
The Cross
Easter at New Life
Todd Blansit
March 19, 2023
Why is the cross essential?
It was necessary to Fulfill God’s Plan
Acts 2.23-24
23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him
This is worth remembering whenever it seems like God doesn’t know what he’s doing. The trials and tragedies of life are often puzzling. Does God know what’s happening in my life? Does he care? Can he do anything about it? The answer is that God does know and does care. And if you trust Him, He will do something about it.
The cross of Christ proves God’s plans are good. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the most evil deed ever committed on this planet. At the same time, however, the crucifixion of Jesus was the best thing that ever happened on this planet. The cross has brought salvation to the world.* If God brought the greatest good out of the greatest evil, he can bring good out of what seems to be evil in your own life.*
Colossians 2.13-15
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
It was necessary to Pay for Sin
1 Peter 2.21-25
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
The place where God’s love and God’s holiness meet is at the cross.
Romans 5.6-9
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
Many people miss the truth implied by the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. The chronology is important. Jesus did not wait for us to clean up our act.
He sacrificed Himself while we were still actively opposed to Him. Salvation does not depend on our meeting God halfway, keeping the commandments, or trying to be as good as we can. God completed the work of our salvation when we were in a state of open rebellion against Him. That’s grace.
Romans 6.15-18
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
In its deeper spiritual meaning, *righteousness* is the quality of being right in the eyes of God, including character (nature), conscience (attitude), conduct (action), and command (word). Righteousness is, therefore, based upon God’s standard because He is the ultimate Lawgiver
But here is the good news, righteousness is not legalistic, it is not about our achievements in God’s school of law. Righteousness is a beautiful gift from God to us through Jesus’s act of love on the cross.
Proverbs 12.28
28In the way of righteousness there is life;
along that path is immortality.
Jesus did for you what you could never do for yourself.
1 Cor 11.23-26
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
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