Remember the Cross

We live in a world that doesn’t have the best memory. We are often quick to forget about things especially when they are good. Remembering Christ and everything that he has done is foundational to the Christian life.

Many of us in this room profess to know Jesus but how often to we really remember him. How often do we ponder Jesus and the cross? Paul in his closing to the Galatians is about to remind them of the cross compared to the works that the people of Galatia we’re expected to keep by the Judizers.

For us the reminder of the cross is present as well, as we ourselves face opposition for our own face in a variety of different ways.

Listen to the words of Paul in Galatians 6:11-18 “11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 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. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.”

Main Idea: Remembering the Cross means boasting in the work of Christ and not the works of man.

Pauls letter to the people of Galatia is one of the most important letters in all of Scripture because it makes clear the doctrine of Justification by faith alone. And what makes this letter incredible is Paul wrote it with his very own hand, Most scholars believe that Paul often had people write letters for him while he told them what to write, because Paul may have had some sort of eye condition that prohibited him from seeing well later on in life.

This letter was written with Large letters. Large letters often signify public notices, because they would gather the attention of those who might not of otherwise been paying attention, and as we have studied this book together we have seen that is what Paul has been doing this whole time.

He has been trying to get the people of Galatia to see the importance of this letter, and I think he got there attention With his words and his writings.

Not remembering the cross produces False teachers that boast in themselves

As we close out this book we have clearly seen that the Judaizers had made there mark in Galatia they have showed off there works, especially when it came to circumcision.

They would be like the people who had flashy cars, and gold chains, the ones who would stick out making much of themselves. They wanted to be in charge of the church in Galatia, because in there mind if they were in charge if they had the power then they will get the glory.

There desire was to force circumcision on the people. Not ask them not rightfully explain it to them, but force them. They wanted Christians to become like Jews.

But the Cross makes you ask the question why did Jesus have to die? Which during our study of Galatians we have already answered this question, but the Judaizers didn’t have the answer.

The answer to why he had to die was because of our sin, and the curse sin brought, and how that sin puts us at odds with God, and because we are at odds with God something has to be done in order to be back in God’s favor, and for the Judaizers the answer for getting back in God’s favor was not the cross it was circumcision.

But as Paul has stated over again in this letter and his other letters that its the cross that brings salvation. The cross itself doesn’t save but the one who died on it, and what the people of Galatia and the Judaizers missed that truth.

And according to this text they didn’t want to be persecuted for the cross either. One Scholar said “These Judaizers, coming as they did from Jerusalem, were getting pressured themselves from the Jews and conservative Jewish Christian parties in Jerusalem and Palestine over the kind of life the converts of Paul were actually living. They had been sent out (or rather pressured to go out) to get the converts of Paul in line with the basics of Judaism.”

But Paul points out there hypocrisy in verse 13. These people who are trying so desperately to get the people to be circumcised were themselves not living a life following the law. See while circumcision is part of the Jewish law its not all of it.

Circumcision doesn’t give you some magical powers that allow you to become a super believer either. It doesn’t mean that you have fulfilled all the law just by being circumcised

See what happens sometimes church is people will focus so much on one particular thing they miss the main thing, and the main thing is Christ, There are so many things that God cares about but if we miss his son and his work then we miss it all.

Being involved in ministry for a few years now I have seen people like the Judaizers come in all sorts of different ways. Before accepting my call to ministry there were some people I met that were so zealous about baptism, so much so they said salvation depended on it, your faith depends on it, you will a better Christian if you do it, and while its clear believers should be baptized it doesn't make you a super Christian, and it doesn't save you. Only Jesus Christ saves.

Going back to these people I just mentioned everytime they would convince someone to get baptized they would take the credit. Saying look who we got to come to the truth. The people of Galatia were being deceived by people. