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Nate Roten’s “The Three Most Important Words in the Bible” examines God’s plan of salvation during Passion Week. Using the agave plant as a metaphor, Roten illustrates how Jesus’ death fulfilled centuries of prophecy. The article reviews pivotal Old Testament passages, including the Fall, redemption promises, and the coming Messiah. It underscores Jesus’ service, initiation of the New Covenant, and ultimate sacrifice, highlighting His role as both the conquering King and the Suffering Servant.
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The 3 Most Important Words in the Bible
Nate Roten / Passion Week 2025 / April 13, 2025
Main Idea
Jesus is the one in whom we find all of the promises fulfilled, first in his sacrificial death.
Have you ever heard of the agave plant? It’s often called the “Century Plant,” not because it lives for a hundred years, but because it feels like it takes that long to do the one thing it was created for: to bloom. For years—even decades—it sits there in the dirt. It grows low and wide, quietly soaking up sun and rain. To most people, it looks like it’s doing… well, nothing special.
But then, one day—seemingly out of nowhere—it erupts.
A towering stalk shoots up, sometimes more than twenty feet tall, bursting into bloom with brilliant flowers. It’s breathtaking. But here’s the catch: it only blooms once. After that, the plant dies. One magnificent, sacrificial moment after a lifetime of silent preparation.
Wouldn’t that be amazing to witness?
As jaw-dropping as that would be, it still pales in comparison to God’s word. On of my favorite verses is from Eph. 3, which says:
Ephesians 3:8–11 CSB
8 This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, 9 and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. 10 This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. 11 This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I want you to grasp and stand in awe of God’s manifold wisdom that has been accomplished in Christ, and I want us to do that together today by stepping back and looking at God’s unfolding plan.
God’s plan of salvation is a lot like that agave. From the very beginning—Genesis to Jesus—God was preparing. Centuries passed. Prophets spoke. Covenants were made. Promises were given. And for many, it looked like nothing was happening. But God was at work in the soil of human history, patiently preparing for one glorious, once-in-eternity moment: the coming of Jesus Christ.
When Christ stepped onto the stage of time, it was like the agave’s bloom—sudden, stunning, sacrificial. He gave His life once, for all. And through that single act, God’s centuries-long plan unfolded in full color.
Today, as we begin Passion Week, I want to go all the way back to the beginning and explore the highlight reel of God’s redemptive plan, showing the road of salvation that leads to the cross, culminating in the three most important words in the Bible. The reality of what you hold in your hand is a compilation of 66 books written by 40 different authors inspired by God that were written on 3 different continents, in 3 different languages, over the course of 1,500+ years that tells one story of God’s manifold wisdom that is played out in human history.
OT Highlight Reel
The Fall
Genesis 3:6 CSB
6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Redemption Promised
Genesis 3:15 NIV
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
All nations blessed through Abraham
Genesis 12:2–3 CSB
2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
The Ruler from the Tribe of Judah
Genesis 49:10 CSB
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.
The Passover Lamb
Exodus 12:23 CSB
23 When the Lord passes through to strike Egypt and sees the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, he will pass over the door and not let the destroyer enter your houses to strike you.
Eternal King from David’s Line
2 Samuel 7:12–13 CSB
12 When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
The Suffering Servant
Isaiah 53:6–8 CSB
6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment, and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
Resurrection Promised
Ezekiel 37:3–5 CSB
3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I replied, “Lord God, only you know.” 4 He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live.
Searching But Not Discerning
Many were searching. Many understood the prophecies mentioned above and others that hinted at the time and place of their Messiah’s arrival. Essentially, these prophetic scriptures addressed two main categories regarding the future Messiah.
1. Who He was.
2. What He would do.
Few were discerning. Many consulted the scriptures, but not comprehensively. Some connections were missed, so when the fullness of time arrived and God the Father sent Jesus into the world, many did not recognize Him as their promised Savior and Deliverer.
Who He Was
Jesus checked all the right boxes. Not just anyone could be the Messiah, as a pre-defined pedigree needed to be fulfilled.
• He was from the tribe of Judah
• He was of the lineage of David (through both parents)
• He would bring a kingdom
• + many other requirements that aren’t mentioned here.
I – What They Thought He Would Do
Conquering King. The Jews recognized the scriptures concerning His Kingship and rule. They mistakenly believed that the ruler from the tribe of Judah, descending from David’s line, would usher in the glory of David and Solomon’s reign. They desired a warrior-king who would ride in on a white stallion like Alexander the Great and vanquish the oppressive Roman Empire. They wanted a tangible man sitting on David’s throne to make Israel the envy of the nations once again… the right-hand man of Yahweh Himself to execute judgment and governance over all the earth. And who could blame them? Numerous scriptures indicated this. However, as I mentioned earlier, they didn’t connect all the dots, resulting in a partial puzzle with crucial pieces missing.
Connection Failure. One of the core issues they faced in recognizing their promised Savior was correlating the Ruler of the Tribe of Judah, descended from the great King David, who would bring God’s kingdom to Earth, with the Passover Lamb and the Suffering Servant. God did not provide two different Saviors; He sent one who would embody all of these descriptions.
