Today we are going to major on THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CROSS
First let’s review the Chronicle of events
The betrayal and arrest
In Matthew 26:24 -25 we saw Judas Iscariot revealed as the one who would betray Jesus. Earlier on Judas had made arrangements to betray Jesus: Matthew 26:14-16
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus submitted to the will of the Father to go to the Cross and die for the sins of the world. Judas came there to betray him with a kiss and he was arrested.
Matthew 26:47-50
At this point, his disciples deserted him and fled.
The unfair trial
He was convicted before he was even tried. They had already made up their minds he was guilty. They shopped for witnesses to testify falsely. Matthew 26:57. Matthew 26:59-60.
They then took Jesus before Pilate who didn’t find anything wrong with him but succumbed to the demand of the people to have him crucified. Matthew 27:11; Matthew 27:15-26
The Torture
They handed him over to the Roman soldiers to torture him and crucify him. They beat him, humiliated him and tore his back with hooked whips. They forced a crown of thorns on his head and covered his distorted face with blood.
Jesus is mocked and crucified
Matthew 27:27-31; Matthew 27:32-54
The death of Jesus
He died and was buried. Matthew 27:45-54
The importance of the cross
Ephesians 2:14-16, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; [15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [16] And that he might RECONCILE both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby…”
Many people are fascinated by the cross. Some wear it as an ornament around their necks. Some mount it in strategic places in their houses, offices, etc. It is used in many places as a symbol of the church. Others have made shrines out of it.
Some people view it as a symbol of suffering and sacrifice.
We believe Christ is risen; he is no longer on the cross. We must move from the crucifixion to the resurrection.
Whatever your view, a close look at Scriptures reveals the real significance of the cross. The debate should not be about the shape of the cross but its significance.
Four absolutes converged on the cross:
• Justice
• Forgiveness
• Evil
• Love
All men seek to know the truth about these four things and they are the things that matter to us all.
Forgiveness
We all need forgiveness and we must also learn how to forgive. We all need love and justice. We accuse each other of wrong doing but we must understand what real evil is and how to deal with it. Those who point accusing fingers on others must realize that they are themselves guilty in one way or another. Jesus took care of all these on the cross. He showed us these things on the cross.
Evil
On the cross, Jesus was a victim of pure evil. Maximum cruelty was visited on him the way he was nailed to the cross after being brutalized. Just imagine the agony and pain he had to endure from the horrific treatment!
Justice
Justice is certain and justice is needed. It must be made clear that the guilty will not go free and that everyone will be held accountable for their crimes. Perpetrators of evil must realize that justice will one day catch up with them. A society where there is no justice is a society that will break down completely. We must strengthen our justice system and allow it the freedom it needs to ensure that our society does not breakdown. Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. People who kill must be made to answer for their crimes. Our law enforcement agencies should be completely overhauled to make them more effective in preventing and detecting crime and bringing criminals to book. People who commit crime should be promptly apprehended and prosecuted. If people know that those who commit crime will face the law, they are less likely to commit crime.
Love
On the cross we see the pure love of God on display: God the Father sacrificing his only begotten Son as offering for the sins of mankind. This is the unconditional love of God of which men are not capable. We love those who love us and hate those who hate us. This is the way we are raised and this is the way we are. But on the cross we see God loving his enemies in a most unusual and unselfish way!
Romans 5:6-8, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man 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.”
We cannot love like God unless and until we allow him to come into our lives and change us. The love of God can only be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The Contemporary English Version (CEV) says the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with this love.
Crucifixion is about fixing
The most important lesson we learn from the cross which I think is the meaning of crucifixion is that the emphasis is not on blame trading but on ‘fixing’! We should major on fixing our differences rather that embarking on vicious criticisms and tearing ourselves apart. Notice that one of the people crucified with Christ embarked on blame trading and got nothing but the one who sought forgiveness received it.
Christ fixed our broken relationship with God; the cross is the place of reconciliation. Like the one thief on the cross, we must humble ourselves and accept that we are sinners and earnestly ask God for forgiveness. If you don’t know you are sick you will never seek for treatment. The Bible clearly states that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. If all have sinned it means I have sinned and you have sinned.
Have you ever lied or taken anything that does not belong to you since you were born? Have you ever lusted after someone you are not married to? Have you ever taken the name of the Lord in vain? Have you ever in any way ignored God and worshipped an idol? If God were to judge you by this standard you will stand no chance!
The judgement on sin is severe: eternal separation from God in hell. Hell is not a place you’d wish for your enemy.
The only reasonable solution is to accept the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross and be washed by the blood he graciously and generously shed for us.
He came to fix our broken relationship with God. I pray every broken home will be fixed. I pray that our nation will be united so that we can make progress. We should not be dividing people; we should be uniting them. Gossip divides people; we must avoid it by all means!!
Bishop Dr. Charles Olowojoba is the General Overseer of Dayspring Bible Church Worldwide with HQ in Abuja, Nigeria & President, Dayspring Christian Ministries Int’l. Website: www.dayspringcmi.org e-mail: [email protected] Help line: 08035150515
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