Victory and the Cross Last Sunday We Celebrated Jesus' Resurrection And
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Victory and the Cross Last Sunday we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection and we talked briefly about his death by crucifixion. This morning I want to focus our attention on what actually happened on the cross. I don’t mean physically to Jesus, but spiritually to us. What does it mean to us and for us that Jesus’ died on the cross? What was accomplished on the cross? The bible says in Colossians 2:15 that Jesus “disarmed the powers and authorities, [making] a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:15. Look at those words “disarmed” and “triumph” and tell me, what’s wrong with this picture? Is there anything about Jesus’ trial, torture and death by crucifixion that looks triumphant? Beaten, bleeding, nailed to a cross, struggling for breath, his life slipping away. Nothing points to victory. Jesus is the public spectacle, not the devil. The only victory appears to be that of evil over good. But while the world sees a dying man, we see a kinsman redeemer, taking our place to set us free from sin’s bondage. Rome sees a criminal paying for his crimes, but we see the One who knew no sin becoming sin for us so we could become the righteousness of God in Christ. Something else was happening on that cross. How did it all happen and what does that victory mean for us? Let’s look at how this unfolds through the ages. Victory Predicted. I hesitate to use the word predicted because it might imply the possibility it wouldn’t happen. Victory was assured, but go with me back to the beginning. God creates man and woman and places them in the Garden of Eden. He gives them authority and dominion over all the earth. He bestows them with purpose and instructs them to be good stewards, to work and take care of the Garden. He tells them to be fruitful and increase in number. He has created them to enjoy the abundance of the land. To make sure they can continue to enjoy the blessings of God, He instructs them as to the boundaries that need to be in place in their life. I hope you’ve realized by now that there are God ordained and God designed boundaries that are to be in place in your life. Violating those boundaries leads to defeat, despair, and death. You don’t need to test God’s boundaries to see if they are still there, or if the penalty is still painful. Adam and Eve tested them and we are all paying for it. You don’t need to test them as well. Into this wonderful setting the devil came to tempt and deceive. He invites Eve first to question God’s plan and intention for her life. “Did God really say...?” The devil introduces doubt about God’s faithfulness, about God’s love for them, about God’s intentions for Adam and Eve. Eve stepped across that God ordained boundary and brought her husband with her as well. By their rebellion sin came into the world. Innocence is lost forever and now, because of their sin we share the sin-tainted dna of Adam and Eve. All of us are sinners and in need of a Savior, a redeemer to set us free from the imbedded curse of sin. It is in this setting of sin and loss we hear the first sounds of victory. Here is what the Lord said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock, and all the wild animals. You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 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.” Genesis 3:14. Understand the symbolism here. God’s not just telling a serpent that he will bite people on the heel and men will smash his head. He is telling the devil that the offspring of a woman, the Messiah will come and redeem broken humanity. The day will come when you – the devil, the serpent – will think you have destroyed this Redeemer - you will strike him on the heel - but just when you think you have got him- he will crush your head and defeat you. This is the promise of victory. It doesn’t look or sound much like victory - but hear what I am telling you - God was promising a showdown all the way back in Genesis 3 and victory was assured! From then on, every Old Testament passage that declared God’s rulership and reign was actually a declaration of intent. Every passage that spoke of the Messiah or that declared his future rulership over the nations, the establishment of his kingdom - it was a reminder, a declaration that God will ultimately be victorious over the devil. Think of the prophet Isaiah - “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel - God with us.” Is. 7:14. And the devil shook with dread. And the prophet declared “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Is. 9:2. And hell drew back in fear. And then the prophet declared “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” Isaiah 9:6-7 And Satan must have screamed in rage at this bold declaration - God will establish his rulership and reign over this whole earth and over the hearts of men and women and the devil will be forever silenced. Victory is promised. Victory is coming. God’s word declared it and God’s word is true. So victory is promised or predicted. And then the second stage: Victory Begins. It begins with the ministry of Jesus. In fact, it began as soon as Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Satan knew that Jesus was his future conqueror so he immediately tried to destroy him. Through the evil madness of Herod he tried to have Jesus killed as all the baby boys two and under in Bethlehem were murdered. But God warned Joseph in a dream to take the baby and Mary to Egypt because Herod was going to try to kill him. Unable to kill him as an infant, the devil decided to try a different tactic and waited for another opportunity. Matthew 4 records the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The devil tried to get Jesus to avoid the way of the cross, to settle for less than the perfect plan and purpose of God. (He is still trying that same temptation on the saints of God today - trying to get us to settle for less than God’s way.) But Jesus said “Away from me Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” And the bible says the devil left him, waiting for a more opportune time. Later the devil tried to get the crowd to take Jesus by force and make him their king. The devil didn’t care how he stopped Jesus - seduce him with power, offer him all the kingdoms of the earth, or kill him, he just wanted him stopped before he could redeem us from our lost and sinful condition. We see him trying again through Jesus’ friends. Peter essentially tells Jesus “The cross isn’t necessary. This can’t happen to you. We won’t let it.” And to Peter’s suggestion Jesus replied “Get behind me Satan.” The religious leaders of the day plotted to have Jesus killed and finally, Judas, one of the twelve, betrayed Jesus into their hands. But understand, none of these things would, nor could, deter Jesus from fulfilling what had been spoken of Him. He went about announcing to everyone that would listen that the kingdom of God had come - that it was at hand and then to prove it, to validate his claims, he performed miracles. The kingdom of God was bursting in upon the kingdom of darkness. Imagine the terror in Satan and his kingdom as the light of God’s love began to shine into the darkest places and darkest hearts on the planet. The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, demons are cast out, the dead are raised in obedience to his command. Hell must have been in a panic at this point. And if that isn’t enough bad news for the devil, Jesus sends out 72 disciples to preach the gospel, heal the sick and cast out demons. They came back rejoicing that even the demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus. Imagine the anger of Satan when he hears Jesus say “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy.” Luke 10:18-20. Throughout the centuries the devil has been hearing the prophets tell of the Messiah that would come and now, he is here and he is authorizing others to trample on the devil as well.