Bible Studies

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The Journey to the Cross: Why the Cross?
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (Hebrews 9:27, New King James Version)

I was driving down the interstate the other day and I saw a large funeral procession going up to the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton. It was a funeral procession for a policeman who was killed in the line of duty. He was followed by a full compliment of police cars and motorcycles; a procession fit for a hero who gave his life protecting someone else. I pulled over to the side of the road to allow the procession to pass as a sign of respect to the person who had passed and their family. I am reminded of a poem by John Donne,

For Whom the Bell Tolls.

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..." John Donne

Death is something we all face. It is the one thing that links every human being on the planet; we all have death in common. The very first moment we begin to live, we begin to die. We may take some extreme measures to try and delay our death. However, God says our day's are numbered , so in the end, we all will face death and judgement. My pastor, Dr. Johnny Hunt often says, "We all have an appointment with dust and a date with Deity."

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (Hebrews 9:27,), this verse read by itself can be quite depressing. It clearly states the truth, that we are all one day going to die and then face God's judgement. It reminds us that we are mortal and we will all one day cease to live life as we presently know it. If we only read this part of the verse, we would likely give into despair, because it paints a picture that this life is all there is and that after we die we are all lost and without hope. However, if we continue reading and keep the verse in it's context, we get a different picture all together.


And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Hebrews 9:27-28, New King James Version)

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Sin entered into the world. With the entry of Sin, Death also became a reality in the world. Adam and Eve were created to live forever in the Garden and fellowship with God. They were able to talk to God face to face. He would even walk with them in the cool of the day. However when Adam sinned, he could no longer remain in the presence of a righteous and holy God and live. Therefore, because of Sin, Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, never to return.


Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24, New King James Version)

Let us look at the second part of that verse above again. "And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken" Adam and Eve were not banished from the Garden of Eden just because of their disobedience. God sent them out of the Garden of Eden in order to prevent them from eating of the Tree of Life.

God knew that in the moment that they did eat of the Tree of Life mankind would have been beyond salvation. Had Adam and Eve eaten of the Tree of Life, we would have been doomed to live forever in a fallen sinful state; never to be able to be in the presence of God. It was by God's grace, for the eventual salvation of all mankind, that Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden.

You see God had a plan of Salvation in mind for us from the beginning. You hear it for the first time in God's curse of the serpent.


So the LORD God said to the serpent: “ Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15, New King James Version)

The seed of the woman, was Jesus. He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. God's plan of salvation was mapped out before Adam fell and Sin entered the world. The birth of Jesus Christ was the beginning of the physical manifestation of the plan, it was sealed with Jesus death on the cross and it was completed with his resurrection from the dead.

"So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many." Jesus Christ came to this earth, to live as a man. For thirty years he lived in obscurity and he lived a sinless perfect life. He preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God for three years. He chose twelve men to disciple and take that message to the world. At the close of those three years of ministry, his friends abandoned him. He was arrested by the spiritual leaders of his day, tried for treason in a mockery of a court trial. He was found guilty of blasphemy because he said he was the Son of God. He was scourged and then turned over to the Roman government where he was condemned to death. He was condemned to die on the cross and was hung between two thieves to die alone. After he was dead, he was buried in a borrowed tomb because of the compassion of a wealthy friend. It appeared that his enemies had finally silenced him once and for all.


If you look at Christ's life and death in the light of this worlds standards of success, Jesus' life was a complete and utter failure. However, everything that happened was part of God's plan for the salvation of mankind; just as the prophets foretold. What this world fails to recognize is that the only reason Jesus Christ came to live on this earth, was for him to be obedient to God the Father and in that obedience die on the cross as the propitiation for sin.

God could not allow Sin in his presence and mankind has a nature of sin within them because of Adam's disobedience. As the second Adam, Jesus came to earth to reconcile mankind to God. He was to live a sinless life and die. Through his death on the cross, Jesus was to bear the full force of God's righteous anger for mankind's sin. Jesus willingly became sin for us, he laid down his life and took the punishment for that sin on himself. Jesus became the final sacrifice for sin and appeased God's wrath, by taking it on himself.

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19, New King James Version)

Fortunately for us, the story did not end with Jesus death and burial. On the third day after his death, Christ rose from the dead victorious over sin and death. Through his death, burial and resurrection, Jesus made a way for mankind to become the sons and daughters of God. It is through his death on the cross we are able to be reconciled to God

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10, New King James Version

As we begin our "Journey to the Cross", remember what Jesus said to Nicodemus in chapter three of the book of John.


For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
(John 3:16-17, New King James Version)

So I ask you; have you been born again? Do you know Jesus as your savior? Do you want to know him? Today is the day of salvation. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.

Let us Pray:

My Gracious and most Precious Heavenly Father,
Right now as best I know how, I admit to you that I am a sinner in need of a savior. I confess that the only way to salvation is through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I repent of my sin, ask that you forgive me, come into my life and save me. I surrender my heart and life to you, help me to live for you and help me to be like your son Jesus. Thank you for saving my soul, help me to live a life that is pleasing for you. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen

Today's Scripture

Genesis chapter 3
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3+&version=NKJV&src=embed

Hebrews 9: 27-28
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+9%3A27-28&version=NKJV&src=embed


****** Copyright Brenda J Kent 2009. Unless otherwise cited, all items in this BLOG post are the intellectual property of the writer Brenda J Kent. All Copyright laws apply.

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