Have you ever been burdened with a seemingly impossible problem? You do what you can, but it persists, and a real solution remains elusive. But then, somehow, someway, miracle of miracles, the problem is solved. It’s finished, and relief rushes over you. You feel light; the world around you, brighter. In today's post, we’re going to explore one of the most familiar steps of Christ’s work: the crucifixion. This historical event and Christ’s compassionate sacrifice are the very crossroads of the universe. Not only did God solve the impossible problem, but He also made a monumental advancement in His purpose. We’re going to take a fresh look at a familiar verse related to Christ’s crucifixion and explore an aspect of Christ’s death that you may have never considered. By examining what the Bible presents to us about Jesus’ death on the cross, we’ll gain a deeper appreciation for our unique savior, Jesus Christ.
In this series on the person and work of Christ, we’ve repeatedly stressed that Christ’s work depends on His person. And this dependence is fully realized at Christ’s death on the cross. The Bible conveys the varied significance of Christ’s death through figurative titles. Of all of the things that took place on the cross, visible and invisible, the two most prominent can be attributed to Christ’s status as the Lamb of God and the Grain of Wheat.
In John 1:29, we’re told that John the Baptist saw “Jesus coming to him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" This designation is rich in significance. While Jesus died for the sin of the world, when John spoke these words, his audience was the Jewish people. And to that group of people, two things would have been immediately and undeniably striking. For hundreds of years, the Jews had been making animal sacrifices according to God’s ordinance. The initiation of this practice was especially significant in Jewish history and culture. On the eve of their emancipation from Egypt, each Jewish household had to slay a lamb and apply its blood to the door of their homes. When God saw the blood, His judgment passed over the occupants. John’s declaration would have undoubtedly called this history and practice to mind. After countless animal sacrifices, John’s presentation of a man, Jesus, as God’s chosen sacrificial lamb would have made a tremendous impression.
The second item of John’s utterance that would have given the Jews pause was the phrase “take away.” Romans 3:25 tells us that “in His forbearance God passed over the sins that had previously occurred.” Previously, and for hundreds of years, the blood of the animal sacrifices only served to cover the sins of God’s people. But Christ, as the Lamb of God, took away sin. If your favorite shirt has a stain, you wouldn’t be happy with just covering it up; you’d want the stain removed. Based on His perfect and sinless human life, and because He possessed the divine nature, when Christ Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood as the Lamb of God, He took away all the sins that had ever been or ever will be committed. In the book of Hebrews, a letter written specifically to the Jewish believers, the author repeatedly takes advantage of the Jews' familiarity with the practice of animal sacrifices to highlight the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice. Hebrews 10:11-12 presents the distinction between the two beautifully:
11And every priest stands daily, ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never remove sins;
12But this One, having offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down forever on the right hand of God
“This One” is Christ, the Lamb of God, Who died on the cross to take away our sin, and “sat down,” because His sacrifice was effective, perfect, and fully solved the problem.
A second, less discussed but no less important, status that Christ had when he died on the cross was the Grain of Wheat. In the gospel of John 12:24, as Jesus is speaking to His disciples about His impending death, He says to them: “truly, truly, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” As the Lamb of God, Jesus' work on the cross dealt with every negative issue in the universe and delivered us from God’s righteous judgment. As the Grain of Wheat, Christ Jesus’s death issued in the multiplication of God’s life through the regeneration of the believers. Christ Jesus’ work is so all-inclusive that no one type can fully encapsulate it. The death and burial of a lamb is final. But the burial of a seed, like a grain of wheat, causes the seed to germinate, a process with limitless potential for duplication. The “much fruit” that Jesus is referring to in John 12:24 is the believers. Christ’s death on the cross enabled Christ’s life to spread, just like a seed. In John 20:17, the resurrected Jesus told Mary: “Go to My brothers and say to them, I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.” His use of the words “brothers,” as opposed to disciples, and “your Father” implies a relationship established on the same shared life. As believers in Christ, those who have received Him, we are children of God and share the same life. (John 1:12; 1 John 5:12-13) He is the Firstborn Son of God, and we are His many brothers. One grain died, many grains came forth! (John 1:14; Rom. 8:29) Praise Him!
Christ’s work through His crucifixion solved the problem of sin and advanced God’s purpose of having many sons that share His life. We can’t imagine what this moment meant for God, but we surely recognize what it meant for us. The impossible problem of sin was solved, and our new life as believers in Christ began. We hope this post has uplifted your appreciation of what Christ accomplished through His crucifixion, and we hope you’ll continue to join us as we endeavor to build “upon the foundation.”
