THE
GLORIOUS CROSS OF CHRIST
1. WHAT IS THE MOST GLORIOUS THING TO YOU?
A. SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY:
1. PERSON IN DEBT: BE GLORIOUS TO HAVE A LOT
OF MONEY AND PAY ALL MY DEBTS.
2. THE POLITICIAN: BE GLORIOUS TO HOLD A HIGH
POLITICAL OFFICE
3. THE INVALID: BE GLORIOUS TO BE STRONG AND
HEALTHY
4. THE EDUCATOR: BE GLORIOUS TO HAVE MANY
DEGREES
B. BUT WHAT IS THE MOST GLORIOUS THING TO YOU?
C. TO ME IT IS THE WONDERFUL GLORIOUS CROSS OF
CHRIST.
2. LET'S SEE FROM GOD'S WORD WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL
THOUGHT WAS THE MOST GLORIOUS THING TO HIM.
TEXT: GAL 6:14; BUT GOD FORBID THAT I SHOULD
GLORY, SAVE IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST, BY WHOM THE WORLD IS CRUCIFIED UNTO ME,
AND I UNTO THE WORLD.
3. THE MOST GLORIOUS THING TO US SHOULD BE THE CROSS
OF CHRIST.
A. BECAUSE OF ITS GREAT REVELATIONS TO MANKIND
1. GOD'S GREATEST REVELATION OF HIMSELF AND
HIS LOVING WAYS TOWARD MANKIND IS THROUGH
JESUS AND THE CROSS.
B. NOW GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF THROUGH:
1. NATURE, PROPHETS OF OLD, THESE LAST DAYS
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
C. AND THIS CROSS REVEALS TO US:
1. THE AWFUL DEPTHS OF SIN AND THE TREMENDOUS
HEIGHTS OF GOD'S LOVE.
2. MAN AT HIS WORST AND GOD AT HIS BEST
3. WHERE ANGELS WEPT-DEMONS OF HELL REJOICED
4. WHERE TORTURED SOULS COME AND FIND REST.
5. WHERE ECHOES THE CRY; BELIEVE ON THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST AND YOU WILL BE SAVED.
6. WHERE THIS SUFFERING WAS FOR YOU AND ME.
4. YES, THE CROSS IS GLORIOUS IN ITS REVELATION.
A. LOOK UPON THE ONE WHO:
1. WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS.
2. WHO WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES.
3. WHO BORE OUR GRIEFS.
4. CARRIED OUR SORROWS.
5. WHO WAS CRUCIFIED IN OUR PLACE
6. AND BY WHOSE STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.
B. AND AS WE SURVEY THAT WONDERFUL GLORIOUS CROSS
WE HEAR THESE PRECIOUS WORDS RINGING DOWN THE
CORRIDORS OF TIME: "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN
THAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."
C. THAT GLORIOUS CROSS REVEALS TO US THAT THE
WAGES OF SIN IS VERY HIGH.
1. LOOK AT THE CROSS:
A. WE SEE THE GARDEN OF EDEN
1. THE PRICE OF SIN IS HIGH
B. WE SEE SIN GROWING DEEPER, GOD SENT A
FLOOD. PEOPLE SCREAMING. BUT TOO LATE
TOO LATE.
1. THE PRICE OF SIN IS HIGH.
C. WE SEE SODOM AND GOMORRAH-FIRE AND
BRIMSTONE-DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE
SCREAMING IN ANGONY-BUT TOO LATE TOO
LATE.
1. THE PRICE OF SIN IS HIGH.
D. WE SEE THE RED SEA AND DEAD EQYPTIANS.
1. THE PRICE OF SIN IS HIGH
E. WE SEE DAVID, COUNTING HIS SOLDIERS,
AND WE SEE 70,000 OF THEM DEAD.
F. WE SEE HELL AND THE REGION OF THE
DAMNED. CAN YOU HEAR THE MISERY OF THE
PEOPLE
1. THE PRICE OF SIN IS HIGH
G. WE SEE OUR SINS AND REALIZE ONE IS
TAKING OUR PLACE. CAN YOU FEEL HIS PAIN
AND AGONY AND SHAME.
1. THE PRICE PAID FOR SIN IS VERY HIGH
D. YES, THE CROSS IS GLORIOUS IN ITS REVELATIONS.
1. SAY,ARE YOU WILLING TO DIE FOR JESUS?
2. ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY HERE IS MY LIFE I
SURRENDER ALL.
3. ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY I'LL FOLLOW YOU LORD
REGARDLESS OF THE PRICE I HAVE TO PAY
4. THE RICH YOUNG RULER CAME TO JESUS AND
ASKED, "WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?" JESUS
REPLIED: "SELL ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE
TO THE POOR." IT WAS AS IF JESUS ASKED
HIM, "WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE FOR THIS
ETERNAL LIFE."
5. THE WIDOW WHICH GAVE TWO MITES. SHE GAVE
ALL
6. THE RICH MAN WHO DIED AND WENT TO HELL. IF
IT COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE, WHAT DO YOU
THINK HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN TO ESCAPE THE
ETERNAL AGONIES OF HELL?
E. THESE GLORIOUS REVELATIONS OF THE CROSS SHOULD
CAUSE US TO EXAMINE OURSELVES.
