Dear Christian friends:

When people see Jesus suffering such terrible pain on the Cross, they often become angry and blame Judas and the Jews. They do not realize that God offered up Jesus on the Cross. God, the Father, decided that His own dear Son must suffer and die on the Cross.

True, the Jews wanted that to happen, but they were not the ones who planned and decided that should happen. Before He made the world God decided and planned that. In their sin and ignorance the Jews made it happen. God used them to fulfill His eternal plan of salvation. We, too, are involved!

Our text emphasizes this. So let us attend to our text and consider the topic:


First, our text shows and emphasizes that God let Jesus die on the Cross. We read, "He (God) spared not His own Son, but delivered (offered) Him up for us." (Romans 8:32) And Jesus tells us, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." (John 3:16) Therefore, really God wanted Jesus crucified!

Why did God offer up His Son on the Cross? Out text answers, "For us all" (Romans 8:32) For us? Why? Why must Jesus die for us? Our text answers, "It is God that justifies." (Romans 8:33) Jesus must suffer and die on the Cross so that we can be justified!

God's holiness and righteousness demands that! If someone breaks His law, he must be punished! God cannot forgive anyone without first someone suffering the punishment. God does not overlook sin. Every sin must be punished. His law must be kept and obeyed! The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) That means physical death plus eternal death and eternal separation from God. Because God is holy and righteous He must punish the law-breaker.

But God still loved us sinners. He didn't want to see us all go to hell. His love and mercy for sinners is beyond our understanding. Therefore He decided to let His own Son, take our place under the Law. His Son came and obeyed the Law. His Son came and obeyed the Law for us and then He also suffered the punishment of our law-breaking. That's why God sent Jesus to become a man and live here on earth and then die on the Cross.

The Bible says, "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship." (Galatians 4:4-5) On the Cross God punished Jesus instead of us sinners. Jesus accepted our sin and punishment and we get His holiness and glory!

Yes, as out text says, "God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." (Romans 8:32) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Galatians 3:13)

Truly, God's love and mercy for us sinners is wonderful. We are really saved! We need not worry or feel afraid anymore. Even in time of terrible happenings or sickness or time of death! We know God loves us and has forgiven our sins in Jesus, His Lamb that He offered on the Cross for us. Therefore let us rejoice because "Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us!"

(1 Corinthians 5:7) Let us love and serve God with happy hearts and courage! When the unbelievers in the world mock us or persecute us let us not fear them. Let no trouble separate you from God's love in Jesus. In all the troubles and problems of life we are conquerors through God who loved us. (Romans 8:33-39)

When you feel afraid or when your sins trouble you, look at Jesus hanging on the Cross. There God's holiness and mercy meet for your comfort and salvation.

Amen.