The Cross
The four gospel records of MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, and JOHN contain 89 chapters that expound upon the life of Christ from His birth to His death and resurrection, and reveal unto us His personality. The vast majority, about 55 of these 89 chapters focus upon the ministry of Jesus Christ, or about the last three and a half years of His life. Four of these 89 chapters deal with His life up to age twelve. Over 25 chapters of the gospel records deal with the last eight days of His life, called by some the Passion Week. Five chapters of the four gospel records tell about Jesus appearances after His resurrection before His ascension into heaven in ACTS 1:8.
Contrast the four gospel records 89 chapters with the Apostle Paul's 100 chapters of scripture. The focus of the Apostle Paul's gospel record is ...Christ in you, the hope of glory... according to COLOSSIANS I:27. Paul's gospel expounds on the unsearchable riches of Christ available to us because of His dying on the cross. Furthermore, Paul's gospel focuses on the benefits we have in Jesus Christ our resurrected Lord and Saviour, which topic our Pastor has been covering in the past fewweeks.
This broad introduction introduces our focus for tonight's study, which will mainly revolve around topics concerning the "cross." The word "cross" is found twenty-eight times in our King James Version of scripture. Interestingly the number twenty-eight points to ETERNAL LIFE! The word "cross" is only found mentioned in the four gospel records, and in six of Paul's fourteen epistles. Nearly everyone knows Jesus was crucified on the cross, and three days later He was raised from the dead. Before we get too far into this, please note that it was Jesus Christ Himself who introduced to us the topic of the cross in MATTHEW I0:38; MARK 8:34; and LUKE 9:23 a couple of years before He Himself was crucified upon the cross. Please study these scriptures later on your own.
Jesus also in MATTHEW 26:2 was the first to mention the word "crucified." MATTHEW 26:2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. The word "crucified" is found thirty-seven times in our King James Version of scripture. Thirty-seven is the number associated with THE WORD OF GOD. THE WORD OF GOD is another name for Jesus (see REVELATION 19:13). So is the Son of man in many scriptures, such as is found in JOHN 3:14 & 15. In this portion of scripture Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus about the new birth. And Jesus says to Nicodemus in JOHN 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, who would havebeen familiar with story in NUMBERS 21 Jesus was referencing. In NUMBERS 21:5 we find the children of Israel complaining against God, and against Moses accusing that they were brought into the wilderness to die. NUMBERS 21:6 Andthe LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Satan in the form of a serpent beguiled Eve, and caused her to sin. The fiery serpents here in NUMBERS 21:6 represents Satan's venom of unbelief and rebellion, which end result is death. NUMBERS 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came topass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Brass figures judgment, and it was Christ Jesus who felt the fiery judgment of God's wrath on sin when He died for us upon the cross. In JOHN 3 Jesus was telling Nicodemus about the cross. In NUMBERS 21:9 the serpent of brass upon the pole suspended between heaven and earth is a picture of Christ on the cross, suspended between heaven and earth. In Moses day they that looked upon the brazen serpentlived. Back in JOHN 3 Jesus was telling Nicodemus that just as those who in Moses day looked upon the brazen serpent, and lived, so too is he that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish buthave eternal life. Our Apostle Paul expressed it like this in ROMANS 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. To finish our thought about Nicodemus and the cross, we find in JOHN 19:39 & 40 that Nicodemus brought a hundred-pound mixture of myrrh and aloes to the entombment of Jesus after He died on the cross. Truly Nicodemus loved Jesus.
In I CORINTHIANS 5:7 we find this statement written by our beloved Apostle Paul: ...Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. It is interesting to note here that the word "Passover" is also found in twenty-eight New Testament verses of scripture, and again the number twenty-eight is the number pointing to ETERNAL LIFE. We find the word "Passover" only mentioned in the New Testament in the four gospel records, and in two of Paul's letters. We know Jesus Christ left the lofty heights of heaven, and took those perfect seven steps down found in PIDLIPPIANS 2 that took Him to the cross to be the perfect sacrifice for sinful man. PHILIPPIANS 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of aservant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. We are going to spend some time examining these seven steps our Lord and Saviourtook from His throne in glory to die on the cross for sinful man.
