THE TREE OF CALVARY (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Last week, we began a two-part lesson entitled:  “The Tree of Calvary.”

 

 

B.   We noted that the word “tree” for the cross is found five times in the KJV (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24).

 

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

 

C.   We looked at seven points in that lesson.

1.    The “Excellence” of the Empire

2.    The Curse of a Criminal

3.    The Trouble of a Traveler

4.    The Source of Suffering

5.    The Means of Mockery

6.    The Placard of A Potentate

7.    The Tool of Termination

 

D.   Let’s continue that study in this lesson.  Remember, our comments are primarily focused on 22 statements found in the New Testament that use the word “cross” in them. 

 

I.             THE POWER OF PREACHING (1 Cor. 1:18)

 

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

 

A.   Notice that Paul affirms that the preaching of the cross is the power of God.

1.    It is the power that causes love to swell up in the hearts of those who are good and honest.

2.    It is the power that produces faith in the hearts of the lost.

3.    It is the power that causes the alien sinner to die to his old way of living.

4.    It is the power that causes a person to obey the conditions of salvation set forth in the precious gospel of Jesus Christ.

5.    It is the power that makes one long to leave the world and set his sights upon the world to come.

 

B.   Why is there power in this cross alone?

1.    It is the only cross upon which the Son of God died (Mark 15:39).

2.    It is the only cross that is the manifestation of divine love (Rom. 5:8).

3.    It is the only cross upon which the Lamb of God was sacrificed for the sins of the world (Isa. 53:11-12).

4.    It is the only cross that provides grace, mercy, and forgiveness to mankind (Eph. 1:7).

5.    It is the only cross that gives hope to those who are lost in sin (Rom. 5:2).

 

C.   1 Corinthians 2:1-2

 

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

 

II.           THE REALITY OF RECONCILIATION (Eph. 2:16)

 

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

 

A.   He:              The Person             Jesus

 

1.    The only one who could accomplish the task

2.    The divine, holy Son of the living God

3.    God in the flesh

 

B.   Reconcile:     The Purpose           To make friendly

 

1.    To reconcile means “to make friendly.”

2.    Man was caught up in the world.

3.    Whoever is a friend of the world is the enemy of God (Jam. 4:4).

 

C.   Both:           The People             Jews and Gentiles

 

1.    Both Jews and Gentiles were sinners and needed to be reconciled.

2.    Romans 3:9       both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin

Romans 3:10     There is none righteous, no, not one

Romans 3:19     And all the world may become guilty before God

Romans 3:20     There shall no flesh be justified in his sight

Romans 3:23     For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

 

D.   One body:     The Plan                The church

 

1.    All who are saved are brought together in the church (Acts 2:47).

2.    Only the church, the called out ones, have been purchased with Jesus’ blood (Acts 20:28).

 

E.   Slain:           The Process           The death of Jesus

 

1.    By means of His death on the cross, Jesus slew a problem.

2.    Jesus was slain that He might slay.

 

F.    The enmity:  The Problem           The Law of Moses

 

1.    The enmity, that is, the thing which caused hostility between the Jews and Gentiles was the Law of Moses.

2.    Jesus slew the law.

3.    Ephesians 2:15

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself one new man, so making peace.

 

III.         THE CESSEATION OF A COVENANT (Col. 2:14)  See Gal. 5:11

 

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

 

A.   The subject of this verse is “the handwriting of ordinances.”

1.    This is the Law of Moses.

2.    The finger of God penned the tablets of stone that were given to Moses (Exo. 31:18).

 

And he gave unto Moses, when had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

 

B.   Three times in this one verse, Paul notes that the law was subjugated.

1.    Blotting out (to erase)

2.    Took it out of the way (to remove)

3.    Nailing to his cross (to die)

 

C.   This disturbs many.  Paul, however, tells us the stimulus for this action.

1.    Against us: 

a.    It was oppressive and burdensome

b.    In the New Testament, the law is often referred to as a “yoke of bondage” (Acts 15:10; Gal. 5:1)

 

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

 

2.    Contrary to us: 

a.    It was a law that condemned but did not save

b.    The blood of bulls and goats could not remove sin (Heb. 10:4)

 

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

 

IV.         THE ORIGIN OF OPPOSITION (Gal. 6:14)

 

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

 

A.   The cross causes the world to be crucified unto the Christian, and the Christian unto the world.

 

B.   The world is our enemy:

1.    “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:15).

2.    “And be not conformed to this world…” (Rom. 12:2).

3.    “…that he might deliver us from this present evil world…” (Gal. 1:4)

4.    “Pure religion and undefiled…is this…to keep himself unspotted from the world” (Jam. 1:27).

5.    “…the friendship with the world is enmity with God…” (Jam. 4:4).

6.    “…having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4).

7.    “…they have escaped the pollutions of the world…” (2 Pet. 2:20).

8.    “…if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

 

C.   The cross reveals some important things about the world.

1.    The world is evil, corrupt, and vile.

2.    The world stands in absolute opposition to the Christ.

3.    The penalty paid for the sins of the world is a violent, bloody, physical death.

 

D.   We must constantly remember Jesus’ words of John 15:19.

 

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 

V.           THE VEHICLE OF VICTORY (Heb. 12:2)

 

Looking unto 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.

 

A.   Notice the inspired writer tells us that Jesus “endured the cross” and despised “the shame” of the cross for a purpose.

 

B.   He could see the joy that awaited on the other side of the cross.

1.    His blood would have been shed.

2.    He would come forth from the grave victorious.

3.    He would ascend to the right hand of God to receive His kingdom.

4.    He would rule upon His throne as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

C.   The enemy, Satan, would be destroyed (Heb. 2:14-15).

 

Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

 

VI.         THE ESSENTIAL OF ETERNAL LIFE

 

A.   There could be no eternal life until a life was given for man.

1.    That life had to be perfect.

2.    That life had to be present in a man.

3.    That life had to be presented voluntarily to the Father.

 

B.   Two verses:

1.    I John 1:2

 

(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.)

 

2.    1 John 5:11

 

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   The tree of Calvary is multifaceted. 

 

B.   1 Corinthians 1:23-24

 

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.