Lesson 15: The Cross Removes the Curse

Question 5

These passages teach us that when Jesus was hanged on a tree, He was "cursed by God." He, the Creator, took upon Himself the curse of the creation. He literally "became a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13).
And if we look carefully in the gospels, we will see that Jesus dealt fully with the curse. He took each of the "first words" of sin and fulfilled them, and then obliterated the curse for us:
Naked: "And they stripped Him..." (Matthew 27:28).
Pain: "For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded" (Psalm 69:26). Jesus endured horrible pain and suffering on the cross, that Revelation 21:4 might come to pass: "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Cursed: We noted from Galatians 3:13 that Jesus "became a curse for us" for "a hanged man is cursed by God."
Thorns: "and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" (Matthew 27:29). What deep meaning the crown of thorns has! As He was lifted up on that cross, His brow encircled with thorns, Jesus Christ was bearing the curse for us.
Sweat: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44).
Sword: "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water" (John 19:34). Just like an angel blocked Adam and Eve from entering paradise again by a sword, so the way to paradise was opened up by the sword that shed Jesus' blood. He said to the thief on the cross next to him, "...today you will be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Death: "When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
Oh, friend, let's let the realization that Jesus "became a curse for us" so that we might enjoy the blessing of God fill up our hearts and souls. Jesus removed the curse from us by becoming a curse for us, and now we are free from satanic deception, free from sin's bondage, free from the wrath of God, and free from an eternity in hell. At the cross, sin was not pushed away but instead put away. God's claims against us have been fully met. Jesus Christ was forsaken of God for a time that we might enjoy His presence forever. He was forsaken that we might be forgiven. Because God judged sin on the Son, He now accepts the believing sinner in the Son.
Oh, what unspeakable joy this brings me even as I write the words. "Joy to the world; the Lord has come!"  The hymn writer Isaac Watts understood the blessings which are ours because Jesus took our curse:
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found. 
https://hymnary.org/text/joy_to_the_world_the_lord_is_come
Question 5. What are your thoughts about the lesson today? Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
Jen writes:
"WOW - amazing connections! I never realized the extent to which Jesus "bore our curse." What a gift!”
Nina writes: 
"Wow. My mind is being blown away with every study. I am so grateful to God that Jesus became a curse for me to remove the curse from me. The wisdom of God is beautiful and majestic, like the greatest poem ever written, the greatest story ever told. Christ crucified most certainly is the power of God."
Mike L. writes:
"I am overwhelmed that Jesus took my curse from me, the whole world is groaning right now from the curse of sin, it seems more so now that I have ever experienced in my lifetime! I am so grateful that this is not the end of the story that someday I will be with Him away from all this and only because He who knew no sin became sin for me!

Lord Jesus thank you that you bore the weight of my sin, thank you that you loved me to the end, Lord Jesus thank you for the hope that I have in You as this world is without hope!"