We often cling to phrases, while considering Jesus’ death, that say, “When he was on the cross, I was on his mind.” That is true to a degree, but we must not forget that when Jesus was on the cross, the Father was on his mind. He came to do the will of his Father. Therefore, in the truest sense, we can say that God satisfied God. In other words, Jesus died for God. Our natural mind often drives us to the center of the story of redemption, when in reality the whole story of redemption is centered on God.
Jesus Died for God as Planned
One of the key passages of Scripture that points to the preplanned redemption mission is in a sermon preached by Peter. At Pentecost, as Peter lifts up Christ as the Messiah before a Jewish audience, he drives to the reality that the cross was both murder and the glorious plan of our Triune God that spans back before the foundation of the world. Peter thunders these words:
this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Acts 2:23).
Years ago, I recall seeing the movie, “Passion of the Christ.” Following the film’s release, many people spoke of how they were driven to tears as they considered the horrific betrayal and crucifixion. While we must acknowledge the weight of such aspects of the death of Christ, we must balance the reality that it was not a sudden turn of events for Jesus. He had been warning his disciples all the way up to the cross that he was leaving (John 14:1-6) and that he would be put to death and be resurrected from the dead (John 2:19).
At this exact same time, we must never minimize the reality of pain and discouragement in Jesus’ death. When the text of Isaiah 53:10 says that the LORD crushed Jesus, that’s exactly what happened. There was nothing pleasant about the Roman cross, and to add the crushing wrath of the Father on top of it made it that much worse. Jesus experienced the totality of pain and discomfort as a human being. While being God, he was also man and his flesh was brutally murdered as the preordained blueprint of God’s redemptive rescue mission. In short, Jesus died as the fulfillment of the Trinitarian plan of redemption.
Jesus Died for God as a Substitutionary Sacrifice
Our culture often enjoys the lighter side of theology. That’s apparent in everything from the songs that we sing in church to the bumper stickers that appear on automobiles. People in general enjoy hearing that God loved them so much that he sent his Son to die for them on the cross. While that is true, we must never forget that Jesus was dying on the cross for God. Sin belittles the glory of God, and the death of Jesus exalts the glory of God to its proper level in the face of sinful humanity. As the second Person of the Trinity, Jesus was dying for God—in order to fulfill the Father’s will. John the apostle records these words of Jesus:
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me (John 6:37–38).
When Jesus died on the cross, he was giving his life for the sheep (John 10:11). As the angel spoke to Joseph from the beginning, Jesus came to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). Therefore, as Jesus died on the cross, he was dying in the very place of every one that the Father gave to him (John 6:37). While Jesus was dying on the cross for sinners, he was dying on the cross for God—in the place of sinners.
We must remember that Jesus was dying for God, in the place of sinners, in oder to satisfy God (1 John 2:1-2) which would ultimately result in the satisfaction and joy of salvation for all who believe (Rom. 10:13; ). When we talk about the death of Jesus, we should not be driven by sentimentalism and emotionalism. We should be driven to joy and worship as we are driven by the Spirit through clear application of what the Bible says. Jesus died for God, but the question remains, did Jesus die for you? Can you say, Jesus died for me?
I want to urge you to see yourself as a sinner who has transgressed God’s law and positioned yourself against God. He did not owe you anything nor was he forced to love anyone. However, he has chosen to demonstrate love and mercy to countless sinners. Come to the point to where you see yourself beneath God’s wrath and deserving of holy justice. See the death of Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s plan that settles the account for guilty sinners. See yourself there in this equation and respond in repentance of your sin and faith that Jesus’ death was poured out for God—in your place. Call upon the Lord and you will be saved.
