THE CROSS IN HEBREWS

Introduction:
	A. The Hebrew gospel -- it reveals much that the other four did not.
		1. Internal vs. external view; spiritual vs. temporal view.
		2. Need to see Jesus in a different light.
			a. See Him as the victim – Heb. 2:9
			b. See Him as the victor – 3:1
			c. See Him personally – 4:14-15
		3. Will help us develop faith by means of a steady view of the cross.
	B. An important aspect of Christ dealt with in Hebrews.
		1. Crucifixion - mentioned 27 times; more on the shed blood that saves.
		2. Hebrews forms an unbreakable bond between the cross and our
		    salvation; if we fall, perhaps we haven’t kept our eyes on the cross.
		3. 2Cor. 5:14-15 – A sobering thought that Christ died for us.
			a. How can we help but obey?

I. PURPOSE OF CHRIST’S COMING WAS THE CROSS
	A. Heb. 2:9 - He came to die.
		1. His birth was an occasion for mixed emotions;
			a. Great joy that salvation for man was coming,
			b. Great sadness that the Son of God had to be sacrificed.
	B. ”Lower than the angels…”
		1. Well, which is he, higher or lower? - 1:3… Both!
			a. Chapter one - He is higher to show His power and Deity.
			b. Chapter two - He is lower to show his humanity, sympathy.
			    (Human predicament: All men are tempted, and all men die)
		2. Two aspects of a Savior that we need: POWER & SYMPATHY.
			a. Debtor says that he knows two kinds of people; those with the
			    power to get him out of debt but have no sympathy, and those
			    with sympathy but no power.
		3. Christ is higher and lower, so that he has the power to remove sin and
		    he cares enough to do it.
			a. Phil. 2 - willingly humbled himself to serve us by dying for our sin.
			b. He did not die because the Jews surprised him with a cross and
			    started the Church as an afterthought. 
			c. Acts 2:23 - “Determined counsel and foreknowledge of God.
			    (Premillennialists are wrong)
			d. John said the Lamb was slain from the beginning of the world. 
				1) Rev. 13:8; John 10:17-18
			e. He came to die -- great courage!
	C. 12:2 - His attitude toward the cross:
		1. “Despising the shame” – It wasn’t worth his notice.
		2. World looks and laughs; cries shame.
			a. Shame of cross-bearing causes some to forsake it.
			b. Shame is in the mind and mouth of the world, not in the Lord.
		3. 1Cor. 4:9-13, 1:18-24
			a. The world considers a Savior that cannot save himself as foolish.
			b. To be associated with that Savior is considered foolishness.
			c. If we associate with them, the world will laugh at us.
			d. We worry too much about what stupid men think of the cross.
		4. We became Christians for the same reason Christ came into the world:
		    to bear a cross.
			a. Would that the body had the same attitude toward the cross as
			    the head.
	D. Portrait of a fool – 1Cor. 4:9-13
		1. Called a fool? Be a fool for Christ!
		2. Called “off scouring?” Count yourself a success.
		3. Despise the shame and take up the cross.
		4. Acts 5:41

II. PERFECTION OF CHRIST WAS IN THE CROSS
	A. Heb. 2:10, 5:8-9
		1. Not moral perfection; official perfection, completeness.
		2. Some moral men not qualified to be elders; doesn’t mean that they
		    have blame.
		3. Christ was not complete as our high priest until he had suffered.
	B. Perfecting Christ
		1. High priest on the Day of Atonement – 9:7
		2. Christ had to go into the presence of God with blood - 9:11.
			a. Not in the tabernacle, but the true Holiest of Holies.
		3. Whose blood? - 9:12
			a. The only blood with lasting benefits.
		4. Where was it shed?
			a. On the cross; Christ took his own blood.
			b. Was both the priest and sacrifice.
	C. A priest had to have compassion on those who are tempted, by being subject
	     to temptation himself – 5:1-2.
		1. Christ had to learn this.
			a. Learn obedience not only in the spirit but in the flesh
			b. Endure temptation in the flesh
			c. Suffer as a man beset by physical weakness
			d. Learn compassion in the midst of suffering
		2. He wasn’t perfect or complete until he had done this in the cross.

