“The Centrality of the Cross”

Returning to the Cross Sermon Series

“The Centrality of the Cross”  (Part 1)

KEY PASSAGE: Galatians 6:11–16(NASB)

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires [are] known, and from whom no secrets are hidden. I pray that You cleanse our hearts this morning by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may [perfectly] love You and magnify Your holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

You may be seated.

TITHE and OFFERING

We will call on the ushers to pass around the [offering] plates so we can give our gifts to God. Please follow the instructions on the screen on how to give to Christ’s church. The worship team will lead us [again] with a song as we collect our tithes and offerings.

PRAYER FOR TITHE and OFFERING

Lord, our gifts come to You out of hearts filled with gratitude and generosity because You have been, [first of all], generous with us. I pray that You accept these gifts as a token of our sincere worship of You. In the name of Christ our Lord, we pray. Amen.

WELCOME

Welcome everyone to our Sunday Worship Service. Please stand up [everyone], greet some folks around you, and welcome them to worship [Service]. Our first-time visitors, please stand so we can see you. We also welcome all who join us online.

ANNOUNCEMENT

• Wednesday Night [Remember] is our Bible Study Connect at 7:00 p.m. Please join us on Wednesday night to STUDY THE WORD OF GOD.  We are halfway through the Book of First Corinthians. The next Corporate Prayer Meeting is on Saturday,

April 5th, at 8:00 a.m. Men’s Breakfast is on Saturday, April 5th at 10:00 a.m. Our Worship Night is March 28th for this month. Our Church Leadership Meeting is on Saturday, March 15th, at noon. To all our church leaders, please take note of the date

and time.

• All the weekly activities for the church are posted online on the church’s website.  

• I want to say “Thank You” to Pastor Ivery Johnson for standing last Sunday and preaching a powerful message. Thank you for stepping in.

DECLARATION of FAITH in GOD

Let us stand and say the Declaration of Faith in God together. Please remain standing as we pray.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Please join me in prayer.

How appropriate is it, our Father, that we pause for prayer before we move any further into this time of worship? We are not only [a] grateful people because of Your grace. We are a needy people because of our sins. If it were not for Your Son Jesus, we would be at a loss and not know how to go on. So, I want to pause on behalf of all of us, “Thank You” for His forgiveness and Yours. Thank You, Father, for understanding us in our deep need and never giving up on us when we failed but for being there for us and taking us further along the way.  Today, Lord, as we turn our attention to the Cross, we pray that we will grasp the significance of the One who came as a Servant and paid it all—not most, not some, not almost 100%—but [paid] it all for us hanging there and dying on the Cross. We rejoice in His resurrection that we pause today to return [again] the agony of that place of execution where our sins took Him. I pray that You use us as a church, [as a beacon of hope], [as a refuge], and [as a harbor] for those who are broken. Lord, [it was Your plan] that made it possible for Your Son to pay it all. For Him who was rich, [who] became for us poor, that we [might in turn know] His riches. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. All God’s people say Amen.

You may be seated.

SERMON INTRODUCTION

In American football, the football determines everything, and the [football] is the main thing [on the field]. The first down is measured by where the football is placed. Touchdowns are measured by whether the ball crosses the plane of the [goal line]. Outer bounds are tied to your control of the football and the ball’s connection [relationship] to the feet of the person holding it. Fumbles are also determined by who grabs the football. And then, field goals are measured by whether the football goes through the uprights. Men of different sizes and weights fight over the football and rejoice because the football is the central thing on the football field. In other words, if a football [the main thing] is missing on the field, it [is a waste of] time. There is no football game.

As we enter the Easter Season, I would like to spend some time reminding us of the main thing of our Christian faith. It is not that we are not in the right place, the church house [or building if you will], or that we have not gathered for the right reason. But if the main thing is missing, it doesn’t matter if we are in the right place… and it doesn’t matter if the people have gathered.

