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The Cross Was Central To St. Pauls Preaching
How Much God Loves Us
By Max Solbrekken
"Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him away. And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgatha: Where they crucified Him, and two other with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews." (John 19:16-19)
Our Lord, Jesus Christ when Roman soldiers put the crown of thorns upon his head
Matthew 27:22 (KJV) Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
Matthew 27:23 (KJV) But the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
Matthew 27:24 (KJV) When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood on this just person: se ye to it
Matthew 27:25 (KJV) Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
Matthew 27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Matthew 27:29 And when they had patted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews."
Matthew 27:30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
Matthew 27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
Matthew 27:32 (KJV) And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
The face of our Lord Jesus before the crucifixion
Matthew 27:33 (KJV) And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
Matthew 27:34 (KJV) They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
Matthew 27:35 (KJV) And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
Matthew 27:37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Matthew 27:45-46 (KJV) Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, E-li, E-li, la-ma sa-bach-tha-ni? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Matthew 27:47 (KJV) Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
Matthew 27:48 (KJV) And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
Matthew 27:49 (KJV) The rest said, Let be, let us see whether E-li-as will come to save him.
Matthew 27:50 (KJV) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
Matthew 27: 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Matthew 27:57 (KJV) And the even was come, there was a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:
Matthew 27:58 (KJV) He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
Mary, the mother of Jesus after the crucifixion, claiming the body of Jesus to be buried in the tomb.
St. Paul wrote, "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are SAVED, it is the power of God." (I Cor. 1:18)
The irony is that mankind has - by and large - rejected the Gospel of Christ because of it s simplicity, and in its place substituted an alternate gospel which is powerless because it is not based in truth and righteousness. The great apostle fully understood this.
He stated, "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness:
"But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (1 Cor. 1:22-23) Again St. Paul declared, "For I determined not to know anything among you, save (except) Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (1 Cor. 2:2)
PREACHING OF THE CROSS WAS CENTRAL
TO ST. PAUL
To the Jews who were tempted to discard the simplicity of the gospel for "law-keeping" he writes, "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace."
"For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." (Ga. 5:4-6)
His argument was that if we trust in the works of the law - like circumcision - we have then made the "work of Christ on the cross of no effect" and, "Christ shall profit you nothing." He speaks of the "offense of the cross" which he had to suffer because of embracing the truth. (Gal. 5:11; 6:12) It cost Paul everything to serve Christ.
"But God forbid that I should glory, save *(except) in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Gal. 6:14)
The bottom line is that rituals, ceremonies, keeping of laws and following traditions do not save souls or change lives. The Bible says, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision but a new creature." (Gal. 6:15)
The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)
St. Paul gloried in THE CROSS OF CHRIST, because only through His substitionary, all-atoning death for the sins of the world is there redemption for fallen man! That is why the apostle declared, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (heathen)." (Rom. 1:16)
The Bible says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
"Where for God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:5-11)
In this treatise, I wish to share the teaching of God about the cross and the blood of Jesus. I will answer the question, "What does God say about the cross and what does the Cross of Christ teach us"? The Cross of Christ teaches us five things:
What does God think about our sins?
How much God loves us
The doctrine of substitution
Christ's victor over Satan
The Value of an eternal soul
#1 - The Cross Teaches Us What God Thinks of Our Sins
The Bible warns: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezek. 18:4,20)
God had warned Adam and Eve about the sin of disobedience and the awful consequences of such an act. He stated unequivocally, "...of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (lit. heb. - in dying thou shalt die). (Genesis 2:16-17)
God's command was definite and irrevocable - "You can enjoy this beautiful garden forever, providing you obey My commands and keep them. If you do not, you will begin to die and eventually return to the ground out of which you came."
Please note: Ever since that fateful day, every baby has been born with death in their mortal bodies.
When our first parents sinned, they threw the entire human race into turmoil and jeopardy. Human kind was cascaded into physical as well as eternal death.
