Did Jesus really need to die?

You see, the death of the Savior is not a defeat.

It's a victory. It's a victory over sin. It's a victory over death. It's a victory over the grave.

And equally important, it's a victory over Satan.

While Peter is thinking you cannot die, Jesus is answering.

I must die.

Traditionally, Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, beginning on Palm Sunday and then culminating on Easter morning.

Today, on InSight for Living, Chuckswendall begins a brand new teaching series called Compeld by the Cross.

In this study, we'll take our time to examine the powerful implications of Easter, with special attention being given to the miracle of Christ's victory over death and the grave.

Chuck titled this first message, Jesus Magnificent Obsession.

5 Sundays remain before Easter counting this one.

And so for these five Sundays, we're going to be on a journey with Jesus from one Sunday to the next, as we visit various scenes along the way as he came nearer and nearer to the cross.

Today, we're looking at a passage in Matthew 16, where he breaks the news to the disciples for the first time.

Imagine that.

They knew he was Messiah. They knew he would ultimately conquer, but they didn't have in their plans that he would die.

So it came as a shock to them. We'll read of it in Matthew 16, 21 through 26.

I'll be reading the passage from the new Living Translation. I'd like you to follow along in your Bible. Matthew 16, 21 is the starting point.

From Benon, Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law.

He would be killed. But on the third day, he would be raised from the dead, but Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.

Heaven forbid, Lord, he said, this will never happen to you. Jesus turned to Peter and said, get away from me, Satan.

You are a dangerous trap to me. You're seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, if any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

...