Here’s the outline and audio for my Good Friday (2024) sermon, preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship.
GOOD FRIDAY 2024: 2 Tim 1:10 (1:8-12)
INTRO: What’s so GOOD about GOOD FRIDAY?
–ANSWER: It is good because of what Jesus did on that day. He died on a cross.
-Through his death on a cross, Jesus abolished death for us.
-This is tbe GOOD NEWS of good Friday: through his death, Jesus abolished death for us!
-Tonight and Easter Sunday we will be look at one verse from apostle Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy
–2 Tim 1:10: our Savior CHRIST JESUS abolished death and brought life and immortality to light.
–TONIGHT: We consider ‘abolished death,’
–EASTER: “brought life and immortality to light”
3 QUESTIONS: 1. What does it mean? 2. How did Jesus do it? 3. Why would Jesus do this?
1 What does it mean that Jesus ‘abolished death’?
-OBJECTION: People still die… (150k per day, 106 every minute, 2 every second)
-How can apostle Paul say, ‘Jesus abolished death’?
-What does it mean that Jesus ‘abolished death’?
-3 WAYS BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT DEATH
1. Physical Death: we physically die.
-Death is not natural, but is a consequence of first parents’ sin and ours: Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23
-When Adam and Eve sinned, the penalty was physical death.
-Mercifully, God allowed them to live a number of years before they physically died.
-EVERYONE of us will experience a physical death (unless Jesus returns before)
2. Spiritual Death: spiritually dead.
-Spiritual death shows itself in lacking spiritual life in our souls and our enslavement to sin Eph 2:1
-We are dead to God, we choose what is evil and selfish, we lacking spiritual life
-EVERYONE comes into this world spiritually dead
3. Second Death: eternal death in hell. -After death, some will experience the second death of hell (Revelation 2:11)
-After Jesus judges the world some will experience this eternally.
-SOME will experience a death that is unending: the SECOND DEATH.
_____________What does it mean that Jesus ‘abolished death’???
1. Jesus abolished physical death for us
-For those who believe, physical death has “lost its sting”: 1 Cor 15:54-57
JOHN GILL: he has abolished [physical] death with regard to his people, as a penal evil, he has took away its sting, and removed
its curse, and made it a blessing to them
-For Christian, physical death is not be feared, because we will be with Jesus (Phil 1:21-23)
-We all still physically die, but we see that it is not something we need fear.
-Jesus abolished the penalty of physical death for us.
2. Jesus abolished spiritual death for us
-Jesus absorbed the physical and spiritual penalty for us
-Jesus cried out ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Mark 15:34)
-Jesus took the spiritual punishment for us on the cross: weight of our sin and guilt
-When you become a Christian, you experience a spiritual RE-BIRTH
-Christians are spiritually alive, and will never die
-You have eternal life already, and it will continue after physical death.
-Jesus abolished spiritual death for us.
3. Jesus abolished the second death for us
-Jesus took our hell for us on the cross
-‘Propitiation’=sacrifice that absorbs the righteous anger of God: Hebrews 2:14-17
-Those who believe in Jesus will not experience the ‘second death’ of hell.
DAVID AND GOLIATH: (1 Sam 17)
-David defeated Goliath and Israel shared in the victory
-Jesus defeated death and his people share in the victory.
-DEATH is like a Goliath to us all, we cannot overcome it, but Jesus did for us!
SUMMARY: What does it mean that Jesus abolished death?It means Jesus brought about a true and real defeat of death for his people: (we still die physically, but don’t fear), we can be made spiritually alive, and can avoid second death (no hell).
2 How did Jesus “abolish” death?
When David defeated Goliath, how did he do it? (1 Sam 17:45-47).
-God gave David victory in unexcepted way: 1 Sam 17:48-51.
When Jesus defeated death, how did he do? (guns, bombs, armies?)
-God gave us victory over death in an unexpected way: Jesus abolished death by dying.
QUESTION: How does a Jesus’ death bring about the abolition of death for us?
-Signification of words or actions depend on context and speaker
-“I do” (Different from in fast food restaurant and at Wedding Altar)
–Gavel Pounding (Different from toddler toy and supreme court judge)
–Death (Criminal and Savior of the World)
-The DEATH of Jesus was an ATONING DEATH made by a SAVIOR
-Note that Paul speaks of Jesus in 2 Tim 1:10 as “SAVIOR Christ Jesus”
-The identity of Jesus is that of one who SAVES a people who are in need of deliverance
-Jesus’ death was a ‘Once and For All Death’: Hebrews 9:26b
-The death of Jesus sufficiently dealt with our sins and punishment for sin, which is death
-Death was the death of Jesus, who is the mediator between God and Man 1 Tim 2:3-6
-Mediator stands between two parties and is able to bring about reconciliation
-Jesus’ death was a ransoming death Matt 20:28
-We were captive to sin and Satan, but the ransom price of his Jesus satisfies God’s justice
-Jesus’ death was a death “FOR” his people: Rom 5:6-8
-Jesus was not dying for his sins, but ours!
SUMMARY: How did Jesus abolish death?
àJesus abolished death through his atoning death for us
3 Why would Jesus do this?
What is the motivation? LOVE -John 10:15
-John 15:13
-The abolition of death accomplished by Jesus was the supreme act of love for sinners!
-God loves us, that is why Jesus abolished death for us.
HOW DOES PARTAKE IN JESUS’ VICTORY OVER DEATH?
-By coming to Jesus in faith: John 3:16
-Believe on Jesus and you will be rescued from DEATH.
CONCLUSION: Good Friday is truly GOOD because of this GOOD NEWS: Jesus abolished death for us!
Isaiah 25:7-8
And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
