take away our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).  I see Jesus’ body being struck by the lashes of the whip by the order of Pilate. I sense the struggle of Jesus to carry the cross to Golgotha. I hear the hammer drive the nails into his hands and feet. In my mind’s eye, I see Jesus hanging on the cross, and I eat the bread knowing he experienced the pain, the suffering, and separation from God (Matthew 27:46) for me.

In Matthew 26:27, Jesus gave them the cup and told them that as they drank to realize the wine symbolized his blood of the covenant given for the forgiveness of sins.  

For thought: I look into the cup of grape juice while hearing the words that this is to be a symbol of the blood of Jesus poured out for the forgiveness of my sins.  I picture him in the Garden of Gethsemane praying for the Father to offer another way for man to be redeemed. His prayer was so intense his sweat became like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). The image of the scourge of Jesus is forever in my mind as I picture the whip tear the flesh on Jesus’ back and the blood runs down. The crown of thorns placed on his head results in lines of blood streaming down his face. Finally, I see the Roman soldier thrust the spear into Jesus’ side as he hangs on the cross. His blood has been shed that I might have the opportunity to be restored to the Father.  I drink the cup.

Throughout this extended passage of Matthew 26 and 27, three tremendous truths have been set forth that are carefully outlined in today’s study:

•    Jesus’ death brought forgiveness of sin. Matthew’s eyewitness account of The Lord’s Supper during the Passover Meal clearly gives us an understanding of how costly the salvation of man was (Matthew 26:26-29)

•    Jesus’ death fulfilled God’s plan. Jesus took all of the disciples minus Judas Iscariot to the Garden to pray. He invited Peter, James and John to go to the specific location in the Garden where he would pray and asked them to also pray.  Some would say Jesus was seeking to get out of God’s plan that he be crucified. Certainly, there was a realization that as both God and man, he would suffer greatly during the execution and that taking on man’s sin would be unbearable. But there is no doubt that he prayed to confirm that this was God’s plan and to affirm he would do what the Father had given him to do (Matthew 26:36-39).


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•    Jesus’ death revealed he was God’s Son. Darkness during the day, the curtain in the sanctuary torn in half, the earthquake broke rocks and opened graves, some of the dead were made alive, and the Roman centurion’s acknowledgement of Jesus as the Son of God are each a sign of God’s involvement and presence with his Son. But together in a span of six hours, they represent a resounding shout that Jesus was not just a good man or a prophet, He was, and is, the Son of God (Matthew 27:45-46, 50-54)

A closing personal thought:  As I have written this, I realize the majority has centered around my personal thoughts when observing  The Lord’s Supper. I believe Jesus instituted The Lord’s Supper so followers from generation to generation could internalize a clear understanding of the price he paid for our redemption. I pray you might focus on him alone as you observe the supper at your church this week.


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