We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 

Romans 6:4-5

Romans 6:1-25

Recurrent Thought

The Crucifixion of Jesus is a proven fact of History. Therefore, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost (1Tim 1:15)”

Based on the authority of Scripture, human beings trespassed against God’s laws and yet, God pursued to redeem them through His Precious Love. The actual explanation of how God redeemed humanity is expressed through an agonizing experience of the Cross. The cost was priceless, but God still paid it All.  

Today, we remember the day Jesus, the Christ was crucified

There are debates on whether the terms and events such as Good Friday, and Easter which are not in the bible should be used for us followers of Jesus.  These terms increasingly become divisive, for they were put centuries later as calendar names. These came from festivals of Anglo-Saxon and Germanic gods of fertility and later rebranded for Christ’s Death & Resurrection. Of course, according to Jewish Calendar Jesus died around the same periods of April but the better framing is to recognize His death during the Passover Ceremony into which it occurred and was prophetically set. Jesus was crucified about 12 Hours after the Jewish Passover Celebration, which was an annual ceremony commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. Indeed, it is fitting and aptly to call this weekend Passover Weekend instead of Easter Weekend.  

My chief aim in the message today is to expose the Reason of the Cross and the Power it provides for Daily Living. I attempt to do this through three Preliminary Discourses and Two Responses.

Three Preliminary Discourses about the Cross

1. The Biblical Foundation for the Sacrificial Death of Jesus 

   1. We stand on the Authority of Scripture in discussing these discourses. 

   2. Scriptures reveal that human beings sinned against God 

   3. Scripture also reveals Gods relentless desire to redeem them. (Gen. 3: 1-19; Rom. 3:23)

   4. The signal that God was willing to fight for Humanity was when he revealed that the future Son of Eve would crash the head of the Serpent (Gen. 3:15) 

   5. As God revealed Himself through the community of Israel and the Church, He also deposited two major truths:
      Only by God’s Grace can human beings be restored. God is the only one with the capacity to initiate and rescue human beings. 
      Only by Faith can human beings encounter God. Human beings can only receive the Grace of God, in whatever form He gives, through Faith. These two truths are shown through Salvation History in the Writings of the Old & New Testament.

   6. In times past, God initiated His Redeeming Grace through the substitutionary death of Animals. This was woven in the religious life of the Covenant People who interacted with God. Within the Covenant writings, God projected that He would send a human Messiah who would be better than animal Sacrifices (of Bulls, Goats, lambs doves or flour). 
      Messianic prophecies reveal this awesome arrival of the Messiah. He will then usher in an eternal kingdom.  He would be from the tribe of Judah and would perpetuate the throne of King David. Jesus Christ was that projected Messiah. Here are various prophecies about him: Numbers 24:17 The Star of Jacob & Scepter from Israel; Isaiah 11:1 The Root of Jesse; Isaiah 11:2 he would be engulfed by the Spirit of the Lord; Isaiah 53: He would be the Suffering Messiah; Deut. 18:18 A Prophet like Moses. 

   7. Then Jesus, the Son of Joseph, appeared in Israel accompanied by tens of prophecies over his life fulfilled confirming that he is the promised messiah. His thirty-three (33) years long life culminated in Him Being Crucified on the Cross at Calvary (Latin) Hill also named as Golgotha (Aramaic). The two names meant the “place of the Skull”

   8. At the cross Jesus replaced the animal sacrifices as at the atoning objects giving humanity access to the Holy God.  He fulfilled all righteousness to be the sacrifice accepted by God

2. The Historical Reality of the Crucifixion

   1. The Crucifixion was a tool of Punishment and Execution

   2. Despite having become an admirable piece we use in Jewelry or art, the Cross was a tool of one of the worst form of punishment and execution. Invented by the Phoenicians but perfected by the Romans. In systems of execution, is meant to be quick. However, the crucifixion was designed to be slow, painful and disgraceful death which was done to also to intimidate observers. 

