Accepting the cross Part 1

Accepting the truth about the cross

“The radical message of the cross transformed Saul of Tarsus and changed him from a persecutor of Christians to a tender believer and an apostle of the faith. Its power changed bad men into good ones. It shook off the long bondage of paganism and altered completely the whole moral and mental outlook of the Western world.”“All this it did and continued to do as long as it was permitted to remain what it had been originally—a cross. Its power departed when it was changed from a thing of death to a thing of beauty. When men made of it a symbol, hung it around their necks as an ornament or made its outline before their faces as a magic sign to ward off evil, then it became at best a weak emblem, at worst a positive fetish. As such it is revered today by millions who know absolutely nothing about its power.”Excerpt From: A. W. Tozer & Ravi Zacharias. “The Radical Cross.” Apple Books. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-radical-cross/id986613418?mt=11 The cross was planned by the sovereign will of God

​ NKJVAll who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

It was the purpose for Jesus Christ coming to earth

​ NKJVNow it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,

​ NKJVBut He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

​ NKJVBut Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

​ NKJV“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

​ NKJVFor even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

From that time - Jesus always walked according to the time table of His Father and His sovereign willThe timing of His birth

​ NKJVBut when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

The timing of His ministry

​ NKJVFrom that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The timing of His death

​ NKJVAnd He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ”

​ NKJVThen He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

​ NKJVWhen I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

​ NKJVNow before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

​ NKJVJesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

Jesus began to show to His disciples - Jesus is preparing His disciples for the certainity of the cross. No turning backBefore this time Jesus’ death was referred to but not as plainlyThe Old Testament gave shadows or hints of the crossThe promise in the garden

​ NKJVAnd I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

It was a tree that expelled the man and woman from paradise. It would be a tree that would open up the way back into paradiseAbraham and Isaac some believe the spot they traveled to is close to the spot of the crucifixion

​ NKJVBut Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

The Passover Lamb

​ NKJVTherefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

Simeon in the Temple

​ NKJVAnd behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

John the Baptist

​ NKJVThe next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Jesus Himself

​ NKJVJesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

​ NKJVAnd as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

That He must go to Jerusalem - the city were He is to dieJerusalem = foundation of peace (Hebrew)It was fitting that most violent and unjust act of history should take place in and near the city of peace. For it was through this act that peace with God was made possible the only secure and safe peace agreement ever made

​ NKJVTherefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

​ NKJVand by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Jesus had no optionsJesus willingly journey to JerusalemAnd suffer many things - Experiencing physical or emotional pain. The prayer in the Garden, the arrest, the trials, and the crucifixion From the elders, and chief priests and scribes, - SanhedrinThis ruling body was the main group instrumental in bringing Jesus to trial and bringing accusation about Him before RomeAnd be killed, - Jesus literally died

​ NKJVand deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

And be raised again the third day - Jesus literally rose from the dead. His heart had stopped and His heart began to beat againThe cross is repulsive to the human mind :22Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, -Peter failed many times due to depending upon his own flesh and mind

​ NKJVWatch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Peter showed he had good theology previously but he still lacked spiritual understanding

​ NKJVJesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

​ NKJVSimon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Our response to the cross reveals in a small way God’s response to our sinSaying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” - Possibly Peter’s love and loyalty for the Savior moved him to make this statement but his response showed he nor the others understood the plan of salvationIf Jesus established His kingdom as they wanted what would life be like? Use Lazarus death as an illustrationPeter and the others were blinded to who or what was their greater enemy. It wasn’t Rome or the Sanhedrin

​ NKJVSo when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

​ NKJVInasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

All the disciples saw the coming Messiah and His kingdom through their own fallible interpretation of the Old Testament.They could never fully comprehend or understand His suffering until after the resurrection. It didn’t make sense to them this would be the way Jesus Christ would establish His kingdom

​ NKJVWho has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

The cross is resisted by Satan :23But He turned and said to Peter, -Peter probably was unaware but nevertheless was being used as an instrument by SatanJesus would confront this deceptive temptation face to faceGet behind Me, Satan! - “Get out of my sight!” (Lenski)Satan’s temptation was similar to Peter’s statement

​ NKJVAgain, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Satan is ok with christianity as long as it doesn’t emphasis the cross with it’s power of God to save He’s Ok with making the church more acceptable so it can fit into the world’s plan but don’t be divisive by saying all must bow at the foot of the cross in order to be accepted by GodHe will accept a beautiful cross on a neckless or stained glass window but don’t reveal the true stench and anguish suffered on a crossThe cross itself has no saving power for many had died on a cross maybe even the one Jesus Christ hung upon. It wasn’t the wood of a tree but it was the One who made the tree dying on it as the sacrifice to pay sin its wages. Dying to redeem and restore all that was lost in the Garden of EdenJesus let the devil know He would have no part in listening to his lies or accept an escape clause from the crossFor Jesus was controlled by the sovereign plan of God’s salvation that He, the Father, and the Spirit had planned in eternity past.You are an offense to Me, - a stumbling block or trapJesus did not find Peter’s statement commendable but considered it a stumbling block (compare the rock ).Peter’s statement that would have sent him and the rest of us to hell if Jesus listenedBecause of Jesus obedience to the Father and not to Peter’s wishes the cross has become the stumbling block

​ NKJVTherefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

​ NKJVAnd I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.

for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” -