...setting captives free with our host and teacher,
Mike Cleveland.
It's been said that there are only two
religions in the world.
One speaks of human achievement, the other speaks
of divine accomplishment.
When you think about it, all the major
religions of the world explain what you and
I must do to achieve heaven.
But Christianity teaches us that we can't do
anything to achieve heaven.
It's all been taken care of through the
blood of Christ.
So why is it then that we still
live as if we need to work as
hard as we can to get rid of
sin?
Obviously we're responsible for sin, but in today's
message, Mike Cleveland helps us understand that the
death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ has
already gained victory over our sins, and he
empowers us to silence what he has already
put to death.
Now that may sound like a contradiction, but
it really isn't.
Let's listen together as Mike helps us understand
the victory that is already ours.
Thank you, Corey.
This is Mike Cleveland, November 30, 2003.
Our message today comes from Hebrews 2, verses
5-15.
It's a very somber message about the cross,
and yet it's a message of celebration as
well, as we see the victory that comes
through the cross.
If you have your Bibles and you're not
driving, please take them out and let's read
together.
Hebrews 2, verses 5-15.
I'm reading from the NASB.
For he did not subject to angels the
world to come, concerning which we are speaking,
but one has testified somewhere, saying, What is
man that you remember him, or the son
of man that you're concerned about him?
You've made him a little lower than the
angels, you've crowned him with glory and honor,
and have appointed him over the works of
your hands.
You've put all things in subjection under his
feet, for in subjecting all things to him
he left nothing that is not subject to
him.
But now we do not yet see all
things subjected to him, but we do see
him, who was made for a little while
lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and
honor, so that by the grace of God
he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting for him, for whom
all things, and through whom are all things,
in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect
the author of their salvation through sufferings.
For both he who sanctifies and those who
are sanctified are all from one Father, for
which reason he is not ashamed to call
them brethren, saying, I will proclaim your name
to my brethren in the midst of the
congregation, I will sing your praise, and again
I will put my trust in him, and
again behold I and the children whom God
has given me.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and
blood, he himself likewise also partook of the
same, that through death he might render powerless
him who had the power of death, that
is, the devil, and might free those who
through fear of death were subject to slavery
all their lives.
Well, this passage again speaks to us of
the superiority of Jesus Christ over angels, telling
us that Jesus in his incarnation was made
a little lower than the angels, but in
his resurrection and exaltation was shown to be
higher than everything and all people, and now
all things are subject to him as Lord
of all.
But there is a highly instructive passage here
in verses 14 and 15 which say, Therefore,
since the children share in flesh and blood,
he himself likewise also partook of the same,
that through death he might render powerless him
who had the power of death, that is,
the devil, and might free those who through
fear of death were subject to slavery all
their lives.
Aha!
Now we see why Jesus Christ took upon
himself flesh and blood, why he became a
man.
There are really two reasons.
Number one, so that through his death he
might destroy the devil.
And two, that Jesus might free those who
were captive.
Oh, what a blessed thought of victory this
is!
Jesus Christ died on the cross and through
his death he destroyed the devil.
How fantastic is this, that Jesus took death,
the devil's own tool, and destroyed the devil
with it.
Ha!
Just like David, who took Goliath's own sword
and destroyed the giant with it.
You see, the devil thought the cross was
the tool he would use to destroy Christ,
but God turned that cross into an upside
-down sword and plunged it into the heart
of the devil and destroyed him.
Ha!
Just like the king, who took Haman's own
gallows and impaled Haman on it.
Just like Moses, whom God told to use
a snake to cure the Israelites.
Ha!
A snake!
The very thing that bit them and was
causing their death actually brought life to them.
What a beautiful picture of the cross, where
God took death itself and used it to
bring life.
Now Jesus says in John 3, 14-17,
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so the Son of Man may
be lifted up, so that whoever believes will
in him have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish, but have eternal
life.
For God did not send the Son into
the world to judge the world, but that
the world might be saved through him.
Oh yes, Jesus destroyed the devil on the
cross and victory comes through the cross.
But he not only destroyed the devil on
the cross, he also freed us from slavery.
The cross is the instrument of freedom.
Jesus was nailed to it that we might
go free.
Free from habitual sin, free from death.
You know, for 15 years of my life
I was a slave to sin.
I was a slave to my impulses, a
slave to pornography, to gluttony, to drunkenness, to
all kinds of sins of the flesh.
My master was my cravings, was my lust,
was the devil.
If my master told me to gratify the
lusts of my flesh through overeating, I would
immediately obey.
If I was commanded to commit acts of
impurity, I would follow wholeheartedly.
