Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Conquered at the Cross

Theme: Grasping Kingdom Authority in the Cross of Christ

Series: Grasping Our Authority in Christ

“But the gift is not like the trespass.

For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

(Romans 5:15-19)

“Grasping Kingdom Authority”

In grasping our authority in Christ there are six key topics that must be addressed, the first being “Grasping Kingdom Authority.”

On this topic we have had our “Enemies Exposed,” come to realize that “A Battle Rages,” discovered “Surviving Satan’s Realm,” and today “Conquered at the Cross.”

Christians who grasp their authority in Christ base their guidelines for living on the truth.

At the present time we live in a sin cursed world, therefore, sinners are saved by grace.

They have Holy Spirit illumination of Ephesians 2:4-5, “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ… it is by grace you have been saved.”

Living in a sin trodden world has great dangers which are understood by those who live victoriously in Christ.

These Christians understand the sin principle and how it slowly creeps in undetected until it makes its public announcement, destroys a person’s effectiveness, and causes destruction to all who are associated with that person’s life.

Learning what happened to Ephesus gives us a clear picture of how sin births its destructive power.

Ephesus was often mentioned in the New Testament.

(Acts 18:19-21; 19:1, 17-10; 20:16; 1 Corinthians 15:32; 16:8; 1 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:18; 4:12; Revelation 1:11 and 2:1) Located at the mouth of the Cayster River, it was noted for its bustling harbors, broad avenues, gymnasiums, baths, huge amphitheater, and especially its magnificent Temple of Diana.

In her day she was one of the cultural and commercial centers of western Asia Minor.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

Ephesus was a real city that represented that place where mankind could fill his flesh with Satan’s lies, enjoy false worship and feed upon all that this world system has to offer.

A place that needed to hear the gospel and, thank God, they got to hear the gospel proclaimed.

(Acts 18:18-27) There were disciples of Christ there who received the Holy Spirit of Christ (Acts 19:1-10) thus bringing into that region a true church that was faithful in Christ Jesus.

(Ephesians 1:1)

Although there was a great representation of the church of Christ working in Ephesus she eventually came to ruin.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia; The New International Dictionary of the Bible; Wikipedia Encyclopedia) As we see God dealing with cities and nations who deny Him or turn from Him we would think that Ephesus would have been overcome by plagues, destroyed by enemies or demolished by earthquakes.

However, according to an article published in “Our Daily Bread” (September 24, 1998) Ephesus’ downfall was silent and non-violent.

Silt was the reason for the gradual decline of the flourishing metropolis of Ephesus.

Over the years, fine sedimentary particles slowly filled up the harbor, separating the city from the economic life of the sea traders.

(10,000 Sermon Illustrations) What happened to Ephesus is symbolic of what happens to the soul of mankind.

Let the Holy Spirit place this truth deep within your heart.

Little evil practices and small acts of disobedience may seem harmless.

However, Christians who let the silt of sin gradually accumulate will find themselves far from the Lord.

Spiritual life will come to ruin.

This is why the Holy Spirit moved the writer of Hebrews not to be hardened by sin’s deceit.

(Hebrews 3:13) Christians who grasp their authority in Christ do not let sin accumulate in their lives.

They lay those sins at the foot of the Cross.

I would propose to you that God has gloriously given us kingdom authority.

Even though the first Adam legally lost it, the second Adam, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ righteously regained what was lost by Adam.

How did Adam enable sin to come upon all of mankind?

What did the blood of Christ purchase for those who come to Christ?

Understanding authority lost

The first step toward enjoying Kingdom Authority is to gain some understanding of what authority was lost by Adam and Eve’s sin.

Genesis 1:26-28 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.

Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’"

Catch the original intent, “Let us make man in our image, in our own likeness.”

(Genesis 1:26) The three persons of the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, consulted about it and agreed, because mankind was meant to be dedicated and devoted to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Solomon makes a definite allusion to the original state of man in Ecclesiastes 7:12, “This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes."

(Barnes Notes; The New Bible Commentary; A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory; The Pulpit Commentary; The New American Commentary) The Hebrew word, “upright” (yasar) quite often means right in an ethical or emotional sense, as agreeable or pleasing.

A Biblical example of this is found in that familiar phrase “right in God’s sight.”

(The Complete Word Study of the Old Testament)

Originally, before the fall of man through Adam, mankind had habitual conformity of all his natural abilities to be able to walk in the whole will of God.

He understood divine truths and there were no mistakes in his knowledge of God’s perfect will.

There was a readiness to walk in the will of God without reluctance or resistance.

His affections were regular and his thoughts were fixed on the Lord’s best.

Thus was the holiness and blessedness of Adam and Eve.

Before the schemes of mankind and the questioning of God’s best, man had every opportunity to know and walk in the full counsel of God.

There was a day in the original setting when mankind knew the sound of the Lord walking through the Garden of Eden.

(Genesis 3:8)

In the original setting man enjoyed authority over all of creation.

God in His wisdom, knowledge of the weakness of man created mankind last of all the creatures, so he might not be suspected to be God’s helper.

Therefore, it was the great favor of God and should had been considered by Eve and Adam to have been a great privilege for them to make sure things stayed in proper order.

Christians who enjoy their authority in Christ have the same revelation and illumination as King David when he wrote, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

…what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.”

(Psalm 8:1, 4-8)

This God given authority gave Adam and Eve divine knowledge and ability to govern agriculture, science, animal husbandry, literally everything on the earth.

It was unlike today when different people need to work hard and long to learn how to keep this earth productive.

They knew it all and all creation responded to that authority.

Adam and Eve before the fall did not have to worry about the mouth of the lion or the paw of the bear as David did while shepherding sheep.

They were not concerned about being bitten by snakes, killed by bulls, or otherwise injured by God’s creatures.

They did not have to build tornado shelters or fear earthquakes.

Fires and flash flooding did not exist.

In original creation God used man as His representative.

The Lord’s commission for mankind was to fill the earth with people and to subdue everything upon it.

Subdue means taming and caring for the earth so it could continue to be of profitable use.

(Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary) Adam’s rule was to be like that of God for the Trinity’s own good, not for his own pleasure.

Self pleasure is what caused Eve to be misled by the devil and Adam to heed his wife’s enticements.

This Godly character working through man is elsewhere found in the Word of God.

Proverbs 12:10 says, “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal… and Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds…”

Let the Holy Spirit of Christ place this truth deep into your spiritual heart.

As originally created, man enjoyed fellowship with God and had authority to exercise God given knowledge to care for everything in this world.

He literally enjoyed heaven on earth.

Adam, broke a special covenant with the Lord

In original creation mankind walked in true fellowship with God, but mankind, Adam, broke a special covenant with the Lord.

Genesis 2:15-17 says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’

Our key text today is a “Covenant of Works” (Easton’s Bible Dictionary) of which Christ redeemed the negative consequence of Adam’s willful choices.

This covenant is between two parties, God, the moral governor and Adam, a free moral agent and representative of all his natural future generations.

The condition lay before Adam was perfect obedience to the law given at that time with the test being that he abstain from eating the fruit of the “tree of knowledge.”

The penalty was spiritual and physical death, the consequences we all live with today.

(Easton’s Bible Dictionary; The New International Dictionary of the Bible) The Lord gave Adam a job and a warning along with the privilege of plenty of food, wonderful surroundings, and the enjoyment of God’s fellowship.

Yet Adam and his wife just had to have the forbidden fruit, willfully breaking the covenant.

(Willmington’s Bible Handbook -7)