“Now Pilate summoned to himself the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, and he said to them, ‘You brought this man to me on the ground that he is inciting the people to revolt; and behold, after examining Him before you, I have found no basis at all in the case of this man for the charges which you are bringing against Him. No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.’” Luke 23:13-15

Jesus was innocent. He did nothing deserving of death, and yet He chose to die. Why would He do something like that? Why would the King of Kings, the Son of God, Who could call down angels to rescue Him, choose to die?

Jesus was mocked, abused, and accused. He was slandered, disrespected, and rejected, though He was innocent. Yet, when He stood before Herod, Jesus did not answer him. This fulfills what was prophesied in Isaiah:

“He was oppressed and afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

The word of God is powerful. Jesus could have spoken and been released. Yet, it was God’s will for Him to die. You see, mankind has a serious issue: a sin issue. Sin separates us from God, and in order for sin to be wiped away, a blood sacrifice was required.

When Jesus came to earth, He lived a perfect life. He demonstrated what it means to have a relationship with God. He walked in love, healed the sick, brought dead people back to life, and so much more. Jesus did countless miracles and wonderful things, among which was His remarkable sacrifice for humanity.

See, the Bible says that all have sinned. The punishment for sin is death. We, as sinners, deserve to die on the cross. Instead, Jesus died in our place. He took our sins upon Himself and died so that we can be forgiven. His perfect blood was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. He died once for all, meaning that if we accept Him as our Savior, His blood covers our sins so we can be forgiven and have a relationship with God.

That is why Jesus chose to die. It was for you—so you can be forgiven, set free, healed, and have a relationship with God. You were on His mind, and He loves you. As Jesus says in John 3:16,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

The story isn’t over. Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death! He is alive and seated in Heaven with God. If you follow Jesus, you will spend eternity with Him.

Forgiveness and a fresh start are available to you today. If you would like to receive Jesus as your Savior, you can pray this prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me. I believe that you sent your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. I believe that He rose from the dead, and I ask Him to be my Lord and Savior. I have sinned. Please forgive me and give me a fresh start. Please guide me every day, and help me to walk with You. I love you.

Amen

If you prayed this prayer, CONGRATULATIONS! Heaven is rejoicing with you! You are now part of God’s family. He is a wonderful Father, and He loves you. You are forgiven of your sins, your past is washed clean, and you have a new life in Jesus! It’s SO exciting!

What’s next? I recommend connecting with a church and telling someone about your decision to follow Jesus. A church family will support and encourage you in your walk with God.

Also, start reading the Bible. If you don’t have a physical copy, you can read online at BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages.  The Bible is God’s word; it is one of the ways He speaks to and teaches us.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message me through the “Contact” page. I am happy to support you in your new walk with Jesus!