But these ways led to death, spiritual death,
relational death, and eventually would have led to
physical death.
Why would anyone in their right minds obey
such a cruel taskmaster?
Well, because I was a slave.
Romans 6.16, Paul says, Do you not
know that when you present yourselves to someone
as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of
the one you obey, either of sin, resulting
in death, or of obedience, resulting in righteousness?
But Hebrews 2.15 says that Jesus frees
slaves.
It says that through death he released us,
who were slaves because of our fear of
death.
Now, question, why would anybody be afraid of
death?
Well, I don't know about you, but when
I was living in my sins, I was
scared to death of death.
We are afraid of death because all people
have some sort of built-in understanding that
one day there will be an accounting.
Oh, right now I can blame everyone else
for my sins.
It's all their fault.
You see, but one day I will be
called into account and must face the living
God who judges not only my actions, but
my heart, my motivations, my deeply kept secrets.
All will come into the light.
My sin will eventually be found out.
I will be exposed.
And I will have to face judgment and
punishment for my sins.
All people inherently know these things, whether they
admit them or not, whether they care to
think about them or not.
Now, I've heard many people who are living
sinful lives say that they're not afraid of
death.
No fear seems to be their slogan.
But the fact is we'd better be afraid
of death if we're living in sin.
For if we live in sin, we will
die in sin.
And it's appointed to man to die once
and then face judgment.
If we're living in sin and not afraid
of death, we are presuming upon God's grace.
Not good.
No, I was fearful of my life of
sin and the condemnation that was coming at
death.
I was scared to death of death.
Now, I like the way the message paraphrases
these verses that we're reading about.
It says, since the children are made of
flesh and blood, it's logical that the Savior
took on flesh and blood in order to
rescue them by His death.
By embracing death, taking it to Himself, He
destroyed the devil's hold on death and freed
all who cower through life, scared to death
of death.
Oh, there I was, cowering through life, scared
to death of death.
But oh yes, God used the devil's own
instrument and destroyed the devil with it.
And guess what?
He is doing the same thing today.
Seven years ago, the devil used the Internet,
among other things, to try to destroy me.
But God turned it around and is using
the Internet to release many slaves to sin
and give them freedom in Christ.
At settingcaptivesfree.com, we hear the sound of
chains dropping and prison doors opening all the
time.
Now, you know what else?
We need to learn how to do that
same thing more and more.
That is, to take what the devil meant
for evil in our lives and use it
for good.
Just like the woman who, out of overwhelming
love for Jesus, broke her perfume jar and
poured it out on Jesus.
She had formerly used that perfume for evil,
to attract her men to sin with.
And now she is using it for the
good in the worship of her God.
Just like Gideon who took the altar that
his father used in the worship of Baal
and dedicated that altar to the service and
worship of God.
But now comes a very important question.
How does victory come through the cross?
Well, we have just noticed that through the
cross, Jesus destroyed the devil.
That is one reason.
But there are several more.
When we come to the cross where Jesus
died, we see that our sins are forgiven.
We see that our guilt is removed.
We see that our debt is paid and
a huge burden and weight is lifted from
our shoulders.
Why is this important?
Why can't we find freedom from sinful habits
like the Muslims who try to fast and
crawl their way to freedom?
Or like the Raelians who try to clone
their way to freedom?
Or even like the moralists who think they
are free without Christ.
Why the cross?
Just this.
All of those people listed still have guilt
in their souls.
Oh, they may not feel guilty, but they
are guilty.
You know, homosexuals who come out unashamedly may
not feel guilty, but they are guilty.
And listen to this.
Guilt is like an undertow that pulls us
back into our life of sin.
Oh, friend, there is no freedom from the
power of sin until we find forgiveness from
the guilt of sin.
And when we come to the cross of
Jesus Christ, we see a man who took
upon himself the guilt of our sin, who
was judged in our place, who was condemned
to death, not for his own sins, but
for ours.
And we see him opening up his arms
to the east and to the west, removing
our sins from us as far as the
east is from the west.
You know Psalm 103, verse 12, it says,
As far as the east is from the
west, so far has he removed our transgressions
from us.
Now, I'm a pilot, and I know that
if I fly north, and I keep flying
north, I will eventually get to the place
where I'm flying south.
Poof.
Just like that.
The difference between north and south is just
minuscule.
I've just crossed the pole, and now I'm
going south.
But, you know, I also know if I'm
flying east, and I keep flying east, I
will never get to the place where I'm
flying west, because east and west are infinitely
removed from each other, just like our sins
and us.
You see, the cross brings victory, because at
the cross, we see that our guilt and
shame are removed from us and placed on
Jesus Christ.
