The Message of the Cross

Q: What does the Bible say about the message of the cross?

The Bible reveals that the message of the cross is central to God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The message of the cross signifies the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity. Matthew 27:33-37 provides an account of Jesus’ crucifixion, emphasizing that His death was not an accident but a predetermined plan by God. The entire Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, testify to this significant event. Through the cross, Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecies and brought salvation to those who believe. It is also essential for Christians as it embodies the core of the Gospel, showcasing God's love and justice, and the provision of grace through faith in Christ.

Q: How do we know Jesus' death on the cross was necessary?

Jesus’ death was necessary to fulfill God's sovereign plan of redemption and to bear humanity's sin. The necessity of Christ’s death on the cross is rooted in God's eternal plan. According to Scripture, it was ordained before the foundation of the world that Christ would be the Lamb slain for the sins of His people (Revelation 13:8). His death served multiple purposes: it fulfilled the righteous demands of God's law, made atonement for sin, and declared God's holiness and justice. Romans 5:8 teaches that God demonstrated His love through Christ's willingness to die for sinners, which underscores the necessity and purpose behind this sacrificial act.

Q: Why is the resurrection of Jesus important for Christians?

The resurrection of Jesus confirms His victory over sin and death, providing believers with the hope of eternal life. Jesus' resurrection is pivotal in Christian theology as it authenticates His identity as the Son of God and fulfills His promises. It demonstrates that His atoning work on the cross was accepted by the Father, indicating that sin and death were conquered (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). The resurrection also assures believers of their own future resurrection and eternal life. Romans 10:9 emphasizes that confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection from the dead results in salvation, highlighting the centrality of the resurrection in the believer's faith and hope.

Q: What do Christians believe about Jesus Christ's lordship?

Christians believe that Jesus is Lord by divine decree, having authority over all creation as the risen Savior. The doctrine of Jesus' lordship is foundational in Reformed theology, asserting that Christ is Lord over all. Romans 14:9 states, 'For to this end Christ died and rose again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and the living.' His authority is not merely positional but is backed by His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection. Believers affirm that He governs His kingdom with justice and mercy, and His Lordship calls for acknowledgment and submission of all creation. Understanding Jesus' lordship shapes a believer's relationship with Him and influences how they live under His rule.

Q: How does the cross demonstrate God's love and justice?

The cross exemplifies God's perfect love and justice by addressing the penalty of sin through Christ's sacrifice. At the cross, God's love is magnificently displayed as He provided His Son as a sacrifice for sinners, while simultaneously upholding His justice. Romans 3:26 illustrates that through the atonement, God is just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. While the penalty for sin must be paid, God's gracious provision of Christ reveals His loving character. This act satisfies God's wrath against sin while extending mercy to the undeserving, demonstrating the profound interplay between love and justice in the Gospel message.

