The Cross of Christ

The New Testament repeatedly warns us about the danger of our personal beliefs and even the beliefs of the church being shaped by our culture rather than by the word of God and in a genuine desire to reach people for Christ. There's a very real possibility that we reshape our beliefs and we reshape the message to make it more palatable, more attractive, more user-friendly, more entertaining more politically correct, more like the surrounding culture was when I asked the question what is going to keep us on track. What will keep you on track. As a follower of Jesus.

What will keep Calvary church on track message this morning is crucial. The answer is the cross of Christ. It's impossible to understand defendant Christianity without understanding the cross of Christ. The four Gospel writers Matthew Mark Luke and John devote a large amount of their material is right about the life of Jesus.

They spend a lot of time dealing with the last events of the Lord Jesus the final days of Jesus in our family is that his burial and his resurrection, that is, they focus read the Gospels, the Gospels focus on the death of Jesus. They focus on the cross of Christ and this makes Jesus unique among the religious leaders. Mama died when he was 62 Confucius when he was 72 the Buddha when he was 80 and Moses hundred and 20. But Jesus death on the cross occurred in his early 30s and as we read that and is willing to Gospels, perhaps on the face of it.

The mission of Jesus seems a tremendous failure. After all, he ends his life without on the cross. Some would say with a closer reading of the New Testament makes it abundantly clear that Jesus knew that his death on the cross that that must take place. In fact, during his life. Jesus predicted to his disciples. Not only that he was going to die, but that he was going to die on the cross, that is, he came from heaven to with this particular mission. He came to die on the cross and the reason they came to die on the cross is that he came to die for our sins.

The very name Jesus means Savior's name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. How are we going to be saved from our sins. There's only one way and that is the way of the cross and so the cross done through the centuries has rightly been the symbol of the Christian faith and I pray this morning that each one of you in a fresh way will experience the reality they of the cross of Christ in your life. This is the final message in this little four-part series back to the basics. We thought of the grace of God, of the word of God. Last week we thought of the peace of God today are subject is the cross of Christ. I invite you to open your Bibles to first Corinthians 1st Corinthians next week.

As Nathaniel said Sunday mornings were beginning Romans start reading that the study guide and then an evening we will be studying, Lord willing. The book of Esther. First Corinthians of your your Bible. There at Calvary is a set a couple weeks ago we focus on the Bible.

Matthew Mark Luke John acts Romans first Corinthians, so if you got that's the New Testament you should find your way to first Corinthians that were going to read. First of all, in chapter 1 we going to learn that the cross of Christ is central to being an authentic follower of the Lord Jesus that is you cannot be a true follower of Jesus without an understanding of the cross ball is going to tell us in this wonderful portion of Scripture in first Corinthians 1 and into the first five verses of chapter 2 the importance of the cross read with me. First of all, from verse 10 of chapter 1 Paul is making it clear that the cross is essential because the cross is the basis of Christian unity. First Corinthians 1. The standings is ideal to your brothers by the name of our Lord Jesus, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind in the same judgment for his been reported to me by choice people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers quarreling in the church. Yes, you in first Corinthians. What I mean is this each one of your essays.

I follow Paul or I follow Paula's or I follow Cephas or I follow Christ.

I notice how Paul handles this. Verse 13 is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you on what you baptized in the name of Paul nor the small ceramic date for the gossip in the division and the competition within the leadership of first Corinthians, when people are choosing the particular favorites but is the questions he asks you admire Paul as Paul is an outstanding apostle, but Paul as well. Was Paul crucified for you, who hung on that cross who died for your sins with Peter was a Paul was a promise of course not. There's only one who died on the cross for your sins. And that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Church leader.

However, gifted however much he blesses your died on the cross only Christ, that is, Paul gets right to the basis of the of the unity of the faith. It is Jesus Christ and him crucified. That is, there can be no genuine Christian unity unless the cross of Christ is central to our faith when we take your eyes off Christ. When we take our eyes off the cross. What happens there is division gossip competition in the body of Christ. But Paul is saying Christ is undivided, and therefore his people, his body must be undivided and central to this unity is the cross of Christ. I hope you understand that Christianity doesn't consist of some vague concepts of being nice and good Christianity is not a collection of platitudes designed to make you feel good about yourself is to make you a better citizen to be a nicer person I've met his ears were very nice.

