Easter Part 3 - To The Cross and Beyond

1)What happened at the cross?

Philippians 2:8

8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

a) Death on the cross was the most humiliating, debasing, shameful, painful method of death in the ancient world. 

•    Such a sight was hideous, designed to discredit and tarnish the memory of the one dying.

•    The whole sight was ugly, unsightly, repulsive, sickening, vile, foul, and revolting.

•    Josephus described crucifixion as “the most wretched of deaths”

•    Different parts of the world had different kinds of crucifixion.

•    Among the Jews they stoned them and then hung them on a tree. (Those who hung on a tree was accursed of God)

•    But at the time Jesus was crucified by the Romans.

•    The punishment was reserved for the most serious offenders, usually for those who had committed some kind of treason or who had participated in or sponsored state terrorism

b) Once the offender reached the place of the crucifixion he was laid on the crossbeam and 5 inch nails of iron was driven through the wrist into the wooden beam.

•    After being nail to the crossbeam it was hoisted up by rope  and then  dropped into a notch on top of the upright post.

•    This caused the victims body weight  to pull his arms out of his sockets.

•    In order for the victim to breathe, he had to push himself up by his feet, which were nailed to the vertical beam. Because of the pressure on his feet he couldn’t remain up long before collapsing back into the hanging position.

•    Doing this over and over again to breath eventually caused the shoulders to be dislocated followed by the elbows and wrists.

•    It caused the arms to be nine inches longer than usual

•    Because of the blood loss severe dehydration would set in. John 19:28 says while Jesus was on the cross He cried out “I thirst”

•    After many hours of torment the heart would begin to fail. Next the lungs would collapse, and excess fluids would fill the heart and lungs adding the process of asphyxiation.

•    After Jesus died the Roman soldier thrust his spear into Jesus side to make sure He was dead. Blood and water came out which is evidence that his heart and lungs had shut down and were filled with fluid.

c) It wasn’t what we think of when we see a portrait of Jesus. Jesus was naked (which is a sign of shame in Jewish culture) , beaten, and bleeding profusely before a watching world. 

d) 700 years earlier Isaiah correctly prophesied Jesus appearance on the cross.

Isaiah 52:14

14Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—

Whether it’s the Easter season or any other season of the year it would be good for all of us to take a little time to remember what the Cross of Jesus Christ was really like.

It helps us fully appreciate the price He paid for us. It helps us to never forget that our redemption was a great cost to God.

1 Peter 1:18–19

18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

2) Resurrection

Of all the world’s religions Christianity alone is based on the resurrection of its divine founder. The resurrection of Jesus is at the center of the Christian worldview and Christian devotion. The Gospels do not end with the death of Jesus but speak of an empty tomb, of his appearances and of a commission by the risen Jesus.

• As long as we’re sure that Jesus is the son of God, who died on the cross for our sins, and was raised from the dead . . . Christianity follows.

This is the foundation of our faith.

Why is the resurrection so important?

• Jesus is the only one who wrote a will, died to put it in force, and rose again to probate his own will

• There would be no church. It would have stopped at the cross

• There would be no Gospel.

• If He didn’t rise again there wouldn’t be a Acts chapter 2 when He sent the Holy Spirit.

• You would not have received healing when you prayed to him

• you and I would still be in our sins.

• believers have no advocate with the Father

• They have no hope of eternal life if not even their Savior gained eternal life.

• Our faith and preaching would be meaningless

• life would be meaningless

• and our death as well

1 Corinthians 15:12–17

12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

Romans 6:5

5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Romans 10:9–10

9because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

There is a simple way to prove the resurrection of Christ.

• Roman’s chapter one talks about the Gospel of creation. Looking at creation should bring you to conclusion that there is a creator. Just as looking at a building brings you to the conclusion that there is a builder. That there is a designer.

How can I prove the resurrection of Christ?

I watch a TV shows that deals with crime and when they want one of the criminals to flip on the other they threaten them with the full measure of the law to get them to crack.

Now lets look at the Disciples of Jesus. How do we know they saw the Lord risen from the dead and were not perpetuating a hoax?

They were not facing embarrassment or political disgrace, but beatings, stoning, execution.

Peter and Paul

Paul was beheaded. Peter was crucified upside down at his request since he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.

Andrew

was been crucified

Thomas

he died when pierced through with the spears of four soldiers.

Matthew

It was reported he was stabbed to death

Philip

He was arrested and cruelly put to death

Bartholomew

There are various accounts of how he met his death as a martyr for the gospel.

James

The Jewish historian Josephus reported that he was stoned and then clubbed to death.

Simon

As the story goes, he ministered in Persia and was killed after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.

Matthias

He was the apostle chosen to replace Judas. Tradition sends him to Syria with Andrew and to death by burning.

Every one of the disciples insisted, to their dying breaths, that they had physically seen Jesus bodily raised from the dead.

• Don’t you think that one of those apostles would have cracked before being beheaded or stoned? That one of them would have made a deal with the authorities? None did.

• Men will give their lives for something they believe to be true; they will never give their lives for something they know to be false.

• The apostles could not deny Jesus, because they had seen him face to face, and they knew he had risen from the dead.

• nothing less than a resurrected Christ could have caused those men to maintain their faith until their last dying breath that Jesus is alive and is Lord.

• Not only the Apostles but:

Mary Magdalene encountered him.

The women encountered the risen Christ.

Christ was seen by five hundred people.

Two thousand years later, nothing less than the power of the risen Christ could inspire Christians around the world to remain faithful—despite prison, torture, and death.

3) Victory

We are not fighting the good fight of faith from the position from trying to get the victory but from a position from already won the fight that Jesus secured for us in the death, burial, and resurrection.

• We must never except defeat and never surrender to spiritual darkness as a Christian.

2 Corinthians 2:14

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

Colossians 2:15

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

The triumphal procession was a big victory parade. It was conducted in Rome to celebrate great military victories.

Like a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago, these were major cultural and civic events.

2 Corinthians The Fragrance of Christ / 2:14–17

a Roman general would drive his captives and the spoils of war before him down the main thoroughfare of Rome. He would be greeted by the loud cheers of Romans citizens, and a cloud of incense would be burned for the gods as they paraded to the temple of Jupiter. To the Romans, the aroma was the sweet smell of victory. To the captives in the parade, it was the smell of abject slavery and perhaps even death.

The captives would be the army, high ranking officials, the general, and kings. The parade would be a open show of their defeat. It wasn’t a private matter. They would parade the captives humiliating them by stripping them of their weapons and clothing and marching them through the streets naked. Eventually leading them to public execution.

They would also have all the spoils of the defeat. This would include the enemies possessions and what not.

If the enemy has your joy, peace, and health it doesn't belong to him anymore. Christ has defeated darkness and nothing can keep you from victory. Christ paid for your rest , joy, peace, love and all the fruits and gifts of the Spirit. Most importantly His presence.

This is what happened to the celestial enemy powers at Christ’s crucifixion.

Conclusion

True victory is forged in the fire of struggle, shaped in the silence of waiting, and crowned by the faith that refused to give up.

Through Christ, we don’t fight for victory, we fight from victory. The battle has already been won. The tomb is empty. Death has lost its sting. And no matter what comes against you, you are more than a conqueror.

So walk boldly. Stand firm. Speak life. And when life tries to whisper defeat, remind it of the God who already wrote your victory in blood, sealed it in love, and declared it with an empty grave.

You are not defeated. You are not forgotten. You are victorious — in Him, through Him, and because of Him.

Go in victory. Live in victory. And never forget — the best is yet to come.

Amen.