The Full Meaning of the Cross

About this sermon

Hopefully this brief devotional message will lead you to desire a fuller study of the "Cup of Wrath" (Psalm 75:8; Jeremiah 25:15-16)," Isaiah 53:10, and a deeper understanding of the Full Meaning of the Cross. It was delivered in the Garden of Gethsemane, Israel, May 6, 2011, by Alan Pearson, Director of Donor Relations and Development for Living Waters. This video as well as another message from Alan are available at http://www.vimeo.com/hesaves Christ's physical suffering and death on the cross are common sermon topics. However, the "Cup of Wrath" poured out on Him on the cross is rarely talked about. In the very garden where this message was delivered, the night before his death, Christ prayed three times for "the Cup" to be removed from Him. The "Cup" He spoke of was not the physical torture that awaited Him (a common misinterpretation). Yes, the torture He endured at the hands of men was part of God's redemptive plan. But God's divine justice could not be satisfied by enduring the torture of men; crosses, nails, thorns, and spears are not nearly enough to pay for sin. Christ's foreknowledge of the "Cup of Wrath," which was soon to be poured out on Him, is behind His cry for deliverance. Despite His prayers, Christ's will gave into that of His Father and He willingly drank the bitter cup of God's wrath on the cross so His people would be spared this judgment. He bore our transgressions on the cross and paid the divine penalty for our sins - He was forsaken by God ("Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?") and then crushed under the holy wrath of God in our place. The importance of this cannot be understated and should be a part of every Gospel presentation. The believer is not saved by what men did to Christ on the Cross; the believer is saved because of what God did to Him - He crushed Him under the full weight of His wrath against us. And Isaiah 53:10 (KJV) says it pleased God to do so -- that's how much God hates sin! This is the Full Meaning of the Cross - and we have not fully proclaimed the saving power of the cross if we do not also explain this truth. Sadly, this truth is rarely mentioned in much of the modern Gospel preaching we see today.

Topics

• Jesus Christ