I don't think you'll have to
turn in your Bibles to the Scripture that I'll be reading. I'm sure
you're very familiar with this passage of Scripture, but it's
found in Matthew 27, verse 33 through 37. I'm speaking today
on the subject, the message of the cross, the message of the
cross. When I finish with this message,
I'll tell you how you can order the tape. But I'm reading from
Matthew 27. Now listen carefully to the reading
of the Scripture. And when they were come to a
place called Golgotha, that is to say a place of a skull, they
gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall, and when he had tasted
thereof he would not drink. And they crucified him and parted
his garments, casting lots that the scripture might be fulfilled.
And sitting down, they watched him there. And they set over
his head this accusation, This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King
of the Jews. Now, the whole world knows that
a man called Jesus of Nazareth died on a cross nearly 2,000
years ago. We have no problem with that.
In fact, the calendar, all of you carry a calendar in your
wallet or in your purse or in your bank book, and that calendar
divides time by the coming of Jesus Christ Jesus of Nazareth
into this world. You have the years B.C., that
is before Christ, and the years A.D., which means Anno Domini,
in the year of our Lord. So the calendar that you have
on your person there tells you that a man called Jesus of Nazareth
lived and died on this earth. And then our oldest history books,
particularly Josephus, records the death of Jesus of Nazareth. And then the Scriptures. The
Word of God from Genesis to Revelation sets forth the death of Jesus
Christ. Jesus of Nazareth died on the
cross. You can read about it in every
book of the Old Testament. In fact, the Scripture says,
to him give all the prophets witness. And then preachers. in this country and all over
the world, in one way or another, talk about the death of Jesus
of Nazareth on the cross almost every Sunday. Someone mentions
the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross. Everybody listening
to my voice, there won't be anybody who hears me preach today that
does not know that Jesus of Nazareth died on a cross. But the whole
world is divided on four questions. The whole world, religious and
otherwise, the whole world is divided on four questions. The
first of which is this, who is Jesus of Nazareth? And then the
second question is, why did he die on the cross? Why? And the third question, where
is he now? And the fourth question is, what do I have to do with
this man, Jesus of Nazareth? What do you have to do with Jesus
of Nazareth? Now, do you remember those four
questions? I'm going to deal with them very carefully, each
one. And you won't be hearing a more important message than
the one you're going to hear today, so listen carefully as
I deal with these questions. Who is Jesus of Nazareth? Why did he die on that cross? And where is he now? And what
have you to do with this man called Jesus of Nazareth? Well,
the first question is, who is he? Who is Jesus of Nazareth? A lot of opinions. The Pharisees, the religious
leaders, called him the son of Mary and Joseph. They said in
John 6, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose mother and
father we know, whose brothers and sisters live among us? How
is it that he saith, I came down from heaven? Is he not the son
of Joseph and Mary? And then they called him the
carpenter, you remember? And a winebibber, a gluttonous
man. The friend of sinners, they called
him an imposter. They called him a madman, said
he's beside himself. They said he was a son of the
devil. He cast out demons by Beelzebub. That's what the Pharisees
and the religious people had to say about him when he was
here on this earth. But the angels of God who announced his birth
to Joseph, the first announcement was to Mary that she would bear
a son. called his name Jesus. And then
the announcement was made to Joseph, and the angel added this,
told Joseph, Now call his name Jesus, for he shall save his
people from their sins. And this is a fulfillment of
the writings of Isaiah, who said, His name shall be called Emmanuel,
Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God with us. So the angels called
him Immanuel, God with us. And then the angels that appeared
to the shepherds on the night he was born, the night he came
into this earth, into this world, they said to the shepherds, unto
you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is none
other than Christ the Lord, the Lord. John the Baptist, whom
we call the last of the Old Testament prophets, called him the Lamb
of God. Now, these Jews knew about a
lamb. They go all the way back to Abel's lamb and the Passover
lamb and Abraham's lamb and all the lambs that were slain on
the Day of Atonement. And they knew what John the Baptist
was saying when he pointed at this man Jesus of Nazareth and
said, Behold, look, behold, the Lamb of God, the Lamb that fulfills
all the lambs and prophecies and patterns and pictures of
the Old Testament. But we have greater witness than
these. The heavenly Father called Him,
My Beloved Son. On two different occasions, the
Father spoke from heaven and said, This is My Beloved Son
in whom I'm well pleased. Again, he said, this is my beloved
son. Hear him. Hear ye him. The demons knew who he was. When he cast the demons out of
a certain man, they cried out, we know who you are. We know
who you are. He was in the world and the world
knew him not. He came into his own and his
own received him not, but the demons. They said, we know who
you are. You're the Holy One of God. Have
you come to torment us before our time? The disciples called
Him, My Lord and My God. He said, I and My Father are
one. He said, when the disciples asked,
Show us the Father, He said, He that hath seen Me hath seen
the Father. He that hath seen Me hath seen
the Father. That's what Isaiah the prophet said. Unto us a child
is born, unto us a son is given. Government, the government shall
be on his shoulders. He shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince
of Peace." Who is Jesus of Nazareth? He's God. He's God. He is God in human
flesh. That's what the Scripture says.
That's what he said. That's what the father said.
The father said, Under the sun he saith thy throne, O God, is
forever. Paul said to the apostles, I
mean to the elders of Antioch, You feed the church of God, which
he purchased with his own blood. God's church in God's blood. You see, God is spirit. triune
God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But the only revelation of God
to men on earth is one, Jesus of Nazareth, omnipotent, omnipresent,
omniscient God. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word
