The Cross of Calvary
(Ephesians 2:1-10)

Most Jesus was put to a capital punishment on the cross at Calvary. He wore the crown of thorns and His two hands and feet were nailed down. Water and blood came out of His body for six hours. At last, His soul left the body after his saying the last word, "It is finished". For those unbelievers, it means that Jesus’ works ended in failure. For us the believers, however, the death of Jesus on the cross is the ultimate hopes and blessing God gave to human beings.

1. The kingdom of the devil on the earth
1) The earth God created for Adam and Eve
2) They were tempted by the devil, ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of knowing good and evil, and rebelled against God. As a consequence,
① The devil took away the power of sovereignty God gave to Adam and made the earth the kingdom controlled by the power and authority of the devil.
② Since then, the whole world was under the ruling and oppression of the devil.

2. The kingdom of Jesus
1) God’s plan for salvation
① The birth of the Savior who did not belong to the kingdom of the devil
- Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary without inheriting Adam’s sin.
2) He became the sacrifice for the human beings - the sin sacrifice, the guilt sacrifice, the fellowship sacrifice, and the burnt sacrifice.
3) The eternal and perfect sacrifice that Jesus, the everlasting God, made

3. The spiritual warfare at Calvary
1) With Jesus making the eternal sacrifice, the devil lost his reasons to conquer the world.
2) Through Jesus’ death of atonement and resurrection
① The church, the kingdom of Jesus, was established - The church is the body of Jesus and the temple of the Holy Spirit
3) The regime change on the cross - the power and authority of the devil stepped down and the power and authority of Jesus took over
4) The history of the church, the body of Jesus
① Where Jesus exerts His power and authority
② The foundation of liberation and freedom - being liberated freed from the power and authority of the devil
③ The struggle against the devil who tries to dwell in humans through unbelief

Jesus’ work of salvation will come to a completion only when Jesus comes to the earth for the second time. Until that day, we must fight a guerilla war against the devil. We the saints ought to know the truth, challenge the falsehood of the devil, and fight against the devil while expanding the kingdom of Jesus.