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What if Jesus sinned?

By: Pastor Matt Christ

An interesting question was posed to me the other day and it's been on my mind and I wonder if you haven't thought the same thing.

Here Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit, has been attending this festival called the Passover festival for we'd gather from Scripture, some twelve years. The celebration comes to a close and the family starts back to Nazareth. Now there's a large crowd of travelers and the parents assumed Jesus was among them so didn't think anything of it at first. But then evening comes and still no Jesus, so they start searching for him among family and friends. You can just imagine the worry and anxiety displayed as this twelve year old is nowhere to be found. Three days had now gone by and they find Him in the temple and guess what He's doing? He's with the teachers of the law, listening to them and asking them questions. Now I don't know about you, but when I was twelve I was playing little league baseball, but posing questions to scholars was not on my list. Not only are these items among Jesus' list, but he also provides these teachers some amazement at his responses and understanding. So the parents find him and question him why he had done this. And Jesus responds as to why they were searching when they should have known He would be about His Father's business (Luke 3: 41-50)

The question posed to me was whether in this scenario Jesus had sinned because he did not obey His parents. What was at work here in Jesus' life actually appears to be typical adolescent behavior! Think of the last time you were late getting home. It's fair for me to say that when we're really into something, we tend to have little or no concept of time. Jesus seems to have been acting normally by this standard. His reply, "Why were you searching for me?" (verse 49) indicates this undeveloped sense of time. Remember, he's been gone at least three days! I doubt many of us have been that late in arriving home. I often wondered where he may have slept those nights, but then we see later in the Gospels the mention of foxes and birds having homes, but the Son of Man has no place to rest His head. To any parent, an adolescent asking "Why were you searching for me?" after being missing for three days would seem incomprehensible.

Additionally, Jesus' remarks, "Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (verse 49) shows another common aspect of our culture; a focus on self - rather than on how actions effect others. Again, it is important to note that this behavior isn't by necessity a sin- it's just a normal part of adolescence!

I find it humorous when we read about Mary and Joseph's response: "They didn't understand what he was saying to them" (verse 50). Here, some 2,000 years ago, we have a firsthand account of what your parents may be going through. In verses 51 and 52, we see Jesus responding in obedience to his parents and how he grew in wisdom (intellectual development) stature (physical development) and in favor with God (spiritual development) and men (social development) - which are all normal adolescent development. I credit Jim Burns from homeword.com for certain comments made above.

But here's what I feel we need to understand when we question whether Jesus sinned. In order for our sins to be forgiven and to enter a relationship with God, a sacrifice was necessary to bridge the gap between humans and God, created by sin. It could not be just any sacrifice, but a pure, spotless lamb. Because Jesus was human yet never sinned, he fulfilled God's requirements and became the sacrifice necessary to wipe out the penalty for our sin, which we know is death. There was in this sacrifice an exchange of our lives for His. It's only His blood that represents a perfect life that can remove this death penalty. Something further that is often misunderstood is that no other person or religion can offer that sacrifice.

Consider what Bill Hybels writes in his book "Essential Christianity". It is the first century, and you are in the grandstands right outside of the court of Pontius Pilate. Jesus has been arrested. He is convicted on false charges and now, as He is strapped up, a Roman soldier takes a whip with nine straps covered with pieces of metal and glass and begins flogging Jesus in public. You see the blood of the sinless, only begotten Son of God begin to flow. You watch as Jesus is brought to the hill of Calvary where an executioner gets delight in pounding nails into His wrists and feet. The blood of the perfect Lamb of God continues to flow.

You remember that Jesus said to His followers that nobody could take His life. You realize this is no accident-Jesus is laying down His life for your sins. An innocent third party is paying the price you deserve. As you look at Him on the cross, you realize His blood is flowing so that your blood won't have to flow.

As the last drops of His life blood are flowing onto the dusty ground at the foot of the cross, you hear Jesus cry out "It is finished." You realize this is not a cry of defeat but a declaration of victory! Finally, all sacrifices are now over. The ultimate sacrifice has come-it has been paid with the blood of Jesus. Through Christ our sins have been paid in full. As you watch Him die, you know you are loved beyond measure and description. You realize that God has exercised His judgment on His own precious Son, and He is not angry with you anymore. Through accepting Christ as your Savior, His blood is applied to the door of your heart and judgment passes over you.

If you have received God's forgiveness through the shed blood of Christ, you are assured of eternal life. Had Jesus story ended with His death, death would still rule us because it ruled Him. But on the third day, Jesus conquered the grave and rose to life, defeating sin once and for all. The great news we have is that sin no longer separates us from God when we trust and know the price God paid to show His love for us and realize what Jesus did to offer us forgiveness.

What words of thanks and praise can we to lift to God right now?

May we never forget the price God paid to offer us forgiveness of our sins, through the death of His only, sinless Son, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Matt Christ