A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

JESUS MUST DIE – Part 1     

Matthew 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 

As the time drew near for Jesus’ death on Calvary’s cross, He took special time to tell His disciples what was about to happen. Today’s devotion is the first of several that tell us of the necessity of Jesus’ death on Good Friday. Note Jesus’ opening words to this section of Matthew’s gospel, “. . . Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Matthew 16:21) 

Jesus had to die! He had to die to fulfill all of the Old Testament prophecies that He would die. He had to die to become the final and ultimate sacrifice for the sins you and all people commit. Jesus had to take your sins and the sins of all humanity, make them His own, and then shed His blood on Calvary’s cross because only His blood cleanses you of your sins. Jesus had to die because He had to perfectly obey His Father in heaven. His Father sent Him into the world for this very purpose. Jesus had to die because His Father’s justice had to be satisfied. His Father said, “The wages of sin is death.” Jesus had to die to defeat the power of Satan, sin, and death. Jesus had to die to demonstrate the depth of His Father’s love for you.   

As much as it pained Peter (tomorrow’s devotion) and as unfair and improper at His death may seem to you, only Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for the sins of all people. He alone was able to substitute Himself on Calvary’s cross in your place.   

Because Jesus died and rose again, He is now the only way for you to receive God’s gift of eternal life. Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but will receive the gift of everlasting life. (John 3:16) 

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for giving Your life for me on Calvary’s cross in payment for my sins. Amen.   

Savior when in dust to Thee Low we bow the adoring knee;  
When repentant, to the skies Scarce we lift our weeping eyes;  
O, by all Thy pains and woe Suffered once for us below,  
Bending from Thy throne on high, Hear our penitential cry! 

By Thy helpless infant years, By Thy life of want and tears,  
By Thy days of deep distress In the savage wilderness,  
By the dread, mysterious hour Of the insulting tempter’s pow’r,  
Turn, O turn a fav’ring eye; Hear our penitential cry! 

By Thine hour of dire despair, By Thine agony of prayer,  
By the cross, the nail, the thorn, Piercing spear, and torturing scorn,  
By the gloom that veiled the skies O’er the dreadful sacrifice,  
Listen to our humble sigh; Hear our penitential cry! 

By Thy deep expiring groan, By the sad sepulchral stone,  
By the vault whose dark abode Held in vain the rising God,  
O, from earth to heav’n restored, Mighty, reascended Lord,  
Bending from Thy throne on high, Hear our penitential cry!  

Savior, When in Dust to Thee // LSB 419