Today marks the beginning of Passion Week. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus entered Jerusalem to the cheers of an excited crowd, but He didn’t ride in on a gleaming white stallion like a conquering hero intent on destroying Rome. He came to bring His kingdom, alright, but in a very unexpected way. Instead of arriving pridefully on a horse, He came humbly on a donkey (which was itself a fulfillment of prophecy). He intended to bring the glories of heaven in a manner no one anticipated, even though the Old Testament scriptures spoke of it and He Himself explained it to His followers… at least to those who had ears to hear what He was saying.
II – What He Said He Would Do
Here he is! Jesus is the Messiah, right? What is He going to do? How is He going to save us?
He Came to Serve
Mark 10:45 CSB
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Who did He serve? He served ‘many,’ it’s true, but specifically who? The answer can be easily seen in John 3-4. In John 3:16, whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Not just the nation of Israel, but anyone… and this is further reinforced when He travels through Samaria and meets the woman at the well in the next chapter. She wasn’t a Jew; she was a Samaritan, and yet He ministered directly to her. Even at the outset, Jesus demonstrated the blessings of Abraham to all nations!
How did He serve? He served the people by teaching them. He taught them as a wise Rabbi, untangling the knots of legalism and the focus on their man-made oral traditions that eclipsed the actual scriptures and their life-giving exhortations. As the Bread of Life, He provided them with real, substantive spiritual nourishment, for the reality was that they were a valley of dry bones, and the Messiah would breathe new life into them! The sick were made well, and the dead were raised physically to new life as a foreshadowing of what would happen to them spiritually when the Holy Spirit would come. He also led by example, living out the requirements of the law to perfection. Let that sink in. In Jesus’ mission to serve, it required Him to be sinless. When was the last time you sinned? Probably about 30 minutes ago. Jesus had to uphold the fullness of the Mosaic law every minute of every day of every week of every month of every year for 33 years to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law, enabling Him to be what they had all failed to see: the Passover Lamb and Suffering Servant.
He Came to Initiate
The New Covenant. The Old Covenant, which everyone was accustomed to following, was passing away; they just didn’t know it yet. The Old Covenant, with its list of moral laws, sacrificial systems, and dietary laws, was being fulfilled in their new Messiah. Therefore, since He is the fulfillment of these things, He established a New Covenant, which He explained during what we call The Last Supper, but for them, it was Passover- the celebration of their redemption from Egypt and the passing over of the death of the firstborn just before their exodus. The time for the Law’s guardianship was over, and with the change in leadership comes a change in covenant, but it had to be done in a very specific way; it had to be initiated through His sacrifice. When Jesus lifted the bread and broke it, and when He raised the wine cup, He was foreshadowing His fate on the cross. The Davidic ruler couldn’t simply come and claim the throne; it was much more complicated than that. All of the highlight reels (prophecy) had to be played out so that God would not be made out to be a liar.
His lineage and declared rulership are one thing, but remember, His subjects are still dead, dry bones that need to be brought back to life once more. For that to happen, Jesus had to fulfill the other aspect of His mission.
He Came to Die
As we walk through the overarching elements of the grand story of redemption, we find ourselves back where we first began. In the garden, Adam and Eve failed while standing at the base of a tree- the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Now, where the first man failed, another would prevail. However, instead of rejecting sin by abstaining from the tree’s forbidden fruits, Jesus hung on a tree and took on the sin of every one of His people since the first human transgression.
God’s redemptive plan started with a tree and ended with a tree.
What is the Messiah called in Isaiah 53? Is He not the suffering servant? And what would He achieve? Was it not to die for the transgressions of His people, and by His stripes (or wounds), they are healed? This introduces a truth that is deeply meaningful to us. If His purpose is to give His life as a ransom, that means He took my place. He received what I deserved. That makes Him a substitute. In the grand design for redemption that was crafted in the mind of the Father from eternity past, everything done throughout human history would lead up to this moment… where the King would take my deserved punishment. This is the apex of the mission!
However, to be this sacrifice, He also had to be sinless. Recall the requirements for the Passover lamb: it had to be spotless. A blemished lamb was not acceptable. Although John the Baptist announced this very truth before Jesus’ baptism, this reality was obscured by the fact that the Jews were still making sacrifices at the temple. While Jesus journeyed to the cross as the fulfillment of the entire sacrificial system, these sacrifices were being performed in Jerusalem. As the people looked upon the offerings of lambs, bulls, and goats, reflecting on God’s provision of mercy and forgiveness, they failed to recognize that the temporary measures in the old system were being replaced by the eternal, one-time sacrifice that would cover all sin.
