LESSON 10*May 31 - June 6
The Meaning of His Death
SABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week's Study:
Matt. 27:45, 46; Luke 2:25-35; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Gal. 6:14; Heb. 2:17. Memory Text:
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:43, NIV). A cover article in a major magazine reported on a discussion in a men's Bible-study group. The topic? The reason for Jesus' death. Among the questions asked in the discussion were such things as: What if God's plan were merely for Jesus to come and give us good teachings, such as loving our enemies? Or did He have to suffer and die, as well? If so, why? Why wouldn't the teachings be enough? And even if He did die, what has that to do with us, today, many centuries later?
Almost two thousand years after His death, the meaning of the Cross is still a subject that challenges Christians. In fact, even before His death, the prophets constantly tried "to find out the time and circumstances" to which the Holy Spirit was calling their attention, "when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow" (1 Pet. 1:10, 11, NIV).
So, this week we will seek to try to answer the important question of why Jesus died, what purpose was accomplished by His death, and what it means for us many centuries after the fact. Did Christ, as some assert, die merely to show us God's love, and thus to change our feelings about God; or did Christ's death, in fact, do something that changed how God relates to us? These are all topics worthy of our deepest interest.
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, June 7.
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