CHRIST'S LAST SACRIFICE
CHRIST made many sacrifices while he was on earth. Dying on the cross was by far His greaatest. Through the mouth of John we know that JESUS whispered, "Father I commit my spirit into your hands", then all the horrid sins of Christians all through time before and after His death were forgiven. He also had one last thing to say before He went to heaven. When He was hanging on the cross JESUS was concerned about His earthly mother, who was heartbroken. So He appointed John to take His place. Only as a son though, because no one could take the place of Him as Christ. He lovingly and tenderly told Mary, "Women behold your son!". And to John He declared, "Behold your mother!". Only Jesus could be the perfect sacrifice, the only one who could die for our sins.
Shocking I know, but some religions crookedly teach that JESUS CHRIST was just a spirit or ghost when He came to earth. Crazy I know! Notably 1 John 4:2 states, "By this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God". Because of that, I think that it is pretty clear that the Messiah was not a ghost. But if not, we can go to the words of CHRIST, who uttered them Himself on the cross, "My God my God why have you forsaken me?". As those words were cried out, CHRIST was in misery and anguish. I don't think that a ghost would be pained if grim nails were piercing his hands and feet or if he had a cruel crown of thorns on his head. JESUS CHRIST, the only stainless lamb of God physically, painfully, and gruelingly died to save us from the blazing fires of hell.
JESUS never stopped teaching us, even while He was on the cross, He taught is forgivness. Being the mighty Lord of all, he could have left this earth at any moment but stayed until the end so He could die for us incompetant, lousy sinners! And if that's not enough He asked God to forgive us! Mercifully He bid God, "Forgive them for they know not what they do.". Us, who are wothless and despicable and the reason He was on the cross. He asked God to forgive us! In Ephesisans 4:32 it tells us, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." When CHRIST was on earth, He preached to many people telling them to live like He did. The writer of Hebrews took those preachings to heart and awefully commanded, "But as it is, He has appeared once and for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.".