In His great mercy, God came searching for Adam and Eve in order to redeem them. He asked Adam & Eve the big question - 'WHY?' Then He passed judgment upon them and the earth, because of their rebellion and sin.
"And the Lord God said unto the woman, "What is this that thou hast done?" And the woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." And the Lord God said unto the serpent, "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman He said, I will gratly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."
"And unto Adam He said, "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow thou shalt eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, til thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Genesis 3:13-19)
GOD PRONOUNCED A CURE UPON THE SERPENT. It would lose its ability to walk and would have to crawl and eat dust. Scientists now believe that at one time serpents walked upright. He would put enmity between the human race and serpents. In a USA survey it states that 98% of Americans hate snakes more than any other animal.
That enmity was a type of pre-picture of the battle pitting Satan and his minions against God and His children.
Then God dropped a bombshell. He revealed a great truth hidden from before the foundations of the world. He would send a redeemer!
This was the first mention of the Coming Messiah! His own Son would be incarnated (become a man) in order to suffer, bleed and die to save us. He would redeem the human race through the sacrificial death of His Son, on the Cross. As a type of that ultimate sacrifice, God killed an innocent animal shedding its blood, to atone for Adam and Eve's sins. And from the skins, He made clothes to cover them;
GOD PRONOUNCED A CURSE UPON THE WOMAN
And unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee."
During my world travels, I have observed how men treat their wives. In most pagan cultures, wives are like a piece of property. They are inferior to men and cannot even eat with their husbands or sons. And females are often aborted before birth, due to their little value! Ungodly, chauvinistic, over sexed men often marry four wives or more. (I once met a Muslim man in Kenya who had 65 wives.) Often such a man is able to accuse his wife - rightly or wrongly and have her put to death on false charges. Or divorce her on the spot!
It is not uncommon for mothers to choke their young daughters to death, because of the unjust Hindu caste system which would bankrupt a poor family with several daughters.
Only Jesus Christ gives women liberty through the glorious gospel which was purchased by His shed blood. Only the gospel sets women free.
Among all the world's religions, only Christianity treats women with respect and honor, as a special creation of God, through the New Birth!
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male or female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:26-28)
GOD PRONOUNCED A CURSE UPON THE GROUND
"And unto Adam He said, "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;" (Genesis 3:17-18)
Because of Adam's sin, there would be a curse upon the ground. Man would not enjoy the fruit of his work. Thorns and thistles would come forth to plague him as he tilled the earth to eke out a living. "In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life."
THEN GOD PRONOUNCED A CURSE UPON MAN
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, til thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. 3: 17-19)
Man, who was created for immortality would die and return to the dust. God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden and kept its gates guarded with a flaming cherubim, lest man would enter the Garden and eat the fruit of the TREE OF LIFE and live forever in their sins. Thus, He salvaged the human race from being lost forever with the same fate as Satan, the liar.
CAIN & ABEL - THEY BOTH KNEW THE RULES
After these traumatic experiences, Cain & Abel were born to them. One day the two sons came with an offering unto the Lord. They both knew the rules. There is no doubt that Almighty God had communicated to their parents what was required of them.
SINCE THE 'FALL', every man had to bring a sacrifice to atone for his sins. And the sacrifice had to be like the original one which God himself killed, to atone for the sins of Adam and Eve.
The truth is that 'sin' is so terrible that a life had to be taken and innocent blood shed in order for it to be forgiven. The blood had to be innocent - not contaminated by man's sinful nature - so God used a lamb from the flocks to provide the sacrifice, until "the fullness of time" when he would sacrifice His own Son - as the Pascal lamb - To die as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world.
That is why God accepted the sacrifice of Abel - the firstling of his flocks - and rejected the offering of Cain - the fruit of the ground. Cain is a type of the pagan religions as well as modernists who seek to please God with their own kind of offering, rather than following God's prescribed ways. This is a classic example of 'SALVATION THROUGH GOOD WORKS' rather than by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Golgatha's Hill.