which was with God and was God was made flesh. and dwelt among
us. Paul writing to Timothy in 1
Timothy 3.16 said, Great is the mystery of godliness. God was
manifest in human flesh. You got the answer? That's what
the scriptures say, and they cannot be broken. Jesus of Nazareth
is God Almighty in human flesh. All right, the second question,
why did he die on a cross? Some people say, well, he died
as an example. Others say he died as a martyr.
Some say he died as a reformer. Well, I'll answer this question
from the Scriptures and let you see exactly why he did die on
that cross. Jesus of Nazareth died on the
cross. Jesus, God's Son, died on the
cross. God Almighty in human flesh,
I can't explain that. But he died on a cross in human
form. First of all, he died on that
cross because the Father willed it. God willed it. That's right.
His death was no accident. His death was decreed and purposed. It was purposed and decreed of
God before the foundation of the world from the beginning
that he should die on the cross. You see, he was the lamb slain
before the foundation of the world. That's what the Scriptures
say. And as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
His death was planned and purposed and decreed from the beginning.
He referred to that hour several times while He was here on the
earth. He said, Mine hour has not yet come, for this cause
came out to this hour. And finally, in John 17, in that
great priestly prayer, He prayed, the hours come. You see, 700
years before He died on the cross, Isaiah wrote, He was wounded
for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.
But when Peter preached at Pentecost and accused those people of crucifying
the Lord of glory, the Lord of glory, they crucified with wicked
hands. He said in closing that message,
Him, Christ, being delivered into your hands by the determinate
counsel and foreordination of God, you with wicked hands have
crucified and slain." You did, Acts 4, 28. You did what God
determined before to be done. If you're an Old Testament student,
you'll know that everything surrounding His death was prophesied. and
recorded in the Scriptures long before he came into the world,
the plucking of his beard, the piercing of his hands and feet,
the betrayal by Judas, the sale for 30 pieces of silver, Judas
bringing the money back, casting it on the floors, committing
suicide, them buying the potter's field with the money. All of
these things were written in the Scriptures long before he
died. He died by the will of God, according to the will of
God. That's why he died. God willed
it. He died on the cross that he might be Lord. Read Romans
14, 9. Listen to it. To this end, for
this cause, Christ died and rose again that he might be Lord,
both of the dead and the living. That's pretty clear, isn't it?
For this reason, for this cause, Christ died and rose again that
he might be Lord. He is Lord. He's Lord by decree.
the decree of God. He's Lord by design. He's Lord
by death. When He died, He bought the universe.
He destroyed all the powers of Satan, principalities and powers. He destroyed those powers. He
bought the universe, the kingdom, and all the power is given unto
Him. He said when He prayed in John
17, Father, thou hast given me power over all flesh. In Matthew
28, when He sent His disciples out to preach, He said, All authority
is given unto Me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and preach
the gospel. Where did He get this authority?
Well, it was decreed, it was given by the Father, and He bought
the right. He purchased it. It's His. He redeemed it. It belongs to
Him. He died that He might be Lord,
King of kings and Lord of lords. All right, thirdly, Romans 3.25,
he died to declare God's righteousness. Listen, God had set him forth,
set forth Jesus Christ to be a propitiation, a propitiation
through faith in his blood, in his death. What is a propitiation? Well, you go back to the Old
Testament and you find the ark in the Holy of Holies. And in
that ark, where the Ten Commandments, the broken law. Over that ark
was a mercy seat, a mercy seat of beaten gold. And at either
end of that ark was a cherubim. And over that ark, the Shekinah
glory of God. That's where God's glory was
manifested, on the mercy seat. A mercy seat is a propitiation. A mercy seat is a covering. A
propitiation is a mercy seat and a covering. And once a year,
the old high priest would come in there with the incense and
with the blood atonement and sprinkle it on the mercy seat,
sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat seven times to atone, to
cover, to be a propitiation for sins. That was just in picture. That was in type. That was a
picture of the great high priest, Jesus Christ, who would come
not with the blood of animals, but with His own blood, not enter
the holy place, place made with hands, but enter heaven itself
with His own blood, and make an atonement for our sins. God
set Him forth to be a propitiation, a mercy seat, an atonement, a
covering. His blood covers and cleanses
from all sin." And it says, Father, God set Him forth to be a propitiation
through faith in His blood to declare God's righteousness.
Now, my friend, one does not comprehend the death of Christ
rightly till he understands that Christ's death was not toward
us. He didn't die just to set an
example or to get us to feel sorry for Him or pity Him. He
died toward the Lord. His death was toward God. His
sacrifice was toward God. It was to pay a sin debt. It
was to honor a law. was to satisfy justice. He died
to declare God's holiness, to declare God's righteousness,
and to declare the righteousness which God has provided and purposed
for His people. We have to have a righteousness.
The soul that sinneth shall die. That's what God says. And somebody's
got to die on whom the guilt lies, the penalty must be paid. by that person. The penalty must
be paid by the guilty person. We're guilty. But Christ came
and took our guilt and took our sins and became numbered with
us. He became guilty. He bore our
sins in His body. And the Father laid the stripes
on Him, and the justice of God was satisfied, the righteousness
of God was declared. So He died that He might justify
us before that God may be just and justified. All right, fourthly,
Hebrews 9 says this, He died to put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself. That's why He died, to put away
sin. He died just for the unjust to bring us to God. John 10,
verse 14, Christ said, I'm the good shepherd. I lay down my
life for my sheep. For means in the stead of, in
the place substitute. I died for my sheep. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanseth us from all sin." So He died to put away sin. He died to bring us to God. And