1. ILLUS: SUPPOSING THAT WE HAD NEVER HEARD
ABOUT GOD DYING ON THE CROSS FOR US.
SUSPOSING THAT IT HAD BEEN HID FROM US AND
ALL WE KNEW WAS THE WICKNESS OF THIS WORLD
AND A ETERNAL DEATH IN HELL?
2. SUPPOSING THAT SOMEONE DISCOVERED THIS
SECRET OF ETERNAL LIFE: SUPPOSING THIS
PERSON BEGAN TO SELL ETERNAL LIFE: THE
QUESTION THEN IS WHAT WOULD I BE WILLING TO
GIVE FOR LIFE EVERLASTING?
3. ILLUS: SUSPOSING THAT WE WERE DIAGONISED AS
HAVING TERMINAL CANCER. RESEARCH SCIENTIST
DISCOVERS A CURE.
A. WHAT WOULD WE BE WILLING TO GIVE FOR
THIS ONE INJECTION?
B. WE WOULD BE LINED UP CARRYING ALL OF
OUR POSSESSIONS.
1. THEIR DIAMONDS AND RUBIES
2. MONEY, AND JEWELS, STOCKS AND BONDS.
3. TITLES TO HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
C. ALL POSSESSIONS FOR JUST ONE INJECTION
FOR THIS PRECIOUS LIFE.
2. WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO THE ORIGINAL
QUESTION, "WHAT WOULD YOU AND I BE WILLING
TO GIVE FOR ETERNAL LIFE?"
3. WOULD WE BE WILLING TO SELL ALL THAT WE
POSSESS AND GIVE TO THE POOR, AS JESUS
SHARED WITH THE RICH YOUNG RULER?
4. WOULD WE BE WILLING TO GIVE ALL THAT WE
POSSESSED AS THE WIDOW DID IN GIVING OF THE
TWO MITES?.
5. BUT THANK GOD THIS ETERNAL LIFE IS FREE
6. ILLUS: YOUNG PEOPLE GET YOUR HIGHS FROM
JESUS AND THE CROSS
A. NOT THE BOTTLE OR DRUGS-TO GREAT A PRICE
TO PAY
5. CROSS NOT ONLY REVEALS THE DEPTH AND AWFULNESS
OF SIN BUT ALSO THE HEIGHT OF GOD'S LOVE.
A. HEREIN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED HIM, BUT
THAT HE LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF OR US.
B. WHERE SIN DID ABOUND, GRACE DID MUCH MORE
ABOUND.
C. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
D. NO QUESTION ABOUT GOD'S LOVE FOR US.
1. ILLUS: LORD ASKED PETER A QUESTION:
DO YOU LOVE ME PETER?
2. PETER DID NOT HAVE TO ASK THE LORD IF HE
LOVED HIM, HE KNEW.
E. TO KNOW THE DEPTH OF GOD'S LOVE WE MUST
JOURNEY TO THE CROSS
1. THIS LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS.
2. TOOK TIME OUT WHILE DYING TO SAVE A THIEF
F. SIN PUT GOD'S SON ON THE CROSS BUT IT WAS
LOVE THAT BOUND HIM THERE.
G. THE BIBLE SAYS-GOD LOVES US BUT HATES SIN.
1. PR. 6:16 SAYS GOD LOVES US BUT HATES SIN
2. ZEC 8:17 SAYS GOD LOVES US BUT HATES SIN
3. EVERYPAGE IN THE BIBLE SAYS GOD LOVES US
BUT HATES OUR SIN.
4. JOHN 3:16 SAYS GOD HATES SIN
6. YES, THE CROSS IS GLORIOUS IN ITS REVELATIONS:
LOOK AGAIN AT THE CROSS! DO YOU SEE TWO THIEFS
THERE?
A. ONE ON THE LEFT-ONE ON THE RIGHT
B. ONE HATED JESUS-THE OTHER LOVED HIM
C. LOOK AT CROWD AROUND THE CROSS WHAT DO WE SEE?
D. TWO CLASSES OF PEOPLE-ONE WHO HATES JESUS AND
THE OTHER THAT LOVES HIM
E. ILLUS: JESUS ON ROAD MET WIDOW WHO LOST SON
F. ON CROSS-ONE THIEF FOLLOWING LIFE ONE DEATH
G. CROWD AT THE CROSS ONE GROUP FOLLOWING LIFE
THE OTHER DEATH.
H. ALL PEOPLE HAVE A CHOICE TO FOLLOW EVERLASTING
LIFE OR EVERLASTING DEATH
I. EVERY PERSON THAT HAS EVER LIVED OR WILL EVER
LIVE MUST GO BY THE WAY OF THE CROSS.
J. DECISIONS ARE MADE AT THE CROSS
1. ETERNAL DECISIONS
2. TWO ROADS-AT CROSS-ONE LEFT-ONE RIGHT.
3. EVERYONE MUST THE TAKE RIGHT ROAD.
4. GOD BRINGS ALL BY THE WAY OF THE CROSS.
7. YES, THE CROSS REVEALS GOD'S GREAT LOVE AND HIS
PRICE FOR SIN
A. THE PRICE OF SIN IS EVERLASTING DEATH
B. THE PRICE FOR EVERLASTING LIFE IS FREE
C. THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS WAS PAID BY JESUS
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