why the cross?

WHY THE CROSS?What Made the Death of Jesus Necessary?

THE MAIN PROBLEM

Who God is

Whom we have become as sinners

GOD IS…

Holy:

Too pure to tolerate sin

Love:

To the MAX!

Just:

Has to punish sin

SIN MADE US

Proud: “I am the BOSS!”

Rebellious: “Don’t tell me what to do!”

Selfish: “Me needs, My wants…Only MY way.

Unforgiving: “I love to hate”

Lustful: “I live mainly for more Pleasure…at any cost.”

Unable to stop sinning: “Yep—true! “

IN THE BEGINNING…

God walked and talked with Adam & Eve in the Garden in the cool of the day.

They were one in heart with God. Peace reigned between them.

There was no disagreement, no disease, no fear, no anger, no pain, no unmet needs. Joy & peace filled their hearts.

Adam & Eve had abundant, luxurious earthly and eternal life!

ONE COMMAND…

“…but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:17)

The Bible Hidden in the Chinese Language

THEN THEY DISOBEYED GOD…

One Sin broke that intimate, Fatherly relationship

God and man were no longer “one”. They were separated.

SIN SEPARATES….SIN KILLS.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." ( Is. 59:2)

“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” (Rom. 5:12)

“For the wages {results} of sin is death…” (Rom. 6:23) = Hell

WHAT IS SIN?

SIN DEFINED

God has a holy standard of perfection that He has given to us. When we sin we miss that mark. (Greek: hamartia)

Sin is “falling short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23)

Everything that offends God. Sin is rebellion against God (1 John 3:4).

Can be committed by behavior or thinking that is contrary to God’s commands in the Bible.

Sins can be omission as well as commission.

EXAMPLES OF SIN

“Therefore, to the person who knows to do good and does not do it, to them it is sin (James 4:17).

Breaking the Ten Commandments: Worshipping other gods, worshipping made-made images, using God’s Name carelessly, dishonoring parents, murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, coveting goods or spouses of others.

Jesus’ Commands: Lusting after a woman, persistent anger toward another, calling others fools, etc ( Matthew 5-7)

EXAMPLES OF SIN

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft;

hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)

EXAMPLES OF SIN“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,

nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1Cor. 6:9-10)

SIN

SIN

Greatest Weapon of Mass Destruction in the Universe

GOD REQUIRES OF USHe is Holy and Cannot Tolerate Sin.

GOD GAVE THE MOSAIC LAW

God tried to reconcile His people to Himself through the Law of Moses—the OT.

Obedience to laws showed faith

Ritual animal sacrifices atoned for sin

Priests prayed for the people as they sacrificed animals & crops

THE NEW COVENANTJER. 31:31-34

He would change their hearts so they could stop sinning by writing His instructions on each of their hearts. ( Holy Spirit)

Everyone would know Him personally (Born-again)

God will forgive their sins and never remember them again

All Through What Jesus Did on The Cross!

THE CROSSGOD’S FINAL SOLUTION

People sin cannot not stop sinning.

Physical & eternal death is the punishment for any sin.

God must punish sin because He is Holy and Just

But God Wants to Save Us from eternal death because He is Love

The Cross solves this cosmic dilemma:

The Judge of the Universe punishes His own Son in our place.

The Judge becomes the Justifier to satisfy His holy justice and express His love for all mankind.

LET’S PRAY TO OUR GOOD GODWhose Son on the Cross Saved Us from the Just Penalty of our Sins