At The Cross
Colossian 2:11-15

            I as so glad for the cross of Jesus? We would be nothing without Jesus and His sacrifice at Calvary! This salvation that I speak of cost a great price and Jesus paid that price AT THE CROSS. That that debt was my debt and it is PAID IN FULL!!! Though times have changed… though the blood is often ignored …and the cross is at times watered down or avoided…. IT IS STILL THE CROSS! It’s Still The Cross, It’s Still The Blood Of Calvary That Cleanses Sin And Sets the Captive Free It’s Still The Name, The Name Of Jesus That Has Power To Save The Lost IT’S STILL THE CROSS
            It is that cross that I would like to consider today. Roman crucifixions were done in public. The authorities wanted people to see a man die in agony. On that cross, would be the crime that was committed. The goal was for every citizen who walked by to say, “I’ll never do that!
            In our text we find that there was something else “Nailed to the cross of Jesus” - (v14) speaks of “the handwriting of ordinances that was against us” We know that Jesus was sinless - (2 Corinthians 5:21)
If we had been on that cross God could have nailed many different sins over our head! Liar?  Cheater? Thief?
Adulterer? Blasphemer? Murderer?    God could have simply nailed a copy of the 10 commandments over our head!

            We are as guilty of the death of Christ as if we had driven the spikes into His wrists personally! Yes, He willingly died …but He died for and because of you and me!
            What a blessing to think that Jesus knew me, yet He loved me! He knew how wretched and sinful we would be, but He went to the cross anyhow! - Romans 5:8

I. At The Cross Our Lives Were Transformed  (11-12) ¹¹ In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: ¹² Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

    1. The Process Of This Transformation - (v11)
        A. Paul says that when you came to Christ, you were “circumcised”.

            1. Not a physical procedure but a spiritual one.

            2. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision by cutting away your

                sinful nature.
       B. Today, too many people are trying to clean themselves up!
    2. The Result Of This Transformation - (v12) (Rom. 6:4)

        A. God Has raised us from the dead! (Eph. 2:1-5)

        B. Just as Jesus walked to Lazarus’ grave and cried Lazarus come

            forth. Jesus has called us out of the   

        C. The result of this transformation is this “we have gone from death

            unto life”

        D. Have you been transformed? (John3:3)

II. At The Cross Our Souls Were Saved  v13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
    1. Because of sin we were dead needed to be saved

        A. Before Christ our sinful nature had not been removed.

             1.  Jesus literally raised us up… MADE US ALIVE! Simply put

                  HE SAVED US! We were born again
         B. What does that it mean? ("sozw"- sode' zo) "to save, to keep safe,

              to rescue from danger or destruction.
             1. When you were lost you were headed for hell and through His

                  mercy, grace & love, Jesus rescued  

2. The results of being “saved?”
        A. Your sin is forgiven - (Isaiah 38:17)
        B. You become a child of God almighty - (1 John 3:1-2)
        C. You are delivered from the Power, Penalty and eventually the

             presence of sin in Heaven. 
        D. You become a joint heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17)
        E. You are given eternal life, and provided a home in Heaven
        F. You have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

III. At The Cross Our Debt Was Paid - v13b-14 ¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; ¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

    1. The source of this payment - “God”
        A. How amazing,

            1. God paid the ransom to save lost sinners! We couldn’t pay the

                sin debt! …but JESUS DID!
    2. The scope of this payment - “He forgave all our sins”
        A. All of our sins were nailed to the cross. This wasn’t a partial

            payment! IT WAS PAID IN FULL!!!!
        B. Jesus paid our debt, endured our punishment...He nailed it to the

            cross! 

             1. My sin was buried when Jesus was buried and my sin debt is

                 PAID IN FULL! Romans 8:1,33,34
        C. No one can rightfully accuse us! No one can condemn us!

             1. The only one who could ever condemn us is God Himself & He

                  has counted us righteous!

        D. When periods of doubt enter your mind …

             1. Remember, you are justified by the death of Jesus Christ on the

                 cross. -

             2. You possess a certificate of debt; written, in the crimson blood

                 of the Lord Jesus Christ, “Paid in full”

IV. At The Cross Our Enemies Were Defeated - v15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
    1. Principalities and powers?

        A. The power of Satan.  Ephesians 6:12
        B. Satan attempted to destroy Christ at the cross but his plan

             backfired - Hebrews 2:14
             1. Jesus destroyed Satan at the cross. destroyed “to make of none

                effect.” I John 3:8

       C. God allows Satan to do certain things but ultimately it is in order to

            accomplish His own divine will.
    2. Satan’s ultimate defeat - Revelation 20:10

        A. This defeat can be traced back to the cross!

    3. If you are saved

            1. At the cross your life was transformed, your soul was saved, you

               debt was paid. Enemy defeated
            2. Nothing this world throws your way really matters

                (it is all temporary)

            3. It is not because of who you are or what you have done!

            4. IT IS BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID AT THE CROSS!

CONCLUSION

There was a custom in Rome, when a man was condemned for a crime, if he were put in prison, they would nail a certificate of debt to the prison door. On that certificate of debt would be written the crime that this man was guilty of, the number of years that he would stay in prison—days, months, or whatever. And, when he had fulfilled his duty to the law, his certificate of debt was marked paid in full. It was taken, given to the judge, who would have it notarized; and, he would carry it with him. And, if anybody were to accuse him of that crime again, he could pull out the certificate of debt, and say, “Yes, I may have been guilty, but I have paid in full. You’re not going to bring me into double jeopardy; I’ve already paid for that crime