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LUKE 19 28-40 BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD 01 The centrality of the cross
📖 Luke 19:28-40
08Jan2021 - *The centrality of the cross* - Luke 19:28-40 - The triumphal entry - BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD 1 – Bible reading: _Hebrews 12:1-2_
We have completed the study of, *to everyone who has, will be given* from _Luke 19:11-27_. We have understood the larger picture of God’s purpose for us here as well as for the age which is to come.
After telling us about the judgement of God on those who are rejecting Him to be King, the Lord turned to go to Jerusalem. Going to Jerusalem meant He was going to the cross, on which He would be glorified.
_Luke 19:28 When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem._
Several times He revealed His intention to go Jerusalem and to the cross. _Luke 9:51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,_
_Mark 10:32-34 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. *And as they followed they were afraid*. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: (33) “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; (34) and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."_
_Luke 18:31-34 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. (32) For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. (33) They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." (34) *But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken*._
The disciples were afraid and did not seek to know from Him the purpose of the cross. Since they chose not to ask Him the meaning of these words, it was hidden from them.
If they had asked, He would have explained and connected the dots for them from the Old Testament to His having to go to the cross, being buried and to rise again.
The disciples chose to hold on to a partial understanding of Jesus. They only saw Jesus as the Messiah, who is setting up His kingdom. They did not want to see that the way into His kingdom is the way of the cross.
_Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God._
For Jesus to sit at the right hand of God, there was the need for Him to go the cross, enduring the pain, the agony, the shame, the ridicule as well as the triumph of the cross.
Our task is to see Jesus, not only as of the King who reigns, which was the picture that we received from the previous study, but we must also see Jesus crucified, which is pivotal and central for the reign of Jesus.
There are several reasons for the centrality of the cross for the reign of Christ. We will examine some of these key perceptions as we go along.
_I Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, (2) that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God._
Christ suffered in the flesh for us so that we will cease from sin. As we identify with Jesus on the cross, we are receiving in us the release and victory over sin in the flesh. The victory over sin in the flesh is necessary for us to live for the will of God.
Ceasing from sin, we will live for the will of God. Fulfilling the will of God is what makes us be His kingdom people.
_Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven._
The Law did not give us the victory over sin in the flesh but Jesus gave us this victory over sin in the flesh by going to the cross. He did this so that He will prepare and make ready a people, who will fulfil His will, thereby be in His kingdom.
_Romans 8:3-4 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, (4) that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit._
*Thought to ponder*
```Are you appropriating the victory of the cross in your life today?```