I've met atheists who are very very kind and as followers of Jesus, we should be kind. Obviously, we should be good people. But Paul is arguing to the Corinthians in this opening chapter and into chapter 2 that are faith centers on the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. Therefore, there can be no compromise on the cross because without the cross. There is no authentic Christianity. So the cross is central because of the very basis of her Christian faith, but the cross is also essential because it is the message which the apostles preached chapter 1 verse 17 Paul says Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, less the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Verse 23 but we preach Christ crucified. Chapter 2 verse two says I decided that is when he came to Corinth, Paul made this decision, I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified what I must say the message of the apostles, the message of the New Testament is a message of the cross.

The apostles did not preach a message of self-help. They did not preach a message of human potential. They did not preach a message of prosperity that bowler who teaches North American Christianity at Duke Divinity school Bible is present a lot of research on the prosperity gospel as euro an article in the Washington Post this week on Tuesday on Joel Osteen. Here's a quote from an article she says the promise of the prosperity gospel is that it has found the formula that guarantees that God always blesses the righteous with wealth and health and happiness. I will ask you is that the apostolic message of the apostles when they preach go around saying that if you follow Jesus. God is always going to bless you with health and wealth and happiness a minute. That's the case was, not to follow Jesus who doesn't want to be healthy and wealthy and unhappy message.

A very popular message today.

Sadly, a growing message, not only here in North America but they're taking that gospel about a false gospel throughout the world is that the message of the apostles preach when you read the Gospels when you read the New Testament is that there message. Absolutely not. What happened to the apostles when they preached where they always wealthy and healthy and happy.

We were sons. They were imprisoned.

Some of them were put to death for their faith know the apostolic message is a message of the cross.

Why is that so important because Paul is going to say that left to ourselves, or we can left ourselves we can come up with a message of wealth and health and happiness, but left ourselves we will never ever know God more. This verse 21 for since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom what God's answer it please God through the falling through the foolishness of what we preach to save those who believe that is so important you think you can reason your way to God giving you can work your way to God. To think you can empower your way to God was God's method of saving people was a message that the apostles preached. What is the message that they have left to us in the inspired word of God. God's way of saving people. Verse 18, chapter 1, for the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Again, chapter 2, verse one. I when I came two brothers did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom, but I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified with Paul came as a missionary to Corinth some 2000 years ago. He said this was my focus. This was my message.

It was God's message because God has ordained that through the foolishness of preaching. He's going to save those who believe. But what of you to preach Paul's answer.

The biblical answer is Christ crucified Christ crucified to those who believe and others versus 22 through 24. I'm going to read them and notice the verbs first Corinthians 222. This is so important for Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God for the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. So in programs to Corinth that are two basic groups that are the Jews, and what did the Jews want.

He says in verse 22 verse 22. The Jews demand signs on the medical they want Paul to put on the display of power.

Everyone the wow factor very common attitude today. I put on the spectacle. Do something miraculous to assign and wonder, let me experience something exciting, impress me, God perform this medical and then I may begin to follow Jesus.

Jews demanded miraculous signs on the other hand, process again. Verse 22.

The Greeks seek wisdom Jews won the miraculous. The Greeks wanted display of intellectualism. God does that make sense to their philosophy, their mindset, their worldview, their ideas of fairness doesn't make sense to me. I'm going to reject it. When groups want signs.

One group once a display of intellectualism. What is Paul's response to these requests from these two unbelieving groups ask busy pander to the felt needs. Does he accommodate the cultural desires that Paul was an apostle. Could Paul perform a medical yes he could was one of the signs that an individual was an apostle and Paul could under the guidance of the spirit. Paul could and did perform miracles.

Yes he could perform articles. Could Paul enter into sophisticated intellectual debate with the Greeks absolutely Paul was well-trained, the brilliant mind understood the Greek philosophers could have entered into the most sophisticated and the most anodyne of intellectual debates. But while Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom what this pulse is going to turn best when it three we preach Christ crucified is not astonishing. He doesn't change traditions.

The Jewish problem was pride of their religion.

He doesn't preach speculative philosophy.

The great problem was pride of their intellectualism. He preaches Christ crucified. He preaches the message of the cross. Instead of presenting a message of human power.

Instead of presenting a message of human wisdom. He preaches to Jews and Gentiles the same message, he does not one message to the Jew and another message to the Greeks as now. In both cases, in spite of what you're asking me to do.