then fifthly, He died on the cross to purchase and purify
a people zealous of good works. Listen to Titus 2. We're looking,
Paul said, we're looking. for that blessed hope and the
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, who gave Himself
for us, that in order that He might redeem us from all iniquity,"
that's what I've been saying, and that He might redeem us from
all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, a
different a separated people, zealous of good works. Now, our
Lord didn't die on the cross just to keep people out of hell.
He didn't die on the cross just to provide us a way to heaven. He died on the cross to establish
a new kingdom wherein dwelleth righteousness, inhabited by people
who love righteousness. He died on the cross to declare
us legally righteous and justified but also that we might be born
of His Spirit and become new creatures in Christ with a new
life and a new heart and a new direction and a new spirit and
a new attitude. Those whom the Lord redeems by
His blood live not only by Him and through Him, but they live
for Him. And they manifest the fruit of
His indwelling Spirit. And that fruit is love. These
people love God and love one another. And joy. They rejoice in the Lord. And
faith. They believe God. And patience. They wait on the Lord. And gentleness.
And kindness. And peace. And humility. And
goodness. And grace. He died to purchase
unto Himself and purify unto Himself. peculiar people, a different
people, a new generation of regenerated people. And then in the sixth
place, He died on the cross to show the riches of His grace
toward us, to glorify Himself. You remember when He prayed in
John 17, He said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son,
that Thy Son may glorify Thee. This is what it's all about.
Christ died in order that He might be glorified, in order
that the Father might be glorified, in order that the mercy of God
might be glorified. Listen to Ephesians 2. In the
ages to come, He will gather together all things in Christ
Jesus, and He will show the exceeding riches of His grace toward us
in Christ Jesus. Christ died that He might be
glorified. He saved us to the praise of
the glory of His grace. Oh, I know a lot of preachers
talk a lot about all the rewards that they expect to receive in
heaven for the good works that they've done, but according to
the Scripture, Christ is our reward. That's what He said to
Abraham, I am thy exceeding great reward. Christ is our reward. What's better than Christ? David
said, I'll be totally satisfied when I wake with His likeness.
What can be better? I'll tell you, my friend, the people of glory are not going
to brag on us. They're going to brag on Him
who saved us. He's going to show the exceeding. He's not going
to show off what we did because we really haven't done anything.
He's going to show the exceeding riches of His grace toward us. He's going to wear the crowns.
Christ is going to get the glory. That's right. He died that He
might show throughout eternity for all the universe to behold
and wonder at His glory, the riches of His grace, the riches
of His love toward us in Christ Jesus. Now, the third question,
where is He now? Where is Jesus Christ now? Well,
I'll tell you where He is. Hebrews 1, 3 says this, God has
spoken to us by His Son, who being the brightness of His glory,
and the exact image of His person, and upholding all things by the
word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. That's where
He is. seated at the right hand of the
majesty on high. He said to the Son, Sit thou
on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Who is he that condemneth? Paul said, It's Christ that died,
yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand
of God. Whoever liveth to make intercession
for us." There you have it. Christ reigns, Christ rules,
Christ is glorified, Christ is fully victorious, Christ is satisfied. He's seated at the right hand
of the Majesty on high. Now then, the last question.
What have we to do with this God-man? Well, I'll tell you
this. The Scripture says in John 3,
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His
hands. He's vested everything in Christ.
He's given everything to Christ. Christ is the heir. And he that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not
the Son shall not save him, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Paul said, God hath appointed a day. He hath appointed a day
in which He'll judge the world in righteousness by that man,
by that man. whom he hath ordained, whom you
crucified, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that
he raised him from the dead." God's going to judge this world
by Jesus Christ. And you know what He said in
I John 5? He said, this is the record, this is the truth. God hath given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. The life of God is in His Son.
The eternal life is in His Son. The hope of heaven is in His
Son. And he that hath the Son of God
hath life. And he that hath not the Son
of God shall not see life. Who is Jesus of Nazareth? He's
God. Why did He die on the cross?
To redeem us from sin, bring us to God. Where is He now? He's
at the right hand of God. What do I have to do with Him?
Well, He's the one with whom we have to do. God's vested everything
in him. Believe on him. Rest in him.
And the promises are yours. Now, I have this message on a
cassette tape. It's entitled, The Message of
the Cross. The Message of the Cross. If you'd like to have
it, send $2 and we'll mail it to you. There's another message
on the other side that I'll be bringing next week on the subject,
All Things Work Together for Good. you want to hear that message
too. So if you'd like, here's the
address on the screen. Send two dollars, we'll mail
you this message. Till next week, God bless you.

The Message of the Cross

What does the Bible say about the message of the cross?

How do we know Jesus' death on the cross was necessary?

Why is the resurrection of Jesus important for Christians?

What do Christians believe about Jesus Christ's lordship?

How does the cross demonstrate God's love and justice?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

Joshua

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

The Message of the Cross

What does the Bible say about the message of the cross?

How do we know Jesus' death on the cross was necessary?

Why is the resurrection of Jesus important for Christians?

What do Christians believe about Jesus Christ's lordship?

How does the cross demonstrate God's love and justice?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

More from Henry Mahan

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Henry Mahan

Books by Henry Mahan

Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book