"The Cross for Us"

Text: Romans 3:19-26

Introduction: Roughly, a 3rd of the four Gospels are taken up with Cross and the events surrounding it. In the Book of Acts it is the subject of every single message: The Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we go through the Epistles it is the underlying theme of every Exhortation and every Doctrine rooted in One Form or the Other. Everything Comes Back To the Cross. In the Book of Revelation, He isn’t just the Lamb they worship before the Throne, He is the Lamb Slain before the Foundation of the World. All of this is Given to us that we might focus ALL our attention upon the Cross. It is the focal point of both Old and New Testaments in their entirety. The Bloody Cross of Calvary had its beginning in the Halls of Eternity and its fulfilling conclusion with the Spotless Lamb of God crying out, “It Is Finished” nearly 2000 years ago. It was A.W. Tozer who said, “It was a Bloody Affair.” A Bloody Affair Indeed.

Our Total Redemption was worked out there on His Cross. “And He bearing His Cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:” (John 19:17). If we do not understand the Cross, we do not understand Christianity. So, we need to enter into, What does this Cross Mean? Why is this the symbol of Our Faith? The New Testament uses the Cross in Five Basic Ways. The first way and perhaps the most understood is that: 1. “The Cross Is For Us.” Meaning: in place of us! 2. “The Cross In Us.” This, of course, refers to the time where Paul said: “I am Crucified with Christ.” (Gal. 2:20) (Romans 6:3). These first two are Objective. These are facts for the Believer. These are the things that He did for us. The final two, I would say are Subjective. This is a response to this. and here you will find: 3. “The Cross On Us.” And He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23). So, there is a cross to be on us in a practical since. And then, there is: 4. “The Cross Before Us.” Here it is an inspiration to us. It’s a Reminder of the Debt we owe to Our Beloved Christ Who gave His All in our place. “For He (GOD THE FATHER) hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of GOD in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Finally there is: 5. “The Cross Through Us.” Paul says these words: “For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2). “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36). Oh, what a Priceless Debt! So, with these thoughts in mind, the Lord Willing, we are going to examine the Cross of Christ for the next Five Sundays. Listen folks: When we individually begin to Embrace the Cross and allow the Holy Spirit to work it into, upon, and through us, it is at that point, the Life of Christ will be expressed through us to Others as Never Before. May God give us Eyes to See, Ears to Hear, and Wills to Surrender Our ALL to His Authority. Beloved, He didn’t just come to be our Saviour, He Came to Die in our place. John the Beloved said: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Revelation 5:9). Are you interested in Knowing how the Cross is for us? Let’s take a look:

(Give Credit to the Late Dan Johnson! Precious Brother in Christ!)

Transitional Phrase: There at least four points in our text which will bring clarity to our subject this morning. Yet, before we begin to Expound upon our text, allow me to lay a strong foundation for our subject. Paul has taken nearly three whole chapters to drive home to his readers that ALL are Guilty Sinners, whether Jew or Gentile, there is no difference. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12). The Law of God has pulled back the curtain upon sinful man and has Exposed him for who and what he Really is. A SINNER! This brings us to our first point:

I. The Purpose of the Law (Romans 3:19-20).

The Beauty of God’s Word is that it interprets itself. Again, what is the Purpose of the Law? The Apostle give us a clear and concise answer. Turn with me to the Book of Galatians.

Listen to these words: “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 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 nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:19-29). Now that we know the Primary Purpose of the Law, let’s look a little deeper and discover it’s Purpose in our text:

A. The Law Produces Unspeakable Guilt. (Romans 3:19a). Key word: Guilty

The effect of overwhelming evidence upon an accused party in court.

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 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. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 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? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:11-15)

While Jesus Christ laid down His Life on a cruel Roman Cross at His first Coming, His Second Coming will commence with a Meeting in the air followed by His Imminent Return after 7 years of Tribulation on this earth. Yet, as we anticipate and expect these coming events, we must give our undivided attention to the reality of what it means as to how we must prepare to exit this life. This is the Only world that you will ever live in to exercise Faith. The world around us says frequently, we just need to have Faith. Exactly! I agree, we must have Faith, but we must have the One and Only True Faith. While there are many faiths in this world, there is Only One True Faith that fallen humanity must get Right. Listen to this verse: “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). In this One Verse we find that One Faith. One simple phrase: “Christ died for us.” It’s the Cross that distinguishes Christianity. It’s the Cross that sets Our Faith apart from any other religion upon the face of this earth. It’s the Cross that dominates the New Testament. Jesus Christ did not come merely to teach us. If so, then what he taught us left us in worse shape than we were before He came, If that’s all He came to do. Because He would have raised the standards up even higher and we weren't keeping them where they were. Consider His Great Sermon on the Mount, how He elevated the standards of Living far beyond ALL human reach. Listen closely to what He said concerning Himself: “For the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His Life a Ransom for Many.” (Mark 10:45). We cannot do the One Thing that Jesus did. He Came to Die. Jesus Came to Die for Sinners like us. He came to Change Us from the inside out. He came to change our circumstances. So, what is that One and Only True Faith? It is Personal trust in a Person. And that Person is The Lord Jesus Christ.

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.