The Significance of the Cross

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On Palm Sunday we remember the celebrated entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. People lined the streets yelling, “Hosanna!” They waved palm branches. The atmosphere was joyful. Triumphant. Yet things quickly shifted. Within a few days the cries soon turned to, “Crucify Him!” And Jesus endured the cross. Carrying the weight of sin for the entire world.

• Is it easy for you to think of Jesus being willing to die for others, but difficult to imagine that His love is very personally for you?

Keep Reading – Read the Scripture and ask a question to get the group thinking.

Isaiah 53:4-6

Isaiah 53 is known as “The Suffering Servant” passage. Take some time to read this entire passage, as it is a Messianic prophecy about Jesus written by the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth.

• Have you ever carried the heavy consequences of the actions of someone else? How did that make you feel? Can you imagine willingly picking up that kind of weight on behalf of the whole world?

Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT)

In this passage, Paul writes about what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross.

• What are some places in your life that felt dead before you met Christ? Are there places that currently feel dead? What needs to be surrendered to Him?

Keep Talking – Choose questions to create openness.

The cross has the power to do some very distinct things in our lives.

1. It cancels the record of our sin.

• We have an enemy who throws our sin in our faces. But for some of us he doesn’t have to exert much effort because we do the work for him. Is that you? Do you linger in your list of wrongs? God isn’t keeping a record. Why are you?

2. It pays the wages of our sin.

• Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death, but Colossians 2:11-13 tells us that through Christ’s death on the cross, we can be made alive through faith in Him.
• How can accepting that Jesus paid your sin debt in full change your thought life?

3. It lifts the burdens of our sin.

• Coach mentioned that the weight of sin is heavy. Yet, Jesus tells us in Matt. 11:28-30 that He wants to give us rest, and that the burden He has for us is easy and light.
• What are you still trying to carry that God has tried to take from you? What would it look like for you to hand it to Him today?

4. It breaks the power of sin.

• Romans 6:11 tells us that if we have placed our faith in Jesus, we have died to our sinful nature and are now alive to God in Christ Jesus. Furthermore, Romans 8:37 tells us that we are more than conquerors through Jesus, who loves us. This means that we are not powerless victims to sin; through the grace of God made available to us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we have the ability to break free from the power of sin in our lives.
• What feels unbeatable to you? Insurmountable? Feelings lie, but God never does. His love is stronger. Is there an area where you’ve been struggling? Will you bring it to the cross?

Keep Moving/Going – Commit to a step and live it out this week.

We don’t have to wrestle with things alone. In our Sunday services Coach Tom invited us to bring our issues to the cross. Let’s continue to do that as we go throughout this week.

• Bring your sin to the cross.
• Bring your past and your pain to the cross.
• Bring your anxiety to the cross.
• Bring your brokenness to the cross.

Keep Praying.

• Pray and ask God who you should invite to our Easter services at Christ Fellowship.
• Pray for our Easter services at Christ Fellowship.

Keep Praising

“We Praise You” – Bethel Music

“This Is Our God” – Phil Wickham

“Cornerstone” – Hillsong Worship

Or check out our "Faith Over Fear" playlist on Spotify and Apple Music.

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