THE CROSS

When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride

OH THE CROSS!

FIND IN YOUR BIBLE - IPAD - PHONE AND STAND WITH ME TO READ THIS MIGHTY PASSAGE OF GOD’S WORD.

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

TODAY WE WILL LOOK AT JUST ONE VERSE - WE WILL VISIT OTHERS - BUT THIS ONE PASSAGE BRINGS A WONDERFUL TRUTH TO US TODAY AND IS PACKED WITH GOSPEL DYNAMITE!

HOW DO WE GET THIS GOSPEL DYNAMITE TO EXPLODE - FAITH

1 VERSE

I PRAY TODAY THAT YOU WILL HEAR THE WORD OF GOD, THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH, AND BE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

THE CROSS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

BUT ONE PURPOSE - AND EACH TIME WE LOOK IN THE MIRROR WE SEE THAT PURPOSE - EACH OF US, WE ARE THE PURPOSE.

JESUS AS CARPENTER - THE OTHER CHILD SEEING THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS - JESUS LIVED IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS - KNOW IT WAS HIS PURPOSE.

THE SUBSTITUTIONARY PURPOSE OF THE CROSS

1 Peter 3:18 NKJV

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

THE JUST - JESUS (THE SUBSTITUTE)

THE UNJUST - EACH OF US (FILTHY RAGS) ISA SAYS.

GOD MUST JUDGE SIN (OUR WRONG DOING)

HOW DOES GOD JUDGE OUR SIN - BY THE SUBSTITUTE -JESUS

THE ONE WHO TAKES OUR SIN ON HIM, OUR SIN, HIS PERFECTION.

IF GOD DIDN’T JUDGE SIN - HE WOULD NOT BE HOLY.

LEGAL TERMS - A JUDGE THAT DOES NOT JUDGE WRONG DOING HIMSELF BECOMES CONDEMNED AS THE CRIMINAL . a JUDGE CANNOT JUST LOOK AT WRONG DOING AT LET IT SLIDE. PEOPLE SAY - GOD IS LOVE AND THAT IS TRUE BUT GOD IS ALSO JUST AND THEREFORE MUST PLACE THE PENALTY OF SIN - BEING DEATH.

THEREFORE THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS EVERLASTING ETERNAL LIFE I IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. ROM 623

OF ALL THE WORDS PEOPLE CAN USE TO DESCRIBE GOD -

MAJESTY - PERFECT - WONDERFUL - ETC. (HE IS HOLY)

GOD MUST JUDGE OUR SIN OR HE IS NOT HOLY.

GOD PROVIDES US A SUBSTITUTE - IN JESUS CHRIST.

GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES! SAY IT WITH ME!!

LET’S THINK BACK TO ABRAM & ISAAC IN .

WE FIND ABRAHAM AN OLD MAN AND HIS WIFE SARAH OLD AND PAST CHILD BEARING YEARS

GOD PROMISES THEM A SON - THAT WOULD CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY. ISSAC! ABRHAMS ONLY SON. PROMISED TO HIM /GOD

GOD COMES TO ABRAHAM AND TELLS HIM HE MUST OFFER HIS SON AS A SACRIFICE.

GOD TOLD HIM THE PLACE TO GO - NOTHING IS BY MISTAKE WITH GOD - NOTHING AT ALL. (HE MAKES ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER)

TELL ABOUT THE JOURNEY UP MOUNTAIN:

ISSAC - IS SEE THE WOOD, I SEE THE KNIFE, I SEE THE FIRE, I DO NOT SEE THE LAMB. WHERE IS THE LAMB?

ABRAHAM MAKES ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND STATEMENTS IN ALL OF SCRIPTURE - MY GOD WILL PROVIDE THE LAMB.

ABRAHAM HAS:

A TORCH - REPRESENTING THE BURNING JUDGEMENT OF GOD

A KNIFE - REPRESENTS DEATH - THE WAGES OF SIN - DEATH

AT THE TOP OF MOUNT MORIAH - ABRAHAM CHOKING BACK TEARS TELLS ISSAC, HE IS TO BE THE SACRIFICE.

