Why did Jesus have to die? Why did Christ’s blood have to be spilled? Why did our Lord have to give his life? Was there no other way to save sinners? If you have ever asked this question, you are not the first. The twelve men who were called by Jesus, followed Jesus, and learned from Jesus also struggled with the idea that his demise was unavoidable (Matt. 16:21–22). Similarly, Israel’s leaders, those who supposedly most anticipated the Messiah’s arrival, took Jesus’s death as proof that he was not he for whom they waited (Luke 23:35). Even Paul admits that the seemingly oxymoronic message of “Christ crucified”—that is a dead Deliverer—is “a stumbling block” to some and “foolishness” to others (1 Cor. 1:23).

So, did Jesus have to die? In the second half of Hebrews 9, the author addresses this question, celebrating the necessity of Christ’s death and the life-shaping difference it makes for Christ’s followers of all eras.

SERMON MANUSCRIPT 

Why did Jesus have to die? Why did Christ’s blood have to be spilled? I mean, was there no other way to save sinners?

If you’ve ever wondered this, you’re not the first. His disciples did. Matthew 16 reports that when “Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things … and be killed …. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord!’” (16:21–22). Translation: “There has to be another way!”

Israel’s leaders saw Jesus’s death as proof that he was not the Messiah for which they were waiting. As he hung on the cross, Luke records that they “were sneering at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if this is the Christ of God, his Chosen One’” (Luke 23:35). “It can’t be him. Our Deliverer doesn’t die! That’s not needed.”

Paul admits the message of “Christ crucified” is “a stumbling block” to some and “foolishness” to others—a confusing and oxymoronic idea (1 Cor 1:23). “If God had a master plan of cosmic restoration, it wouldn’t include a murdered Saviour.” But it did and it does. 

But why? Why did Jesus have to die? In the second half of Hebrews 9, the author addresses this question, highlighting the necessity of Christ’s death and the life-shaping difference it makes for Christ’s followers, followers like you and me.

CHRIST’S DEATH WAS NECESSARY

As one author has observed, “There are many ways to fall down, but there’s only one way to stand up straight.” Likewise, there are many ways to sin and fall short of God, but there’s only one way to stand up straight before God, and that’s through the shed blood of Jesus. Christ’s death was necessary to inaugurate, validate, and mediate the life-giving and much-needed New Covenant.

Now, the connection between death and covenants isn’t unique to Jesus and the New Covenant. Sacrifice was often necessary to seal oaths before God.

While the Scriptures do record covenants being finalized in other ways—for example, shaking hands (2 Kings 10:15; Ezra 10:19; Ezek 17:18) and trading footwear (Ruth 4:7)—those were more temporary oaths dealing with temporary issues like land access, personal allegiance, and formalized repentance. Important things but impermanent things. 

But if you wanted a more permanent covenant, as one would when dealing with permanent issues like access to God, blood was required. Life and death were offered because life and death were on the line. 

Here’s how it worked: the terms of the covenant would be laid out and an animal would be sacrificed. That animal was considered a substitute for the involved parties—it died in their place—and, since they’re now “dead,” so to speak, they could no longer break or change the terms of the covenant even if they wanted to.

Death has a finalizing effect. Corpses can’t rethink commitments, find loopholes, or break contracts. And, in a blood covenant, since those swearing the oath are “dead” in those animals, it’s a done deal. And it’s this fatal and emblematic substitution that allows the author to say, [9:16–17].

I can promise to be faithful to my wife until my dying breath but, let’s face it, until that time there’s always a chance I can break my word. It isn’t until my coffin closes that the risk of unfaithfulness is removed and replaced by a certainty of fidelity. “He’s not stepping out now! Look at him! The covenant is kept in death.” 

These blood covenants symbolized that moment of surety. “We’re dead, as represented by this sacrifice. Done deal. Coffin closed.  Nothing can change now and the oath will be kept.”

The author points out that even the Mosaic covenant was sealed in this way. Referring to the scene in Exodus 24, he writes, [9:18–22].

