Lesson 19 Eyes Fixed on Jesus

Questions 1 and 2

Does it seem odd to you that Jesus can rescue you from smoking through the message of the cross? From excess drinking through the gospel? From drug abuse through the good news of Jesus living and dying in your place?
Why haven’t we talked about patches and the need for accountability, about rehab programs and 12-step groups? Why haven’t we severely warned you that if you take just one more drink you could ruin your life and all the other worldly and fear tactics that man uses?
The reason for all the above is because God has given the gospel of Jesus Christ, and for thousands of years He has been using it to rescue people from drunkenness and any other sin one could think of (see 1 Corinthians 6:7-11). It is mankind that has come along and confused this message, said it wasn’t enough, added to it, and generally perverted it. And then there is Satan whose goal for your life is to blind you to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4); not blind you to religion or the Bible in general, but blind you to the gospel (that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose again).
This is why we focus like a laser on the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it literally has the power to rescue you and set you free, no matter how long you’ve been involved in smoking, drunkenness, or drug use.
Review
Today, we will continue looking to the cross of Jesus, fixing our eyes on Him, seeing Him so that we might be cleansed and be empowered by the Spirit of God to flee all forms of substance abuse.
In the previous lesson, as we looked up at the cross we saw that God’s wrath was exhausted there, that there is not a drop of it left for you if you are a believer in Jesus. This truth liberates us. If we live with a slavish fear of God, like Adam in the garden after he sinned, we will hide from God and not walk with Him. But now, we understand that God’s anger was spent on Christ; His wrath exhausted at the cross, and so, we come freely and boldly to Him where He welcomes and embraces us.
We also saw that our sin was removed from us at the cross.  This truth sets us free by showing us that we no longer have a burden of guilt to carry around. When Jesus took our sin from us, He took our guilt with it. Those who are free from the burden of guilt are also free from the power of sin.
The Cross: The Demonstration of God's Love and Power
In this lesson, we will continue looking at the cross and meditating on it to see the demonstration of God’s love and power which can transform our hearts and minds.
Question 1. What more do you see as you look at the cross today?Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
As we look at the cross, we see that we are:
Ransomed from sin and death
Rescued from the power of darkness
Redeemed from the curse of the Law
Redeemed from an empty way of life
Reconciled to God the Father
Let’s think about each of these, briefly, to see how they are designed to open our prison doors and set us free.
At the cross, Jesus ransomed us from sin and death.
A ransom is a price paid for the redemption or release of someone from captivity. 
We were all born in sin and in captivity to it, which leads to death. But it was foretold in the Old Testament that God would ransom His people which would result in their freedom and joy:
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:10 (NKJV)
As you look at the cross what you see is Jesus paying your ransom price with His own blood (1 Peter 1:19). He did this to release you from captivity to sin and death. Jesus' empty tomb is proof that His ransom payment was accepted by God.
The ransom is an expression of the process of paying the penalty due for our sin. It is called redemption or salvation. What we could not pay or do, Jesus paid and did for us. Now, let everlasting joy be on your head, and let sorrow and sighing flee away!
...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28 (NIV) 
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV) 
Question 2. Please fill in the blank: I am not a captive of sin and death, I have been set free because Jesus gave Himself as my . The price He paid is His own .Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.