So, I want to spend the next [few] weeks and months teaching about “Returning to the Cross” –  the main thing of our Christian faith. We begin our new sermon series today and throughout the rest of this Spring Season, I want to remind you, me, and us collectively about the main thing of our Christian faith – the Cross.

Let me begin by sharing a few quotes about the Cross to establish the foundation of our sermon series. For Martin Luther, “the Cross was not simply the basis of human salvation; [The Cross] was the basis of God’s self-revelation in which true theology and the knowledge of God alone could be found.” St. John of the Cross said, “The one who does not seek the Cross of Jesus is not seeking the glory of Christ.” Charles Spurgeon said, “Nothing provokes the devil like the Cross.” [Leon Lamb Morris], an Australian New Testament scholar and theologian, said, “Christianity is a religion about a Cross, and the Cross dominates the New Testament.”

SERMON EXPOSITION

In writing the Book of Galatians, Paul wants to remind his audience about the “Centrality of the Cross.” [Over and over again in the Book of Galatians], Paul brings up Christ and His Cross in one form or another. We want to understand today, clearly and throughout our time, the role of the Cross, mainly in the believer’s life. Paul’s heart was pounding with concern over the Galatian believers and their churches. The Galatian Christians had allowed false teachers to enter their ranks, and many of them had begun to listen and follow the false teachers. The churches were on the precipice of deserting God and destroying their witness for Christ Jesus.

For far too many Christians, the Cross is a historical event that will take them to heaven … And that is the only benefit they get from the Cross. But there is much to the Cross for us Christians . Far too many Christians are missing the main thing. Christians today are inclined to look at the Cross and crucifixion in a sentimental way. Christians today wear chains with the Cross around their necks. But to the folks in the first century, the Cross was not a [beautiful] [piece of] jewelry. The Cross was the lowest form of death and the ultimate embarrassment [humiliation]. The Roman citizen would never mention the Cross in a polite conversation because the Cross stood for rejection and shame.

SERMON EXPLANATION 1

In writing the Galatians, Paul says in Chapter 6, verse 11, as he prepares to close the book, “See with what LARGE LETTERS I have written to you with my [own] hand!” In other words, Paul says, this message is capitalized. As I close the Book of Galatians, Paul says, I want to write this in LARGE FONT……..… because I don’t want you to miss this. I don’t want you to miss the conclusion, [which] summarizes everything I have been saying through the six Chapters of the Book of Galatians. This is a transcended truth that summarizes everything—the Cross.

Paul kept [coming back] to the Cross – the central theme of the Christian faith. Galatians 2:20-21, Paul talked about the Cross. Galatians 3:13, Paul spoke about how Christ redeemed us through the Cross. Galatians 4:5, God redeemed us through the Cross. Galatians 5:11, Paul was persecuted because he preached the Cross. And then Paul closes with the Cross in Galatians 6:12 and 14.

SERMON EXPLANATION 2

Let’s look at Paul’s statement in verse 14. “But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”Paul has been saved for some time. He says, ‘I am still bragging about the Cross.’ Paul did not let the historical reality of the Cross get lost in [his mind], [his thoughts], [his function], [his teaching – his theology], or [his] training as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. He says, “I want to return us [back] to the Cross.” There was something taking place at the church in Galatia that made Paul make a big deal about the Cross. In verse 12, Paul provides us a clue, he says in verse 12, “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the Cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.”

What kept the Christians in Galatia from experiencing the fullness of Jesus Christ? The reality of their Christian living and Christian experience … What kept the Galatian Christians from realizing all they had in their salvation was religion. Religion had gotten in the way of the Cross. Circumcision was the external symbol of religious commitment and involvement in the Old Testament.  [There was] a group of people who would follow Paul around whenever he started a new church, and they were known as “The Judaizers.” The Judaizers boasted in the circumcision, but Paul boasted in a crucified and resurrected Savior. These were Jews who were still attached to the religion of the Old Testament and who tried to get these new Christians in Galatia to conform to external religious ceremonies and rituals.

