The Purpose of The Cross

Temple Baptist Church - 4-7-2019

1 Corinthians 1:18; Galatians 6:14

Introduction: 

A.  In this verse, which is my Life Verse, we find the importance of the Cross of Christ.  The Cross of Christ is the Focal Point of the Bible.  It is here that “eternity hinges.”  It is the bridge between Adam’s Fall and eternity.

1.  For four thousand years, from the fall of Adam along with the first Messianic Promise in Genesis 3:15, the world awaited the coming of the “Seed of the Woman,” God’s Messiah.

2.  For the past two thousand years, God’s people have looked back to the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

3.  Looking both forward in the Old Testament and back in the New Testament are acts of saving faith. 

B.  “God forbid that I should glory” covers it all.  Our glory is to be found in what Christ did and now in what we have done.  It makes salvation an act of grace and not of works.

C.  The preaching of the cross has a two-fold purpose found in this verse concerning the cross of Christ.  The song Rock Of Ages said it all: “be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.”

1.  The first purpose is salvation:  “by whom the world is crucified unto me.” 

2.  The second purpose of the cross is sanctification:  “and I unto the world.”  

1.  The Realization of The Cross - God Sacrificed His Own Son -  “Truly, this man was the Son of God” - Mark 15:33-39 - At The Cross Was Manifested The Holiness Of God.

1.  God’s Holiness Separated Him From Sinful Man - Habakkuk 1:13  Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? 

Job 15:15  Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are                                        not clean in his sight. 

Psalms 5:4  For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 

1 Timothy 6:16  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

2.  God’s Holiness Demanded Sacrifice And Full Payment For Sin - Nahum 1:3a  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked:

2 Peter 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

3.  God’s Holiness Demanded A Perfect Sacrifice For Sin - His Perfect Son  - 1 Peter 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

2.  The Forgiveness of The Cross - “Father, Forgive Them” - Luke 23:27-34 - At The Cross Was Manifested The Sinfulness Of Man And God’s Love For Sinners.

1.  God’s Hatred For Sin - The Sentence of Death - Ezekiel 18:20  The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

James 1:14-15  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  Do not err, my beloved brethren. 

2.  God’s Love For Sinners - A Spotless Lamb Dying On An Old Rugged Cross For Sinful Man - 1 Timothy 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

1 Timothy 1:9-10  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,   For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 

3.  The Salvation of The Cross - “Lord, Remember Me” - Luke 22:39-43 -At The Cross Was Manifested The Remedy Of God.

1.  The Willingness Of God To Send His Only Begotten Son - John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Romans 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

2.  The Willingness Of Jesus Christ To Suffer For Our Sin - Philippians 2:5-8  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

2 Corinthians 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. 

3.  The Acceptance Of The Cross As Final Payment For Sin - Isaiah 53:10-11  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.  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. 

4.  The Preaching of The Cross - “That ye might believe” - John 19:32-35 -At The Cross Was Manifested The Love Of God And His Willingness To Sacrifice His Own Son.

1.  The Contradiction Of The Cross - An Infinite God Smitten At The Hands Of Finite Man -  Hebrews 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 

John 19:11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. 

2.  The Compassion Of The Cross - A Sovereign God Caring For Rebellious Man - Matthew 14:14  And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Psalms 78:38  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 

Psalms 86:15  But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 

Psalms 111:4  He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion. 

Psalms 145:8  The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 

                        Luke 5:32  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.