   3. Read the Historical account available on https://www.britannica.com/topic/crucifixion-capital-punishment

   4. Jesus, the son of Joseph chose this form of Death Mathew 20:17-19; 28:1-2; Luke 18:31-34; 
      Mat 20:17  And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 
      Mat 20:18  “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 
      Mat 20:19  and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day (Additional text: John 3:14-15; 8:28-29; 12:32-33)

   5. Why did he Choose the Cross? Jesus would have died any other death and still be salvific. 
      First, he chose the Cross to fulfill scripture in Deut. 21:23 it shows he hung on the cross for  "cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree" and through that curse he would liberate all. Second, it was a death that defied logic and expectations. 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 shows that to the Greeks it was foolishness, to the Jews it was a stumbling block.: 

   6. History authenticates the death of Jesus 

   7. Although it was a terrible tool of execution, for us Christ-devoted followers it is a symbol of:

      • Sacrifice: for Jesus left his glory for it

      • Shame: for Jesus was humiliated on it

      • Suffering: for Jesus suffered and died on it

      • Salvation: for Jesus redeemed humanity through 

3. The Cross shows the Costly Nature of Sin (Romans 6:23)
   We must be clear here that the cost is not to humanity. They had already burnt their good will and in an eternal mess. The Cost is to God, who intentionally bridged the darkest chasm of sin to reach humanity that had equally intentionally severed their relationship from a loving God

   1. Jesus became Our Atoning Sacrifice 
      Atonement is the act of covering or cancelling Sin and bring harmony. Jesus became the Lamb to atone for human sacrifice. The Priest offered this sacrifice on Yom Kippur once every year. Jesus offered himself as the sacrifice in the heavenly tabernacle once and for all. He is a more superior sacrifice

   2. He is the Propitiation for our Sin
      Propitiation is the act of appeasing or regaining the favor of a deity or person, often through a sacrifice or gift to turn away wrath. Jesus is the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 2:2).  Jesus died in place of humanity, taking the punishment for sin to satisfy divine justice. Propitiation means that through His death the Justice demand of God was appeased. 

   3. Jesus provided the Ultimate Sacrifice 
      The crucifixion was physically a very painful death. Jesus as the sinless Lamb of God, fulfilled all the Old Testament foreshadowing forms of Sacrifice. The sacrifice is in the fact that a perfect being died for imperfect men. The Sacrifice given by Jesus was priceless, matchless and with sinless perfection. Jesus, the sinless one took our place of death so that Us the sinful ones would become the Saints of God. This reveals the nature of the Substitutionary death he suffered.  He took my place so that I could take His life. He took our prison sentence so that we may be free. 
      
      Rom 5:6  For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 
      Rom 5:7  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 
      Rom 5:8  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us
      ​​​​​​​

   4. He Reconciliation us to God

      • Through the Cross, we have our sins Forgiven and then reconciled to God. The Cross brings forgiveness of sins. Col. 1:14 states that "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Through the Cross there was a reconciliation between God and humanity. The Cross bridged the barrier between a holy God and sinful humanity. The Cross reconciles us to God (2 Cor. 5:18-19)
        2Co 5:18  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 
        2Co 5:19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

      • In the Cross we see the depth of God's love for humanity. The Cross demonstrates God’s sacrificial love to humanity (John 3:16; Isaiah 53:5)  We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. “Redemption” means to be bought back. Through the cross He paid the ransom price, and by this Power Sin has been handled. 

      • Sin separated us; the cross restored our relationship. The cross built the bridge sin once destroyed. 
        Col 1:19  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 
        Col 1:20  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

      • He made peace through the blood of His Cross!  (Col. 1:20)

Two Responses to the Intervention of the Cross 

The cross of Jesus Christ transforms lives today by acting as a present, active power, rather than merely a historical symbol that reconciles individuals to God. The Cross breaks the power of sin, and offers a new identity. It serves as the ultimate demonstration of God's love, shifting a believer's focus from selfish ambition to a life of sacrificial love, purpose, and hope. The Cross is not just historical fact but it has present power for every believer.

Our Initial and Fundamental response to the cross is to believe in the Power that ensued from it and the power. We do this by Placing faith in the finished work of Christ (Romans 10:9).

1.  We must Live by the Power of the Cross to overcome Sin

   1. We Overcome Sin by Dying at the Cross. 
      The scripture refers to our propensity to have our way in gratifying our personal desires as Self or Old Man. Gratification of Self is the bedrock of every sinful behavior. We are called to recognize that our old, selfish way of life was crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:6), allowing us to walk in newness of life rather than being trapped in past behaviors or sins.
      The believer is spiritually united with Christ’s death and because Christ defeated Sin, the believer can also defeat Sin by transferred Victory. The cross is not only about salvation but it empowers a new life. Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live ..."
      It Overcomes addictions and Fear: The Cross provides the power to overcome, breaking the bondage of fear, pain, and addictions.
      ​​​​​​​

   2. We Overcome Sin by Taking Up the Cross
      Luke 9:23  And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me
      Taking up the cross is also called Self-Denial or daily surrender (Luke 9:23; Mark 8:34)
      Self-denial is when a disciple renounces, foregoes, and postpones all pleasures, profits, relations, interests, and whatever one enjoys, which may be in competition with Christ, from love to Him, and to be given up at His command.  According to Luke 9:23, this means denying yourself—your personal desires, ego, and selfish ambition—to follow Christ, making decisions focused on loving God and others. Following Christ requires daily death to self and willing acceptance of the cross. To “deny himself” means to refuse self-rule. The Cross is a hardship, a burden, or reality you choose to carry in order to better serve the Lord. The cross was an instrument of death, shame, and surrender. Now it is demanded that we apply the cross all the time in our walk with Christ. “Daily” shows this is not a one-time decision, but a continual lifestyle. Romans 12:1 calls believers to be living sacrifices. Discipleship is not about self-fulfillment but Christ-exaltation. The truth is that You cannot follow Christ while holding on to self.
      
      How does this work? 
      Gal 2:19  For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 
      Gal 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 
      
      The Death of Jesus has become mine by Faith. Now that we have died with Christ, it also means we have died to the Law (Gal 2:19)
      
      Rom 6:14  For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 
      
      ​​​​​​​These are mutually exclusive lifestyles. If you are under the Law, you are not under Grace. If you are under the Law, sin will have dominion over you. 
      
      Rom 7:5  For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 
      
      Rom 7:6  But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. 
      
      What arouses sin? The Law and its result is Death. Reckon, count yourself dead to Sin. By Faith Count Yourself dead to sin.
      
      Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

   3. We Overcome Sin by Looking to the Cross: John 3:14-15
      
      Joh 3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  Joh 3:15  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (Numbers 21:6-9)
      
      Don’t look at the serpent that bites look at the one lifted on the Cross
      
      The unfortunate thing is we spend more time looking and talking to the serpent instead of looking to Jesus on the Cross. The believer does not fight Sin alone, they do it with the power of the cross resident in them. They have to live daily as one crucified with Christ. Live from Victory, not for Victory: The battle against sin is already won. Live with the assurance that because of the cross, you have victory over the enemy and fear, allowing you to walk in freedom

2. We must endure Suffering by the Power of the Cross  
   
   ​​​​​​​Hebrews 12:2 states that "Looking unto Jesus... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross..."The cross gives strength in trials. If Christ endured the cross, you can endure your trial.”

   1. The Power to Redeem Suffering: It teaches that suffering is not wasted. But by uniting personal trials with Christ’s suffering we find strength, perseverance, and hope, turning "burdens" into sources of grace.

   2. Shift Perspective on our Problems. We are no longer intimidated by problems; instead, we trust that God is using all things to work together for our good and His glory, as per Romans 8:28.

Altar Time

Gal 6:14  But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

• Admit Death by the Cross

• Make the Cross Your Boast; 

• Celebrate the Impact of the Cross 

• Declare the Power of the Cross