I've only got one message and that is Christ crucified, and is a message they didn't like is a message that both groups find as offensive as weak as utter foolishness. But Paul says no. This is the divine mandate. Mrs. God's call in my life and will be discovering as we go in the book of Romans is the cross of Christ.

Because the cross essential, because it's God's only way of salvation than the really that in verse 18 the word of the cross is foolish to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God the end of verse again. Verse 21 for since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom it please God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe believe that you believe that the cross is of the utmost importance because it's God's on the way of salvation. I realize that is disputed. Nurses I but it is true of you find that unbelievers will happily discuss and even accept an online crucified Jesus were quite happy to talk about Jesus as a moral teacher. Even as a prophet of love as a kind of grew up a person of enlightenment. Jesus is an inspiring example of love. Everyone can accept that none crucified Jesus rarely offends anyone none crucified Jesus as politically correct. None crucified Jesus is very very tolerant of the most bizarre conduct and none crucified Jesus is not a threat to anyone.

None crucified Jesus never saves a none crucified Jesus is not the gospel. The gospel is not just about Jesus. It is about Jesus.

The gospel is about Christ crucified, and the only way in which you're going to be saved and the only way in which your sins are going to be forgiven is by repenting of your sin.

The foot of the cross and believing that when Christ died on the cross he died for your sins. And that is the only way in which you can be spiritually cleansed and the only way in which you can receive eternal life within our society. People welcome a gospel with her across people. One salvation without an un-crucified one the gospel without a crucified Savior Elaine Pagels is professor of religion at Princeton University in author of the Gnostic Gospels.

She writes approvingly, and I quote the living Jesus is talking about the living Jesus of the Gnostic texts speaks of illusion and enlightenment. Nothing really sophisticated. This is the Jesus. He speaks of illusion, enlightenment, knowledge of sin and repentance. A man who wants that he wants to be told not to repent wants to be told that the sinners living Jesus of the Gnostic texts speaks of illusion and enlightenment, not of sin and repentance like the Jesus of the New Testament instead of coming to save us from sin.

He comes to this as a guide who opens access to spiritual understanding will have nice Jesus is a kind of a spiritual guide who who who just helps me in my path of enlightenment, but this is not the message of the gospel. This is not the message of salvation. That message will never save one individual. The message of the cross. The Christian message is not a big one of a higher power or a supreme being is Jesus Christ. God incarnate and him crucified with Paul gives a definition of at least a description of the gospel in first Corinthians 15, which he says is of first importance, says Christ died for our sins according to Scripture, and by the message of the cross.

Paul means the doctrine of salvation and all of its fullness. Fee in his commentary on first Corinthians rights. Paul recognizes that to move beyond the cross is not to move.

A tall but us to abandon Christ all together.

Remember, a man some years ago when his preaching came to me and said you know we got to get beyond the cross beyond the class.

Absolutely not. Feels right to move beyond the cross is not to move. A tall, but is to abandon Christ all together you can separate Jesus from the cross of Christ.

Paul says in verse 18. This message of the cross. It's foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved is the power of God.

In other words, when God looks down on us this morning as he does and he looks into our hearts into your hearts and minds that this congregation could be divided into two groups and only God knows who is absolutely in which there are those who are being saved through the message of the cross and those who are perishing, easy to reject the cross to think there's some other way of getting right with God is to reject Christ is to reject the authority of Scripture is to reject the apostolic gospel something the cross of Christ essential to being an authentic follower of the Lord Jesus also secondly because of Christ displays the power of God and the wisdom of God to the world.

It's foolish man dies on the cross when the Jews rejected that they wanted a Messiah, one who was strong. Donald Carson rights by the cross. God sets aside and shatters all human pretensions to strength and wisdom will is a part of God displayed answer in the cross of Christ.

Verse 18 again for the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is swot. The power of God. Verse 24. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God.

Chapter 2 verse five that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of man but in the power of God. Think of God's promoting creation speaks and is done whether be light and there was light. That's power. Think of atomic power, nuclear power thing with the pilot of an earthquake. Think of the pallet of hurricane Harvey.

