Daily Devotional
The Sacrifice of Jesus
The Story of Salvation: Day 5
Through this new eight-day devotional series based on the short iBIBLE film The Real Story of Jesus, explore Jesus’ presence in all of God’s Grand Narrative. If we are to believe in Jesus and share Him with others, we must first understand the foundational elements of our faith.
Why Does the Sacrifice of Jesus Matter?
In the Old Testament, God called His people Israel to sacrifice goats, lambs, bulls, doves, and other animals as offerings for their sin. We tend to skim past these commands—mostly recorded in Leviticus 1–7—thinking they are outdated, weird, or just too confusing for us to understand their meaning. But God does everything for a reason, and His reason for these sacrifices was to point His people to the ultimate sacrifice of their Savior, Jesus.
Many of these sacrifices were to be made after an Israelite sinned, and some were even to be presented to God for sins the Israelites had unknowingly committed. The spilling of the blood of a spotless animal would cover the Israelites’ sin for a time, but it could not erase it. After all, even animals were afflicted by sin and death when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. How could any creature touched by sin heal the sins of many?
And that is why Jesus’ sacrifice was foretold and anticipated by all who longed for Israel’s redemption. Isaiah’s most famous prophecy refers to the Redeemer as One Who would be like a lamb:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth. —Isaiah 53:7, ESV
Therefore John the Baptist, preparing the way for Jesus, proclaimed this truth to all of Israel: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b). No mere lamb could take away our sin. Only the Lamb, the One sent by God Who was God Himself, could be the ultimate blood sacrifice, paying the penalty for sin in our place and giving us His eternal life (see Hebrews 10:1–18).
No mere lamb could take away our sin. Only the Lamb, the One sent by God Who was God Himself, could be the ultimate blood sacrifice.
The Sacrifice of Jesus in Scripture
Isaiah reveals much more than just the fact that a Savior would come to die for the sins of humanity. He reveals the way He would die, by suffering physical pain, despised by His own people, smitten by God, and acquainted with grief. Only in this horrible way, something none of us could endure, could God destroy sin through the obedience of His Son.
How incredible it is that Jesus willingly took up His cross, knowing precisely that Isaiah was talking about Him when He read this very passage? Why would God want to endure such pain to redeem humans when we are so much trouble? Why not send another flood and start over? Because He loves us. There is no other answer. The famous John 3:16 is right: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (emphasis added).
Jesus knew what He would have to endure. Luke tells us that Jesus prayed, saying,
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” . . . And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. —Luke 22:42, 44
Only a sacrifice freely offered by the only perfect human, Jesus, the Son of God Himself, could ever hope to purify humans from sin. Revealed at the first moment of sin and many times after, God’s prophesied plan of salvation reached its climax at Jesus’ crucifixion.
Revealed at the first moment of sin and many times after, God’s prophesied plan of salvation reached its climax at Jesus’ crucifixion.
Jesus’ story is not a tragedy. He died triumphant, taking the sins of His people with Him to the grave and giving us His righteousness. Isaiah understood this, proclaiming,
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities. —Isaiah 53:11
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Jesus has taken all of our sin for eternity! Every sin, past, present, and future, of every person who ever has, does, or will believe in Him is saved, sealed with the Spirit for eternal life with Jesus. “It is finished,” Jesus said (John 19:30b). Nothing you could ever say, do, or feel can separate you from God’s love once you are His child.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 8:38–39
Your salvation is sure because He Who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). God’s love is the reason for His sacrifice to bring you into His family, and you can be sure that He will never—and He means never—let you go: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). Hallelujah!
Looking Forward
The story of redemption through Jesus doesn’t stop at His crucifixion. His resurrection three days after His death fulfilled His plan of salvation and was the fuel that ignited the fire of the disciples to spread the Gospel. Next week, we will look at how Jesus’ resurrection is the proof of all Jesus’ teaching about Himself as Savior and displays our spiritual resurrection.
Prayer for This Week
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world, You are most worthy to be praised. Only You could accomplish salvation to save us from our sin, and You chose to become despised and rejected because of Your great love for us. Our words are not enough to thank You. Guide us as we seek to love You and others sacrificially as You have loved us. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.