The Judaizers … were trying to undermine the message of the Cross … by allowing religion and religious activity to exceed the Galatian Christians’ relationship with Christ. And one of the great dangers in a church, like in the church of Galatia, was that religion would replace an intimate relationship [intimate fellowship] with the Savior. If religion brought you to church today.…[……this morning].… If you came to church because it is the religious thing to do, you have now joined the Judaizers who had no intimate relationship with Christ, and who kept other believers from experiencing it themselves … which is why Paul says we must return to the Cross.

SERMON EXPLANATION 3

[Watch This] In verse 12, Paul says, “All who want to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the Cross of Christ.” One way the pulpit can control the pew is through religious guilt, where a preacher uses the Bible [The Word of God] to make you feel guilty. You are not doing enough for God, and God is ticked off at you because you are not giving God your very best. And then you force yourself to go above and beyond to please God because you feel your heart is not right before God. In Psalm 100:2, the Bible says, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” God doesn’t want you serving Him because you are supposed to. God wants you to be glad about serving Him; God wants you to be glad when you enter into the place of worship. Serving God is predicated on relationship, and not on religious duty and responsibility.  

There are only two kinds of religion. You can call it whatever you want, but only two [kinds] of religion exist. One is the religion of Human Achievement, and the other type of religion is the religion of Divine Achievement. The religion of Human Achievement talks about what I have done and what I must do, so it is tied to my performance. The religion of Divine Achievement is tied to what God has done and what God will do [for you]. The problem with the religion of Human Achievement is that it depends on me. The beauty of the religion of the Divine Accomplishment [Divine Achievement ] is that it depends on God. That is the difference between the two religions.

Many people stay in the religions of Human Achievement because they don’t want to pay the price of persecution when they come to Christ Jesus. There is persecution because the moment you step your foot into the religion of Divine Accomplishment and you embrace the Savior at the Cross  [By way of the Cross], Satan and all of his hosts of demons are set against you. Some people are not willing to pay that price. The doctrine of saving grace in the Cross creates resentment. The Cross creates hostility and persecution.

SERMON APPLICATION 1

[You see], the Cross during the day of Paul was the ultimate example of weakness and shame. Between Paul and the world was the Cross, which should be every believer’s position today. The Cross ceased to be a stumbling block to Paul and became the foundational stone of his message: “Christ died for our sins.” Paul says in verse 14, “May it never be that I would boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” True Christians boast in the Cross of Christ because God accepts us only if we come to Him through the Cross. Paul says I am only to boast in the Cross. I will not talk about how great I am or how educated I have been. Paul says, if you want to know what defines me and my ministry [and my theology], it is the Cross of Christ.

Paul says that when you discover the Cross, it is the embodiment of how God feels about sin. He says, ‘When Jesus was crucified on the Cross, the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.’ He says there is another crucifixion that occurred. He says when Jesus, and then I, identified with the Cross … when I trusted Jesus Christ as my sin-bearer, I got crucified to the world and the world got crucified to me. In other words, I looked at the world as if [the world] were on the Cross, and the world looked at me like I was on the Cross.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION

The word ‘world’ in Greek is… Cosmos, from which we get our English word cosmetic. This word was used to refer to a system, an organized system, or arrangement designed to promote a specific emphasis or philosophy. For example, we talk about the world of finance, we are not talking about a place; we are talking about a focus, [a concentration], a system that orbits around money. When we talk about the world of politics; we are not talking about a place … we are talking about a system, an organized, philosophical worldview that focuses on government. That is the whole concept of the word ‘world.’

[And so], When Paul says I was crucified with the world, he is saying that this world’s system that wants to leave God out—that is what the Bible means by world, or worldliness. Worldliness [has to do with] God being independent [separated; detached] or God not being included in the system. In other words, God is being left out of the system. Paul says I was crucified to the exclusion of God.

