THE IMPACT OF THE CROSS

April 9, 2017 Palm Sunday: The Impact of the Cross

Series Theme Verse: Galatians 6:14 (NKJV) But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...

CONNECT: In the Old Testament, the children of Israel would come every day, every week, every month, and every year and offer different types of sacrifices.  The only problem was that these sacrifices would not take away their sin, only cover it.  In fact, they only reminded the people that they were always sinful, they were not pure!

 Hebrews 10:2–3 (NKJV)For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. ³But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

TENSION: One of the greatest barriers and hindrances in our lives is the consciousness of sins.  The devil is 'real good' at reminding us of all the times we have blown it!  This affects our prayer life, our boldness in witnessing, our authority and power when dealing with evil spirits and evil people, our relationships.  It gives us feelings of guilt and unworthiness.  It causes us to feel inferior and either sink into depression or excessive coping mechanisms.

SOLUTION: God has provided a way to deal with all of this: The Cross!

Today, I do not have some new thing to tell you.  I just want to share with you some old truth.  I want us to remember that Jesus said:

John 8:32 (NKJV) And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

MAIN POINT: The Cross impacts five vital areas of our lives.

1. The Cross wipes out sins.  

Colossians 2:13–14 (NKJV) 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, ¹⁴having 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.

1 Peter 2:24 (NKJV) who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.  

Those sins are not standing in your way any longer!  When the devil comes to accuse you, just remind him of that fact!

2. The Cross wipes out sin. 

John 1:29 (NKJV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

Romans 6:5–7 (NKJV) For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷For he who has died has been freed from sin. 

Now, you may say that your body is very much alive!  The truth is that the power of your old man, everything you were in Adam, has no hold on you!  No chain forged in hell can bind you!  The devil cannot make you do anything!

3. The Cross wipes away curses.  

Galatians 3:13–14 (NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), ¹⁴that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Revelation 22:3 (NKJV) And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

People and demonic forces are constantly trying to curse you with the words of their mouths, their attitudes, their expression of hate. But no curse can come against you!

Proverbs 26:2 (NKJV) Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.

4. The Cross wipes out separation.  

a. Separation from God: Colossians 1:19–22 (NKJV) For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. ²¹And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ²²in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—   

Atonement, At-one-ment...

b. Separation from each other: Ephesians 2:16 (NKJV) and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 

The Cross removes all racism. The ground is level at the Cross!  Everyone is equal at the Cross!

5. The Cross crushes our enemies.  

Colossians 2:15 (NKJV) Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (the Cross)! 

(MSG) He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets! 

Protoevangelion - First Gospel

Genesis 3:15 (NKJV) “And I will put enmity (declare war) between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

(NIV) Crush your head…

Satan’s head has already been crushed!  He is just writhing in his death throes!

CONCLUSION

Three enemies: world, flesh, devil.  The Cross has dealt with all three!

Galatians 6:14 (NKJV) But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom (which) the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Romans 6:6–7 (NKJV) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Genesis 3:15 (NIV) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.”