“The Cross is Not The End”

Imagine a story——————- you’ve watched a long movie. The movie has it’s ups and downs, it’s drama a long the way, unexpected twists and turns. But then things change, the movie takes an unexpected turn, the hero dies ——————the credits roll. The end. It’s over. It’s finished. You’re left not knowing what to think. The hero is gone.

Some view Jesus and the cross that way ——————Jesus, the hero of the Bible who triumphantly enters Jerusalem—- would die. It’s over.

Colossians 1:13–14 “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

A few points for us to consider as we begin our journey on Palm Sunday.

First Point-Picture a Coast Guard helicopter hovering over a stormy sea. A ship’s sinking, passengers are drowning, and the rescuer drops down, risking everything to pull them out. That’s the cross—God’s daring rescue mission. We were trapped in the "dominion of darkness," a power stronger than we could fight. Sin wasn’t just mistakes; it was a tyrant holding us captive.

Darkness and sin aren’t just the culmination of bad choices.===It’s power that binds us. Holds us. Suffocates us. That’s what humanity without Christ looks like.

The Cross————— God’s Rescue Mission

Jesus took our place. He paid the ransom that only His blood could fulfill. Our spiritual debt is canceled. ——It was all nailed to the cross.

Point Two-Now, imagine that helicopter doesn’t just pluck you from the sea—it flies you to a new land, safe and thriving. That’s what God does: He brings us "into the kingdom of the Son he loves." This isn’t a vague afterlife promise. F.F. Bruce notes the present tense here—God has brought us in, right now. The cross is the bridge, and the resurrection opens the gate to a kingdom where Jesus reigns.

Think of it like a prisoner exchange in wartime. We were captives of darkness, but Christ swaps places with us—He takes our chains, we get His freedom. Redemption means we’re bought back, and forgiveness means the record’s wiped clean. Theologian John Stott says, “The cross doesn’t just save us from penalty; it saves us for a purpose—life in God’s family.” The cross marks the end of our old allegiance, but it’s the start of a royal identityThat’s what God does. We are brought into the kingdom of Jesus.No longer a prisoner of guilt, shame, doubts,—-forgiveness isn’t a maybe.

The Cross doesn’t leave us stranded.

Paul is describing our lives right now. Present day. The cross is the end of our old story——-and it’s the beginning of something new.

The Cross matters, but it’s not the end——it’s the doorway to redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life.

If we believe:

Are we prepared daily to say “no” to the old creation and “yes” to the new creation?

When Jesus died,———-something happened——the world is not a different place.

From sorrow and death comes “new life”——suffering & scary things don’t last forever. We have hope.

Rescued from darkness—————

The realm of sin, Satan, and spiritual death. In Exodus——OT——we see God delivers the people of Israel from bondage. And in the NT—-we see this same relief now applied universally to all believers though and because of Christ.

Transfer to the kingdom——-

We aren’t just liberated from something——-God brings us “into” something—-the kingdom of His beloved Son. This is present reality——not future hope.

Redemptions and forgiveness————

In Christ, we have redemption.. Forgiveness of sins- which means we are restored in our relationship with God.

The Cross—-Pivotal act of Rescue.

Yesterday my kids and wife were all bantering around on a group chat. They are carrying on with each other, and sometimes someone goes over the line. I myself try my best to adhere to the motto, “Do not engage.” But there are times, when a father must. So I type out a text that says something like, “you are all in real need of Jesus.”

Then my daughter in law responds with this, “Good thing he died for our sins, read your Bible papa D. He’s got our backs.”

So, I read my Bible…

The cross is where Jesus, as theologian Douglas Moo puts it, "cancels the certificate of debt against us" (Col. 2:14). He paid the ransom—His life for ours. But if the story ended there, we’d be like those passengers pulled from the water, only to be left floating aimlessly. No—the cross isn’t the end. The resurrection proves it. Jesus didn’t just die; He rose, breaking darkness’s grip forever. Theologian Jürgen Moltmann writes, “The cross is the death of death itself in Christ’s death.” It’s victory, not defeat—but the story keeps going.

So, what does this mean for us on April 9, 2025? First, let’s stop treating the cross like a full stop. Some of us live weighed down by guilt or fear, as if Jesus stayed dead. He didn’t—He’s alive, and His kingdom is ours. Second, embrace your transfer. You’re not a refugee of darkness anymore; you’re a citizen of light. Live it out—forgive others as you’ve been forgiven, love boldly, trust deeply.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “The cross is where God says ‘No’ to sin; the resurrection is where He says ‘Yes’ to life.” The cross isn’t the end—it’s the doorway to redemption, forgiveness, and a kingdom that never fades.

Let’s pray: "Father, thank You for rescuing us through the cross and welcoming us into Your Son’s kingdom. Help us live as Your redeemed people, free and fearless. Amen."