The world doesn’t mind religion, and the world will tolerate religion, but the [world] will not tolerate the Cross of Christ. That is a [whole] different ball game, because the moment you introduce Jesus Christ in the equation, you become too specific. [You become too accurate]. With God, you and I can stay generic and vague. Once you introduced Jesus Christ, you become narrow and too specific. [And so] It is safe to talk about God without mentioning the name of  Jesus Christ because the Cross is connected with Christ.

SERMON EXPLANATION 4

Paul says, I have been crucified to the world; that is, this system [World system] that excludes God is no longer the way that I live my life. What makes the Cross the Cross is Who was on it. He says [Watch This], “The Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The key to the Cross is not the two sticks—vertical and horizontal. The key is Who was on the Cross? The Cross is only the Cross because of Who died on the Cross.  What did Christ die for? In Chapter 1 of Galatians, verses 3 and 4: Paul says, “Grace to you and peace from our God and Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, so that He might rescue us from this present evil age.” Jesus died on the Cross to deliver us from the world; to forgive our sins, but also to deliver us from this present evil world. In other words, Jesus died on the Cross to not allow this system to determine who we are, what we do, and how we do it.

This world system has been set up, even though it may use the name God in invocations and benedictions, [the system] has been set up to exclude the name of God.  Paul says the Cross is central to my life because the Cross is now the defining point of my life. The Cross is my point of reference. As long as the Cross is your [point of reference], you draw near to Christ. [But] When the Cross is no longer your point of reference and religion has replaced Christ, you draw far from Christ. You draw far away from Christ Jesus, and then you become too religious.

The more religious you become, the further away you are from Christ. The more religious you become, the further from Christ you go. And by religion, I am simply referring to my human attempts to make myself more adequate [acceptable] to God. My human effort [and work], my [to-do] list of [all the things] I have to do, and everybody else [is telling] me I need to do to make myself more adequate [acceptable] to God. The goal of this sermon series, which we are starting today, is to take the weight off your back and draw you closer to Christ. [To take the burden off your shoulder and draw you closer to the feet of the Cross]. That is what the Bible calls “Freedom.” Paul says, “The world has been crucified to me because I am now focused on my point of reference, not a two thousand year old event.” The Cross is my point of reference right now and I live in light of the meaning and the Person [of Jesus Christ] who died on the Cross.

SERMON APPLICATION

It is nice to have … a good-looking church building, but the folks didn’t have nice buildings in the New Testament. The folks in the early church met from house to house. It is good to have a nice sound system to help complement the worship service, but they didn’t have all that in the New Testament. It is nice to have fine computer systems and networks and a nice and pleasant environment for worship. … That is all nice, but they didn’t have all that in the New Testament church.

It is nice to have big screens [so you can] see the words on the screen, but they didn’t have screens [or big screens] in the New Testament. How could they have so much power [Supernatural power] when they had none of [the things] we look for today when looking for a new church? [The Answer is] – The New Testament church had an excellent personal relationship [connection] with Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God was so powerful.  When you are looking for a new church, when you move to a new city. If the first thing you are looking for is who has the most beautiful building, [best programs and activities]. If that is the first thing you look for when looking for a new church, you have missed Christ! Paul said, ‘I am not the most fancy and attractive, good looking preacher, but when I speak and preach the gospel, the Spirit of God moves.’ Because it has to do with the proximity to the Cross.

Paul says you are to carry the Cross——into the world, because you are crucified to the world. In other words, God doesn’t want you to go to work without the Cross. God doesn’t want you to go home without the Cross. God wants the Cross to be your identification mark. God wants you to understand what happened on Calvary, who it happened to, and its implications for your life.

SERMON EXPLANATION 6

God wants you “To live at the Cross!” Once you leave the Cross, you lose the benefits that come with the Cross. [And Then] In verse 15, Paul says, “For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision; but a new creation.” Paul says religious titles don’t mean anything, external stuff—circumcision with external activity doesn’t mean anything in and of itself.  Paul talked about the new creation in verse 15. And one purpose of the Cross is to bring in a new creation.  And this new creation is the church, the Body of Christ. The old creation” was headed by Adam, and the ‘old creation’ [ended in] failure. The new creation is headed by Christ, who died on the Cross. “The New Creation!”—2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new [a]creation.” That is, ‘the new birth, your new relationship with Christ Jesus through the Cross.”

