Hey everyone I’m Gary Hoban and welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
This year our goal is to release a new video / Podcast every Monday Wednesday and Friday.
This week we are starting a new series titled Understanding Christ’s Passion.
The death of Christ was interpreted only as a great personal tragedy and a political catastrophe by the disciples until the light of God was shed on this event through the doorway of an empty tomb and the presence of a living Lord.
This week we are talking about,
Understanding the Cross.
Text
Matthew 16:21 (ESV)
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Introduction
Our text today reveals that the disciples’ recognition of Jesus as the Messiah marked a new departure in Jesus’ teaching.
After the disciples realise that Jesus was the Messiah, they needed know what His true mission was.
They needed to understand the cross.
They had put away their dreams of a messiah who would come for Israel alone to overthrow its enemies.
It was necessary for the disciples to see Jesus as the sin bearer for all humankind and to know that He was the Messiah who would become the Saviour of all humankind by way of the cross.
Did His own nation understand the cross?
No, the rebelled against the idea of a messiah on a cross.
Did His disciples understand the cross?
No.
Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ announcement of His coming rejection and death plainly shows this delusion in Matthew 16:22 (ESV)
22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
Those influenced by Greek philosophers were sure that people belittled God by saying that He could be affected by human actions or pain.
Do we understand the cross?
No, our understanding falls far short.
But we can understand four things.
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Gary Hoban
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Refinery Life Church Australia