For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
The cross has historically been (as the hymn writer George Bennard suggests in one of the most beloved hymns of all time, “The Old Rugged Cross”) “the emblem of suffering and shame”.
There has never been a more widely used means of long term suffering and execution as the crucifixion.
“The CROSS”
The public execution of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary has been the theme of so many rescued lives. His bodily resurrection, has given hope to countless souls who have trusted Him as their own personal Lord and Saviour
Philippians 2:8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
He Bore Our BLAME
Isaiah 53:1-4
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
He deserved NO SUCH treatment!
He was Heaven’s Darling and the Lamb of God!
He took the RESPONSIBILITY for ALL our SIN!
He Bore Our SHAME
Isaiah 53:5-12
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Philippians 2:8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
EVEN the death of the cross…
o THIS is what it COST…and He PAID the cost…FOR YOU!!!
o To give you the gift of God’s Forgiveness and Salvation
2Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
He BORE the BLAME and He BORE the SHAME…
He Bore Our PAIN
Isaiah 52:14
…his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
o He suffered it ALL…
o The WAGES of our SIN…were PAID IN FULL by Jesus Christ
This was God’s ONLY PLAN to REDEEM fallen Man