A couple of weeks ago we went over the importance of having a mind full of the Holy Ghost, and to remember that ...God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of Jove, and of a sound mind.... 2 TIMOTHY I:7. Here in PHILIPPIANS 2:5 Paul is encouraging us to have Holy Ghost inspired thoughts, like Jesus did. PHILIPPIANS 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus had a purpose in coming to earth as Paul also wrote Timothy in I TIMOTHY 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief Jesus Himself said this starting in JOHN 8:26 / have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. 27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. 28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, (Here Jesus was foretelling of Him being crucified on the cross) then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. So, we see what was in the mind of Christ was to please God the Father. In PHILIPPIANS 2:13 Paul tells us more about ...Let this mind be in you... writing: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Paul continues this thought in PHILIPPIANS 3, and it would do us all good to read the whole chapter, but in the interest of time let's start in PHILIPPIANS 3:13 where Paul is explaining his own thought process. PHILIPPIANS 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, Jet us walk by the same rule, Jet us mind the same thing. 17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. There would be no high calling of God in Christ Jesus had He not died upon the cross.
Paul continues explaining the mind that was in Christ Jesus in PHILIPPIANS 2:6-8. PHILIPPIANS 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the formof a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. The Apostle John was inspired of the Holy Ghost to expound his own thoughts that correspond to verse 6 as he wrote in JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God 2 The same was in the beginning with God 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. In JOHN 8:58 Jesus Himself said: ...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Christ Jesus was the "I am'' that appeared unto Abraham, that later appeared unto Isaac, then later to Jacob, and the same "I am" that later appeared unto Moses, and said unto him in EXODUS 3:6 .../ am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. The Apostle also noted the following about Christ Jesus in COLOSSIANS 1:16 & 17 -- For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Truly Christ Jesus ...being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
PHILIPPIANS 2:7 & 8 tell the seven steps our Lord and Saviour took from His throne in glory to die on the cross for sinful man.
Step I.) He ...made himself of no reputation. It is hard to comprehend that Jesus Christ the creator of all things, and by whom all things consist, willingly laid aside His majesty in glory; emptied Himself of all of this for the sake of mankind.
Step 2.) He ...took upon him the form of a servant... that is, as Brother Copley put it: "The Sovereign of the universe stepped from the loftiest place of absolute authority and power down to the low, menial place of a slave. From verse 6 to verse 7 we find that Christ Jesus went from ''the form of God" to the "form of a servant." This is the love of Christ Jesus, which passeth knowledge that Paul wrote about in EPHESIANS 3:19.
Step 3.) He ...was made in the likeness of men. In GENESIS 1:26 & 27 we read: And God said, Let us make man inour image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man inhis own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Then study GENESIS 3:22, whichtells us: And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of Y£... . Which one of us is being spoken of here? The Lord Jesus Christ is the "one of us" who was made in the likeness of man before Adam ever came on the scene. And then when Jesus did come to earth we see what he looked like in the last half of ISAIAH 53:2 ...he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. His outside plainness as a common Jew hid His inner beauty, ...For in him dwelleth all thefulness of the Godhead bodily... COLOSSIANS 2:9.
Step 4.) And beingfound in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. On your own time go back and review the Lord answering Job in JOB chapters 38-41 with some 83 questions. Questions like: Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? (JOB 38:4.) Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? 37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? (JOB 38:34-37.) Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? (JOB 40:9) The creator of all these things became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth JOHN 1:14 tells us. Truly Christ Jesus humbled himself to take on the body of flesh, even as a helpless infant. As Brother Hill used to say: ''what a wonder."
Step 5.) Christ Jesus ...became obedient........ There are a lot of scriptures that explain this, but perhaps one of the simplest portions of scripture that points to Christ's obedience as a man are found in LUKE 2:41-52, which we will not read in it's entirety. In this portion of scripture Jesus is twelve years old, and Mary and Joseph, who were give the responsibility of raising Jesus as a man, they lost tract of Him! Mary (whom so many worship), and Joseph lost Jesus! It took them three days to relocate Jesus, and when they did again find Him, He was teaching the scholars in the temple. Keep in mind Jesus was twelve years old here. We read in LUKE 2:48 about Mary and Joseph after they once again found Jesus: And whenthey saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy fatherand I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. In JOHN 8:29 we read Jesus saying: And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. Christ Jesus was obedient to God the Father, and before this in LUKE 2:51 we read that Christ Jesus ...became obedient... unto His earthly parents, and.He was subject unto them until He was thirty years old. During these eighteen years do you think Jesus ever had a discussion with his Mother on how He would die? We will answer that question in a few minutes, but before we do consider this also: Jesus Christ was the only man ever born who knew exactly how, and when He would die!
Step 6.) That sixth step down took Jesus ...unto death........ Three verses in JOHN explain this
humble mind of Jesus in His own words. JOHN 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. ...17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. JOHN 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Step 7.) Christ Jesus humbled Himself, and was obedient unto.... even the death of the cross.
The death of the cross was the lowest, most shameful, dishonorable, and disgraceful kind of death. The death of the cross was long, painful, humiliating torture that was commonly reserved for the meanest of slaves, and the worst of felons. ISAIAH 53:12 in part tells us: he hath poured out his
soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession/or the transgressors. ISAIAH 53:7 explains: He was oppressed, and he was ajJ/icted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Paul wrote about this in ROMANS 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteousman will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Yes Christ Jesus humbled Himself, and was obedient unto ...even the death of the cross. Jesus knew He was going to die on the cross even before the foundation of the world, and REVELATION 13:8 even states this of Christ
...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. We just reference in JOB 40:9 the voice of thunder, and we find an example of this in JOHN 12 where Jesus explains His coming death upon the cross. JOHN 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and
said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted upfrom the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Jesus died on the cross, which was made from a tree, a tree that He Himself had created; a tree that had recently been cut down, that is the tree had recently been alive. JOB 14:7 is a curious scripture, which reads: For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that
the tender branch thereof will not cease. Jesus Himself had prophesied numerous times of His death, but more importantly He also told of His resurrection. Note these scriptures: In MATTHEW 12:40 Jesus speaks of Himself, and says: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. MATTHEW 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Again in MATTHEW 17:22 & 23 we read: And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. Once again in MATTHEW 20:17-19 we read: And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Let's now answer the question we asked earlier: do you think Jesus ever had a discussion with his Mother on how He would die? Before Jesus told His disciples that He would be killed, and rasied again the third day, don't you suppose He made this known unto His mother? In her thirty years with Jesus before His ministry Jesus told Mary, and Joseph, and his half brothers and sisters many incredible things. Jesus had hand picked His own sweet mother, which is a whole other story we don't have time for tonight. As Mary raised Jesus before He could even talk she was told some incredible things. In LUKE 2 after the days of Mary's purification, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice according to the law. A just and devout man named Simeon was there, whom the Holy Ghost anointed. We read this in LUKE 2:34 & 35 -- And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. When do think Mary experienced this? It was at the cross, and we will read this in a moment, but first let's read a few verse in JOHN 2 when Jesus ministry started. JOHN 2:I And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her,Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saithunto you, do it. Jesus very much respected His mother, and she got to spend more time on earth with Him than did anyone else. He called her "Woman," which was very much a term of endearment. Can you see the twinkle in His eye as he says "Woman?" In Jesus day this was a highly respectful and affectionate mode of address. We would expect nothing less of Jesus. The word "Woman" is capitalized eight times in the New Testament. Jesus and His mother were at a wedding here, but He no doubt had a future wedding in mind. Now turn to JOHN 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and hismother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and thedisciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Jesus and His mother Mary still had this affectionate connection. Sister Bodie correctly notes that no words could describe her anguish, and sorrow. Yet with His still tender words He committed His best-loved one to His dearly-beloved disciple John, ...Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And.from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home verses 26 & 27. Mary had just witnessed what Jesus had many times told her about, the greatest day in the history of mankind!
It is interesting to note that the Greek word for "Woman" also translates into "wife" over seventy times in the New Testament. Thus we could think of REVELATION 19:7 like this:.................................................................................... the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His woman hath made herself ready! The Apostle Paul wrote to us to be Looking untoJesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
So we must marvel that there was a.... joy that was set before him... who had created all things, and by whom all things consist, a .. joy that was set before him... that He had not yet experienced. The.... joy that was set before him... was His wife!
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Sermon Topics: the Cross