THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE CROSS (PART 1)
THE CROSS: GOD’S COMPLETE SOLUTION FOR SIN.
TEXT: HEBREWS 10:10-14
INTRODUCTION
Our starting point today is in the form of a question:
WHY THE CROSS?
THE PROBLEM OF SIN
The problem of sin began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s direct command- Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-6
This first act of disobedience, often called “The Fall” introduced sin into the world and separated humanity from God.
This act of disobedience came with consequences:
▪︎ Pain, toil, relational strife, and physical death entered the human experience- Genesis 3:16-19.
▪︎ Separation from God. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden, symbolizing spiritual separation- Genesis 3:23-24.
▪︎ Adam’s Sin And Universal Impact- Romans 3:23.
Adam’s sin affected all humanity. Every person inherits a sinful nature and stands guilty before God.
This problem of sin and its consequences set the stage for the need for salvation through Christ.
▪︎ The need for salvation through Christ was met on the cross, when and where Jesus Christ sacrificed His life to pay for man’s sin and thereby obtained salvation for humanity.
▪︎ The cross is therefore a significant symbol of Christ’s finished work of man’s salvaton and deliverance from sin and death.
Many believers still struggle with guilt, fear, or performance-based faith. But Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is enough!
IMPLICATIONS OF THE CROSS AS GOD’S COMPLETE SOLUTION FOR SIN
1. The Cross Paid it All- Hebrews 10:11-12.
▪︎ No more sacrifices are needed. Old Testament Priests stood daily, offering repeated sacrifices but Jesus, the High Priest, offered one sacrifice for all time.
2. Finality And Completeness
▪︎ Jesus’ work on the cross is not partial but complete and final- John 19:30 (“It is finished”)
▪︎ No any other work by any other being is needed again.
▪︎ He paid in full. Redemption accomplished and nothing can be added to it- Romans 3:23-26.
▪︎ Our previous position- Vs 23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
▪︎ He redeemed us by His blood and justified us freely by His grace- Vs. 24-26.
3. Freedom From Guilt And Condemnation – Romans 6:23; Isaiah 53:4-6; Romans 8:1.
▪︎ He cancelled the written code and nailed it to the cross- Colossians 2:13-15.
▪︎ We are not just forgiven. We are declared righteous!
▪︎ God is no longer seeing us through our own righteousness (Isaiah 64:6) but through the righteousness of Christ.
▪︎ God is seeing us as perfect and complete because Christ has made us complete in Him- Colossians 2:10.
▪︎ When we are in Christ, guilt is not from God but from our conscience. But the Holy Spirit is there to help us tap into the grace available in Christ, for our restoration.
4. Access To God Is Now Open
▪︎ The veil is torn- Matthew 27:51.
▪︎ The veil symbolized separation but its tearing signifies unhindered access.
▪︎ We now have bold access, not fearful distance- Hebrews 4:16.
▪︎ We no longer need any intermediary-Priest because we are all Priests by the reason of His finished work on the cross- Revelation 1:6; 5:10.
LIFE APPLICATION
1. Stop striving to earn God’s favour. Rest in Christ’s finished work, not your efforts.
2. Let go of guilt from past sins. Christ has paid for them fully on the cross.
▪︎ Stop revisiting what God has removed.
3. Return to the presence of God and approach Him with boldness and confidence, knowing you are fully accepted.
▪︎ Sin does not remove us from the Father-son relationship we have with God, but can deny us the enjoyment of the benefits of that relationship, until we return to Him- Luke 15:24, 21 (The Prodigal son).
▪︎ If Christ’s one-time sacrifice did not cover our future sin, it means Christ would have to die again to remove the sins we commit after our salvation and believing on Him.
CONCLUSION
Are you living as if the cross is not enough? If the cross was enough for God, why would it not be enough for you?
Let us pray…
He paid the debt He did not owe
I owed the debt I could not pay
I needed someone to wash away my sins
Now I can sing a brand new song
Amazing grace!
Lord Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay