Why the Cross Matters

How can someone be sure they will go to Heaven when they die? Pastor Greg Laurie reveals that the answers to some of our most pressing questions are found right in the book of Isaiah.

Notes:

ACTS 8 AND ISAIAH 53
 
 
PEOPLE WILL DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING TO AVOID PAIN.
  
WE WANT THE GAIN WITHOUT THE PAIN. WE WANT THE CROWN WITHOUT THE CROSS.
 
THE TEXT BEFORE US REMINDS US THAT JESUS CHOSE THE WAY OF PAIN- ON PURPOSE.
 
WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO READ ANSWERS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF LIFE-
- HOW CAN A PERSON COME INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
- HOW CAN ONE BE FREE FROM THE GUILT AND REMORSE OVER THEIR SINS?
- HOW CAN ONE BE CERTAIN THAT THEIR SINS ARE INDEED FORGIVEN AND THEY WILL GO TO HEAVEN?
 
ISAIAH 53 IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTERS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
 
THERE IS POWER IN THE MESSAGE OF THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS.
 
WHY IS THE DEATH OF JESUS SO IMPORTANT?
BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE SINNED AGAINST GOD AND A PRICE MUST BE PAID, A SUBUSTUTE MUST BE OFFERED.
 
JESUS IS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT CONCEALED, BUT HE IS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT REVEALED.
 
THE BOOK OF ISAIAH OFFERS THE CLEAREST ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF JESUS.
 
ISAIAH WROTE HIS BOOK 700 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST DIED.
HOWEVER, HE WROTE IT AS THOUGH HE WAS AN EYEWITNESS.
 
IN OUR JESUS AND YOU 2 SERIES, WE HAVE SEEN JESUS IN THE FIRE WITH SHADRACH, IN A WRESTLING MATCH WITH JACOB, AND NOW ISAIAH SHOWS US JESUS AS THE SUFFERER.
 
“THIS CHAPTER IS THE VERY HEART OF THE GOSPEL. IT IS THE BIBLE IN MINATURE.”
—CHARLES SPURGEON
 
LET’S START WITH THE TWO DOWNHEARTED DISCIPLES ON THE EMMAUS ROAD AFTER JESUS ROSE.
 
LUKE 24:27 (ESV)
BEGINNING AT MOSES AND THE PROPHETS, HE INTERPRETED TO THEM IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF.
 
THE BIBLE TELLS THE STORY OF A MAN WHO WENT TO JERUSALEM, SEARCHING FOR GOD.
 
BUT AS A DIGNITARY, HE RECEIVED SOMETHING VALUABLE, THE SCROLL OF ISAIAH!
 
PHILIP HEARD THIS FOREIGN DIGNITARY READLING ALOUD FROM ISAIAH 53.
 
READ ACTS 8:31 30-35 
 
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, ISAIAH IS THE MOST QUOTED OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS.
 
JESUS AND THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS QUOTE ISAIAH AT LEAST 65 TIMES AND HE IS MENTIONED BY NAME 22 TIMES.
 
THE WHOLE GOSPEL IS IN THE BOOK OF ISAIAH:
- THE BRUTALITY OF THE WOUNDS INFLICTED ON JESUS. (ISAIAH 52:14)
- HIS ABSOLUTE SILENCE BEFORE HIS ACCUSERS (ISAIAH 53:7)
- HIS DEATH (ISAIAH 53:8–9)
- THE PLACE OF HIS BURIAL (ISAIAH 53:9)
- HIS RESURRECTION (ISAIAH 53:10)
 
READ ISAIAH 53:1-3
 
JESUS WAS ORDINARY IN APPEARANCE.
  
IF JESUS HAD AN INSTAGRAM, HE MIGHT NOT HAVE GONE VIRAL,
BUT HE STILL WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE CROSS.
 
IF JESUS WERE HERE TODAY, HE WOULDN’T BE TRENDING, HE’S BE TRANSFORMING.
 
JESUS DID NOT COME FROM THE MARBLE PALACES OF ROME OR THE HALLS OF HEROD.
 
WE OVERLOOK THE ORDINARY PEOPLE IN OUR CULTURE TODAY.
 
WE LIVE IN A CULTURE THAT WORSHIPS THE OUTWARD.
 