Ever since the fall, God has demanded a blood sacrifice in order to forgive the sins of fallen man. All the patriarchs built alters and sacrificed unto the Lord. Then came the sacrificial system.
God instituted the 'sacrificial system' under Moses - the great Jewish prophet and law giver - so that He coul dhae fellowship with His people and forgive them for their continual sinning. This continued for 2,000 years until Jesus came to pay the supreme price and redeem us all from the curse of the law and the power of the 'wicked one'!
The Bibe says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeh on a tree:" (Galations 3:13)
It is estimated that each year on 'THE GREAT DAY OF ATONEMENT' during the reign of Solomon, that 500,000 lambs were sacrificed. History confirms that the blood flowed in a stream, across the Kidron Valley for days, after that event. When Jesus hung on Golgatha's Hill dying upon 'The Cursed Tree', an estimated 250,000 lambs died on the alters of the temple in Jerusalem. And every lamb, goat, bullock or red heifer that was slain under Jewish Law pointed to Jesus of Nazareth, God's own Lamb.
The law stated, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sin", (Hebrews 9:22) and "It is the blood that maketh atonement for sin." (Lev. 17:11) And St. John declares, "If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with the other and the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son cleanseth us from all sins." (I John 1:7)
The Bible says, "And from Jesus Christ...that loved us and washed us from our sins in His won blood." (Rev. 1:5)
My precious friend, the cross of Christ delivers a powerful message to this world. The cross teaches us what God thinks about our sin. He hates our sins. They are a stench in His nostrils and an abomination in His sight.
From God's word we learn the awful truth about sin, and its eternal consequences.
God had to send His Son to die the awful death of the cross - meeting the demands of Divine Justice - in order to redeem us and purchase our freedom from the chains of satanic bondage and hell forever.
The Bible says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
#2 - The Cross Teaches us how much God loves us
Martin Luther called John 3:16, "a miniature Bible". It is the central verse of the New Testament.
Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
St. John, overwhelmed by God's great love, exclaimed, "We love Him because He first loved us." (I John 4:19)
What an enormous subject that brings up. We love Him because...There are so many reasons why we love God and St. John's explanation is a good place to start. WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US! Then, we must ask ourselves: "Why does He love us? How does He show His love to us?"
God's love is magnanimous, beneficent and all encompassing. It is an ocean divine reaching out in every directoon of His great universe, touching things that touch people - saving, healing, sustaining, providing and ever loving everyone unconditionally. Hallelujah!
The hymn writer, anointed by God, wrote:
"Oh love of God, so rich and pure
So measureless and strong
It shall forevermore endure
The saints and angels song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the sky of parchment made
And every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write to love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
And could the scroll contain the whole
Would stretch from sky to sky!"
The premier reason for us to love God, is that He first reached down to us. The Bible says, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6)
St. Paul writes, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might become rich." (2 Cor. 8:9)
About 20 years ago while studying the dictionary, I came across the word 'apodictic' taken from the Greek 'apodeiktikos' which mean "EVIDENT BEYOND CONTRADICTIONS". It also conveys the meaning: "incontestable because demonstrated and demonstrable; necessarily true or logically certain and proving fully."
Immediately, I knew that that words belongs only to God, for who else can guarantee anything to be "evident beyond contradictions?
Certainly, man in his unregenerate state is unbelievable inconsistent, changeable and vulnerable to moral corruptions.
The Bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: Who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9)
The power of God is apodictic - 'evident beyond contradictions'. The wisdom of God, the peace of God, the joy and mercy of God is apodictic.
Who can deny that the Love of God is apodictic - evident beyond contradictions? Even the hardest sinner and cruelest skeptic and unbeliever cannot contradict God's love, mercy, grace and compassion - CALVARY PROVES GOD'S LOVE.
Who else, but our Heavenly Father, would send His own Son to die upon a rugged cross - as a common criminal between two thieves - to rescue the world that had gone mad through unbelief, rebellion, fear and evil?
