The Power of the Cross: Atonement and Salvation

Devotional

Day 1: The Cross as Atonement and Reconciliation

The Gospel writers, including Luke, emphasize the spiritual significance of Jesus' crucifixion rather than the physical suffering. This perspective invites believers to look beyond the surface and understand the deeper meaning of the cross. The crucifixion is not just a moment of agony but a profound act of atonement, where Jesus reconciles humanity with God. This act of reconciliation is a central theme throughout the Bible, highlighting the purpose of Jesus' suffering as a means to restore the broken relationship between humanity and the divine. [03:47]

Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV): "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Reflection: In what ways can you look beyond the surface of your own struggles to find deeper spiritual significance and opportunities for reconciliation with God and others?

Day 2: Righteousness Through Faith, Not Effort

Human attempts to achieve righteousness through personal effort are futile. True righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, who provides atonement for our sins. This understanding calls believers to rely on God's grace rather than their own efforts. The futility of self-righteousness is a recurring theme in the Bible, emphasizing that salvation and righteousness are gifts from God, accessible through faith in Jesus. This perspective challenges individuals to shift their focus from self-reliance to a reliance on divine grace. [07:29]

Galatians 2:16 (ESV): "Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you are relying on your own efforts for righteousness. How can you begin to trust in God's grace instead?

Day 3: The Irony of True Kingship

The irony of the crucifixion scene, with soldiers gambling for Jesus' clothes and the sign declaring Him King, highlights the misunderstanding of Jesus' true kingship. His kingdom is not of this world but is universal and eternal. This irony underscores the contrast between earthly perceptions of power and the true nature of Jesus' reign. While the world may mock or misunderstand, Jesus' kingship transcends earthly realms, offering a kingdom that is everlasting and all-encompassing. [12:46]

John 18:36 (ESV): "Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.'"

Reflection: How do you perceive Jesus' kingship in your life? Are there areas where you might be misunderstanding or underestimating His reign?

Day 4: The Power of the Cross

The message of the cross is perceived as foolishness by those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to those being saved. This challenges believers to examine their response to the cross and recognize their need for salvation. The cross, a symbol of apparent defeat, is in fact the ultimate demonstration of God's power and love. It calls individuals to a deeper understanding of salvation, urging them to embrace the transformative power of the cross in their lives. [19:29]

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV): "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Reflection: Reflect on your current understanding of the cross. How can you allow its power to transform your life today?

Day 5: The Choice of Faith or Demand

The contrasting responses of the two criminals crucified with Jesus illustrate the choice we face: to demand proof of God's power on our terms or to humbly accept the salvation offered through Jesus' sacrifice. This dichotomy challenges individuals to consider their own response to Jesus. One criminal's demand for proof contrasts sharply with the other's humble plea for mercy, highlighting the choice between skepticism and faith. This choice remains relevant for believers today, inviting them to embrace faith and trust in Jesus' redemptive work. [21:52]

Luke 23:42-43 (ESV): "And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.'"

Reflection: Consider a situation where you are demanding proof of God's power. How can you shift towards a posture of humble acceptance and faith in His promises?

Sermon Summary

In Luke 23:33, we encounter the profound simplicity of the phrase "there they crucified him." This moment, anticipated throughout the Gospel of Luke, marks the culmination of Jesus' journey to the cross. The Gospel writers, including Luke, do not dwell on the physical suffering of Jesus. Instead, they focus on the purpose and achievement of His crucifixion. The emphasis is not on the physical agony but on the spiritual significance of the event. The cross is not merely a scene of suffering but a moment of atonement, where Jesus reconciles humanity with God.

The Bible consistently highlights the purpose of Jesus' suffering rather than the details of His pain. This is evident in the epistles and Acts, where the focus is on what Jesus' sacrifice accomplished. The cross is about atonement, the reconciliation of humanity with God, a theme that runs from Genesis through the New Testament. Humanity, alienated from God by sin, cannot atone for itself. Any attempt to establish righteousness through personal effort is futile. Instead, righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, who was presented as a sacrifice of atonement.

