First of all, if you can show me ONE father on the planet who would send his son to do something like that instead of going himself, I'll show a really crappy father.
"I have authority to lay down my life and I have authority to pick it up again."
He could have changed his mind or decided not to follow through. He had that option. But then he might not have shown us how to be, how to live, how to act... how not to fear death; how to continue to do the right thing (remain in truth, remain loyal and faithful, keep our trust in God) even to the point of dying.
Either it's REALLY a sacrifice or it's NOT really a sacrifice.
Its a damned if you do and a damned if you don't scenario. How does a person respond to such a question? Some people are not happy that the death wasn't permanent, some people are sickened that he died to begin with.
I really wish Christians would stop lying to me and telling me that Jesus died for my sins.
He did what we should have done, but are rarely ever able to do. He remained loyal to His Father and to truth, he showed mercy and love. And at the point of even his death (as well as torture and wrongful sentence), he asked forgiveness for his transgressors. He did for us what we so often fail to do... and gave us an example to follow.
He made amends for us by taking our wrongs onto himself, and doing what we should do. In effect, he allowed himself to bear the consequence and punishment for our wrongdoings. Have you ever tried to make amends for someone else, so that you spare them punishment or bad consequences, because you love them? From my understanding, it is like that.
Tammy