Our Scripture reading today is Luke 24:46, "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:"
The message now turns to two very important events that must take place in order for sinners to become saints. Dr. Luke uses the word, "behoved". It is not a word we hear much in 2023, but it was once used more frequently. The word means it is necessary. A mother might say to her child, "It would behove you to clean up room before dinner is ready." A police officer might say to a speeding driver, "If you want to avoid a ticket next time, it would behove you to pay attention to the speed limit signs."
The Lord Jesus makes it very clear that it was necessary for Him to suffer and die and then rise again. He became the substitute in our place. Jesus took on Him what we deserved. "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23) His sacrifice was the only sacrifice capable of cleansing every sinner. 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. The sinless One became sin in order that all sinners might be righteous. Thank you, Jesus!