Similarly, an imperfect human (one who sins) cannot serve as a proper substitutionary sacrifice for us. The only individual who can fully obey and fulfill every righteous requirement of God’s law is God Himself. Jesus is not only the perfect human offered as a substitute for humanity, but He is also God- the second person of the Triune Godhead. Therefore, not only did Jesus endure the unimaginable physical anguish of the whips and the crucifixion (the most brutal torture device ever created), along with humiliation, mockery, and rejection from many of His followers, but He also experienced, for the first time since eternity past, separation from the Father. Brothers and sisters, see what your Savior has done for you! He willingly and joyfully undertook all this to pay the penalty, not for His own sin, but for everyone else’s, making the only way for them to be reconciled with God!
1 Peter 2:24 CSB
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Behold the works of Christ and manifold wisdom of God!
He Came to Conquer
At the cross, Jesus fulfilled the ancient promise of the Proto-Evangelium: the defeat of the serpent and the dismantling of the very power of death! In that moment, everything since the dawn of creation- every act of God in history, every pronouncement, every prophecy, every foreshadowing, and every promise of redemption- came to fruition when Jesus uttered the three most glorious words in all of scripture…
IT IS FINISHED!
Questions to Consider
1. What were the expectations of the Jews regarding the Messiah and how were they unfulfilled?
2. How did Jesus’ method of service differ from the expectations of a conquering king?
3. How might recognizing Jesus as both the conquering King and the Suffering Servant reshape our view of His mission?
4. In what ways can we share the story of God’s redemption with others in our community?5. What practical steps can you take to shift your focus from personal struggles to the grand narrative of God’s plan?
FAQs
- What were the expectations of the Jews regarding the Messiah and how were they unfulfilled?
- The Jews were expecting a Messiah who would be a powerful warrior-king, similar to Alexander the Great. However, Jesus came as a humble servant who would bring salvation through His sacrifice. This unfulfilled expectation led to a misunderstanding of His mission, as they failed to connect all the prophetic scriptures that described Him as both the Ruler from the Tribe of Judah and the Passover Lamb and Suffering Servant (Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 53:6-8, and others).
- The Jews expected the Messiah to be a conquering king who would defeat the Roman Empire and restore Israel to its former glory. However, Jesus did not fit this expectation. Instead, He came as a humble servant who would bring salvation through His death and resurrection.
2. How did Jesus’ method of service differ from the expectations of a conquering king?
- Jesus’ method of service was not about conquering or ruling with power, but about serving others. He taught, healed, and ministered to people, demonstrating the blessings of Abraham to all nations (John 3:16). Unlike the expected warrior-king, Jesus came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
3. How might recognizing Jesus as both the conquering King and the Suffering Servant reshape our view of His mission?
- Recognizing Jesus as both the Ruler from the Tribe of Judah and the Passover Lamb and Suffering Servant reveals a deeper understanding of His mission. He came not just to rule but to serve and die for the sins of humanity. This dual role is encapsulated in His statement, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), indicating the completion of His redemptive work.
4. In what ways can we share the story of God’s redemption with others in our community?
- We can share the story of God’s redemption by explaining how Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies and expectations of the Messiah. We can highlight how He came to serve, initiate the New Covenant, and die for the sins of humanity. This narrative can be shared through personal testimonies, Bible studies, and community outreach programs, emphasizing the grand narrative of God’s plan of salvation.
5. What practical steps can you take to shift your focus from personal struggles to the grand narrative of God’s plan?
- To shift our focus from personal struggles to the grand narrative of God’s plan, we can:
- Read Scripture comprehensively: Engage with the entire Bible, including Old Testament prophecies and New Testament fulfillments.
- Reflect on God’s redemptive plan: Regularly meditate on how Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies and expectations of the Messiah.
- Connect with others: Share the story of God’s redemption with others, fostering a community that understands and celebrates the grand narrative.
- Pray for understanding: Seek God’s guidance and wisdom to deepen your understanding of His plan.
By taking these steps, we can move from a focus on personal struggles to a broader understanding of God’s grand plan of salvation.
6. How does the agave plant illustrate God’s plan of salvation?
The agave plant illustrates God’s plan of salvation by showing how something seemingly dormant and insignificant can produce something magnificent and sacrificial. Just as the agave plant blooms once and then dies, Jesus’ sacrificial death was a singular event that fulfilled centuries of prophetic expectations and promises. This analogy highlights the patience and preparation of God in human history leading up to the coming of Jesus Christ.
7. What is the significance of Jesus’ lineage and declared rulership?
Jesus’ lineage and declared rulership are significant because they fulfill Old Testament prophecies. He was from the tribe of Judah and descended from David, making Him the rightful heir to the throne of Israel (Genesis 49:10, 2 Samuel 7:12-13). This lineage and rulership were crucial for His mission, as He had to be both the Ruler from the Tribe of Judah and the Passover Lamb and Suffering Servant to fulfill all prophecies and expectations.
8. How does Jesus’ sacrifice provide healing for humanity?
Jesus’ sacrifice provides healing for humanity by taking on the sins of all people. As the Passover Lamb, He was sinless and thus could serve as a proper substitutionary sacrifice. His death on the cross healed humanity by covering all sins, making it possible for people to be reconciled with God (1 Peter 2:24). This sacrifice is the apex of God’s redemptive plan, where the King took the punishment that humanity deserved, providing eternal life through faith in Him.