Cross

• Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27: 31-35)
• Christians should pick up their own crosses (Mark 8: 34-38)
• Jesus' death was powerful (1 Corinthians 1: 17-18)
• Jesus' death unified all Christians (Ephesians 2: 16)
• Jesus' death was a sacrifice (Colossians 1: 20-22)
• Jesus' death defeated Satan (Colossians 2: 14-15)
• Jesus' cross is an example for us (Hebrews 12: 2)

Jesus was crucified.  Scripture tells us how He was mocked, stripped, they put his raiment on him, then He was led away to be crucified.  This was done to Him as punishment; they didn't believe He was the son of God.  When Jesus was with the disciples; he called out to the crowd and told them: "Whosoever will come after me, let him (or her) deny himself (or herself), and take up his (or her) cross, and follow me."  This shows us that the walk of faith  is one of suffering; trials; tribulations.  He said "Whoever will save his life shall lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."  What this means is that if we go after our own lives/goals, or plans, and forget about God and why He came, we can end up losing both our earthly treasures, and our salvation.  But, if we lose our lives for His sake (meaning we put God first), and for the gospel, we will be saving our lives, because we will have gained the gift of salvation which is eternal and cannot be taken from us, and any of our earthly plans or goals will be prosperous.  We will be blessed.  He said "What profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul?"  "Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  He said "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.  We cannot be ashamed of the gospel.  What we need to be ashamed of is the adulterous and sinful way of man.  We should repent of our sins and practice them no more.  Jesus' death was powerful.  The power behind Jesus' death is: salvation for all who believe in Him and accept Him as their personal savior.   Once you believe and accept, you are saved.  No one, or nothing can take that from you.  That's power.  Jesus' death unifies all Christians.  When we accept Christ as our personal and only savior, we are reconciled to God and to the body of Christ (the Church) having slain (or destroyed) enmity thereby.  Jesus's death was a sacrifice.  Jesus made peace through the blood of His cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him; whether they be things on earth or in heaven.  Colossians 1: 21 shows how we were sometimes alienated or enemies to God in our minds by wicked works, but now, we are reconciled.  In the body of his flesh through death, to present us holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.  Jesus' death defeated Satan.  His death blotted out the handwriting of ordinances against us; took it out of the way; nailing it to the cross.  Having spoiled the principalities and powers, exposed them, triumphing over them in it.  Jesus' cross was an example for us.  Looking to Jesus- the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross; despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  We can walk the walk of faith.  We should lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets us, and run with patience the race that is set before us.  


I hope this study was as powerful to you as it was to me- until next time, be well, be safe; and God bless you!