That's power is mankind stop that the power in the gospel. The power of the cross is greater than that and want to the unbeliever is a symbol of weakness and failure. A man crucified on the cross is to the follower of Jesus. The greatest power in the universe. God's power marvelous as God's power is supremely revealed in the cross in the salvation of lost sinners through the blood of the cross. This is the part of the very proud of God which takes sinful people like you and me cleanses us with the blood of Jesus Christ and close us with the righteousness of Christ and gives us eternal life, so that should any of us who are following Jesus Christ this minute move from time into eternity will go right into the presence of God's power is the power of the cross is the greatest power in the universe, the power of the cross of Christ.

Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel in Romans 116.

Why would you be ashamed of itbut I'm not ashamed of it but it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, I have to ask you, you experience have you experienced are you experiencing the power of God in your life you experience God's power and forgiving all of your sins is a pastor. People come to me and they have often heavy loads. I've had people come to me and tell me things that the demo told her anyone else. Anything from murder to some perversity to all kinds of things and privilege them on the new come to me and open their hearts, but I can't forgive the sins I don't have that pilot I don't have the ability, I can't.

I can't forgive my sins, far less the sins of a few. This is the wonder of the cross is in the through what the world seem to be weakness. The power of God is displayed so that you do today sitting in that pew who may be a terrible terrible person who have done things that would absolutely shock all of us that God's power is so powerful that you who are under that heavy burden of sin that that burden.

Not only can be completely gone, can be removed. You can be called with the very perfection and righteousness of Jesus Christ and God can give you this minute, eternal life, so that when you die, you go right into his presence of any other power do any other power that can match that far.

Also this power, the part of the cross is transforming power because when we receive Christ but we receive his power. The power of the Holy Spirit. Someone recently gave me a book which I read things is that in the last year or two is called for the glory of the untold and inspiring story very little funeral of chariots of fire by Duncan Hamilton Duncan Hamilton is a sportswriter don't think he's a believer with Israel written this magnificent bird very easy to add to read if you like athletics as I do. If you're a follower of Christ. And if you're Scottish you really will love it. So you may have only two out of the three, but I commend it to you and every little as asked the secrets of his 400 m success in the Olympics run in the hundred meters because the running on the Lord's day, and so here he runs in the 400 m in the palace Olympics and gets the gold medal. He says this. I love this there asking you how can you run so fast. He's a very unorthodox running style, and in fact you can go on the new Toobin's axiom running. Please head back and and his competitors thought was a crazy style, but he could run and he says this I run the first 200 m as hard as I can. Then for the second 200 m with God's help I run harder. I like that was a point he was saying and he lifted his life in all of life with her on the athletic field on the mission field because he turned his back on the fame of all the of the athletic world and went to China. Eventually was in a concentration camp by the under the Japanese where he died in his early 40s giving his life to Christ.

Drawing on the power of God in the most excruciatingly difficult circumstances. Recommend the book to your living for the glory of God with his cognitive God takes ordinary people like you and me like a little ordinary people.

Sinful people like you and me and he transforms us through the power of the cross, so the father of Jesus is not to live a life of despair and defeats. When Eric Liddell was in that concentration camp. He was still serving the Lord because he knew the power of God in his life. The power of God is displayed in costs but also the wisdom of God is displayed in the cross of Christ again. Verse 24. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Verse 30 is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made wisdom. The world has has a lot of that was the world's wisdom process is foolishness to God and is set aside.

Verse 19 of chapter 14 is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the disarming. I will thwart and then he asks these rhetorical questions. Verse 20 is the one who is wise. Where is the scribe.

Where is the debater of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world was asking okay. We would you go for wisdom.

We certainly our world today have increase the knowledge but when the wise will of the great thinkers of today. The great thinkers of today is the nation, but today you would when would you go for that wisdom. The social scientists and economists. The politicians, psychologists, the therapists, the educators, media, where would you go for wisdom, where would you go for these deep deep answers of life that if you are sensible that you deal with is the true that there is plenty of knowledge and an abundance of talk, but there is so little wisdom I sometimes listen to these shows with us on Fox or CNN and have these panels and that these people waxing eloquent message to you to get on how you invited on that because some of them are not very wise.

Something I don't think a very experience in the docent all that educated.

Although there very, very strong Jews and I'm sure obtain a law that they get Big as back and I have not been wonderful just to get paid for going on than just shooting the breeze right.

