Why the Cross?

As we prepare our hearts for Easter let me remind Why the Cross is important.  I would like to share some thoughts out a sermon I recently heard based on Col 2:13-15.

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us: he took it away nailing it to the cross.  and having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Colossians 2:13-15 

It is the only way to deal with sin.

1.  The real consequence of sins

• Death - V13 
• Romans 6:23 - "for the wages of sin is death"
• 1 Cor 15:56 - "The sting of death is son, and the power f sin is the law"
• James 1:15 - " ..and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death". 

2.  Our inability to deal with sin

• Inability - v13
• Romans 7:14-24 -"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"
• James 1:13-15 - " each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth too sin:"
• 1 John 3:4 - Everyone who sins breaks the law, in fact, sin is lawlessness."

3.  The failure of legalistic righteousness

• v13 +v14 -"cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it way, nailing it to the cross." 
• Romans 5:20-21- ..."But where sin increase, grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in  death so also grace might reign through righteousness...."

4.  The selfless Sacrifice of the cross disarms the self-contentedness of sin

• The cross is the ultimate victor procession over sin - 2 Cor 2:14