Te mahi whakaora a te Atua

I aroha hoki te Atua ki te ao, i homai e ia tana Tama kotahi, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, Engari he ora tonu. Kihai hoki te Atua i tono mai i tana Tama ki te ao ki te whakahe i te ao; engari kia ora ai te ao ia ia (Hone 3:16,17)

Jesus served His whole life; He served His Father and people, Ma te whakarongo the commandments of His Father, doing good, a healing all, that were oppressed by the devil (Nga Mahi 10:38).

Jesus represented His Father; He was a reflection of His Father.

Ka mea a Ihu, that if a person had seen Him, kua kite ano ia i te Matua (Hone 14:9). And in John 14:6-7, Ka mea ia:

Ko ahau te huarahi, Te Tika, me te ora: Kaore he tangata e haere mai ki te Matua, but by me. Mena kua mohio koe ki ahau, Kia matau koutou ki toku Matua: a mai ano i tenei wa e mohio ana koe ki a ia, a kua kite ia ia.

Jesus is the only Way, kahore ke atu! Kia tatou, therefore look at God’s perfect work of redemption, na Ihu Karaiti.

Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane

The work of redemption began in the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus’ soul was sorrowful. Ua pure Iesu i te Metua e ua na ô: “Matua, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: otiia ehara i taku i pai ai, engari ko koe, Kia Tono”.

Jesus knew the time had come that He would be handed over into the hands of sinners, and die for all sinners.

During his prayer, an angel appeared unto Him from heaven, to strengthen Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Ruka 22:42-44).

Jesus conquered this deadly fear inside of HIm. He had to fight against His soul. Jesus conquered His soul (Panuitia hoki: ‘Te ripeka o te wairua').

Now Jesus was ready to continue the mission of His Father, and go to the whipping post and the cross.

Jesus went to the whipping post

After His prayer, and when Jesus returned to His disciples, He was betrayed by one of His disciples, and was taken captive. After many interrogations, He was scourged. When Jesus was scourged at the whipping post, He bore our sickness and disease.

He pono kua waha o tatou mamae e ia, me te kawe i o tatou pouri: heoi i mea matou kua patua ia, patua e te Atua, me te whakawhiua. Engari i werohia ia mo o tatou he, I kurua ia mo o tatou kino: i runga i a ia te whiunga o to tatou rongo; kei ona karawarawa hoki he rongoa mo tatou (Ihaia 53:4,5)

Nana ake i waha o tatou hara, na tona tinana ake i runga i te rakau, e tatou, kua mate ki nga hara, kia ora i runga i te tika:by Whose stripes ye were healed (1 Pita 2:24)

The crown of thorns

The crown of thorns, that the soldiers put on Jesus’ head could be a symbol of the oppression of man, but that’s my interpretation. Because in the Old Testament when they spoke of thorns, they referred to people:

Engari ki te kahore e peia e koutou nga tangata whenua i to koutou aroaro; katahi ka puta, a hei koikoi i roto i o koutou kanohi te toenga o ratou, hei tumatakuru hoki ki o koutou kaokao, a ka whakatoi i a koutou ki te whenua e noho nei koutou (Tau 33:55)

Kia tino mohio, e kore a Ihowa, to koutou Atua e pei ano i enei iwi i mua i a koutou; ko Ihowa ia hei rore, hei rore mo koutou, he whiu ki o koutou kaokao, he tataramoa ki o koutou kanohi, kia ngaro ra ano koutou i runga i tenei whenua pai ka homai nei e Ihowa, e to koutou Atua, ki a koutou (Joshua 23:13)

Ko nga tamariki ia a Periara, ka rite ratou katoa ki te tataramoa kua maka atu, no te mea e kore e taea e te ringaringa (2 Hamuera 23:6)

The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

Na ka haere mai te waa, that Jesus was chosen by the people, instead of Barabbas (a murderer), kia ripekatia. The devil thought that he was smart, he thought that by crucifying Jesus, he was getting rid of Jesus, and he could continue to build his kingdom on this earth. I etahi atu kupu, he thought: good riddance! (Panuitia hoki: ‘Ihu, a babbas ranei, ko wai e whiriwhiri ana koe?')

Ua hape râ te diabolo. Because this was all part of God’s work of redemption. Ka mau a Ihu nga hara katoa, of the world, ki runga ki a ia. Ihu, Ko wai kahore he hara, was made sin and was sacrificed, in order to reconcile man back to God, kotahi mo te katoa. From the sixth till the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land.

Then at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, e kii ana: “Eroi, Eroi, Lama sabachthani?”

These words mean: “Toku Atua, Toku Atua, he aha koe i whakarere ai i ahau?”

Jesus had always been joint together with His Father; they were One. Jesus was never separated from Him, until sin came upon Him.

God is holy and can never have fellowship with sin, therefore Jesus was separated from His Father. Nui atu te reo o Ihu ki te karanga, ka mutu te wairua.

When Jesus died, Ko te arai o te temepara i haea i waenganui i te tihi ki raro (Mark 15:33-39).

Nana ake i waha o tatou hara, na tona tinana ake i runga i te rakau, e tatou, kua mate ki nga hara, kia ora i runga i te tika: by whose stripes you were healed (1 Pita 2:24)

Jesus took our punishment upon Himself

We should have been punished, because we are the sinners and not Jesus. We should have been scourged in hell. But because of the great love and mercy of God, Jesus took the punishment, which was meant for us, ki runga ano ia ia.

Through the blood of Jesus and regeneration in Him, we are reconciled with God and live in unity with God in Christ Jesus. Na roto i te baptism with water Na te Wairua Tapu, we have crucified our sinful nature and received God’s nature inside of us.

When you receive His nature inside of you, the process of sanctification will start. Ka koe whakahou i to hinengaro me te Kupu a te Atua. And instead of walking after the flesh (after your senses, hinengaro, whakaaro, karekau, kare-a-roto, hiahia, etc.), you shall walk after the Spirit according to the Word in the will of God.

The Holy Spirit is your Comforter and your Teacher. Together with Him, you shall be able to serve God, Ihu Karaiti, and men. Ka rite ki a Ihu.

Jesus took the keys of hell and death

After Jesus died, He legally entered Hades. Ka tomo a Ihu ki te reinga, because Jesus was made sin; He had taken all sin and iniquity upon Himself. Jesus was in Hades for three days and preached. I muri e toru nga ra, Ka mau a Ihu ki nga ki o te rewera, mate, and Hades legally back.