The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)
St.Paul tells it like it really is! "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things." (Romans 8:32)
The world was hopelessly lost in sin, degradation and death through Adam's transgression. Then, Almighty God acted out of love, compassion and mercy to save us. He sent His one and only Son down to this earth to be incarnated (God became flesh) so that He could shed His pure and perfect blood as a ransom or penalty for our sinfulness.
This is without doubt one of the greatest scriptures in teh entire Bible because it speaks of our Saviour. Who died willingly and gladly for our sins so that we could be saved.
The Bible says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (perfecter) of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.' (Heb. 12:3)
GOD SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON
God gave His best when He offered up His own Son as a ransom price for a world which needed to be redeemed from the curse of the law and the world's greatest terrorist, Satan himself. God the Father went all the way. He spared NOTHING - but rather gave all for us!~
He delivered up His OWN SON into the hands of murderers to be verbally abused, spit upon, blasphemed, mocked, physically assaulted and finally crucified as a common criminal in order to purchase our redemption.
The prophet declared that the face (visage) of the Messiah (Jesus) would be "marred more than any man, and his form (body) more than the sons of men." (Isaiah 52:14)
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our grief (sickness), and carried our sorrows (pains); yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."
(Isaiah 5: 3-5)
The Bible says, "When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sins." (Gal. 4:4)
An old adage says: "To sin is human but to forgive is divine!" It takes the grace of God to forgive those who have wronged you, even when they repent and ask for forgiveness.
As Jesus hung on the cross under the greatest spiritual pressure, taunted and mocked by His enemies, He cried out to His Father for mercy for those who had place Him there. His prayer was, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
Now is the time for reconciliation. We must forgive one another - as Jesus Christ did - and love one another. There is no time to waste. Now is the accepted time. Now is the tiem to repent and turn back to God.
The Bible says, "And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."(2 Cor. 5:18-21)
What is so amazing is that God Himself initiated the plan of salvation, which included the death of His Son. St. Paul declared that Jesus of Nazareth was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God to be crucified. (Acts 2:23)
The prophet Isaiah stated that God, "..laid upon Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6)
"Surely He bath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:4)
Almighty God - in His great love for us - SMOTE HIS OWN SON and put Him to grief in order to save us. That blows one away. I can't understand God's great love for a world that rejected Him. How can anyone understand such love. It is indeed, "Past finding out."
His grace, mercy and love is holy and divine and too wonderful for me to comprehend. Martin Luther stated that it will take all eternity for us to understand such things as... "grace and gospel.."
The Bible says, "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His (Jesus Christ) soul an offering for sin..." (Isaiah 53:10)
The Romans didn't kill Jesus. It wasn't the Jews who put him to death. It was God Almighty - our Heavenly Father - who freely offered his own Son for the sins of the world. No one will ever be able to understand God's love. All we have to do is accept His offer of mercy to us, and receive His pardon and forgiveness, and thankfulness.
#3 - THE CROSS TEACHES US THE DOCTRINE OF SUBSTITUTION
The third great truth that the Cross of Christ teaches us is 'The Doctrine of Substitution' - one dying for another.
This song says it all:
"I should have been crucified
I should have suffered and bled and died.
I should have hung on the cross for disgrace,
But, Jesus, God's Son took my place.
The Bible says, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time, CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die."
"But God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US. More man then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."
"For if, when we were sinners, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:6-10)
St. Paul lays out the "DOCTRINE OF SUBSTITUTION" so clearly in this scripture: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all man, for that all have sinned." (verse 12)
"But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abandoned unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification."
JESUS TASTED DEATH FOR US ALL
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:15-21)
The Bible says: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel...how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. (I Cor. 15:1-4)
Martin Luther was consumed by the gospel of Christ. He stated, "I live as though Jesus Christ died yesterday, arose today and is coming again tomorrow." This is the message of the gospel - Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again for my justification - Praise the Lord.
