Nailing Down Your Need For The Cross

If you were to Google the phrase: “The day that changed the world” what do you think would come up?

Here’s a few book titles with the that contains the phrase “Changed the world “in their title. Here are a few examples:

a) Gunpowder: The History of the Explosive that Changed the World.

b) Cod: The Biography of the fish that changed the World.

c) The Model T: The car that changed the world

d) The Pill: The Biography of the drug that changed the world

e) The Twist: The story of the song and dance that changed the world

f) Mauve: How One man invented a color that changed the world.

I’m sure that things like, Cod, the Pill, the Twist, and the color Mauve might have an important place in our society as a whole, that the idea that these things “changed the world” just might be slightly exaggerated a little bit. (You think?)

But, in history, there was definitely one event that deserves this title. This event took place one Friday afternoon, outside the walls of Jerusalem, on a criminal cross, as Jesus Christ hung on the cross.

Explanation:

Commenting on the cross, Calvin Miller said: “No one can turn in any direction without seeing a cross on a hill, a church, or on a piece of jewelry.”

While many symbols have been used to illustrate and communicate the meaning of Christianity such as; “ a dove”, “a flame of fire”, or even “bread and a cup”--- yet the cross still stands as the single most recognizable symbols of our faith.

Yet, the cross is more than a religious symbol; it is the ultimate sacrifice once for all; to bring us to God.

R Kent Hughes calls us to the cross saying: “It is easy to discuss the cross of Christ in a disinterested way... to think about it... and then forget about it. The trouble is that we are desensitized by daily scenes of real violence... bloodshed and murder no longer has the power to move us. So also, the death of Christ on the Cross has become so much of our religious upbringing that we really don’t notice.”

Today, we’re going to the cross and take notice. We we’re going to hear what Jesus said about the cross as He foretold His death. In His words of we understand why Calvary was so necessary.

From Jesus’ lips, what does He tell us that that cross does for you and me?

Transitional Sentence: The cross:

I. Gives Me Confidence About the Future

vs. 31- “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”

Explanation:

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were mesmerized with the cross. This is proven by:

a) 10% of each gospel speaks about the death of Jesus.

b) 1/3 of each gospel communicates the last week of His life.

c) 2 our of 4 of these gospels mention the birth of Jesus; but all of them speak about the death of Jesus.

d) Only 1 miracle is mentioned in all four gospels; but all four speak about His death.

The death of Jesus on the cross was necessary for the gospel to be “the good news” because without the cross; according to verse 31, “Satan would still be the ruler of this world.”

Read verse 31 with me. What does it say? “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”

Do you know what Jesus is confirming here? First, He is confirming that the devil is real. When Jesus identifies him here he calls him: “The ruler of the world.”

In verse 31 Jesus tells us that when He showed up in Bethlehem’s stable, He invaded the devil’s turf. He seems to tell us that this world is not a playground; it is a battle ground. This world contains an evil empire with one objective: To kill, steal, and destroy.

Yet, the cross disrupted the devils plan.

In verse 31, Jesus describes His ministry in militant terms where Jesus says that the cross was engineered and designed to surmount an attack on Satan and ultimately cast him out.

Hear again Jesus’ words. He says: “Now judgment is upon the world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Vs. 31

To understand what Jesus is saying here; we have to dig deeper into the linguistic tools. Let me explain:

a) The phrase “cast out” (ekballo) means: “to drive out or bring expulsion.”

b) Likewise, the phrase “cast out” is in Future Passive Indicative mood which means: “Jesus did something in the past that assures completion in the future.

In other words, the cross 2000 years ago, sealed Satan’s fate, and set in stone a prophetic fact that is unchangeable.