It is absolutely right to dig deep into the real reason Jesus remained on the cross—it wasn’t just the nails, but divine love and His mission to reconcile humanity to Himself. Let’s look at how the BIBLE supports the truth that:
- Jesus is God,
- Love—not nails—held Him to the cross, and
- His mission was to restore humanity to Himself.
🕊️ 1. Jesus Is God (Biblical Evidence)
John 1:1, 14 (NRSVUE)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…
And the Word became flesh and lived among us…”
- Jesus is called the Word, and the Word was God.
- Then the Word became flesh—this is a clear indication that Jesus is God in human form.
John 20:28
“Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”
- After the resurrection, Thomas confesses Jesus as God—and Jesus does not correct him.
- This is a powerful affirmation of Jesus’ divine identity.
Colossians 2:9
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
- The entire essence of God resides in Jesus in bodily form.
- Paul is affirming that Jesus is not merely sent by God—He is God in the flesh.
❤️ 2. It Was Love, Not Nails, That Held Him There
Romans 5:8
“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”
- This verse directly ties Jesus’ death to divine love.
- He didn’t wait for us to get it right—He loved us while we were still broken.
John 10:17-18
“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”
- The crucifixion wasn’t forced.
- Jesus willingly gave Himself—it was His choice, driven by love.
- Nails didn’t bind Him—love did.
Galatians 2:20
“…the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
- Personal and powerful—He gave Himself because He loved us.
🔄 3. His Mission: Reconciliation and Restoration
2 Corinthians 5:19
“…in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them…”
- God was in Christ, doing the work of restoring humanity to Himself.
- This verse again reflects the truth that Jesus is God, and God’s mission in Christ was reconciliation.
Ephesians 1:9-10
“…he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,
as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him…”
- God’s eternal plan was always to gather and restore all things in Christ.
✝️ Summary: It Was Love That Held Him
When we say, “It wasn’t nails that held Jesus to the cross, but love,” we’re echoing the deep truth of the Gospel:
- Jesus is God (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9).
- He came in flesh to lay down His life (John 10:18).
- His love is what drove Him to do it (Romans 5:8, Galatians 2:20).
- And His mission was to restore us to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).
Jesus is God in flesh, and His love—not iron nails—held Him to the cross to restore humanity to Himself.
✨ Introduction
So many people say, “The nails held Jesus on the cross.” But friend, nails can only hold flesh. What held Jesus there wasn’t metal—it was mercy. It wasn’t Roman strength—it was redeeming love. And it wasn’t human failure—it was God’s eternal plan.
Today, we’re going to break open a divine mystery:
Jesus is God, and it was His love for us that kept Him on the cross—not nails.
🕊️ I. JESUS IS GOD
John 1:1, 14
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…
And the Word became flesh and lived among us…”
- The Word is God.
- That Word became flesh—He didn’t just visit, He dwelt among us.
- That Word is Jesus. God wrapped Himself in humanity.
John 20:28
“Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”
- Doubting Thomas no longer doubts—he confesses!
- Jesus receives this worship, because He is God.
Colossians 2:9
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”
- All of God is in Jesus—not part, not just a representative.
- Jesus didn’t reflect God—He embodied God.
❤️ II. IT WAS LOVE THAT HELD HIM THERE
Romans 5:8
“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”
- Not after we cleaned ourselves up.
- Not after we tried to be holy.
- While we were sinners—He proved His love.
John 10:17–18
“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”
- No one forced Jesus on the cross.
- The nails were not stronger than His will.
- He chose love over escape.
Galatians 2:20
“…the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
- Personal—He loved me.
- He gave Himself—this wasn’t just martyrdom. It was a divine gift.
🔄 III. HIS MISSION WAS TO RESTORE US TO HIMSELF
2 Corinthians 5:19
“…in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself…”
- God was in Christ. Not separate.
- He came to reconcile—bring us back, close the distance.
Ephesians 1:9-10
“…to gather up all things in him…”
- His plan: to gather, not scatter.
- The cross wasn’t the end—it was the beginning of restoration.
🧎🏽 IV. Call to Respond
Friend, don’t let this message pass you by.
- He didn’t stay on the cross for religion.
- He didn’t stay for show.
- He stayed because He loves YOU.
He is God.
He chose the cross.
He did it to bring you back.
Will you trust Him today?
📘 TEACHING OUTLINE
“It Wasn’t the Nails: A Study on the Love of God in Christ”
✳️ A. Jesus is God
Objective: Prove the deity of Christ through scripture.
- John 1:1, 14 – The Word was God and became flesh.
- John 20:28 – Thomas calls Jesus “My Lord and my God.”
- Colossians 2:9 – “All the fullness of deity dwells bodily in Christ.”
Teaching point: The incarnation is not symbolic—it’s literal. Jesus is not “like God.” He is God.
✳️ B. Love Held Him, Not Nails
Objective: Show Christ’s voluntary sacrifice out of love.
- Romans 5:8 – Love proven while we were sinners.
- John 10:17–18 – “I lay down my life… No one takes it from me.”
- Galatians 2:20 – “The Son of God… loved me and gave himself.”
Teaching point: The cross was not a trap. It was a mission of love. Jesus wasn’t overpowered—He surrendered.
✳️ C. His Goal: Reconciliation
Objective: Teach the restorative purpose of the cross.
- 2 Corinthians 5:19 – “God was in Christ reconciling the world…”
- Ephesians 1:9–10 – The plan: to gather all things in Christ.
Teaching point: The goal was not punishment—it was peace, oneness, restoration.
✳️ D. Discussion Questions
- Why is it essential to understand that Jesus is God and not just a representative?
- What are the dangers of thinking Jesus died only because He was overpowered?
- How can understanding Jesus’ voluntary love change how we live?
- In what ways can we now participate in the ministry of reconciliation?