March 17, 2024 Speaker Carl Eldredge Good Morning. This morning I would look at a question that we might not all think about on a daily basis but I feel like definitely affects our everyday lives. But before we do that, let's start by turning to John chapter 19, John chapter 19. And before we start reading, let's open up on a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for this opportunity. I thank you for everyone here. I pray, Lord, that you will give us open minds and open hearts to what we're going to look at this morning. And pray that we'll learn something from your word. I pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.
John chapter 19, we're going to start in verse 16. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city, and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, write not the king of the Jews, but that he said, I am the king of the Jews. Pilate answered, what I have written, I have written. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from top throughout. They said, therefore, among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it. Whose it shall be that the scriptures might be fulfilled, which saith, they parted my remnant among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things, therefore, the soldiers did. Now they're stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus, therefore, saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved. He saith unto his mother, woman, behold thy son. Then saith to his disciple, behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all the scriptures were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was a set vessel. full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. The Jews, therefore, because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day, for the Sabbath day was an high day, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldier and break the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they broke not his legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record and his record is true. and he knoweth that he saith true that ye might believe. For these things were done that the scriptures should be fulfilled. A bone of him shall not be broken. And another, again another scripture saith, they shall look on him whom they pierced. And after this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus and Pilate, gave him leave. He came therefore and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes about 100 pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes with the spices as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden. And in the garden, a new sepulcher wherein was never man yet laid. And there laid they Jesus, therefore, because of the Jews' preparation day, for the sepulcher was nigh at hand. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved. and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth and that other disciple and came to the sepulcher. So they ran both together, and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first unto the sepulcher, and he stooped down and looking in saw the linen clothes lying there, yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him. and went into the sepulcher and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was around his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also the other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw and he believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture that he might raise from the dead, then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But Mary stood at the sepulcher weeping, and as she wept, she stood down and looked into the sepulcher and see if two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had said, had thus said she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus. And Jesus said unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself and said unto him, Rabbi, is to say, Master, Jesus saith unto her, touch me not, for I am not yet ascended unto my father, but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my father and your father and to my father and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she went and had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things unto her. I wanted to start with this passage, just I felt like it was a good place to start and to kind of reflect on the events that took place as the resurrection season is coming upon us. The question I would like us to look at this morning is, what is the purpose of the cross? And we just read the account of Jesus' death, his burial, and his resurrection. But was that the only purpose? Or did God have a bigger purpose in mind? Many of us look at these events and focus solely on salvation and the remission of sins. And that is true. The death, burial, and resurrection does provide us the opportunity for salvation and the remission of sins if we trust in that. But I feel like there's a lot more that there is to gain. And we're gonna start by looking at that. in the book of Romans. Turn with me to Romans chapter five. And we're gonna start in verse one. It says, therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet preadventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than now being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath through him. And I'd also like to turn to Colossians, the book of Colossians chapter 2. Colossians chapter 2 and let's start in verse 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Buried with him in baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you being dead within your sins and the uncircumcised of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them, openly triumphing over them in it. The first purpose that I would like us to look at of the cross is the remission of sins. And these two verses that we just read not only show us God's love and how much He cares for us, but also that when He died on the cross, He did so for all of our sins, past, present, and future. When He died on that cross, that was all that needed to be done for us to be redeemed from our sins. The second purpose that I would like us to look at is having a restored relationship with God. Our relationship with God the Father was something that was broken all the way back in the Garden of Eden. And it didn't take us long to mess things up. Let's go ahead and look at that. We're going to go to Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3, and we'll start in verse 1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, yea, hath God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden. And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God had said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die." Already adding scripture to God's word here. But, and the serpent said unto the woman, ye shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God's knowing, good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant, to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord. God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves in the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called upon Adam and said unto him, where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. And he said, who told thee that thou were naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldn't eat? not eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, sorry, and the man said, the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat. And the Lord said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me and I did eat." So right here we see that this is where Adam and Eve sin against God and by eating the tree of good and evil. And this is where sin has been introduced. Let's continue on. It says, and the Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field. Unto thy belly thou shall go, and dust thou shall eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head. and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman, he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow. Thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, cursed is the ground for thy sake, and sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat of the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt Shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground, for out of it was thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothe them. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. and now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. And so he drove out the man and he placed at the east garden of Eden cherubims and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. And this last passage is where the curse was introduced to both the serpent and to mankind. And he also goes ahead and kicks Adam and Eve out of the garden. With this, not only has sin entered the world, but it's also created a separation and a broken relationship with God. And this broken relationship has something that is carried on through today for those who have or who have not been saved. And with, our relationship being restored with salvation, God has restored this friendship and relationship and also given us the opportunity for everlasting life. And this will allow us to spend all eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The third purpose I would like to look at is the cross-provided reconciliation. What is reconciliation? To put it simply, it's to restore to a friendship and fellowship. I would like us to look at, turn to effusions. Diffusions chapter 2. And we're going to start in verse 11, Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11. Wherefore, remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who were called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of new twain. one new man so making peace, and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the empty thereby, and came and preached peace to you, which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. God has provided us reconciliation through his Son dying on the cross. Man has the free will to choose to accept that gift or to not. Let's turn to the book of Colossians again. if I can find you. We're going to be in chapter one this time, starting in verse 18. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it is pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself. By him I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, in the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy and unblemmable and unreprovable in his sight. So just to recap, we've looked at three purposes of the cross so far. The remission of sins, having a restored relationship with God, and also the cross has provided us reconciliation. And the final purpose I would like us to look at is the cross provided everlasting life. Now that man has forgiveness from our sins and restored relationship with God, we can now experience everlasting life. And let's go ahead and turn to the book of Romans, Romans chapter 6. And we're going to start in verse 20. For when you were servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now, being made free from sin and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life. The next passage I'd like us to look at is in Galatians. Galatians chapter 6. And we're going to start in verse one. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such and one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are the household of faith." I'd like to turn to one more passage. First Timothy. chapter one, first Timothy chapter one, and we're gonna start in verse 12. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. 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. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, the honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. All these scriptures show us that even though mankind has a sin nature, and because of this is separated from God, we have an opportunity to have a relationship with Christ and have our connection with him renewed. But with this free gift from God of the death of his son on the cross, we cannot only be reconciled, but also gain everlasting life. And this is gonna sound silly, but this does not mean that we have, life will last forever here on Earth. It'll be. It's when our bodies, our mortal bodies are absent from these bodies and we're present with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in heaven. That is what will last forever, being in the presence of our God. As we can see, there is great purpose for the cross and it was more than just Christ dying on the cross. There was more than happened than just that. Christ was the last blood sacrifice that will ever be needed. And we've read the first blood sacrifice in Genesis when God made the coats of skin for Adam and his wife, that he had to kill an animal to do that. And then the last blood sacrifice that was ever needed was Jesus dying on the cross. We've also been reconciled to him and have a restored relationship with God. And finally, eternal life. With salvation, we were promised eternal life with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I would like to close with this. I want to clarify something. We talked about Jesus' death on the cross provided a remission for our sins. But, I don't want, I don't, that doesn't mean that everyone's sins are forgiven. What it does mean is that all of our sins are forgivable. As humans, God has given us the choice or the free will to either believe or not to believe in what God, in all that he has said, has done, and has done. If we choose to not believe, in God and all that he has said and done, our sins will not be forgiven. And when he looks at us, he will see our sins and what we have done, and we will be held accountable and judged for all of those sins and ultimately sent to the lake of fire for all of eternity without God. But if we do make that decision and believe in everything that God has done, our sins are forgiven. And when God looks on us, all he will see is Christ shed blood on us. Not only has he forgiven us of our sins, but he has also forgotten that they've even happened. The best part is that since our sins are forgiven, we are not judged on them, and we are graced with spending all of eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I know it seems so simple to just believe in a death, burial, and resurrection, and putting your faith in something like that. And it's because it is. Romans 10, 9 says, if you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. There is, if there's anyone here today that has not made that decision, I want to encourage you to do so. I'm not pressuring you to do that right now. If you have any questions, I encourage you to take the time to talk to one of the elders here today, and they'll be more than happy to answer your questions in making that decision for Christ. But please do not put off making that decision, because we know that we do not have long on this earth. 1st Thessalonians 5.2 says, for you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. I'd like to leave us with one more passage before we close in prayer. Romans chapter 6 verse 23 says, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let's close in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you. I thank you for everyone here today. I thank you for your sacrifice that you made for all of us, giving us the opportunity for not just life, but everlasting life. I pray for each one of us here that if they have not made that decision, that they will come to the knowledge of the truth and to know that with you comes everlasting life, everlasting peace, and someone that they can look to in times of need. I pray all of this in Jesus' name, amen.
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