For Paul, the Cross and his new relationship with God through Christ was the key to victory. Your victory is tied to whether you carry the Cross with you. Verse 16, in closing says, “And all who will follow this rule, (who will operate this way),  peace and mercy be upon them, and [upon] the Israel of God.” Paul says, if I can get you to think and function like this, (walk by this rule) … Because in the Bible, walk means to ‘operate by this way.’ This is your frame of thinking, and frame of moving. The Cross is your framework… The Cross is your point of reference for your life. Walking is your course of life. Paul says, if I can get you to operate this way, then you will experience the benefits of God that come with the Cross. All who walk by this standard are God’s chosen people and God’s peace and mercy be upon them.

FAITH APPEAL, CALL to ACTION and ALTAR CALL

The question is, why are Christians today so far away from God? Why does God feel more like Pluto than Mercury? Because we don’t operate and walk by this rule. We do not use the Cross as our point of reference. We are satisfied with religion, and while we are having all these religious activities and programs, we are disconnected from Christ, and we have fallen from grace. When you are fallen from grace, it means the flow that God wants to flow in your life is not flowing because you have been disconnected from Christ while you are having religion.

One day, a boy was lost while trying to find his way to his house. The boy could not find his way home. A stranger saw this young child crying, tears rolling down his cheeks, and said to the boy, “What is wrong?” “Why are you crying?” The boy said I am lost and cannot find my way home. I don’t know how I am going to get home.” The stranger asked the boy, “Can you give me anything near where you live that will help us identify your house?” The boy said, “All I know is that near my house, there is a tall building with the Cross on it.” The man said, “I know exactly where you live.”  You lived near the local church in that community.

When he took the little boy to the building with the Cross on it, the boy pointed out where his house was, and he could locate [his house]. In other words, when the little boy used the Cross as the reference point, he was able to find his way home. If you are lost, discombobulated, disconnected because of life ups and downs, and you don’t know [which way] to turn, you tried everything, you have been wandering all around trying to find a place called home … I want you to relocate the Cross … because you will locate your home [your place in Christ and your destiny] when you relocate the Cross. God bless you.

We are not going to heaven because of our good work. We are going to heaven because of what Jesus did on the Cross of Calvary. It is a simple act of faith, and many people today stumble over it. If you receive Jesus today, He will forgive your sins and grant you salvation. The Bible says your name will be written in the Book of Life, which means you are going to heaven. If you have not received Jesus as your Savior, please come [forward] so we can pray for you. If you need prayer, please come up so our prayer counselors can pray for you. Let us stand on our feet [and bless the name of the Lord].

BENEDICTION [CLOSING PRAYER]

(Let us pray)

Father, we again come to the end of a wonderful day together. And we rejoice that this day has exalted You. We have talked about You and endeavored to sing to You and worship You. We have lifted Your Son Jesus Christ and exalt His holy name. We have been attempting to recapture the focus of the Cross and our Christian life by looking for everything we need in the One who gave His life for us. Our treasure is all in the crucified Christ; may we pursue Him daily, His likeness, His fellowship, and His truth. It is beyond our comprehension what it will be like someday to be made in His image. It is inconceivable and, yes, unthinkable; it almost seems like blasphemy, and yet it is our destiny. The Cross has made it so. Some day, we will be like Jesus. While still being who we are, we will be like Him. Until that day, we pursue the likeness of Your Son Jesus and ask that Your Spirit [to] grant us the image of Christ evermore. May we realize that we have been disconnected from the world and that all our benefits are in Christ Jesus and the Cross. And may we pursue Jesus in everything and every day. We pray in His glorious name. And Everyone says, “Amen.”   

God bless you.

We will see you next week at 10:30 a.m.