Seems pretty good to me is the wisdom of this will process for since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom it please God through the foolishness of what we preach the same. Those who believe see the wisdom of this world will never ever lead you to God or to salvation, because God's wisdom is supremely displayed in what the world thinks is the height of foolishness, namely the cross of Christ your wisdom, your intellect, your insights will never ever lead you to God. All of these efforts are destroyed at the cross of Christ. We believe in wisdom. Of course we do what we believe in God's wisdom is he's revealed it to us and God through the foolishness of preaching saves those who believe in Paul's effectiveness was not in his polished rhetoric, but in the power of the spirit. Chapter 2 verse three he said I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling my speech and my message were not implausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.

Too often we rely on the wisdom of men too much.

We are seduced by the plausible argument in the exciting emotional appeal process. Absolutely not.

I can come to like that I came in demonstration what the spirit that is the Holy Spirit and of proud. The poem is not in our marketing techniques or slick presentation and those of us to handle this word. We should be all of us here. We must never change the message to make it more palatable to make it more acceptable or politically correct.

What does our lost world needs, not people trying to tailor make the gospel so that it is accepted by unbelievers and we've change the message that we need men and woman students in Boys and Girls Club who believe in the power of God and the wisdom of God who are courageous and believe that the power of God and the wisdom of God displayed in the cross as a final one before we go this morning and it is this third of the cross of Christ humbles us and exults God then it was service like this say to Tim have to wear pastor worship or others who was exulted today with the Calvary church.

We just all about Calvin Church was a physician was it the preacher who was exulted using the cross of Christ humbles us and exults God last week entitled some illustrations about involving animals and someone said there like that and I another illustration. So far, so give me an illustration about an animal is it with this. Was this got to do it right and I think this listen to the story is that a very tenuous connection but it gives you a chance to think about website in Michigan.

I should've got the mirror North Carolina but in Michigan we have the snapping turtles and they are very very angry animals listen when we encountered outside her house without once handling the come back in here in the front yard is a very large turtle and never seen one so close and that became pretty obvious that it didn't like me and like my son, my wife kept well away from it and it was a snapping turtle and the do with this thing and I went to go to spades, but under reminders to turn on his back with some difficulty and I got my son who was bigger than I was at the time and I said to him, get to the baseball bat and hold it as I carry it.

He said one closer to the new RS of course been is not what God gives us sensitive to protect us. I mean, if anyone was going to be bitten to be made so anyhow and I said you could tell me how strong your so anyhow rather gingerly, we managed to maneuver this through our backyard and the was a little pond of her property and read through the thing into the pond. The snapping turtles. I know that snapping turtles percent was one in in Michigan and that the winters in Michigan are Michigan's a beautiful state. Wonderful people come from Michigan but is very very cold in the winter and the snapping turtle in Michigan had to buy the wonderful winters in Florida and wondered how we could get there, but the realize it was too far to walk. Turtles are very slow and so good into conversation with a couple of the Canadian case and the said to them, they said they were flying nine for the winter in Florida and the turtle said could you take me there talking about and said look, if each of you hold the rope. I very strong mouth like a vice grip. I will grip the rope and you fly and you take me right down to Florida is okay, but birds of the purple wings and so they went flying from Michigan. Doug thought it went very very well in the coming over North Carolina think it was somewhere over Calvary church Sunday coming out of the church service on the site and said shaded up in the world thought of that, and the snapping turtle couldn't resist the chance to take credit and he opened his might to show I did and he fell to the death of the parking lot was very very sad is a westerly story. I agree this was the points.

Pride is a number one problem pride move. You say you don't have any pride you're deceiving yourself. Pride comes in all kinds of farms. Sometimes I will write arrogance and we realize that person is very, very arrogant and can come in a false humility. The individual who always tells us how humble they are and are always telling the rest of us that we should pursue with a and we to say go away, but it comes in all kinds of form the with is the universal sin will ask you no seriousness.

How can you deal with your private nowhere are we so humbled is of the cross of Christ.

If you have any understanding of the cross of Christ. You can continue your private reciting that when I survey the wondrous Cross talks about our pride in country puts loss so you can keep your pride and talk of and him crucified Christ but before God will save you before God will bless you, you must humble yourself at the foot of the cross. Why because salvation is all of grace that means is undeserved kindness and then the cross of Christ. When we see our Savior the sinless Christ dying in our place. We realize our total. Yes, our total inability to save ourselves. That's why the message of the cross is so offensive to many people. People want to maintain the pride they want to think they can do something they want to bring something to the table to the Jews. A crucified Messiah was unthinkable. They were looking for a Messiah who would grill with fountain might drive by the Romans, not a man who died on the cross.