A permanent covenant demands a permanent sealant. And there are few things more permanent than death. [9:16] And that’s not true only of the Mosaic Covenant, but also of the New Covenant. It too “is valid only when men are dead” (9:17). [9:18] Meaning, neither is the second, more perfect covenant. It was likewise inaugurated with blood.

[9:23–24] The heavenly tent is eternally better than its lowly copy. So, it makes sense that the blood sprinkled there would be eternally better than the blood sprinkled below, that the Lamb offered in heaven be immeasurably more valuable than the lambs offered on earth. “But, make no mistake,” the author says, “blood was necessary in both covenantal cases.” Christ’s death was necessary. 

Richard John Neuhaus was a pastor and priest, first in the Lutheran and then in the Roman Catholic Church. In his 2001 book, Death on a Friday Afternoon, he wrote the following: “I have no doubts about God, and I completely agree with the Church’s moral teachings … I am a little embarrassed to say it, but my problem is with the cross. Why Jesus had to die, this whole business of blood and sacrifice, I just don’t get it. Since the cross is the main symbol of Christianity … I suppose that’s a pretty big problem, right?” Well, this priest was correct about one thing: that is a pretty big problem. But one not unique to him, unfortunately.

Many trip over this stumbling block. For some, it’s too barbaric. “How can a good God send his only Son to such a gruesome end?” In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, a wondrous beauty I see? “Seriously? It sounds like cosmic child abuse to me.”

For others, the death of Christ represents defeat. Heroes lift up not fall short. Leaders get revered not tortured. Champions win not lose. Saviours deliver not die. Why follow such a failure? 

To still others, it’s a contradiction. “You can’t claim, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ when your way led to execution, your truth brought scorn, and your life ended prematurely. That’s nonsense!”

But, most of all, Christ’s death stumbles people because of what it demands of people: submission, self-sacrifice, and worship. And we, as self-centred sinners don’t want to do any of those things.

But God’s been very clear: that “of first importance [and] … according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3), “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8), that he is “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29) who came “to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28), and “was pierced through for our transgressions, … crushed for our iniquities” (Isa 53:5). Jesus himself, just before his execution, prayed “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup [of suffering] pass from me” (Matt 26:39). The answer? “It’s not possible.” So, Jesus then submissively prayed: “Your will be done” (Matt 26:42). He laid down his life and, “For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant” (Heb 9:15a).

God’s been very clear: Christ’s death was necessary to inaugurate, validate, and mediate the life-giving and much-needed New Covenant.

NECESSARY TO FORGIVE

Now, we could go around the room and list many of the blessings made available through Christ’s death. It reconciled us to God, vindicated the prophets, demonstrated the Father’s love for us, and motivates our love for one another. All great things!

But there are two particular blessings that our text celebrates: pardon for sins and the keeping of promises. Christ’s death was necessary to forgive and it was necessary to fulfill. Let’s look at those in turn. First, It was necessary to forgive. 

Back to [9:15a–b]. Did you hear it? Why did his death have to take place? “For the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant.” 

Redemption is a release from captivity (cp. 11:35) and, in this case, the captivity was to the guilt of violating the Mosaic Law. Every day Israel broke the terms they had sworn to keep, accruing a guilt debt that came due each year on the Day of Atonement. But the debt was always too steep to settle and, so, through their high priest, the nation would ask for a twelve-month extension. “We’ll try again next year,” they’d say. The Day of Atonement didn’t settle the debt; it only delayed its collection. Their guilt had been “passed over” (e.g., Rom 3:25), never expunged. And so, year after year their transgressions would pile up, their indebtedness would deepen, and their captivity would tighten.

But when Jesus died, his priceless blood paid their entire sin debt. The cross posthumously redeemed them. [9:22] But with blood and, more specifically, with his eternal blood, there is eternal forgiveness.

Verses 25 and 26 speak to the quality of Christ’s blood: [9:25–26]. Unlike the high priests under the Old Covenant, Jesus doesn’t have to enter God’s presence year after year, suffering repeatedly to cover the sins of repeat offenders. No, at “the consummation of the ages,” at the end of creation’s anticipation, “he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” [Col 2:13–14] His death was necessary to redeem, to free, to pay, to forgive.

