In reality, it is all about Jesus.  The Sabbath, Creation, Salvation, Redemption, Eternal Life... all nothing without the Son of God, and the man Jesus Christ - which for Adventists, and Christianity, are the same thing.

His Life

We often say that Jesus died for us, but let us not forget that he lived for us too.  Keeping every dot, every piece of the law.  Living as we live here on earth, suffering as we suffer, being tempted as we are tempted.  And yet he was blameless and spotless.  So we are to recieve his life, his reward, his consequence.

His Death

To fully understand this, we must understand what the Bible describes as the “2nd Death.”  The first death, the one we observe here on this earth, is the first death, and not a big deal according to Jesus who called it nothing more than “a sleep”.  And as if to prove his point, he told Lazarus to wake up after 4 days of “sleep” and he did.

Jesus did not die the sleeping (1st) death on the cross.  He died the 2nd death, the dead death.  The one the Bible describes as not being able to come back from (Revelation 20) - except he did.  Therefore, we do not have to die forever, Jesus died our 2nd death in our place.  He took Adam and Eve’s, and our consequence.

His Resurrection

Jesus did not stay dead, he beat death, and as prophesied, rose again on the third day.  We understand this to be the pivotal event not only in this worlds, and universes history, but in our own personal history too.  For we can accept Jesus life, and use his death because of his resurrection.  It really is ALL about JESUS!

We needed Jesus to live, we needed Jesus to die, and we needed him to rise up again from that devastating death.

Verses

John 3.16; Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2.21, 22; 1 Corinthians 15.3, 4, 20-22; 2 Corinthians 5.14, 15, 19-21; Romans 1.4; 3.25; 4.25; 8.3, 4; 1 John 2.2; 4.10; Colossians 2.15; Philippians 2.6-11.

Official Language

In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God's law and the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims God's triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow.