______________*****In nEeD Of MuSiC*****_____________

Thursday, February 23, 2006

The Cross

What's at the cross?

Death to self

Few Love the Cross of Jesus

JESUS always has many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him.

TO MANY, the saying, "Deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow Me seems hard, but it will be much harder to hear that final word:"Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire."

What's at the cross?Not my will but yours be done

Luke 22:42 (KJS) Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. willing, remove: Gr. willing to remove}

How may of us cry out to God : I don’t care what I want , I want to be doing what you are doing.
· I want the lost to be found just as you do
· I want to love those that hate me
· I want to hate sin just as you do
· I want my flesh under subjection to the Holy Spirit
· I want the mind of Christ Jesus
· I want what is best for the Kingdom of God

What's at the cross? Power to overcome

Reve 12:10 (KJS) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The power to overcome started at the Cross.
· The power to overcome is in the blood of Jesus
· The power to overcome is in your testimony
· The power to overcome Satan has been given to you
· The power to overcome Death
· The power to overcome Sickness
· The power to overcome Poverty
· The power to overcome the rule of the flesh - the carnal mind

What's at the cross? God's Righteousness

1Pet 2:23 (KJS) Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
When Jesus went to the Cross he went as one who was in right standing with God!

· His right standing before God is now our right standing
· We can stand before God Almighty as righteous
· It is not our righteousness, but Jesus’ righteousness
· It is our sins, but he took the blame· It is His righteousness, but we received it at the CROSS

What's at the cross? Reconciliation

2Cor 5:18 (KJS) And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Hebr 2:17 (KJS) Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Of all the Priest over all the thousands of years not one could reconcile the people to God. They had to use the blood of bulls , goats, heifers, birds etc. but none of these sacrifices were to reconcile! ,--- [they were for atonement of sins.]

Priesthood of JesusBDB/Thayers # 26432643 katallage kat-al-lag-ay'}from 2644; TDNT - 1:258,40; n fAV - reconciliation 2, atonement 1, reconciling 1; 41) exchange1a) of the business of money changers, exchanging equivalent values2) adjustment of a difference, reconciliation, restoration to favour2a) in the NT of the restoration of the favour of God to sinnersthat repent and put their trust in the expiatory death of Christ

Priesthood of the LevitesBDB/Thayers # 372203722 kaphar kaw-far'}a primitive root; TWOT - 1023,1024,1025,1026; vAV - atonement 71, purge 7, reconciliation 4, reconcile 3, forgive 3,purge away 2, pacify 2, atonement...made 2, merciful 2, cleansed 1,disannulled 1, appease 1, put off 1, pardon 1, pitch 1; 1021) to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, coverover with pitch1a) (Qal) to coat or cover with pitch

Gala 4:4 (KJS) But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

At the cross is punishment torture shame all legal & lawful for mans action towards his God and his brothers. No person could take the punishment nor the shame of the cross, because if he could then everybody on the face of the earth would have to go through the same thing. But this action would be futile and meaningless, because he would not be without sin his payment to the law would be justified. But Jesus did nothing to deserve the punishment or shame of the cross, but because of his life the law could find no hold upon him. The death the law demanded and the shame the law demanded was found to be without power towards him.

Because he was one of us and would not call upon his deity the law had been satisfied, it had found one who was worth the entire human race. Jesus(As our High Priest) went before the God of this universe with his blood(As our Redeemer) from the cross and said Father I ask forgiveness for the sins of my people, since the law could not find him guilty the request was granted.

Now on the cross is my sin your sin and the sin of the entire world and the law can not ask again punishment for sin. Because you cannot be tried for the same crime twice.

2:40 AM