The CROSS - 5

The CROSS - 5

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh

--who are called Uncircumcision

by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands

-- that at that time you were without Christ,

being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel

and strangers from the covenants of promise,

having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus

you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one,

and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

having abolished in His flesh the enmity,

that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances,

so as to create in Himself one new man from the two,

thus making peace,

and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross,

thereby putting to death the enmity.

And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off

and to those who were near.

For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Ephesians 2:11-18

The cross of the LORD reminds us that the middle wall of separation between Jew and gentile and all mankind has been broken down.  

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping,

that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Philippians 3:18  

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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

"that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:14-15  

The cross is not the end but is the beginning and the end of our faith and is the path to victory, joy, glory and eternal life.

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree,

that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness

--by whose stripes you were healed.

1 Peter 2:24

The cross reminds me that even as the LORD took away my sins on His own body on the cross, I should die to sin and live for righteousness in Him.

Then Pilate said to Him,

"Are You not speaking to me?

Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?"

Jesus answered,

"You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."

From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying,

"If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend.

Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."

When Pilate therefore heard that saying,

he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat

in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover,

and about the sixth hour.

And he said to the Jews,

"Behold your King!"

But they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!"

Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?"

The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!"

Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus and led Him away.

John 19:10-16

Pilate said to them,

"What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?"

They all said to him,

"Let Him be crucified!"

Matthew 27:22

So they cried out again,

"Crucify Him!"

Mark 15:13

"Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God,

you have taken by lawless hands,

have crucified, and put to death;

Acts 2:23  

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened,

and have tasted the heavenly gift,

and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance,

since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God,

and put Him to an open shame.

Hebrews 6:4-6

Once we have experienced the gift of salvation,  the power of the Holy Spirit and the revelation of the word, we should not fall away. If we do, we will be crucifying the LORD for ourselves and putting Him to shame. We should steadfastly follow the cross.

We should put to death the self in us and let the LORD live through us.