The Bible says, "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the Holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?" (Hebrews 9:12-14)
By offering Himself in our place, Jesus Christ bore our condemnation, and paid the penalty for our sins releasing us from all the guilt and God's judgment against us.
The Bible says, "...when He (Jesus) had by Himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High." (Hebrews 1:3)
St. Paul declared, "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again." (2 Cor. 5:14-15)
Again he challenges the Church: "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ," "Who dies for us, that, whither we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him." (I Thess. 5:9-10)
A SAD & MOVING STORY
A very touching human interest story has come down to us from the tragic "American Civil War'. A number of southern soldiers had infiltrated the Union Army as spies and were found out. They were sentenced to death by firing squad.
Just as the commanding officer ordered his men to take aim at the little white patch over each condemned man's heart, a shout rang out, "Hold your fire, don't shoot".
A young man emerged from the woods shouting and waving his arms frantically. Approaching the commanding officer, the young man confessed that he also was a rebel soldier and had been hiding in the woods.
Then pointing to an older man he pleaded for his release saying, "We are from the same town in the south. He has a family of four children and I am not married. Please allow me to die in his place. Let me exchange places with him.
Because of the courage and compassion displayed by the young "reb soldier" his wish was granted. The older soldier was released and told to return to his loved ones. The young man was blind folded, his hands tied and together with the other condemned men was executed.
After burying the infiltrators, the Union soldiers moved on, but early the next morning the freed soldier returned with a horse and space. He dug up his comrade's body and took it back to the Southern USA, where they had a proper Church funeral.
A little cross was erected as a memorial over his grave, complete with the fallen soldier's name, rank and these words: "HE TOOK MY PLACE, HE DIED FOR ME", with the freed man's name and signature below, for everyone to read.
This story reminds me of what Jesus did for us on Golgathz's Hill. "He took my place, He died for me."
#4 - THE CROSS TEACHES CHRIST'S VICTORY OVER SATAN
The fourth lesson the cross teaches us is that Jesus Christ's death has liberated us from satanic bondage.
When Jesus walked among men, He healed the sick and cast out unclean spirits from them who were bound by the Evil One. The Bible says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil." (Acts 10:38)
The literal greek states that Jesus healed all who "were under the domination or lordship of Satan."
Again Jesus testified, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; It is expedient (necessary, advantageous) for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter (Divine Helper) will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."
"And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me; Of righteousness because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more;"
"Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." (John 16:7-11) The Amplified Bible states that Satan, the prince of this world is already judged and the Holy Spirit has come to "demonstrate to the world, Christ's victory over Satan."
What a great truth - The Holy Spirit has been sent to "DEMONSTRATE TO THE WORLD, CHRIST'S VICTORY OVER SATAN"
When Jesus died on Calvary's cross, He defeated Satan totally, and the Holy Spirit's major task is to demonstrate to the world, Christ's victory over Satan.
How does He do that? By empowering Christ's body - the Church - to do the same works which Jesus did before His death and glorious resurrection.
When souls are saved because of our preaching and the Holy Spirit's convicting power, He is demonstrating to the world, 'Christ's Victory over Satan'.
When the sick and diseased are healed miraculously by the Word of God in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit raises them up to health and strength, He is demonstrating to the world, 'Christ's Victory over Satan."
When unclean spirits are discerned and cast out of the "tormented ones" in Jesus' all powerful Name, the Holy Spirit is "demonstrating to the world, Christ's victory over Satan"!
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT ?
Christ's victory and Satan's defeat has to be heralded in all three worlds so that EVERY ANGELIC BEING, SATANIC FORCE & HUMAN BEING will know that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
St. Paul wrote, "And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knees should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:8-11)
To the Colossians he wrote, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Col. 2:14)
During that era, when a king returned from a great victory, his subjects would line the streets of their capital city to shout his praises and welcome him and his fighting legions home.
As the CONQUERING KING drove his chariot down the main street, the defeated enemy king would be paraded before the people, chained, stripped of his armor and running behind the chariot.