The scene at the crucifixion is filled with irony and misunderstanding. The soldiers gamble for Jesus' clothes, and a sign above Him reads, "This is the King of the Jews." Pilate's inscription, though intended as a mockery, declares a profound truth. Jesus is indeed the King, not of an earthly realm, but of a universal and eternal kingdom. The crowd and even one of the criminals crucified with Jesus mock Him, demanding self-deliverance as proof of His messiahship. Yet, it is precisely because Jesus does not save Himself that He can save others.

The message of the cross is often seen as foolishness by those who are perishing, but to those being saved, it is the power of God. The criminal who mocked Jesus represents those who demand proof of God's power on their terms. In contrast, the other criminal recognizes his need for forgiveness and sees in Jesus the hope of salvation. This dichotomy challenges us to examine our response to the cross. Do we demand God to act according to our expectations, or do we humbly accept the salvation offered through Jesus' sacrifice?

Key Takeaways

1. The Gospel writers focus on the purpose of Jesus' crucifixion rather than the physical details, emphasizing the spiritual significance of atonement and reconciliation with God. This perspective invites us to look beyond the surface and understand the deeper meaning of the cross. [03:47]
2. Human attempts to achieve righteousness through personal effort are futile. True righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, who provides atonement for our sins. This understanding calls us to rely on God's grace rather than our own efforts. [07:29]
3. The irony of the crucifixion scene, with soldiers gambling for Jesus' clothes and the sign declaring Him King, highlights the misunderstanding of Jesus' true kingship. His kingdom is not of this world but is universal and eternal. [12:46]
4. The message of the cross is perceived as foolishness by those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to those being saved. This challenges us to examine our response to the cross and recognize our need for salvation. [19:29]
5. The contrasting responses of the two criminals crucified with Jesus illustrate the choice we face: to demand proof of God's power on our terms or to humbly accept the salvation offered through Jesus' sacrifice. [21:52]
** [21:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:05] - The Crucifixion in Luke
[01:50] - Focus Beyond Physical Suffering
[03:47] - Purpose of the Cross
[05:36] - Atonement and Reconciliation
[07:29] - Righteousness Through Faith
[08:11] - Luke's Perspective
[10:04] - Irony of the Crucifixion Scene
[12:46] - Pilate's Sign
[14:40] - Crowd's Reaction
[16:07] - Misunderstanding Messiahship
[19:29] - The Message of the Cross
[21:52] - The Two Criminals
[22:30] - Invitation to Believe

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 23:33
- Romans 3:23-25
- 1 John 4:10

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Observation Questions:

In Luke 23:33, the phrase "there they crucified him" is used. What does this simplicity in description suggest about the focus of the Gospel writers? [01:05]
How does the sermon describe the irony present in the crucifixion scene, particularly with the soldiers gambling for Jesus' clothes and the sign above Him? [10:04]
What are the contrasting responses of the two criminals crucified with Jesus, and how do they reflect different attitudes towards Jesus' messiahship? [21:52]
According to the sermon, why do the Gospel writers and the epistles focus more on the purpose of Jesus' suffering rather than the physical details? [03:47]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the sermon explain the spiritual significance of the cross as a moment of atonement and reconciliation with God? What does this mean for humanity's relationship with God? [05:36]
The sermon mentions that human attempts to achieve righteousness through personal effort are futile. How does this understanding challenge common perceptions of self-righteousness? [07:29]
What does the sermon suggest about the nature of Jesus' kingship, as highlighted by Pilate's inscription, and how does this contrast with earthly expectations of a king? [12:46]
How does the sermon interpret the message of the cross as foolishness to some and the power of God to others? What does this dichotomy reveal about different responses to the Gospel? [19:29]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on the simplicity of the phrase "there they crucified him." How can focusing on the spiritual significance of the cross, rather than the physical suffering, deepen your understanding of Jesus' sacrifice? [01:05]
The sermon emphasizes that righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ. In what areas of your life are you relying on personal effort rather than faith? How can you shift your focus to rely more on God's grace? [07:29]
Consider the irony of the crucifixion scene. How do you perceive Jesus' kingship in your life? Are there areas where you might be misunderstanding or underestimating His authority? [12:46]
The sermon challenges us to examine our response to the cross. Do you find yourself demanding proof of God's power on your terms, or are you humbly accepting the salvation offered through Jesus' sacrifice? [21:52]
Reflect on the contrasting responses of the two criminals. How do you respond to Jesus' offer of forgiveness and salvation in your daily life? Are there areas where you need to seek His forgiveness more earnestly? [21:52]
The message of the cross is seen as foolishness by some. How do you respond to skepticism or misunderstanding about your faith in your community or workplace? What steps can you take to share the power of the Gospel with others? [19:29]
Identify a specific area in your life where you feel alienated from God. How can you seek reconciliation and atonement through Jesus' sacrifice this week? [05:36]

