Week 5 - The Power of the Cross
This week is going to be a simple moment of decision - the real decision to fully leave pornography and sexual sin.
We’ve spent the past several weeks in preparation for this moment, seeing the renewal of our minds as we understand the power of Jesus’ work on our behalf to liberate us from the Egypt of sin. We’ve understood how our wounds and struggles in life led us to false worship, idolising pornography and lust. We’ve come to terms with the reality of how sin impacts our relationship with God as we’ve grown in the fear of the Lord and now we find ourselves at the foot of the cross - beholding the lamb that was slain for the sin of the world.
It’s time today to bring the burden of your sin - all of it, everything you’ve done, all the relapses, all the lies, everything you’ve seen, everything you’ve thought and every right thing you’ve failed to do. It’s time to gather it all up and gently place it at the foot of the cross, in repentance, allowing the blood of Jesus to wash over you, as the sweetness of his complete forgiveness sets you free from the shame and the bondage of this sin.
This is going to be a simple time together today, but a powerful one. We are going to move through repentance together, experience the wonder of God’s forgiveness and sit back and behold the warmth of the sun rising over a new day in your life.
Lamentations 3:19-23
I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
COMING TO THE CROSS
The day before Jesus was crucified - he prayed in the garden of gethsemane. We read:
Luke 22:39-4639 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
While Jesus was wrestling in his spirit, faced with the suffering he was about to endure on the cross, where he would take upon himself all of my sin and your sin - and that of the whole world, the disciples were sleeping. Exhausted with sorrow, they slept. I want you to see the faithfulness of Jesus in this moment, as humans we are weak and fragile creatures, and without the Lord we are helpless to resist temptation, even when our spirits are willing our flesh is weak. And yet, in this moment as the disciples were exhausted with the sorrow of what was about to happen to their Lord, to their friend Jesus, we find Jesus contending, labouring and wrestling for our salvation. What a beautiful Lord we have.
Maybe you have become exhausted with sorrow - and failed to resist temptation. The disciples were sorrowful about what Jesus was about to go through, and maybe you’ve been exhausted with the sorrow of attempting to overcome this sin - knowing how it’s impacting your relationship with God. Thankfully - the power of our salvation and our liberation from sin is in Jesus’ hands, not our own. He laboured that night for your freedom. He is: “the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-23)
He endured so that you would not grow weary and lose heart. Consider Jesus right now, who endured, that you might be liberated.
REPENTANCE
See Jesus the next morning, walking through the streets of Jerusalem - a heavy cross on his back. He had just been whipped to within an inch of death at the hands of the romans. The rugged cross bearing down on his open wounds - he carried the cross up the hill outside of the city to a place called Golgotha. It was here that Jesus dropped the cross on the dirt, and the soldiers stretched him out upon it, as a lamb being prepared to be hung over a fire. They drove spikes through his hands and ankles, nailing him to the cross. Then they lifted him up, the lamb of God, slain for the sin of the world. For six hours he hung there…
Mark 15:28-32
They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. [28] 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
Now come - come to the foot of the cross of Jesus by faith and lay your burdens down, lay your sin before him. He is giving his life for you, he is suffering the wrath of God to pay the punishment you deserve. For the next 6 hours Jesus hung on the cross, paying the ransom for your freedom. Do you see the procession now? The somber procession of those who would become the bride of Christ - the redeemed, coming to the foot of the cross of Christ, and laying the burden of their sin at his feet. It’s time to join the procession.
Bring your burden to Jesus now - Confess everything before him, all of your sin, all of your shame - take your time and bring the whole burden before him and lay it at his feet. Saying “Lord Jesus, I repent. I confess that I need you Lord, for no one is good, and I deserve that cross, not you. I deserve hell, not you. Forgive me for my sin Lord - For all of this, all of the time’s i’ve engaged in lust and pornography, all the times i’ve turned to this idol instead of you, all the lies i’ve told to cover it up and all those years of hardening my heart to your Spirit and continuing in my sin. I give it up today Jesus, I’m bringing it all here to your feet. Forgive me Lord, I’m done with it - I’m done with this sin and I’m choosing you.
Look up and see his eyes, blood and tears mingled flow down his face as he looks upon you with pure love. “You are forgiven my child”.
Realise in this moment what’s happening in your heart. When you behold the one who laid down his life for you - you never want to leave him. And you never have to.
FORGIVENESS
In Hebrews 10 we read about the power of that moment on the cross and how we are now completely forgiven because of the blood of Jesus:
Hebrews 10:4-18It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’ ”
8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.
14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
John 19:30
…”Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
Take a moment and enjoy the sweetness of God’s forgiveness - there’s no questions to answer - nothing to process. The forgiveness of God is final - his word is the final word. “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more”.
A FRESH INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
I mentioned earlier that you would never have to leave Jesus. Well, Jesus promised that he would not leave us as orphans, rather that he would come to us.
John 14:15-2115 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
At pentecost Jesus sent his Spirit from heaven to fill his people with his own presence and power.
We are not able to live out the christian life in victory over sin without the power of the Spirit and we cannot live in communion with Jesus apart from the Holy Spirit. Even if you have previously given your life to the Lord, the bible commands us to continually be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit
You need the infilling of the Spirit to walk with Jesus, experience his presence at all moments and have the power to walk in righteousness.
Take a moment, get alone with God right now. Open up your heart to the Lord, coming into his presence and even posture your hands with your palms towards heaven ready to receive from the Lord. And pray “God, fill me afresh today with your Spirit - I need you Lord, I want to know you, to commune with you, I want you to be closer than my breath, I want to experience the power of your resurrection, I need your Spirit to live a life of victory over sin, to see my life transformed. Ultimately Jesus - I just want you. Fill me with the Holy Spirit Lord” And wait on God, wait for him to fill you with his Spirit afresh today.
This week
Personal
Share with your group (or accountability partner if not in a group) about what the Lord did for you this week and how you went with repentance.
Group
Share your testimonies of what the Lord did in each of you this week as you engaged with the power of the cross.
Minister to one another, share, and pray for each other.