GOD’S PUROSEFUL YOUTH (G.P.Y.) ONLINE TEACHING THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS (First Session)

2019 EASTER SERIES

GOD’S PUROSEFUL YOUTH (G.P.Y.) ONLINE TEACHING

THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS (First Session)

TEACHING BY: BRO SEGUN MAUTON

PRAYER: Let's just begin to bless the name of the Lord, thank Him for this platform and the opportunity to learn His word, you can just pray where ever you are.

Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. Col 4:2

We thank God for this opportunity and gathering, we thank Him for His word is light to us, His word brings life to us.

Let us also now pray for clarity in teaching and in understanding of the word tonight.

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Eph. 1:15-19

We pray that the eyes of our understanding being enlightened we receive full knowledge of the blessings of God we've in Christ.

Here's what we're discussing tonight...

THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS

The cross has come to become an item identified with the Christian faith. It is a symbol adored by many especially those of Christian faith.

It has become so popular that people wear symbols of the cross as jewelry, some Christians even hang it somewhere in their houses.

But if you met a person during the time of Jesus, he or she wouldn't have placed the same value we place on the cross like believers do now, it wasn't attached to any faith, and neither did it symbolize anything good or hopeful.

It was in fact, a symbol of anguish and death, pain and suffering, hopelessness and despair.

The cross was the Roman Empire's most brutal punishment. And it was reserved for the worst criminals that had been sentenced to death.

It was a public humiliation and shameful way to die.

But it was on this same man-made medium of punishment that the Son of God was hung to die.

Before we can talk about why Jesus Christ had to die on the cross, we have to first know why He had to die.

The answer lies first in why God gave us His Son.

"And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" Luke 1:35

Please make sure you read the biblical citations very calmly

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matt 1:21-23

We'd see that a name was already prepared for the child that would be born by the virgin, the Son of God.

The name given Him, JESUS is the same as the name JOSHUA, it means "God my/our salvation"

Salvation from what?

The Son was given to save humanity from sin.

That's what the angel said of Him in Matthew 1:21

Let's flow together

Was the Son given to save from sin alone?

No!

See this...

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons" Gal 4:4-5

He was given to redeem humanity from the law, so, they can receive adoption as sons.

There's one more....

"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." John 3:16

He was given so that the life of God (eternal life) would be available to all who believe in Him.

All these three things are still related to each other and they all encompass the salvation of God

But this doesn't yet explain why He had to die on the cross, right?

We'd see that soon, they'll all make sense later on. Let's move on patiently...

Recall that in Matthew 1:21 we see that He came into this world to save man from sin and also redeem them that were under the law (Gal.4:5) to give life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16)

Now look at this...

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come" Rom. 5:12-14

Please read patiently o

You'd see there that the consequence of Adam's sin was that "death passed upon all men".

It is not Adam's sin that passed on all men but DEATH. That's why we've John 3:16 says God gives eternal LIFE to whosoever believes in Christ.

Galatians 4:5 also says he came to redeem them that were under the law.

The law also comes into the salvation work of Christ because the law came in and gave sin strength.

"The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." 1 Cor. 15:56

This is so because where there's law there's sin

"For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law" Rom 5:13

You see that sin and death are closely related. Sin is the mother of death.

Apostle Paul puts it like this...

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

Can you see why the salvation of God through Christ was from sin and death?

Sin and death are contrary to God's desire for all men. His desire/plan/purpose for all men is eternal life, a promise that existed even before the world began.

"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" Titus 1:1-2

Eternal life has been God's desire for man before the world was made, it was his sole intention.

And this life is in Jesus;

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus," 2 Tim. 1:1

Also recall John 3:16

This life is available in Him because he conquered death...

"Who hath SAVED US, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Tim. 1:9-10

Can you see the language with which apostle Paul explains salvation here?

He explains it that "Christ abolished death on our behalf and gave us ETERNAL LIFE".

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 15:55-57

We have victory over sin and death in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We say shame to sin and death, our Lord conquered them both.

He came to defeat sin and death for us when came to taste our death, to pay off the wages of our sins....

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Heb. 2:9

Our Lord Jesus Christ, has tasted death for us, He has paid the wages of our sins!

Not just any death o, death of the cross...

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross". Phil. 2:8

Remember that it is not only death that was defeated, sin was also defeated, since sin and death are relative.

"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" Rom. 8:3

Philippians 2:8 says he became obedient unto death, He saw death and still chose to taste it. His love for us compelled Him to go ahead and die for us.

We’ll continue tomorrow.

Thanks for following.

King_Hosanna cares

From Awotiku Akinlayo David

G.P.Y. ADMIN

#ISTANDFORTHETRUTHOFTHEWORDOFGOD