In this Bible Study I want to focus your attention on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. We need the reality of what happened on that cross 2000 years ago to enter into our hearts, because this is where faith must reside.
As you read the following Scriptures, I encourage you to meditate on them and pray that the Spirit of God will make them real deep in your own heart.
Jesus took your place
Jesus Christ took the corrupted nature of flesh and blood and all of your sins upon Himself, so that He might be judged instead of you. Because of His Holy human nature, He could atone for sinful human beings through His death. He died as a substitute for you; He suffered all the penalties of your sins and transgressions, and offered his life as a ransom for you.
He was made sin for you, held under condemnation, locked in a prison house of death for three days and nights. He put away sin and your sin nature through the sacrifice of Himself.
- He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
We have been judged already, at the cross. This is fact! However we need the Holy Spirit to make this fact real in our experience, to give us revelation of this fact in our own heart.
Jesus suffered for you, in His soul, body, spirit
His soul suffered
A week before Passover, Jesus was heard to mention that His soul was very troubled
- Now is my soul troubled (John 12:27)
- My soul is very sorrowful, even to death (Matthew 26:38).
He suffered emotional pain
Jesus suffered emotional pain from His people, the religious leaders & His friends. He was mocked by the crowds, falsely accused, suffered unjustly and spit upon.
- Despised & rejected—”He was despised & rejected by men, a man of sorrows & acquainted with grief” (Is. 53:3).
- Rejection—”He came to His own, & His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11).
- Religious abuse—”The Pharisees went out & took counsel against Him, how they might destroy Him.” (Matt. 12:14-15).
- Betrayal—”His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘Whoever I kiss, He is the One, seize Him'” (Matt. 26:48).
- Shame—”Thou has covered him with shame” (Ps. 89:45); “Looking to Jesus, … who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame (Heb.12:2).
- Hostility—”Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself” (Heb.12:3).
His body suffered physical abuse
Jesus suffered physical abuse which is almost beyond our comprehension: His brow, side, hands, feet, and heart all pierced for sinful humanity — “Him who they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:10).
- Hands & feet suffered —”Pierced by hands and feet” (Ps 22:16)
- Mouth & tongue suffered, experienced extreme thirst — “My tongue cleaves to my jaws” (Ps 22:15; 69:21)
- High fever; His blood could not circulate.
- Brow crowned with thorns.
- Refused wine & myrrh as a sedative to alleviate His pain; He was not willing to lose consciousness.
- Never shrank back until it was done — drank the cup of sufferings & said, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:28).
His spirit suffered
His spirit was split asunder from God; He experienced intense loneliness, desertion, separation from His Father.
- ‘Oh my God, why has though forsaken me’ (Matt. 27:46).
- He became troubled in spirit and said, ‘One of you will betray Me’ (John 13:21).
He gave His blood as an offering for your sins
- He presented His blood as an eternal offering or sacrifice for our sins, to cover our sins and now there is no need to make any offering for our sins any longer.
- He appeared in order to take away sins (I John 3:5).
- How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14).
- Where there is forgiveness, there is no longer any offering for sin (Hebrews 10:18).
You can receive the life of God
Jesus made it possible for you to receive the very life of God. One Christian author said it like this: “The cross of Jesus Christ bears our judgment, proclaims our worthlessness, crucifies us, and releases the life of the Lord Jesus.” Thus anyone who accepts the cross shall be born anew by the Holy Spirit and receive the life of God.
It is through the death and resurrection of the Lord that the Holy Spirit of God is able to impart God’s un-created life to you.
Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, giving forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:12-14).
Pray for revelation
All this work that Jesus did for you is true, but you must allow the Holy Spirit to make it real in your heart. Spiritual truths must be seen and known in your heart, as well as your mind, if you are going to benefit from them.
I invite you to pray the same prayer that I frequently prayed many years ago: “That you would know what is the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in you, and the greatness of His power toward you who believe.”
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the (true) knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:17-21).