The defeated king's armor and crown were placed in the triumphant king's chariot and often displayed for the people to see. It was a glorious moment for the conqueror but one of humiliation for the loser.
St. Paul draws this analogy. Jesus, the conquering king has defeated Satan, stripped him of all his weapons and power and rendered him ineffective in chains.
The Norwegian Bible says, that Jesus has disarmed him and the literal Greek gives us the inference that "he is naked." Jesus made a show of them (all demon powers) openly.
What does that mean? Satan has been defeated by Jesus Christ for everyone to behold, in three worlds. The host of Heaven saw it, the demonic powers of Hell witnessed Christ's victory and the Holy Spirit has been sent to demonstrate to the world (so every human being might know) that Satan is defeated.
TETELESTAI: IT IS FINISHED
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost." (John 19:30)
When Jesus cried "IT IS FINISHED", He was declaring our Liberty. He had purchased our complete salvation by His suffering and death on Calvary! Jesus spoke in Greek when He made that statement.
The words, "IT IS FINISHED" in the Greek is "tetelestai", taken from the verb "teleo", have 3 essential meanings:
"To bring to an end, finish or complete something". Jesus had finished His work, having met the demands of divine justice."
He had completed His mission. Redemption was now a reality.
He had also brought to an end the 'devil's dynasty of terror'. He had shed His precious blood for the sins of the world. A fountain of blood had been opened "for sin and uncleanness." (Zach. 13:1) Jesus had broken Satan's strangle-hold upon the human race.
St. John wrote, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."
(I John 3:8)
The Bible declares, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14-15)
Through His vicarious death on the cross, Jesus destroyed Satan and his evil power over humanity. That spells:
CHRIST'S VICTORY, SATAN'S DEFEAT AND OUR LIBERTY
2. "To carry out, accomplish, perform, fulfill." Salvation is now complete; nothing needs to be added: "For by grace are ye saved through faith." (Eph. 2:8-10) He was saying, "My blood is flowing, sins can now be washed away and sicknesses healed...because God's great salvation is now optional."
Jesus fulfilled 332 prophetic scriptures referring to the 'Coming Messiah'. Among these were 61 major prophecies, and Jesus fulfilled them all.
According to the scientific - Law of Probabilities - Dr. Peter Stoner has proven conclusively that, for any other man to fulfill just 8 of the major prophecies which Jesus fulfilled, he would have only one chance in 10 to the 17th power~ That is 10 with 17 zeros after it. (1,000,000,000,000,000,000)
In order for us to understand the magnitude of that figure, Dr. Stoner calculated that it would be necessary to cover the face of Texas with American silver dollars two feet deep. Out of those millions of silver dollars, only one would be marked with an X. All would then be vigorously stirred together.
A man would be blind folded and told, "You may walk across the State and dig as much as you like, but the first silver dollar you pick up must have the X on it."
Jesus performed and executed to the letter every demand of the law. He fulfilled every messianic prophecy. No other person could come close to doing that. He stated, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17)
3. "To pay what is owed." We were guilty of sin. Our future was doomed for "the scripture hath concluded all under sin." (Gal. 3:22) The Bible says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
God's Word declared, "For the wages of sin is death; But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
No wonder the apostle states, "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." (2 Cor. 9:15)
Jesus paid the awful cost of redemption. The Bible says, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself to God, purge your conscience from dead works." (Hebrews 9:14)
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (I Peter 1:18-19)
St. Paul declared, "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (I Cor. 6:20)
The Bible says, "The Blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (I John 1:7)
"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Gal. 3:13-14)
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross." (Col. 2:13-14)
The statement of guilt, shame and debt has been removed by the victorious death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Norwegian Bible states, "The letter of debt" was nailed to His cross.
The statement that declared me bankrupt, guilty, doomed to sinful behavior, sickness, fear, death and eternal damnation has been laid on Jesus Christ and nailed to his cross. I am now free, Hallelujah!
