Sunday, December 4, 2012
am
THE LIFE OF JESUS (36)
Lessons from the Cross - 2
At the Cross -
a.
When we consider how
terrible crucifixion was, one is led to ask why was such a sacrifice
needed? Even if Jesus had to
die, why did it have to be in such a barbaric fashion?
b.
We may not have the
answer spelled out, but one thing we do know is that sin is a terrible
thing. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death.
Isaiah, of old told Israel, “You
iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden
His face from you.” (Isa. 59:4)
c.
Man’s guilt of sin was
declared – Rom. 3:23, 9-10 tells us there is none righteous before God.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
d.
Since the beginning, God
has demanded blood sacrifice for sins.
Even when Adam and Eve sinned, an animal skin was provided (which
probably means that blood was shed) to cover their “nakedness.” (Gen.
3:21) It was an integral
part of the Law of Moses.
And sacrifices were offered by the Patriarchs (though we are not told
they were sin offerings).
e.
Because of the
terribleness of sin, an appropriate sacrifice was necessary.
Jesus became that sacrifice willingly.
As we study the crucifixion, and seek to understand why that
method was chosen, we get a glimpse into how terrible sin is.
And as we remind ourselves of that, may it keep us from sinning.
a.
One of the unique
qualities of the Christian faith (as opposed to other world religions)
is how much God cares about us.
Many religions of the world see God as higher than us and out of
our reach (even pantheism shows God as impersonal and we are on our own
to figure it out).
b.
But we are shown in the
Bible how much God cares for us.
Certainly He is higher than we are and He is pure and holy.
He can have nothing to do with sin. (1 John 1:5 says, “God is
light and in Him is no darkness at all”)
But we are told in John 3:16 that God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son.
Rom. 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
c.
Rom. 3:24-26 speaks of
the righteousness of God which is demonstrated through the cross.
God did what was necessary to take care of our sins.
(More on this in our next lesson).
a.
Because of our sins, we
needed a Savior.
b.
Jesus left heaven to
come to this earth and die for us so that our sins could be forgiven.
Philippians 2:5-8 tells us this.
Revelation 5
John 15:13 – Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one’s life for his friends.”
Jesus was speaking of His love and willingness to die for us.
Recall how we have continually emphasized that what Jesus went
through He did it freely and willingly (cf. John 10:17-18).
c.
Recall the events that
led up to the cross. In the
garden, when Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the servant of
the high priest, Jesus told him to put it away and then He said, “Or do
you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me
with more than twelve legions of angels?
How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen
thus?” (Matt. 26:52-54)
Before the council, once and for all, Jesus declared He was the Son of
God knowing it was the accusation they were seeking.
Before Pilate, He did not seek a defense.
When asked if He was a king, Jesus simply said, “MY kingdom is
not of this world…” (John 18:36)
And later, having over and over declared Jesus innocent, I believe
Pilate was seeking a reason to deliver Jesus when he said in John 19:10,
“Are you not speaking to me?
Do you not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to
release You?” Jesus
answered Him, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it has
been given you from above.
Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (19:11)
Vs. 12 tells us that from then on Pilate sought to release Jesus.
MY POINT in this is that Jesus gave him nothing to work with to
provide release. Jesus knew
what He had to endure, and He did!
d.
Why did My Savior come
to earth and to the humble go?
Because He loved me so!
The cross demonstrates that love.
a.
We have already
discussed how terrible sin is and that God could have nothing to do with
sin. WE have also noted that
a sacrifice was needed for our sins.
We will discuss what the blood of Jesus accomplished in our next
lesson.
b.
Here we notice that on
our own we cannot achieve forgiveness for our sins.
We cannot save ourselves Eph. 2:8-9 – reminds us, we are saved by
grace through faith, “not of works lest anyone should boast.”
In this we realize that we
cannot earn or merit our salvation.
WE needed a sacrifice that would take care of our sins.
c.
Jesus paid the price we
could not pay.
Heb. 9:28,”so Christ was offered
once to bear the sins of many.”
Heb. 10:14 says, “For by
one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
2 Cor. 5:21, “For
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.”
In whatever capacity is meant by the text, Jesus became sin for
us. Gal. 3:13 says that “Christ
has…become a curse for us, (for it is written ‘Cursed is everyone who
hangs on a tree.’)”
Jesus paid the price on
the cross.
a.
One of the reasons Jesus
came to this earth was to build His church.
In Matt. 16:17-18 we find Jesus with His disciples declaring Him
to be the Son of the living God.
Jesus responds, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will
build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
b.
In Acts 20:28 – as Paul
was speaking to the Ephesian elders on his way to Jerusalem, he warned
them about wolves devouring the flock and tells them to “shepherd
the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love
your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for
her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by
the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not
having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy
and without blemish.”
c.
While the blood of Jesus
is associated with our salvation and atonement, His blood also paid the
price to establish the church. That
is why the church is described as His body and He as the head (Eph.
1:22-23). When we obey the
gospel in baptism, we come in contact with His blood and we are added to
His church (1 Cor. 12:12-13).
a.
While upon this earth,
Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Old Law (cf. Matt. 5:17-20).
In that, He was indicating that He was the Messiah they were
looking for. One of the
problems He dealt with was the unwillingness of much of the Jewish
nation to accept that it was a Law that was never intended to be the end
all. There are many reasons
for this, including its inadequacy to forever remove sins (cf. Heb.
10:1-4, 10:11-18), But Jesus
brought in a New Law that could adequately remove sins.
And with a New Law there is an ending of the Old Law.
That is what the Hebrew writer explains in chs. 8-10.
b.
Col. 2:13-14 tells us
that on the cross Jesus “wiped out
the handwriting of requirements which was against us, which was contrary
to us. And He has taken it
out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”
That handwriting of requirements was a reference to the Old Law.
Heb. 8:13 says, “In that He says, ‘a new covenant’, He has made the
first obsolete.”
a.
With the fulfillment and
abolishment of the Old Law, in God’s eyes, all of mankind has the same
hope and plan of salvation.
That was one reason a new covenant was needed.
b.
On the cross, Jesus made
that unity possible. Eph.
2:14-16, “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down
the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the
enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as
to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and
that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross,
thereby putting to death the enmity.”
c.
Gal. 3:26-29, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as
many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither
male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are
Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the
promise.”
a.
Earlier we studied Jesus
in the garden of Gethsemane and noticed that He willingly submitted to
the will of the Father. (Matt. 26:39, 42)
As Jesus went to the cross, He is the perfect example of how to
obey God. It’s not about
what we WANT to do, but what He wants us to do and that which is best.
b.
Heb. 5:8-9says, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He
suffered. And having been
perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey
Him,…”
c.
1 Pet. 2:21-24, “For
to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us
an example, that you should follow His steps:
“Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He
suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges
righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree,
that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose
stripes you were healed.”
What about you?
Have you come in contact with the saving blood of Jesus that was shed on
that cross for the remission of our sins?
If not, why not obey the gospel today while you have opportunity?
(Gal. 3:27)