Now, the cross also brings victory, because it
teaches us how to deal with sin in
our lives, just as God did.
We must follow His example.
He put sin on His Son, and then
put Jesus to death, nailed Him to a
cross, burying Him in a tomb.
That is how we are to deal with
sin.
Crucify it.
Bury it.
Now, obviously, this takes grace.
Obviously, this is why Paul said to the
Ephesians, Be strong in the Lord, and in
the power of His might.
Otherwise, we would not be able to carry
out this crucifixion of our lusts.
The cross brings victory to us, because it
teaches us how to deal with sin in
our own lives.
You see, we need to be like Abraham,
who was commanded to offer up his son
whom he loved.
God
says to us, Do all this right now,
before you have one last fling with it.
Oh, truly, this is a hard saying.
Flesh and blood cannot bear this saying.
Our lusts will certainly not lie patiently on
the altar, like Isaac or Jesus did, as
a lamb that is brought to the slaughter,
which is silent.
No, no.
Our lusts will yell and scream, even to
the shaking and tearing of our hearts, with
its hideous outcries.
You see?
And you know what else?
The devil will intercede for this sin.
Right?
He'll say, Oh, leave it alone.
Don't crucify it.
It's just a small sin.
Let it live.
Nobody knows about it.
Oh, no.
The cross teaches us to wound it, to
strike it, to nail it, to kill it,
and bury it.
You see, there is no neutral ground when
we face the cross.
Either we accept its atoning work and become
a new person in the crucified one, or
we reject Him and remain in our sinful,
self-centered state.
When we take our stand with Christ and
His redemption accomplished at Calvary, we are compelled
to make two profound confessions, the wonders of
His glorious love and my own worthlessness.
Elizabeth Clephane wrote the song called Beneath the
Cross of Jesus, and she wrote, Upon the
cross of Jesus mine eye at times can
see the very dying form of one who
suffered there for me, and from my smitten
heart with tears two wonders I confess, the
wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.
That's what the cross does for us.
The cross convinces us of God's redeeming love
and of our own unworthiness.
Another song says, On a hill far away
stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of
suffering and shame, and I loved that old
cross where the dearest and best for a
world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross till
my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross
and exchange it someday for a crown.
A man by the name of John Damaskene
in 675 A.D. wrote, By nothing else
except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
has death been brought low, the sin of
our first parent destroyed, hell plundered, resurrection bestowed,
the power given us to despise the things
of this world, even death itself, the road
back to the former blessedness made smooth, the
gates of paradise opened, our nature seated at
the right hand of God, and we made
children and heirs of God.
By the cross all these things have been
set straight.
And Gregory Nansen in 329 A.D. said,
Many indeed are the wondrous happenings of the
time.
God hanging from a cross, the sun made
dark and again flaming out, for it was
fitting that creation should mourn with its creator,
the temple veil torn in two, blood and
water flowing from his side, the one as
from a man, the other as from what
was above man, the earth shaken, the rock
shattered because of the rock, the dead risen
to bear witness to the final and universal
resurrection of the dead, the happenings at the
sepulcher and after the sepulcher, who can fittingly
recount them, yet no one of them can
be compared to the miracle of my salvation,
a few drops of blood renew the whole
world.
And Augustine said, As they were looking on
at the cross, so we too gaze on
his wounds as he hangs, we see his
blood as he dies, we see the price
offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of
his resurrection, he bows his head as if
to kiss you, his heart is made bare
open as it were in love to you,
his arms are extended that he may embrace
you, his whole body is displayed for your
redemption, ponder how great these things are, let
all this be rightly weighed in your mind,
as he was once fixed to the cross
in every part of his body for you,
so he may now be fixed in every
part of your soul.
No one, however weak, is denied a share
in the victory of the cross, no one
is beyond the help of the prayer of
Christ, his prayer brought benefit to the multitude
that raged against him, how much more does
it bring to those who turn to him
in repentance?
You see, at the cross, ignorance has been
destroyed, that's right, obstinacy has been overcome, the
sacred blood of Christ has quenched the flaming
sword that barred access to the tree of
life, the age-old night of sin has
given place to the true light, the Christian
people are invited to share the riches of
paradise, all who have been reborn have the
way open before them to return to their
native land from which they had been exiled
or captive, unless indeed they close off for
themselves the path that could be open before
the faith of a thief.
You see, the business of this life should
not preoccupy us with its anxiety and pride,
so that we no longer strive with all
the love of our heart to be like
our Redeemer and to follow his example, everything
that he did or suffered was for our
salvation, he wanted his body, that's us, to
share the goodness of its head.
And then there's an Easter homily by Melito
of Sardis in the 2nd century that says,
For the sake of suffering humanity, he came
down from heaven to earth, clothed himself in
that humanity in the virgin's womb, and was
born a man.
Having then a body capable of suffering, he
took the pain of fallen man upon himself,
he triumphed over the diseases of soul and
body that were its cause, and by his
spirit, which was incapable of dying, he dealt
man's destroyer, death, a fatal blow.
He was led forth like a lamb, he
was slaughtered like a sheep.
He ransomed us from our servitude to the
world, as he had ransomed Israel from the
hand of Egypt.
He freed us from our slavery to the
devil, as he had freed Israel from the
hand of Pharaoh.
He sealed our souls with his own spirit,
and the members of our body with his
own blood.
He is the one who covered death with
shame, and cast the devil into mourning, as
Moses cast Pharaoh into mourning.
He's the one that smote sin and robbed
iniquity of offspring, as Moses robbed the Egyptians
of their offspring.
He's the one who brought us out of
slavery into freedom, out of darkness into light,
out of death into life, out of tyranny
into an eternal kingdom, who made us a
new priesthood.
Oh, I love that, he made us a
new priesthood through his cross.
The cross, my friend, brings us face to
face with Jesus suffering for our sins.
He was alone, all his disciples had deserted
him, except for his mother and three women,
along with John, the beloved disciple.
And his death was agonizing and humiliating.
Normally, a crucified man could last for several
days on a cross.
Jesus had already been scourged, beaten with rods,
and a crown of thorns pressed into his
skull.
It's no wonder that he died mid-afternoon.
Pilate publicly heralded Jesus, the King of the
Jews, as he died upon the cross, no
doubt to irritate and annoy the chief priests
and Pharisees.
We can find no greater proof of God's
love for us than the willing sacrifice of
his Son on the cross.
Jesus' last words, it is finished, express triumph
rather than defeat.
Jesus bowed his head and gave up his
spirit, knowing that the strife was now over
and the battle was won.
Even on the cross, Jesus knew the joy
of victory.
What the Father sent him into the world
to do has now been accomplished.
Christ offered himself without blemish to God, and
he put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself.
In the cross of Christ, we see the
triumph of Jesus over his enemies.
That's what we're studying in Hebrews chapter 2,
the triumph of Jesus over his enemies, sin,
Satan, and death.
You know, Christian writers down through the centuries
have sung the praises of the cross of
Christ.
Paul the Apostle said, but far be it
from me to glory except in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That's Galatians 6.14. Yes, a few drops
of blood renew the whole world.
Abbot Rupert of Deutz wrote in the early
12th century, The cross of Christ is the
door to heaven, the key to paradise, the
downfall of the devil, the uplifting of mankind,
the consolation of our imprisonment, the prize for
our freedom.
Isn't that good?
The cross of Christ is the safeguard of
our faith.
It's the assurance of our hope and the
throne of love.
It is also the sign of God's mercy
and the proof of his forgiveness.
By his cross, Jesus has redeemed our sin
and atoned for our punishment, the way to
peace, joy, and righteousness in the kingdom of
God, and the way to victory over sin,
despair, and death is through the cross of
Jesus Christ.
Do you willingly follow Jesus in his way
of the cross with joy and hope and
confidence?
Lord Jesus Christ, by your death on the
cross, you have won pardon for us and
freedom from the tyranny of sin and death.
May I live in the joy and freedom
of your victory over sin and death.
There's a song that's called God has reigned
from a tree.
It says the standards of the king appear,
the mystery of the cross shines out in
glory.
The cross on which life suffered death, and
by that death gave back life to us.
His side, wounded by the spear's cruel point,
poured out water and blood to wash away
the stains of our sins.
The words of David's true prophetic song were
fulfilled, in which he announced to the nations
God has reigned from a tree.
Tree of dazzling beauty, adorned with the purple
of the king's blood, and chosen from a
stalk worthy to bear limbs so sacred.
How favored the tree, on whose branches hung
the ransom of the world.
It was made a balance on which his
body was weighed, and bore away the prey
that hell had claimed.
Hail, cross, our only hope.
In this season of passion tide, give an
increase of grace to the good and wipe
out the sins of the guilty.
Let every spirit praise you.
I like that, let every spirit praise you
for the cross.
Paul says, May I never boast, except in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through
which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.
Now he makes the statement, and then he
shows the reason why.
The statement is, May I never boast, except
in the cross.
The reason why is because the world has
been crucified to me.
I see all vanity in the world now.
Why?
Because the cross is where there's life.
The world is where there's death.
A song was written, In the cross of
Christ I glory, towering o'er the wrecks
of time.