Sermon Clips

Luke along with Matthew and Mark and John does not dwell on the manner in which Jesus was crucified. Indeed if you search the gospels and I commend the exercise to you, you will realize that there are virtually no details of Christ's physical suffering. Now presumably the gospel writers understood what others have faced, namely that if they focus primarily on the physical sufferings of Jesus, then the reader could very readily stop at that. [00:01:39]

But clearly sympathy for Jesus as the perfect sufferer stop short of faith in Jesus as the perfect savior, and it is for that reason presumably that the witnesses, the gospel writers, these evangelists have not sought to answer the question, what was his suffering like, but have essentially been addressing the question, what did his suffering achieve? [00:03:11]

And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Christ Jesus to all who believe. There's no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. And God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. [00:07:36]

Atonement means to bring reconciliation to those who are alienated from one another. Man is alienated from God by nature on account of his disobedience and his sin. Man recognizes that sin needs to be atoned for, conscience tells him so, but man also recognizes that he actually doesn't have the power to atone for his sins. [00:05:45]

Therefore it is foolish for a man or a woman to try and establish their own righteousness before God, to take if you like the religious road, to say by my doing and by my trying and by my out besting my neighbors perhaps I can deal with this alienation that I experience deep within me, perhaps I can be reconciled to God, perhaps I can affect my own atonement. [00:06:35]

The irony of the crucifixion scene, with soldiers gambling for Jesus' clothes and the sign declaring Him King, highlights the misunderstanding of Jesus' true kingship. His kingdom is not of this world but is universal and eternal. Pilate is actually declaring the reality albeit with an agenda. [00:13:56]

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. I would imagine that there are at least some of you this morning trapped somewhere in the middle of a row. You started off as a little uncomfortable, it's moved to more uncomfortable, it's now graduated to annoyance, and it's beginning to really drive you nuts. [00:19:39]

If this story is foolishness to you it is because you are perishing and if this story is music to your ears it is because you're being saved. You see what this criminal was doing was essentially this, he's saying to Jesus, Jesus, prove yourself, get yourself out of this mess, get me out of this mess and then I'll believe in you. [00:20:30]

He hears Jesus say father forgive them and he says forgive, that's what I need. The other chap says what is that about, I'll die before I'll believe in this messiah and die he did without believing in him. Don't die in unbelief, die in unbelief, do not die in your own belief. [00:22:03]

The contrasting responses of the two criminals crucified with Jesus illustrate the choice we face: to demand proof of God's power on our terms or to humbly accept the salvation offered through Jesus' sacrifice. The criminal who mocked Jesus represents those who demand proof of God's power on their terms. [00:21:52]

In every instance in each instance the notion is that self-deliverance is the criterion for genuineness. In other words, we'll know that this man really is the messiah if he saves himself but if he doesn't save himself, how can he possibly save anybody else? In other words, he's completely upside down. [00:16:03]

It is because he doesn't save himself that he is able to save those who come unto God through him. I think we have it clearest in the criminal's words because he really is expressing the crowd's view isn't he? What kind of messiah are you if you're the messiah why don't you save yourself and why don't you save us while you're about it? [00:16:27]

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