Title: The Cross of Victory (Colossians 2:15)
[Colossians 2:15]
[15] ♠ He stripped off principalities and authorities, revealed them clearly, and triumphed through the cross.
I have witnessed many deaths. There were many dying people who received calls from family members who were bewildered before their death. I have witnessed many deaths in hospitals, homes, and nursing homes, but I could see the difference between those who believed in Jesus and those who did not. When I saw the death of an unbeliever, I couldn't help but feel so sad. Even though the death of the unbeliever was the road they had to go anyway, most of them struggled to get one more last breath. Conversely, believers see their dying day with anticipation and joy. Everyone! What can comfort those who are afraid of death? There is only one way to pray before the Lord Jesus. This is the fruit of the cross that overcame death. May you be courageous, knowing that you have been set free from death.
'In which you were buried with Christ in baptism, and were also raised together in him through faith in the work of God who raised him from the dead' (Colossians 2:12), speaking of the cross, we He says that all sins are forgiven.
“In the same way Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, and will appear a second time, free of sin, for salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28).
Everyone! The cross is the victory over sin.
It is the destiny of sinners and the path that sinners must take to be born with sin, live with sin, and die with sin while wrestling with it. Without the resolution of sins, there is no true rest and peace. you know? When you see us wrestle with sin, you can't tell how grievous and persistent sin is. The sinful nature takes hold of us and makes us tired. If the appearance of addiction remains in our appearance, it is because of the persistence of sin. 'Therefore, I understand a law, that when I want to do good, evil is present with me' (Romans 7:21). I want to do good, but the body is sinning. But the cross washed away that sin. It was resolved in the cross. He took away the remnants of sin in the name of Jesus.
In today's text, he says, 'Take off principalities and authority, and make them plain'. It is the evil devil and Satan who has taken power in the air. It is said that He lifted up Satan and triumphed through the cross. The dizziness, strife, strife, strife, envy, hatred, and jealousy of the world with evil spirits originate from Satan. It confuses ethics and destroys families.
If you find today's text in the joint translation, 'They captured the powers of principality and authority with the cross, disarmed them, and made them a spectacle and marched for triumph.' is translated more realistically. It is that the cross made Satan's power a spectacle in front of the whole world. In a nutshell, the book of Revelation is 'Jesus overcame Satan on the cross. Therefore He will give us victory.' You can say The cross is God's great work of destroying Satan on the whole earth.
When I look back on myself and think about sin, I can see that pride is in my heart besides covetousness and greed. The essence of pride is that one becomes God and leads to disobedience. The word, will, and heart of God cannot become my master. Wrong judgment is the result of pride. Because I am my God. My pride drives my judgment astray. I am not proud when I am my master, but I am deceiving myself. Laying down the part of me that was my God, the victory of the great cross becomes mine. Sin has robbed us of right discernment. Even if I make a sure judgment, I need to know that the judgment itself is made while being polluted with sin.
It is self-denial that puts me down so that only the thoughts of the Holy Spirit take hold of me. When pride meets polluted discernment, dangerous self-confidence arises. You will never listen to other people because you are absolutely certain of yourself. It's so terrifying. This is how the dregs of sin drive me away. My heart aches when I realize that this is a human limitation. You have to let go of this weakness.
It is difficult to bear the perfect fruit of the cross through self-denial. After self-denial, you must learn to see yourself with self-affirmation. When you love yourself and move forward with self-affirmation, the joy of the cross will open wide. The beginning of self-affirmation is the cross. When the cross passes by, it is transformed into the image of a pure lamb. The Apostle Paul says, 'If you are in Christ, you are a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come'. I have not changed, but when I look forward to changing because of the Son of God, I can taste the amazing victory of the cross. I will see what kind of prosperity road is open before me. In order for the victory of the cross to become my victory, I must live under the cross. Self-denial and self-affirmation are the two pillars of life under the cross. What is living under the cross? Denying my sinful nature, my faults, and at the same time enjoying myself in the Lord's eyes.
Do you know the heart of God? Did you know that the Lord, who did not spare his own Son, wants to meet all my needs today? Did you know that when the Lord meets my needs, He not only meets the needs of my soul, but also the needs of my life? He fills in things I didn't even know existed. You are the people that God has written as a blessing. I bless you. It can only be good. May the victory of the cross be your blessing.