III. POWER OF CHRIST WAS IN THE CROSS
	A. Heb. 2:14-15
		1. The world looks at the cross and says pitiful; God says powerful.
	B. Where else do you find that kind of power?
		1. Satan devastated,
		2. We were delivered from death: Spiritual & physical.
		3. With one blow beat his worst enemy and saved his best friends. Power!
	C. Jesus emptied himself, humbled himself, and became the servant of every
	     human being in all time on the cross.
		1. If Christ could defeat Satan and save us while the servant of all, in his
		    most vulnerable state, what could he do as King of kings in his full might
 		    at judgment day?
	D. There is power in the blood! Not water salvation, blood salvation.

IV. PURGED FROM OUR SINS IN THE CROSS
	A. Heb. 12:2 - What joy?  2:10 - He was bringing sons to God.
		1. Not that he was going back to heaven, but he was bringing many souls
		    with him.
		2. Phil. 2 - He came to save and could return with mission accomplished.
		3. To do that, he had to purge our sins – 1:3.
		4. He did it himself – 9:14, 26-28.
		5. How can one face death without having his sins removed?
	B. Emphasis should not be on the physical aspect of his suffering, although it is
	     important to consider.
		1. Thousands have died by crucifixion or even worse; innocents have
		    been executed throughout history. The crucifixion of an innocent is not
		    what makes the cross powerful and unique.
		2. No one has ever suffered as Christ – Isa. 53:4-6.
			a. Contemplate the anguish of guilt, can’t eat, knot in stomach,
			    fear of retribution, can’t sleep, sweating, feel ill, desire to turn
			    back time, contemplate suicide, etc.
			b. Multiply that spiritual, mental, and emotional anguish by
			    everyone in room, in the world, we begin to see how great his
			    suffering was.
			c. Unspeakable, unimaginable horrid, ugly nauseous mass of all sin
 			    ever committed, all born by the innocent Son of God.
			d. 2Cor. 5:21 - “became sin
		3. If you don’t feel the need to have your sins forgiven, you are in as
		    dangerous a position as is possible for a man.
			a. Not to recognize the price paid for our sin is worse than being
			    Barabbas.
			b. We are the ones who should pay for our sin, but Jesus went in
			    our place.
	C. While he was purging us of our sin, he looked down at the crowd that hated
	     him and said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
		1. Do you realize what ungrateful folly we commit when we say, “not right
		    now, Lord; I’m just not interested.”

V. PROFANING THE CROSS
	A. Heb. 12:16-17
		1. Trade our inheritance in heaven for what? A bowl of bean soup!
		2. 10:29 - Sin isn’t something to be flirted with, ignored or laughed at.
		3. Portrait of sin - Knocking the Lord down and walking on him.
		4. Second picture of a sin – 6:6 - putting him back on the cross.
	B. Intended or not, that is what we do when we sin.
		1. This is not how we want the Lord to see us on Judgment day.
		2. We are connected to what happened on that rock outside Jerusalem
		    2000 years ago, whether we acknowledge it or not.
		3. Time to get our heads out of the sand and admit it.
		4. Saying, “I’m not interested right now” is edging up on the precipice of
		    blasphemy.

VI. PRECIOUS BLOOD SHED AT THE CROSS
	A. Heb. 9:22-28
		1. 1Peter 1:18-19
	B. How do you view the body of Christ?
		1. A trickle here and there or completely saturated?
		2. Sweating, beating, robe, crown of thorns, nails, spear.
	C. But it makes us pure and clean – Isa. 1:18.
		1. Are we red-stained by sin or cleansed by the blood of the Lamb?

VII. PREREQUISITES OF COMING TO THE CROSS
	A. Obedience - Heb. 13:20-21
	B. Courage – 4:16
	C. Diligence – 5:11-12
	D. Faith – 11:6
	E. Humility – 12:9

Conclusion:
	A. Come to the cross – Rev. 22:12, 17