Blessings of the Cross - 15th day in Lent

The blessings of the cross under three categories:

1. Blessings in - Jesus carrying  the cross
2. Blessings in - Jesus bearing  the cross
3. Blessings in - Jesus dying on the cross – victory

John 19:17 ‘ and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.' Jesus carried His own cross.

1. JESUS CARRYING THE CROSS:

a) By carrying His cross, He carried all our sins

b) He carried our iniquities and transgressions.

Isaiah 53:11 ‘…my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.'
Isaiah 53:12‘…yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.'
Psalm 38:4 ““For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.”
Isaiah 53:6 ‘ 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.’
Isaiah 53:8 ‘… he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?'
Isaiah 53:5 ‘ But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;….’

c) He carried our diseases:

Matthew 8:17 'This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.'
1 Peter 2:24 ‘He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.’
Isaiah 53:5 ‘…upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.'

d) He carried our sorrows:  
     
Isaiah 53:4 ‘Surely he has borne our griefs  and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.'
Jesus knows the way we go. He is with us all the time and carries our burdens.

e) He carried our curses:

Galatians 3:13 ‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
Deuteronomy 23:5 ‘But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you.’
Nehemiah 13:2 ‘… but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.’
Revelation 22:3 ‘No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.’
Jesus by carrying the curse removed all the curses from us. There is no more curse for us. The Lord loves us so much that He turns the curse into a blessing.

2. JESUS ENDURING THE CROSS:

Hebrews 12:2 ‘…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’
Isaiah 59:2 ‘… but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
Matthew 27:45,46'Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
        
Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. He suffered  physically, mentally and spiritually. He was despised, insulted, beaten and led into a lot of shame. Above all the sins he bore on the cross brought the separation from his Father. He could not bear it as he was so close to Him. That is why he shouted, “Why have you forsaken me?” Jesus endured the cross and gave us a right relationship with the Father. He opened up the way to the throne of grace.
 
3.JESUS DYING ON THE CROSS – VICTORY

Jesus dying on the cross gave us victory over sin. He helps us to live a victorious life.
Colossians 2:15 ‘ Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.'
John 19:30 'When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.'
 This is a shout of victory. The Lord Jesus always wanted to fulfill the will of His Father. When he gave up his spirit on the cross knowing that he fulfilled the purpose for which he was sent has finished he boldly said these words.

1 Corinthians 15:26 'The last enemy to be destroyed is death.' He over came death by his resurrection.
 Revelation 1:17, 18  “Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Jesus rose again from the dead and still living. He is a risen Lord, a victorious King. He gives us the same victory in our daily living.

1 Corinthians 15:57 ‘But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Romans 8:37 ‘No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.'
Paul says from his own experience that we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Let us live a thankful life for His love on the cross.

MEMORY VERSE:

1 Corinthians 15:57
‘But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’

Shared by: Sister Selvamani, Chennai

                                                                                                                                                 03-6-2015