ISSAC WILLINGLY OFFERS HIMSELF - STRETCHS OUT HIS HANDS AND IS BEING BOUND

AND AT THIS POINT ISSAC, THE ONLY SON, IS LAID ON THE ALTAR

THE KNIFE IS RAISED, REPRESENTING SIN, AND DEATH.

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CALLED OUT “ABRAHAM” - HERE AM I

LAY NOT THY HAND UPON THE LAD, NEITHER DO ANYTHING TO HIM, FOR I KNOW THAT THOU FEAREST GOD - YOU HAVE NOT WITH HELD YOUR ONLY SON.

ABRAHAM LOOKED AND BEHELD A RAM CAUGHT IN THE THICKET BY HIS HORNS - ABRAHAM TOOK THE RAM AND OFFERED IT IN THE STEAD OF HIS SON.

ABRAHAM CALLED THE PLACE (MOUNT MORIAH) JEOHVAH JIRAH MEANING MY GOD HAS PROVIDED - IT IS STILL CALLED THIS TODAY

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS (ISSAC AS A CHRIST TYPE) - SEE CHART.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE WE MUST SEE THAT GOD ALWAYS MAKES A WAY - HIS PLAN HAS FOREVER BEEN TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR SIN BY WAY OF THE CROSS AND THE SHEDDING OF INNOCENT BLOOD.

WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD - THERE CAN BE NO REMISSION OF SIN - - THE BLOOD OF THE CROSS MADE IT POSSIBLE.

SIN MUST BE JUDGED BY HOLY GOD. YOUR SIN WILL BE JUDGED BY GOD, UNLESS YOU REPENT, YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH (LUKE)

GOD HAS MADE A WAY - THE WAY IS JESUS - I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, NO MAN COMETH TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.

SUFFERING & PASSION OF CROSS

EMOTIONAL SUFFERING:

Luke 22:41–44 ESV

41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

THE PHYSICAL SUFFERING : EXPLAIN THE WAY TO THE CROSS.

THE SPIRITUAL SUFFERING:

JESUS SUFFERED GREATLY FOR EACH OF US HERE.

HOW MANY OF YOU SAY “JESUS DIED FOR ME”?

TWEAK IT - JESUS DIED INSTEAD OF ME.

Isaiah 53:10 ESV

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

THIS IS THE PROPHECY THAT JESUS WOULD SUFFER FOR YOU AND FOR ME. BUT HE WOULD DO IT ALONE - JESUS DID NOT HAVE THE COMFORT WE WILL HAVE.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

NO ONE WAS WITH JESUS - HE WAS ALL ALONE.

NOW WE HAVE JESUS WITH US. THE PROMISE OF HOPE AND GLORY.

WE HAVE JESUS TO WALK BESIDE US IN THE VALLEY OF DEATH.

WE HAVE JESUS TO BE OUR SUBSITUTE - HE TOOK OUR PLACE

WE WILL NO LONGER GET WHAT WE DESERVE - BECAUSE OF JESUS! WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.

I WANT YOU TO LOOK DOWN AT THIS CROSS BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING. IT IS NOT A FASHION STATEMENT - IT IS THE CRUEL TREE OF DEATH. IT IS WHERE JESUS WOULD ULTIMATELY LAY HIS LIKE DOWN FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD. THE CROSS!

JESUS SUFFERED ONLY ONCE FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD -

1 Peter 3:18 ESV

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE IN THE ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER. ONCE YOU ACCEPT CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR, HE IS YOUR SAVIOR. HE WILL NOT TURN HIS BACK ON YOU, HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU, FORSAKE YOU. AND HE LOVES YOU EVEN IN THE TIMES YOU WANT TO QUIT. HE SUFFERED ONCE.

ONCE - MEANS IT IS OVER, ONCE - IT IS FINISHED - ONCE WE NOW HAVE ACCESS TO GOD

ONCE - THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE TORN, THE WAY HAS BEEN MADE

JESUS - HAS BROUGHT US TO THE VERY FACE OF GOD.

WHEN WE CALL OUT TO JESUS - AND REPENT OF SIN, AND SAY I NEED YOU JESUS TO FORGIVE MY SIN AND WRONG AT THAT MOMENT - JESUS BLOOD BECOMES THE WEIGHT OF OUR RIGHTFUL JUDGEMENT.

