Introduction

A.  (John 12:32) Jesus Christ, Cross: the words “lifted up” refer to the cross of Christ, to His death upon the cross. Jesus said that once He is “lifted up,” He will draw all men to Himself. Note two points.

     1.   Note why the cross of Christ attracts men. It was the cross...

·    that delivered men from sin, death, and hell.

·    that made it possible for men to live abundantly and eternally.

·    that gave to men the presence and power of God’s Spirit to guide and care for them day by day.

     2.   Note how the cross of Christ gives so much to man. Very simply stated, Jesus died for man on the cross. When a man believes that Jesus died for him, God takes that man’s belief and counts it as righteousness. God simply counts the man as perfect. The man is not righteous, nowhere close to perfect. The man, God, and everyone else knows he is not perfect. But the man honors God’s Son by believing on Him; therefore, God honors the man.

            The point to see is that God will do anything for the person who truly honors His Son. God loves His Son so much that He is willing to do anything for anyone who honors Jesus. If a man honors Jesus by believing and following Jesus, God will take that man’s faith and...

·    count his faith as righteousness.

·    deliver him from sin and from death.

·    give him both abundant and eternal life (John 10:10).

·    place the Holy Spirit and His power within the man to help him live day by day (cp. 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Romans 8:1-39; Galatians 5:22-23).

            The point is this: it is the cross of Christ that breaks the power of Satan in the world. It is the cross of Christ that “casts out” Satan: his power, his rule, and his reign. Man, by believing that Christ died for him, can now be counted righteous and delivered from the power of Satan, from the evil power that entices him to sin and causes him to die and face the judgment of God. Man can now know the power of God, the power that freely forgives him and gives him life forever. Man can now experience the marvelous grace of God. (Grace—Titus 2:11-15; Justification— Romans 4:22;  Romans 5:1.)

B.   (16:11) Satan: this passage concerns the judgment of Satan. The judgment of Satan was executed by Christ upon the cross. It was upon the cross that Jesus Christ judged and condemned the devil in all his authority and power. How? There were two ways.

1.      Satan is judged and condemned by the obedience of Christ upon the cross.

           God is perfectly pleased with Christ, for Christ did exactly what God wanted: He obeyed God perfectly. Therefore, God is bound to be perfectly pleased.

           The point is this: what God wanted most of all was for Christ to die for man. Christ Himself said, “As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.” The ultimate commandment that would show perfect obedience was for Him...

·    to die for man’s sin.

·    to receive the judgment of (physical and spiritual) death for man’s sin.

·    to suffer separation from God for man.

     It was upon the cross that Christ obeyed God in the supreme, ultimate, and absolute sense. It was because he died—because He obeyed God perfectly—that God...

·    has highly exalted Him (cp. Phil. 2:9-11).

·    has given Him a name above every name.

·    has destined that every knee will bow before Him, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.

·    has destined that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

·    has judged the world and ordained that it will be recreated and made into a new heavens and earth (2 Peter 3:10-13).

·    has cast out Satan and enthroned Christ, giving Him the loyalty of man and the kingdoms of the whole world (John 12:31-32).

·    has assured the return of Christ and His rule and reign (Titus 2:12-13).

·    has promised that Christ will rule and reign over a new heavens and earth, over all throughout the universe (2 Peter 3:4-5, 8-13).

2.      Satan is judged and condemned by the belief of men in the cross, in the death of Christ (John 12:32)

            The cross judged and condemned Satan in all his authority and power. The judgment can be summed up in three areas.

1.      The cross judges and breaks the power of Satan over the world (John 12:31).

           Satan is the ruler, the prince, the power of the world. This is taught by the Bible (John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4; Ephes. 2:2). The one example of his dominion familiar to most is the temptation of Christ. Satan offered the kingdoms of the world to Christ if Christ would worship him (Luke 4:6). He possessed the kingdoms to offer. But Christ refused to yield to the temptation. Instead He chose to obey God, to secure the authority over the kingdoms of the world by way of the cross. In this particular passage Christ proclaimed the coming triumph of the cross. The cross broke forever the power of the devil over the kingdoms of the world, and it assures the return of Christ to rule and reign throughout the universe forever.

      “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31).

      “[God] who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13).

      “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it [the cross]” (Col. 2:15).

      “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet” (1 Cor. 15:24-25).

      “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:8-11; cp. Rev. 21:1f).

2.      The cross judges and breaks the authority and power of Satan over death (John 12:31).

           Satan holds the power of death. It is his selfish and sinful influence that has brought corruption, decay, and death to the earth. But Christ has broken the devil’s grip over death forever. The cross delivers man from the fear and bondage of death, and assures Christ the authority over life and death.

      “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

      “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death....O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:25-26, 55-57).

3.      The cross judges and breaks the authority and power of Satan to corrupt men through worldliness and sin (John 12:32).

           Satan uses the world—its pleasures and desire for power and wealth and fame—to attract and enslave men, and enslavement inevitably leads to destruction. But the cross brings power to a man, spiritual power...

·    to break his habits and bondages.

·    to keep him from damaging and destroying his body and spirit.

     The cross and its power to deliver and to give life have become the focal attraction of time and eternity. The cross liberates and frees man forever.

      “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me [to which he can appeal]” (John 14:30).

      “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

      “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

      “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).