The mission of Jesus Christ culminated in a gruesome tragedy. In fact, his entire ministry

on earth was leading to this shocking moment. And for centuries, Christians around the world

have pondered the horrible details of his crucifixion. Today, on Insight for Living,

Chuck Swindall continues his brand new teaching series called, Compeld by the Cross. It's a study

that started Monday and will culminate on Good Friday. In this message, Chuck invites us to follow

along in Matthew 16, where Jesus predicted his coming persecution. And he'll explain why the

cross became Jesus' magnificent obsession. How different it was for Jesus Christ. Even before he

arrived on this earth, he understood his mission. It would become his obsession, the cross. Unlike us who

come to live, he came deliberately to die for people like you and like me. 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. Don't tell me I'm not going

to die. That's the whole purpose of my coming. While Peter is thinking you cannot die, Jesus is

answering. I must die. Let me give you the first of three principles I want to leave with you

from the verses now that follow. We must never think that because a death is shockingly

unexpected, it is therefore unacceptable. Again, we must never think that because a death

is shockingly unexpected, it is therefore unacceptable. If we are going to look at life as God

has planned life, we must look at death as God has planned death. Otherwise, God is not quite sovereign.

Just almost. Which is heresy. Listen to the words of Psalm 139-16. Your eyes have seen my unformed

substance. In the womb, we are still being formed. So still while being formed, your eyes see me

and see all who have not yet been born. You have seen my unformed substance and in your book,

we're all written the days that were ordained for me. Teach that to your children. Cultivate a

little theology on their part so that they understand what God's plan is. Our days are ordained for

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