Why Jesus Came
The Cross Means Love
By Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
출처 https://www.brooklyntabernacle.org/whyjesuscame/
듣기 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQxg5-1YTV4&list=PLzzMcu25O6RYXBcsG4BtzuEt08kB1R25S&index=172
Jesus knew /from His first conscious moments [why He had come /to earth].
Didn’t Jesus come /to teach?
Yes, but our real problem is way too deep for teachers.
Jesus came /to work miracles too.
But that was not the main reason () He came /either.
Here’s [why Jesus came]:
without the shedding of blood, there was [no forgiving your sin and my sin] (see Hebrews 9:22).
And we all have [a lot of sin //that had to be forgiven]—and still needs to be forgiven each day.
And that required blood.
The Son of God came /as a teacher.
He came /as a healer.
But ultimately, He came /as the Lamb of God.
And do you know [what lambs are for (전목) /in the Jewish economy]?
Slaughter.
So the Roman soldiers, after cruelly beating, whipping, and mocking Jesus, crucified Him.
[The written notice of the charge against Him] read, “The King of the Jews.”
That was to stick [it] /to the Jewish people:
“You claim () you’re a nation and have a king. Well, here’s your king, up on a cross, being crucified,”
the notice seemed to say. “The Roman Empire wants [you] [to know that you’re nothing].”
So there Jesus hung /in wracking pain.
But the people weren’t done.
[Those //who passed by] “hurled [insults] /at Him, shaking their heads and saying,
‘So!
[You //who are going to destroy the temple and build it /in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!’”
(Mark 15:29–30, NIV).
Earlier Jesus had said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19, NIV).
Jesus had meant His body, but the people had misinterpreted it.
“In the same way [the chief priests and the teachers of the law] mocked him /among themselves” (Mark 15:31, NIV).
Imagine, [the people //who knew the Old Testament best] were mocking the Son of the living God.
Talk /about blindness!
These people knew [the rules and regulations /about every holiday], how people should eat,
what couldn’t be done on the Sabbath.
But a personal knowledge of God?
They knew absolutely nothing.
Right in front of them stood [God] /in the flesh, Emmanuel—and they had no idea.
That’s a lesson for all of us.
We can have religion yet not know Jesus from the man in the moon.
That’s frightening, isn’t it?
We might memorize the Bible, but do we know Jesus?
Do we know [who God really is]?
Do we know His character?
Think /of the damage to the Christian church and message //that has been done by so-called Christians
//who quote the Bible and then act /in horrid ways.
The Romans crucified two criminals with Jesus, one on each side of Him. They heaped insults /on Him, too.
So here we see the physical, mental, and emotional suffering of Christ.
Beating, spitting, mocking.
Being nailed to a cross.
Imagine the aloneness of it.
From nine to twelve, Jesus hung /on the cross.
At noon the sky went black, and then Jesus expired /at three.
Usually death by crucifixion lasted two days,
although sometimes a dying person’s legs were broken /to speed up the process.
Jesus did not make it /even a day.
But this is [why He came].
Jesus went through [all this pain] /for no other reason /than you and me.
Oh, how He loves us!
Keep [yourself] /in His love today.
Jesus loved us.
He loves us, present tense.
He’s going to bless us today.
Or do you think, after dying on the cross, that Jesus is going to curse us?
The enemy wants to take away /from our hearts [what Jesus did on the cross and the great love He showed us].
The devil wants [us] [to live in a state of perpetual suspension spiritually/, thinking, “I don’t know.
I’d better behave /so Jesus will love me.” We can’t fall for that.
Jesus loves us!
Are we worthy of His love?
No. But that’s what makes [us] [love Jesus back].
“He was wounded /for our transgressions, He was bruised /for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5, NKJV).
Let’s love Jesus /today /with all our hearts.
For real. 진짜로
Prayer
We love You, Jesus.
Thank You /for coming to earth /as the Lamb of God /to take our place on the cross.
We don’t deserve [what You did for us]—but oh, we receive Your love.
What a privilege it is /to love You back. (it = to love You back.)
If this encouraged you, you can receive [Pastor Cymbala’s weekly blog post] /by email here.
For More Encouragement
- Listen to the full message by Pastor Jim Cymbala: “Love We Can’t Earn”
- Enjoy other resources to help you draw closer to God: “Why the Cross?” and “This Is Love”
- Visit Pastor Cymbala’s Facebook page