135 The Gospel: The Cross!

The Gospel is about what God has done through Jesus Christ for us. Terms like reconciliation, atonement, redemption, and sanctification are all a result of the Gospel and all these things Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary. 

On the other hand, the Christian lifestyle is more about how a Christian should think, behave, and keys to successful living on earth. The fruit or benefits of a sincere Christian lifestyle are many however, it is the Gospel that produces a change from the inside out. It is the Gospel when accepted by a believer, that produces the change in the inner man or woman to become more like Jesus Christ. This is what it means to be born-again.

Many teach that it is how you behave that makes you a Christian and in a religious sense that may be true, but as Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Then the Apostle Paul says in Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”

The Gospel is best understood when we recognize that it is about the Kingdom of God on earth and heaven. The Cross is the most recognizable symbol of the Gospel. Every Believer should know the significance of the Cross is not in the cross itself, but the person who was crucified for our sakes on that cross. When we see the cross, we should see that it is a demonstration of God’s great love for us. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

The Cross is a sign or symbol of God’s great love. 

Listen to what Jesus said in John 15:11. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another”.

A sign or symbol contains information that directs to somewhere or someone, for example, a traffic stop sign is telling you to stop and look for oncoming traffic to keep you and others safe. In the same way, the Cross of Jesus is a sign that points to our Savior and King, who will keep you and others safe too. 

What the Cross is not: 

The cross is often used as an ornament or piece of jewelry to help a Believer keep their eyes on Jesus. We often see a Cross in a Christian church and it is there to remind us of Jesus’ great sacrifice of love for us. The Cross is not a token, amulet, or charm to ward off evil or used for “good luck”! The power of the Cross is not in the symbol but in the One who made the sacrifice for all of us, and His name is Jesus! When we see the cross, we must learn to see our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember Jesus is not on the Cross anymore, but He sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us (Romans 8:33). Jesus now lives in us through His Holy Spirit.

Jesus accomplished on the cross the two things He was born to do.

1. He became the bridge reconciling humankind back to the Father that is called the Atonement.
2. He defeated Satan by destroying Satan’s power over sin and death.

It is Finished

The real importance of the Cross for us is in the words Jesus spoke as He was dying on the cross, Jesus said “It is Finished!” John 19: 28, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”

The Greek word for “It is Finished” is Tetelestai and it is in the Aorist Perfect tense. There is no English Aorist Perfect tense, but the idea is that the expression “It is finished” means that what happened on the Cross took place and continues to take place. What Jesus purchased at the Cross was not just a single event, but it continues to the present and goes on to the future. What this means for us is that we were forgiven and continue to be forgiven, we were delivered and continue to be delivered, we were reconciled and continue to be reconciled, we are saved and continue to be saved. That is why we say that sin and death were defeated by the cross of Jesus. We are truly free

First question, what is the Atonement?

Oxford Dictionary defines atonement as the “reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ.” In a religious context, atonement means reparation or expiation for sin. Other words like atonement are reparation compensation recompense payment repayment redress restitution indemnity expiation penance and redemption.

• Colossians 2:11, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 

Second question, how was Satan defeated by Jesus at the Cross?

By exchanging forgiveness for sin and eternal life for death Jesus disarmed Satan by removing his power of sin and death from his arsenal. It was spiritual warfare at the Cross and Jesus had and has the final victory over Satan, sin, and death. 

• Colossians 2:15 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
• Luke 10:17,” Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

The curse of sin has been broken and the fear of death has been removed if we keep our eyes and hearts on the Cross and remember that it was Jesus who died for us.

• John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
• Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Close with Our Mission Statement:

The Cross of Jesus should constantly remind us of what the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”