We all sin, building a moral debt to our perfectly moral Creator and Judge. And that debt will come due. In fact, [9:27]. There is no settling up after we die, a moment that, for all we know, could be today. All of us will live, die, and then face the shocking size of our indebtedness before the one to whom we owe payment.

But the author of Hebrews is reminding us that Jesus Christ has infinitely deep pockets. He can pay for the sins of the world! [1 John 2:1–2] To believe that some sins are beyond his forgiveness because of their size, their scope, or their severity is to underestimate the worth of his death, the price of his blood, and the cost of his sacrifice. 

It’s true that our sins are far greater than we know. But it’s also true that the blood of Christ is infinitely greater than that. So much so that we can sing, “My sin, O the bliss of this glorious tho’t, my sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord O my soul!” Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

NECESSARY TO FULFILL

Christ’s death was necessary to forgive. But forgiveness is only half of what we need. We also need something to stop the sinning. And, praise God, Christ’s death was also necessary to fulfill that promise. 

[9:15] What have we been promised to inherit? Well, just to name a few tiny blessings, how about an everlasting life in God’s presence on a curse-free earth in resurrected, imperishable bodies? How about treasures in heaven, reigning with Christ, unfading rewards, and celebratory banquets? How about no more crying, pain, loneliness, and depression? How about no more sickness, no more war, no more sin, no more death? This is our eternal inheritance. But if Christ didn’t die, we don’t get any of it because we owe a debt that disqualifies us.

But he did die. And, because of that, those who believe in Jesus are forgiven, and because we’re forgiven, God’s promise is fulfilled.

[9:27–28] Why did Jesus have to die? His death was necessary to forgive and to fulfill. He came to pay our debt and, when he comes again, he won’t be talking about past sins, he’ll be talking about future hope; he won’t be bringing judgment for those in Christ, he’ll be bringing our inheritance. 

EAGERLY AWAIT HIM!

So, as the author closes this chapter, we’re to eagerly await him! We’re to look forward to seeing our Saviour, he who purchased our forgiveness and will bring our inheritance, an inheritance we’re not owed but get to enjoy because of our association with him who is owed everything. We’re to eagerly await him! Do you? 

Please take the communion emblems you picked up on your way in this morning. If you didn’t grab any yet, please feel free to do that now.

Do you eagerly await his appearing? Perhaps you don’t because you’re still in your sins. You still owe a massive moral debt because you’ve never unwrapped the gift of forgiveness. If that’s you, you’re right not to eagerly await him because should he come here in glory or you go there in death, judgment awaits you. You will have to settle up. 

But the good news is that there is forgiveness available for all of your wrongs and all of your guilt. His sacrifice is enough, even for you if you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for you, rose from the dead, and offers everlasting life to all who trust him for it.

Or perhaps you don’t eagerly await him because you’re a Christian who is shamed by past sins, sins that have been paid for, and the guilt you unnecessarily carry is a stifling, joy-robbing, growth-killing burden. You don’t eagerly await him because you wrongly think he’s going to show up and call you to the principal’s office. Brother, sister, your Lord died to free you from that, and when he “appears a second time,” it will be “without reference to sin.”

Or perhaps you don’t eagerly await him because you haven’t thought much about your inheritance, that which you have access to because of Christ’s death. 

Augustine, the early church theologian, wrote these words in his own obituary: “What makes the heart of the Christian? The fact that he is a pilgrim, and longs for his own country.” Because of Christ’s death and the New Covenant ratified in his blood, the country we belong to, the country we await, is paradise. Glory awaits us. Freedom awaits us. Let us be a people who eagerly await he who brings our inheritance with him!

Please take the emblems, the wafer representing the body of Christ given for us and the cup representing the blood of Christ shed for us. As we prepare to take, eat, and drink, listen to our Lord’s familiar words in light of Hebrews 9: [Matt 26:26–29] 

Christ’s death was necessary. Through it, we have forgiveness for our sins and hope in our inheritance. Because of his death, we who belong to him by grace through faith eagerly await his return. In thankfulness and remembrance, let’s eat and drink together. 

 

---

---