If Jesus died merely to set an example, what example would that be? If His death was some kind of humanitarian lesson, what was that lesson? He was murdered. Executed. His death was a death of capital punishment. He died the death of traitors, murderers and robbers. Why wouldn't we be angry that an innocent man died such an unjust death? If that was all it amounted to, it is the ultimate act of social injustice. His moral teaching was rejected by everyone, as was demonstrated by His crucifixion. A murderous rebel was asked to be released in His place. But in this we see what He actually was accomplishing at the cross. Jesus didn't die merely to set an example of selflessness; He died as the selfless Savior in the place of selfish man. As Isaiah explained 730 years before, "He was wounded for our transgressions; bruised for our iniquities...by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53).

Christians rejoice in the death of Jesus because He was sacrificed in their place. He, Himself, took the wrath of God that we deserve for our sin. Far from being something that we should mourn over, the murder of Jesus is the greatest cause of rejoicing. Its efficacy is attested to in His resurrection from the dead. God the Father accepted the sacrifice of Christ as a suitable sacrifice for the sins of His people. When the Father saw the blood of His infinitely beloved Son poured out at Calvary, His just wrath was satisfied. He gave proof of this by raising Him from the dead.

Innumerable voices tell us to leave the supernatural out of the Bible; but, to do so is to divest Christ's death of all meaning. It is to rob Jesus of all glory and power; and make His death a meaningless act of stupidity for which we ought to mourn. If no one gets saved by the death of Jesus, it was all in vain. It also makes the ethical teachings of Jesus the most pathetic attempt at reform the world has ever seen. If Jesus was merely a man, why would anyone listen to Him. His message was essentially: "You must be perfect. You're all messed up. I'm perfect. Come to me and I'll heal you." But, as God manifest in the flesh, we find in His death the complete eternal salvation of all who believe in Him. So to all the people in the world today who are burdened by the weight of your failure to live up to the ethical standard of perfection, rejoice in the murder of Jesus. Mourn over your sin, while you joyfully look to the one who is "Just and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."