PEOPLE SCROLL PAST THE ORDINARY.
MOST LIKELY, YOU COULD NOT PICK JESUS OUT OF A CROWD.
 
AT HIS BIRTH, ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE RECOGNIZED WHO HE WAS,
HUMBLE SHEPHERDS, WHO WERE THE LOWEST OF THE LOW AT THAT TIME.
 
JESUS RETURNED TO HIS HOMETOWN OF NAZARETH WHERE HE HAD BEEN RAISED.
 
THEY DECIDED TO KILL HIM AND TOOK HIM TO THE EDGE OF A CLIFF TO THROW HIM OFF.
YET JESUS SHOWED HE WAS IN COMPLETE CONTROL.
 
LUKE 4:29 30 (ESV) 
BUT PASSING THROUGH THEIR MIDST, HE WENT AWAY.
 
PEOPLE WANTED A MILITANT MESSIAH AND THEY GOT A SUFFERING SAVIOR.
 
JESUS WAS EXTRODINARY IN WHAT HE CAME TO DO.
ISAIAH 53:3
 
WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT “JESUS WAS A MAN OF SORROWS?”
 
DOES IT MEAN JESUS NEVER SMILED, NEVER LAUGHED?
 
JESUS SAID, “I TOLD YOU THIS TO MAKE YOU COMPLETELY HAPPY AS I AM.”
 
JESUS WAS HAPPY, APPROACHABLE, AND EXUDED LOVE!
  
1 TIMOTHY 1:11( NLT)
THE GLORIOUS GOOD NEWS ENTRUSTED TO ME BY OUR BLESSED GOD.
 
THAT IS NOT THE VIEW MANY PEOPLE HAVE OF THE ALMIGHTY.
THEY SEE HIM MORE AS THE ANGRY GOD OR THE DISINTERESTED GOD.
 
WHEN GOD SEES YOU, HE SMILES.
 
NUMBERS 6:24–26 (NLT)
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND PROTECT YOU.
MAY THE LORD SMILE ON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU.
MAY THE LORD SHOW YOU HIS FAVOR AND GIVE YOU HIS PEACE.
 
WE FOLLOW THE LOVING GOD, THE HAPPY GOD, THE SMILING GOD.
 
WHEN JESUS WAS IN GETHSHEMENE HE WAS IN THE DEEPEST SORROW AND PAIN.
 
JESUS KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO SUFFER.
 
JESUS WAS “A MAN OF SORROWS AND AQUAINTED WITH GRIEF.”
ISAIAH 53:3
 
JESUS DIDN’T JUST SEND US A SYMPATHY CARD FROM HEAVEN, HE SHOWED UP IN PERSON.
 
JESUS UNDERSTANDS PAIN, NOT JUST IN THEORY, BUT PERSONALLY.
 
WHEN YOU GRIEVE, YOU ARE WALKING A ROAD JESUS HAS WALKED.
 
I HAVE LIVED WITH GRIEF, AND IT IS UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE.
 
SORROW PASSES THROUGH YOU, GRIEF MOVES IN AND TAKES RESIDENCE FOR A WHILE.
 
GRIEF IS THE WAVE THAT THAT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE WHEN YOU HEAR A SONG OR SEE AN OLD PHOTO.
 
GRIEF IS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING,
THE DEPTH OF YOUR GRIEF INDICATES THE DEPTH OF YOUR LOVE.
 
THE BIBLE SAYS, “THERE IS A TIME TO MOURN.”
 
PAUL POINTS OUT, “WE DO NOT GRIEVE HOPELESSLY BUT HOPEFULLY.”
 
GOD UNDERSTANDS THAT GRIEF YOU ARE FEELING.
 
JESUS CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH YOUR SORROW.
 
REMEMBER WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH TIMES OF SUFFERING,
JESUS HAS WALKED IN YOUR SHOES.
 
HEBREWS 4:15 (NLT)
THIS HIGH PRIEST OF OURS UNDERSTANDS OUR WEAKNESSES, FOR HE FACED ALL OF THE SAME TESTINGS WE DO, YET HE DID NOT SIN.
 
ISAIAH 53 MATTERS TODAY BECAUSE THE ONE WHO CARRIED OUR GRIEFS AND BORE OUR SORROWS
STILL OFFERS HEALING — FOR HEARTS, FOR HOMES, AND FOR A GENERATION THAT’S LOST IT’S WAY.
 
JESUS LOVED US AND DIED FOR US.
 
ISAIAH 53:5 (NKJV)
BUT HE [WAS] WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, [HE WAS] BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; THE CHASTISEMENT FOR OUR PEACE [WAS] UPON HIM, AND BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.
 
ISAIAH 53:6 (NKJV)
ALL WE LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY; WE HAVE TURNED, EVERY ONE, TO HIS OWN WAY; AND THE LORD HAS LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.
 
JESUS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENTAL VICTIM.
HE WAS A CONQUERING VICTOR.
 
HOW CAN A PERSON BE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD?
HOW CAN THE STAIN OF OUR GUILT AND SHAME FROM OUR SIN BE REMOVED?
 
ANSWER: BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
 
WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO DIE?
 
JESUS HAD TO DIE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO SATISFY GOD’S RIGHTEOUS DEMANDS.
 
GOD PLAYS BY HIS OWN RULES, AND HIS RULES STATE,
“THE SOUL THAT SINS SHALL SURELY DIE.”
 
THE DEATH OF JESUS WAS FORETOLD BY THE HEBREW PROPHETS.
 
MESSIAH WOULD COME, BE BORN OF A VIRGIN IN BETHLEHEM, AND BE CRUCIFIED ON A CROSS.
 
JESUS WOULD SOON SAY THE WORDS OF PSALM 22, “THEY PIERCED MY HANDS AND FEET.”
 
PSALM 22 WAS WRITTEN 1,000 YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST CRUCIFIXION EVER TOOK PLACE.
 
JESUS LIVED IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS FROM THE MOMENT HE ENTERED OUR WORLD.
 
FOR SOME, THE CROSS SEEMED LIKE AN ABERRATION, A MISTAKE, A TRAGIC TURN OF EVENTS.
 
IT MUST HAVE SEEMED LIKE THAT FOR THE DISCIPLES AS JESUS WAS ARRESTED AND MURDERED.
 
GOD WAS THE ‘MASTER OF CEREMONIES’ AT THE CROSS.
 
ROMANS 8:32
GOD DID NOT SPARE HIS OWN SON BUT GAVE HIM UP FOR US ALL.
 
ROMANS 3:25
GOD PUT CHRIST FORWARD…BY HIS BLOOD, TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH.
 
(ISAIAH 53:10
YET IT PLEASED THE FATHER TO BRUISE HIM; HE HAS PUT HIM TO DEATH.
 
GOD WAS PLEASED BY THE REDEMPTION THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
HE WAS PLEASED BY THE ETERNAL PLAN OF SALVATION THAT WAS FULFILLED.
 
IN FACT, THIS WAS THE MOST EVIL ACT EVER PERPETRATED BY SINFUL HEARTS:
THE SINLESS SON OF GOD, TORTURED, SLAUGHTERED, HEARTLESSLY MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD.
 
AND YET, FROM IT CAME THE GREATEST GOOD OF ALL TIME.
 
CALVARY SHOWS HOW FAR MEN WILL GO IN SIN AND HOW FAR GOD WILL GO FOR SALVATION.
 
AS CHRIST HUNG THERE, HE WAS BEARING THE SINS OF THE WORLD, DYING AS A SUBSTITUTE.
 
TO HIM WAS IMPUTED THE GUILT OF THEIR SINS,
AND HE WAS SUFFERING THE PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE SINS ON THEIR BEHALF.
 
THE VERY ESSENCE OF THAT PUNISHMENT WAS THE OUTPOURING OF GOD’S WRATH AGAINST SINNERS.
 
JESUS MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
ISAIAH 53:7
 
JESUS WAS ARRESTED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AS THOUGH HE WERE A CRIMINAL.
 
WHEN PILATE QUESTIONED JESUS, HE SPOKE A FEW WORDS, BUT NONE IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.
 
THIS WAS ALL DONE THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN AND COME INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
 
READ ACTS 8:34–39
 
THAT IS HOW QUICKLY CONVERSION CAN HAPPEN.
IT DOES NOT TAKE YEARS, OR MONTHS, OR WEEKS, OR DAYS, OR EVEN HOURS.
 
JESUS CHRIST DID ALL OF THIS FOR YOU.

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