Gospel Message Day 288

Death of Christ

We in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tend to talk more about the Atonement and the Resurrection of Christ than the event in the middle of the two--His death. I know I've spoken of all 3 during this year-long challenge. But I probably didn't focus as much on the death. We do not generally focus on His death, because we find such great healing, hope, promise, and joy in His Atonement and His Resurrection.

But His death was a very vital part of His work and purpose on Earth. It also overlapped with the Atonement, since on the cross He suffered through all the pain and agony that He did in Gethsemane. And there are other things related to His death that are important for us to know and to remember.

*The events that led up to His death show just how unjust his trial and sentence were. He was innocent. His death couldn't have been more wrong, despicable, or tragic.

*The actual events of His death fulfilled prophecy. Such as no bones being broken. Crucified people typically had their legs broken. But this was not the case for our Savior.

*His death was not a quick, painless one. Now was it a quick, painful one. It was a very long, agonizing method of killing him, full of pain. There was no backing out of it once in it. And there was even more time (after all of that time during Gethsemane and the trials, etc) for Christ to remember why He was hanging on that cross, and for whom He was there. Each of us was present during His death, for I believe we were on His mind as He suffered for us.

*I think the most important thing to remember--Christ was the one who had the power over His death. He only died when He gave up the ghost. He could have held on to His spirit as long as He wanted. He was born part-God, and had the ability to hold on to His immortality. He let go when He knew His work was finished, and because He knew that His death was a part of that work.