All the light of sacred story gathers round
its head sublime.
When the woes of life overtake me, hopes
deceive and fears annoy, never shall the cross
forsake me.
Lo, it glows with peace and joy.
When the sun of bliss is beaming, light
and love upon my way, from the cross
the radiance streaming, adds more luster to the
day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, by the
cross are sanctified.
Peace is there that knows no measure, joys
that through all time abide.
In the cross of Christ I glory, towering
o'er the wrecks of time.
All the light of sacred story gathers round
its head sublime.
I'd like to invite you, if you've never
come to the cross of Jesus Christ, do
so today.
Won't you please not wait another moment?
Take all of your sin, all of your
guilt, all of your shame, and come to
the cross with it, and unload it there.
For there you'll see Jesus Christ suffering in
your place, dying instead of you.
You'll see him being judged as guilty in
our place, condemned, and then watch as he's
executed instead of you, and instead of me.
Are you mourning over your sins?
There's a place to go to rid your
life of them, that's at the cross.
A song was written that says, mourner wherever
you are, at the cross there's room.
Tell the burden of your heart, at the
cross there's room.
Tell it in your Savior's ear, cast away
your every fear.
Only speak and he will hear, at the
cross there's room.
Hurry, you wanderer, don't tarry, at the cross
there's room.
Seek that consecrated spot, at the cross there's
room.
Heavy laden, sore oppressed, love can soothe your
troubled breasts.
In the Savior find your rest, at the
cross there's room.
Thoughtless sinner, come today, at the cross there's
room.
Hark, the bride and spirit say, at the
cross there's room.
Now a living fountain see, open there for
you and me.
Rich and poor, for bond and free, at
the cross there's room.
Blessed thought for everyone, at the cross there's
room.
Love's atoning work is done, at the cross
there's room.
Streams of boundless mercy flow, free to all
who thither go.
Oh, that all the world might know, at
the cross there's room.
My friend, if you're a sinner, in need
of a Savior, there's room at the cross
for you.
Come, won't you?
Maybe you've spent your life in pornography, and
your conscience is defiled, and you're impure from
inside to out.
Oh, come to the cross, won't you?
You'll be relieved of your burden, you'll be
cleansed from within, you'll have a new life.
Oh, maybe you've given yourself to gluttony, and
food has become your master, and your body
is showing the evidence of serving food.
Oh, come to the cross, won't you?
Jesus will teach you how to deny yourself
and take up your own cross and follow
after Him.
Just come to the cross, there's room for
you.
Maybe you've spent your life as a drunk.
You've been involved in alcohol so long it's
part of you.
You turn to it for comfort, you turn
to it when you're bored, you turn to
it when none of the above.
Oh, there's room at the cross for you
too, won't you come?
You know, at the cross, Hebrews chapter 2
tells us that Jesus destroyed the devil for
you.
It tells us that He freed the devil's
captives for you.
There's room at the cross.
Won't you come?
Now, here's for you.
Here at Setting Captives Free, we've had only
one desire, one wish, that you too would
realize the truth of Jesus' words, I have
come that they may have life and have
it more abundantly.
You can wrestle, fight, strain, and fuss over
sin in the flesh, or you can come
to the spring of living water that quenches
your thirst.
You know, we understand that our struggle over
sin comes in many forms, whether it's smoking,
overeating, sexual impurity, homosexuality, or alcoholism, sin has
a way of getting us sidetracked instead of
plugging into that spring of living water.
That's why we've put together some resources for
you to help you find that victory that
Mike Cleveland just talked about.
Take a look at our website, www.settingcaptivesfree
.com, and see if there's some resources there
that will help you.
We also understand that confiding in a loved
one or a friend about sin is hard
enough, but confiding in a stranger can be
even harder.
That's why we want you to take some
time to get to know us.
You can write us using email or send
us a note through the postal service.
To email us, go to settingcaptivesfree.com, and
on the left side of the page, click
on Our Ministry, and then Contact Us.
Or, you can write us at Setting Captives
Free, 2325 Medina Road, in Medina, Ohio, 44256.
We want to help you, pray for you,
walk with you side by side, and provide
whatever we can to help you discover the
rich and wonderful blessing of victory through Christ.
Remember this, the world celebrates Christmas with presents,
love songs, and stories of Santa Claus, but
none of those things offer the peace and
the joy and a clear conscience of having
gone to Christ for the greatest present of
all, salvation.
If you don't know Christ, or maybe you've
forgotten the real gift of Christmas, get in
touch with us.
Do it now.
Do it today.
What a great way to celebrate Christmas with
the power and love of Christ in your
heart.