Dr. George Ragsdale, Pastor, West Marion Baptist Church, 6001 NW 135th Avenue, Morriston/Ocala Fl (352) 245-8900

“Why Did Jesus Go To The Cross?” 1 Peter 3:18
I. The Substitutionary Purpose of the Cross (1 Peter 3:18)
A. We are the unjust this verse of Scripture refers to:
1. We are sinful by Birth
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1. We are sinful by Nature
2. We are sinful by Practice
B. God is Holy and cannot overlook sin. If God were to overlook sin, He would no longer be a holy God.
C. Sin brings a Penalty, and sin must be punished
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
D. Not only is God holy, but God is also loving; so, God must have a way that He can have sin punished and yet have us forgiven, and that method is substitution
E. There must be someone who pays the penalty for sin and that someone is Jesus
Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
F. God prophesied the cross and substitution in the Old Testament, many years before Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection
1. Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 17:19; 22:1-14)
Hebrews 11:17-19
a. Mt. Moriah is the same mountain on which Jesus was crucified
b. Isaac, in obedience to his father, submitted to being bound and placed upon the altar
John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
c. Jehovah-Jireh means “The God Who Will Provide”
John 8:56
2. The Passover lamb is a picture of substitution (Exodus 12:1-13) John 1:29
II. The Suffering Passion of the Cross (1 Peter 3:18)
A. The Emotional suffering of Jesus:
Luke 22:41-44
*The Betrayal of Judas
*The Denial of Peter
*The Six Phony Trials
*The Sentencing to Death
*The Forsaking of His Disciples
*The Forsaking of His Father
B. The Physical suffering of Jesus:
*The Mocking and Beating
*The Scourging
*The Way to the Cross
*The Crucifixion
*The Hammer—The Nails
*The Suffocation
C. The Spiritual suffering of Jesus (Isaiah 53:10; 1 Peter 3:18; Habakkuk 1:13; Psalms 23:4)

III. The Satisfying Provision of the Cross (1 Peter 3:18)
Colossians 2:14
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;

IV. The Saving POWER of the Cross (1 Peter 3:18)
18-2Cor.5.20" class="scriptRef">2 Corinthians 5:18-20 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

MORE MESSAGES ON CHURCH WEB PAGE: West Marion Baptist Church— http://www.westmarionbaptistchurch.com

You can also watch and listen to Pastor Ragsdale's sermons on Radio and TV here in Central Florida on the following stations:

SUPER CHANNEL 55 in Orlando, Florida
Thursdays @ 2:30 am and Saturdays @ 11:00 pm
as well as these other channels:
Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne - Brighthouse Cable 14
Leesburg/Lake County - Comcast Ch. 5
Ocala/Marion County - Brighthouse Ch. 14; Cox Cable 10
Gainesville - Cox Cable 57
*DirecTV; *DISH Network - Channel 55
Disney - Disney Cable 29
Daytona Beach Shores - Advanced Cable 55
Summit Cable Orlando - Summit Cable 11
AT&T Uverse - Channel 40
Dunnellon - Comcast Channel 21
Inverness/Crystal River - Brighthouse Channel 16

SUPERCHANNEL 55 DIGITAL CHANNELS:
Channel 55.1 - WACX TV
Channel 55.2 - GodTV Network (24/7)
Channel 55.3 - GEB (24/7)
Channel 55.4 - SonLife Broadcasting (24/7)
Channel 55.5 - Vida Vision
Channel 55.6 - WACX TV (2)
Channel 47.1 - WYKE Citrus County
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COX CABLE TV CHANNELS: WCOX-O
Channel 16 Analog & 112.5 Digital
Ocala, Fl (Marion Co)
Tues, Thurs, 9:30 AM
Fri 8:30 AM
Mon, Wed, Sat, 8 PM
Sun, 7 PM
12 Noon, 8 PM

COX Cable TV: CXLP
Channel 21
Gainesville, Fl (Alachua Co)
Tues, Wed, Fri 9 AM
Mon, Thurs, Sat, 8 PM
Sun, 10 AM

DAYSTAR Radio 89.5 FM
North Central Fl
Sun 5 AM, 12 Noon, 7 PM

CLASSIC HITS RADIO of OCALA 104.7 FM
City of Ocala
Sundays 8:30 AM

YouTube Preaching Channel
http://www.youtube.com/CarolRagsdale

SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
CHRIST