But Paul is saying versus 26 through 29 all human boasting and wisdom and pride in traditions and cleverness, and human achievements are completely shattered foot of the cross. That's why we must never never tampered with the message of the cross.

I met some friends were pastors. So, my friends, but they're gone so far as to remove the cross from the buildings so that people are not offended to me that is tragic, will people be offended by the cross. Of course there were the Jews where the Greeks were but to remove across because someone is going to be offended is going to rip the very heart of the gospel. We glide across the ceiling here, a reminder to us of the cross of Christ. But the tamper with the message to use human wisdom in the name of being contemporary are relevant or sick of friendly remarriage and entertaining as to rob the message of its power and if you do that you have a message which neither humbles mine the results God and the message of the cross were dealing not just with our felt needs, but were dealing with the heart of the problem in the false gospel. Jesus is presented as a guru to enlighten us to live what wise business partner to make us successful in life on a therapist to help us find ourselves in life.

The message of the gospel deals not just with the fruit of our sin deals with the very root doesn't receive your blessed Savior comes in great love while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, he forgives us he transforms us and through his power now enables us to live a life that God has called us to a false gospel panders to people's pride and greed and selfish desires, which is a saying I don't humble the hero not exalt the Savior that often seen as a way to fulfill her own dreams and live rather than living a life surrendered to God living a life to the glory of God so that we understand of the foot of the cross that this Christ who died for me, and gave his life for me under rose again is the same Christ who lives in me and to its purposes and plans for my life and I and to live a life of humility, a life of repentance. When I surrender my desires and my goals and my agendas to to his and pray each day, Lord, guide me today. Paul puts it this way, but far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. The cross humbles the center.

The cross magnifies the glory and grace of our magnificent Savior, now what are we so humbled. Nowhere is God so exalted is the cross of Christ I ask you have you been to the cross three challenges I have first challenge Calvary church. The church was always stand firm on the message of the cross. I realize it's a message which is foolishness to the world. I realizes a message with our contemporary world with his great desire for that which is instant and exciting. Maybe God is old-fashioned, but it is the power of God and the wisdom of God in the can be and must be no compromise on the cross and I can save I ever preach the prosperity gospel are lit during your own dream kinda gospel I should immediately file arrogant sent back to whatever it was I came from, we must confirm on the message of the cross. Secondly, others about the message of the class. Do you believe it is the power of God to everyone who believes don't write off that neighbor don't write off that person who laughs about you in your office right off that difficult family member who calls you a Jesus freak. Continue to pray for them believing this that the power of the gospel is so strong that it can shatter the hardest heart and it is God's power unto salvation for everyone who believes this is a message the message are worldly so badly, why are we so timid why we sometimes ashamed of the message of the overall cost.

Think about those who go on protests, think on those who go on marchers. They're not ashamed of what they believe, ashamed of what they of how they live. Why are we as Christians so timid I'm not singling out a protest and nothing going on the monitor. Imagine you in fact to do something more difficult. I'm asking you to shine for Christ in your home in your neighborhood school at the office and pray that the sweet God in his grace would help you to tell one person fill the message of the cross of Jesus and his love. The third challenge which already said God's way of salvation is the message of the cross again. I say that only two classes of people. Those who are perishing, and those who are being saved which category you. I'm so pleased you're here today and I know some of your section and I know some of your say.

I'm not sure if I follow what John is saying. But you're here in the spirit of God is brought you here and is working in your in your life and you're not sure if your trust is in Christ casket this morning to do something which is quite difficult as we close us to come. I'll be here couple of additions will be here with you to help so that you too with experience not just the theory of the cross and experience the power of the cross is your sins are forgiven and that you embrace Christ as your personal savior and for those of you are true followers of Jesus pray that this power the power of the cross. Strengthen your and help you and be your guide as we all come afresh to the cross of Christ. Father, we thank you for that old rugged cross, father's only you and your wisdom who could devise such a message.

Such a plan which the world is foolishness, but to us who believe it is the poet of God and the wisdom of God and knowing these closing moments father is all of us reflect on where we stand in relationship to Christ on this cross open hearts to see her sin, open our eyes to see the magnificence of our Savior who still says come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Thank you for the cross and pray know that we will respond well by your spirit. Christ name send