JESUS GOT WHAT WE DESERVED - DEATH! DUE TO OUR SIN. BUT THANK GOD - JESUS ON THE CROSS MADE THE WAY. NOT A WAY - BUT THE ONLY WAY. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD.

THE PROVISION OF THE CROSS

PILATE COURT - I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM, WASH MY HANDS OF IT.

PEOPLE DEMANDED - PILATE BROUGHT OUT BARABBAS

MEANING - BAR (SON OF) ABAIS. A HARDENED CRIMINAL, A THIEF.

PILATE - WHICH WOULD YOU HAVE ME RELEASE - BARRABIS

WHAT TO DO WITH JESUS - CRUCIFY HIM, THEY SHOUTED.

JAILOR GOES TO GET BARRABIS:

FACE OF EVIL, ON STRAW MAT

TODAY IS YOUR DAY - NO I DONT WANT TO DIE

GAURD - SHUT UP, SHUT UP -= LOOK OUT THERE

DO YOU SEE THE CROSSES - THEY ARE KILLING JESUS IN YOUR PLACE AND LETTING YOU GO.

AS EVIL AS BARABIS WAS - JESUS YET DIED IN HIS PLACE.

JESUS DIED FOR YOU TOO. EVIL AS WE ARE. WE CAN BE FORGIVEN.

SO THEY LED JESUS UP - THE SAME MOUNT AS ISSAC - MORIAH

THE SACRIFICAL LAMB WAS GOING TO THE SLAUGHTER.

WILLINGLY LAYING DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD

THE IMAGES I CANNOT LET YOU LEAVE WITHOUT.

THERE HAD TO BE A DAILY SACRIFICE AT THIS TIME. SO MUCH SO THAT THEY BEGAN TO FARM LAMBS JUST FOR THE SLAUGHTER - DO YOU KNOW WHERE - IN BETHLEHEM

WHERE WAS JESUS BORN? BETHLEMHEM - HE WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE OUR SACRIFICAL LAMB.

THE PICTURE IS THAT WHEN GOD SEES THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB OVER YOUR LIFE - HE RELEASES YOU FROM HIS JUDGMENT OF SIN.

JOHN THE BAPTIST - BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.

ISSAC HAD THE WOOD - JESUS HAD THE CROSS

JESUS TOOK THE DEATH OF SIN UPON HIS BACK.

THE RAM IN THE THICKET - CAUGHT BE THE HORNS

JESUS WOULD HAVE THE THORNS PRESSED IN HIS HEAD

Colossians 2:14 ESV

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

WHEN A PERSON WOULD GO TO JAIL - THE OFFENSE WAS LISTED AND NAILED TO THE OUTSIDE - WHEN DONE WITH THE SENTENCE THE JUDGE WOULD WRITE ON IT - IT IS FINISHED! THE DEBT IS PAID

YOUR DEBT IS PAID (SIN) IF YOU ACCEPT CHRIST.

THERE IS GREAT PROVISION MADE FOR US AT THE CROSS

THE PROVISION OF ATONMENT - WE ARE MADE WHOLE

THE PROVISION OF GRACE : WE WERE BLIND AND NOW SEE

THE PROVISION OF SALVATION: SO RICH AND FREE

BY GRACE ARE WE SAVED - THROUGH FAITH, IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD. NO OF OUR OWN WORKS - WE CAN NEVER EARN GODS FORGIVENESS OR SALVATION - WE MUST ACCEPT THE WORK OF THE CROSS.

GOD HAS PROVIDED OUR SALVATION AND HE DID SO ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY - CALVARY COVERS IT ALL.

EVER SIN, EVERY MESS UP. ALL. AND ONCE AND FOR ALL.

ACCEPT CHRIST TODAY.

Romans 9:10 ESV

10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,

Romans 10:9 ESV

9 because, 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.

I must needs go home by the way of the cross, There’s no other way but this; I shall ne’er get sight of the Gates of Light, If the way of the cross I miss.

WILL YOU COME TODAY AND LAY IT ALL DOWN BEFORE A LOVING SAVIOR?