Gospels Part 004
Have you ever been inspired by a story of great courage and conviction? Or, stirred by an example of great personal sacrifice for the benefit of others? Such stories are truly inspiring and they move us as they appeal to our better nature. Yet one sacrifice stands far above all others as the greatest of all time. And whether you realize it or not, it directly impacts you!
The Bible records many inspiring stories of great courage, conviction and self-sacrifice . . .
- The young shepherd David, who defied the Philistine army and set aside common sense to do battle with the giant warrior Goliath.
- The young king Josiah who took on his nation’s religious and cultural establishment to rid the land of pagan idolatry and restore worship of the true God.
- John the Baptist, who stood up to a powerful ruling family and paid for it with his head on a platter.
- The apostle Paul, who first appears in the Bible as a persecutor of the Church but then dedicated his life to it, enduring such hardships as hunger, thirst, shipwreck, beatings and being stoned and left for dead.
There are many more we could mention, faithful men and women who sacrificed greatly for a purpose greater than themselves. Hebrews 11 is like an all-star hall of fame of biblical faith stories sharing incredible accounts of courage and personal sacrifice.
But of all the examples of great personal courage and sacrifice found in the Bible—and indeed in all history—one stands immeasurably far above all the rest. It stands alone because it was the greatest sacrifice ever, the greatest of all time.
It stands alone because it involves One who gave up the most that has ever been given, and it involves One who gave the most to those who benefitted from that sacrifice.
It stands alone because it involves not just a great sacrifice that was remarkable enough in itself—but another, lesser-understood aspect of that sacrifice so great as to be almost beyond human comprehension. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is truly astounding.
I’m referring to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, astounding on more than one level. So, why was Christ’s sacrificial death necessary?
Many people are likely already familiar with Jesus Christ’s death by crucifixion, in which He was executed as a criminal. This is a major theme of the Christian religion, and rightfully so. It lies at the heart of biblical Christianity, although certainly not all who know of it understand it. Many biblical passages tell us the importance of this sacrifice and why it was necessary. Let’s notice a few:
“If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7, New Living Translation).
“[God] is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7, NLT).
“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18-19, NLT).
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood” (Romans 3:23-25, NLT).
“And [Jesus] took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is My blood, which confirms the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many’” (Matthew 26:27-28, NLT).
These and many other similar passages tell us that Jesus Christ had to die as a sacrifice in our place so that our sins could be forgiven. He willingly took on Himself the death penalty that each of us deserved. As Hebrews 9:22 tells us, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (NLT). Had Jesus Christ not died for us, we would all die guilty of our sins, forever cut off from God and any hope of life beyond this one. This is of profound importance, because God’s plan for mankind revolves around giving every person the opportunity for eternal life!
This is a huge subject—the subject of the entire Bible—and we’ll explore it in greater detail in this Know Your Sword series. Stay tuned!
© Scott Ashley, 2025. All rights reserved.
Course Content
Scott Ashley
Scott Ashley was managing editor of Beyond Today magazine, United Church of God booklets and its printed Bible Study Course until his retirement in 2023. He also pastored three congregations in Colorado for 10 years from 2011-2021. He and his wife, Connie, live near Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Ashley attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, graduating in 1976 with a theology major and minors in journalism and speech. It was there that he first became interested in publishing, an industry in which he worked for 50 years.
During his career, he has worked for several publishing companies in various capacities. He was employed by the United Church of God from 1995-2023, overseeing the planning, writing, editing, reviewing and production of Beyond Today magazine, several dozen booklets/study guides and a Bible study course covering major biblical teachings. His special interests are the Bible, archaeology, biblical culture, history and the Middle East.
