The question was probing. This teenager was very sincere. Her exposure to the Bible was limited, but she was eager to learn and wanted to understand. She looked me in the eye and asked, “How could the death of someone 2,000 years ago have anything to do with my life today?” She was referring to Jesus and His death on the cross. She was intrigued by our focus on an event that happened so long ago. What did it matter?
It matters because Jesus is God. That is present tense. He is still God today. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, existed with His Father from eternity past. He had no beginning and will have no end. At a prearranged time in the history of our world, Jesus became a man. The Creator of all became part of His creation. The Bible says, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law” (Galatians 4:4, NLT).
It matters because Jesus is perfect. He is the only person who ever lived on this planet who never sinned. Even when He was subject to the intense pressure and temptations that we face, He remained pure and holy. He never spoke an evil word. He never entertained an evil thought. He never acted with malice or selfishness. He never succumbed to lust. Jesus is holy now and remained holy and pure throughout His journey for the 33 years He lived as a man. The Bible declares, “He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, NKJ).
It matters because Jesus died as a sacrifice for others. The Romans killed thousands of people on crosses. They used crucifixion as a form of execution. They used the cross to maintain order and deter crime in their empire. Every cross upon which someone hung also had the crime written above their head. For Jesus it read, “This is the King of the Jews.” Jesus had committed no crime. He did not deserve death. The perfect Son of God permitted Himself to be offered as the sacrifice for the sins of others – for you and me. His death 2,000 years ago still provides the sacrifice for my sinful life today. The Bible states, “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God” (I Peter 3:18, NLT).
It matters because Jesus rose from the dead! He laid three days in the tomb and then resurrected from the dead! He appeared to His disciples and to crowds as large as 500 (I Corinthians 15:6). He is alive today. He returned to the Father in heaven but is still at work in the lives of people. Through His death, He paid for sin. Through His resurrection, He conquered death. Though the event is 2,000 years old, it has power to change your life and your eternity today.