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Gal. 3:13)
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (I John 3:8)
No. 5 THE CROSS TEACHES US THE VALUE OF AN ETERNAL SOUL
Jesus stated, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36-37)
Our Lord declared, "For the Son of man is come to SEEK and to SAVE that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)
Jesus portrayed Himself as the "GOOD SHEPHERD" who left the 99 sheep - who were safe - and went out into the dark night to rescue the ONE LOST SHEEP.
He declared that He was the "GOOD SHEPHERD" who would give His life for his sheep! "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Our Lord stated, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
"But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."
"Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have poewr to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father." (John 10:7-18)
The Bible says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
Jesus laid down His life for us and the cross teaches us how much value God puts upon one individual soul. He loves us and gave Himself for us individually. We are worth more to Him than 'all the riches and wealth of this world.'
Don't forget it my friend...Your soul is priceless in the sight of God. That is why Jesus gave his life for you and me. And thats what the cross teaches us.
During his European crusades, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte gathered his leading generals and officers into his war room. Spreading out the map of Europe, Napoleon pointed toward the British Isles - which were colored in red - and stated emphatically, "If it wasn't for that little red spot I could rule the world."
The British Isles stood in the way of Napoleon's dream of conquering Europe and the world. He was conquered by the British at the 'Battle of Waterloo.' The little red spot, the British Isles had defeated Napoleon Bonaparte.
It is not unreasonable to think that one day Satan gathered all of his leading demons into his war room and spreading out the map of the world and pointing to Golgotha exclaimed, "If it wasn't for this little red spot, I could rule the world."
The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on Golgotha's Hill - effectively crippled Satan and took from him the power and ability to run roughshod over God's people.
He no longer has any jurisdiction over those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and trust in his precious blood for eternal life. What a marvelous fact.
The blood of Jesus Christ, shed for us all on Golgotha, has purchased our eternal salvation.
#1 WE RECEIVE FORGIVENESS of OUR SINS THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"In Whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
#2 WE RECEIVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
"But the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (I Peter 1:18-19)
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:28)
#3 WE RECEIVE CLEANSING FROM SIN THROUGH THE BLOOD
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sins." (I John 1:7)
#4 WE ARE LOOSED FROM OUR SINS THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"And from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood." (Rev. 1:5)
#5 WE ARE JUSTIFIED THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Rom. 5:9)
"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in His blood, to declare the righteousness for the remission of sins, that are passed, through the forbearance of God." (Rom. 3:24-25)
#6 WE RECEIVE PEACE THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"And having made peace through the death of His cross, by Him to receive all things unto himself;" (Col. 1:20)
#7 WE RECEIVE ACCESS TO THE FATHER THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh;" (Heb. 10:19-20)
#8 WE RECEIVE DIVINE HEALING THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Is. 53:5)
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes ye are healed." (1 Peter 2:24)
#9 WE RECEIVE VICTORY OVER THE DEVIL THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." (Rev. 12:11)
#10 WE ARE SANCTIFIED THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify His people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." (Hebrews 13:12)
#11 WE RECEIVE A CLEAR (PURGED) CONSCIENCE THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience (mind) from dead works, to serve the Living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)
#12 WE RECEIVE ETERNAL GLORY THROUGH HIS BLOOD
"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and hav washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them...
"For the Lamb Which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."
(Rev. 7:14-17)
IN CONCLUSION
There is no grander story told and no theme as sublime as the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the true account of God's great love reaching down to sinful man.
The Gospel of the grace of God is the greatest of all offers - Sins forgiven, fellowship with God restored and Eternal Life given to all who trust in the merits of Jesus Christ's shed blood on Calvary and His glorious resurrection from the dead.
He awaits your cry for mercy my friend. He awaits your decision to forsake your sins and walk out of Satan's prison house into the freedom of God's presence.
The Bible says, "Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:21)
And Jesus has promised: "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37) |
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