The Answer of the Cross part 1

Reconciliation

We are beginning a new series on the Cross

Foolishness to the world, but for us who are being saved, the power of God.

1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God's grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God.

Our Heavenly Father in His infinite wisdom, chose to use the cross to display His power, to a perishing world, the cross became God’s answer for the salvation of humanity.

The first thing I would like for us to look at

Reconciliation, our reconciliation to God and men.

What is to be reconciled? To be restored in our relationship to our loving Heavenly Father, and to mankind.

Our relationship with God was broken.

Joe Portale shared a very good message with us last week were he talked about the original sin. Genesis 3 the fall of men.

After God had created Adam and Eve, they disobeyed God, the original sin, that separated humanity from God, sin entered the world and now all of us have a sinful nature, always bent towards evil, and death.

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all sinned.

Death is total separation from the presence of God.

we needed to be reconciled to God

The answer God gave to reconcile sinful man to himself was the cross.

The bridge that would re-connect us to God.

At the cross sin would be properly punished, at the cross sin would be forgiven at the cross death would be destroyed. We will look at that next week.

Today I would like to remind you of a few points Joe Portale made last week.

1 Reconciliation begins with God

He loves us.

We don’t understand why, but He choses too, He desires to have a deep and intimate relationship with you and me.

John 3:17

Joh 3:17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.

Joh 3:18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him].

Reconciliation it was initiated by God sending Jesus, His only son into the world, to be reject by men and to endure the cross, becoming a Holy sacrifice for us all.

Joh 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you.

From the beginning of our lives God pursued us, as a matter of fact some of you are here today because of His amazing grace, you have escape so many attempts, that could take your life.

I know that if God was not watching over me, and answering my mother’s prayers, I would not be here today. I gave some of the angels extra work, just to keep me alive.

2 Reconciliation was Jesus mission on earth.

In one of the secret conversations before the creation of the of the world, Jesus made the choice to come into the world and die our death. He had to endure the cross.

He came to redeem us

The work of Christ on the cross towards men, is called Redemption

Redemption is a commercial term, term used in the market place often use in the slave market.

The word Redemption has 3 connotations

1 To Redeem someone, you Buy them out from slavery

2 second Is about The price you paid

3 The third connotation found in the new testament Is that the price you paid is so great that the person will never be able to be sold into slavery again

Redemption is about Jesus work on the cross towards us, He bought us out of slavery with a great price (His life, the life of God’s son poured out for you and me) that we will never be sold again into sin.

3 Reconciliation is now our ministry on earth

Jesus satisfied the wrath of God.

The work of Christ on the cross towards God is called Propitiation.

He died so our Heavenly Father could satisfy His Holy, just, righteous nature.

Evil and sin had to be punished, We deserved punishment and death.

God as a Holy, just ,righteous, Judge, could not call wrong right, yes we deserve death. But because God’s great love for us, He sent His only son Jesus to satisfy His wrath against sin and evil.

Jesus took our punishment upon Himself, He died our death so we could be free from slavery ( Redemption) and God’s wrath satisfied (Propitiation)

Our Heavenly Father welcomes us in His arms, we are accepted and loved,

2Co 5:18 But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him],

2Co 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people's sins against them [but canceling them]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God].

We have been reconciled To our Heavenly Father in Jesus,

All we have to do is to accept His gift and follow Him

Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].

If you want to follow Him, deny yourself, pick up your cross.

There is a time when the cross of Jesus will become our cross

several years ago i had a dream I was going up this elevator, with many floors,

All Begins when we make Jesus the Lord of your life.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16

To receive Jesus, we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be our Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner, I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!