The Cross Before The Cross Series

I had an uncle that preached in Carroll County Georgia for many years. He preached at several churches when I was born he preached at Mt Pleasant Baptist church. He moved from there to Salem Baptist church. When I was born, I went to Mt pleasant. Upon his move, my parents moved their membership to Oak Grove Baptist church. I was about 1 year old. There I was, no doubt placed in the nursery. I was placed there with Donnie Muse, Mitchell North, Mike Bickford, Al Hightower, and many other children. Donnie Muse was probably the one that I grew to have the closest friendship. We were always in church. I was saved at the age of nine years old. Before I was saved, I was involved in church. Donnie was involved in church and even played the piano on occasion. He was not saved until he was in his twenties.

With every one of us, we were there before the cross.

The event of the cross happened about one thousand nine hundred seventy two years ago.

It had just simply not happened in my life.

David was king of Israel about 1000 years before the cross.

The Hebrew or Jewish people did not know anything about the cross,

Crucifixion – was a roman means of capitol punishment.

As for Psalm 22, some modern Theologians dismiss this Psalm as Prophetic or Messianic.

As a Bible Believer, One must realize that the entire Old Testament is Christ Centered.

Each time man needed a savior God sent him a Christ – each savior he sent died and did not return from the dead.

Noah = Died

Abraham = Died

Moses = Died

Joshua = Died

David Knew there would be a permanent saving Savior.

Jesus supported this Psalm as being a product of Christ in Luke 24:4

Jesus on the Cross prayed, psalm 22

MY GOD MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME.

Sin causes one to feel separated from God.

Was Jesus A sinful man … no.

Let us look at some aspects of this scripture

1. Saviors Sentence

a. Sin causes Gods abandonment

i. People living in sin continue to believe in God

b. The experience of God’s absence is real.

c. Sin will undercut a persons self esteem V-6-8

i. There is a sense of being worthless

ii. Some one steeped in sin will seek for material things They continue to feel like the worm mentioned in verse 6

d. Verses 7-8 we see the picture of Jesus hanging on the cross – being ridiculed by the crowd

i. Come down from that cross if you are the Christ!!

Matthew 27:39-40

39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

e. Because of my sin, Jesus experienced both the silence of god and the scorn of the people.

2. Saviors Suffering

a. Not just bulls

i. Strong Bulls of Bashan – Bashan was a high flat area east of Jordan and sound of Mt Herman where wheat and cattle were raised

1. It is the picture of raging trouble or distress

b. Again to the crucifixion

i. Jesus was surrounded by raging maniacs that care not about anyone but themselves

c. Today we are bombarded by a health and wealth Gospel

One time I was praying at this big event here in town and there were several other ministers there with me and the man that went right before me--He is a very well respected leader in the community and a very fine gentleman. But, he prayed about the most depressing prayer that I think I have ever heard. He said, ’God, you know how unworthy I am to even stand up here before you. God, you know what a wretched sinner I am. I don’t deserve your goodness--and God how could you even use anybody like me?’ On and on--man by the time he got finished I felt like I needed to go repent. I felt like I was about that tall. I just wanted to hang my head in shame. So let me ask you, how can we expect God’s blessings? How can we expect His goodness if we go around feeling wrong about ourselves? I wanted to ask him afterwards, ’Did you really mean what you prayed?’ You said you were ’Weak. You were defeated. You were an old sinner. You were unworthy.’ Listen, I’m not going to declare that kind of junk over my life!...Well, you say, ’Joel, we are just all old sinners saved by grace.’ No, the truth is we were old sinners--but when we came to Christ we are not sinners anymore. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God...Sure, we may sin every once in awhile. You may make some mistakes--but that doesn’t make you a sinner. You’ve got the very nature of God on the inside of you."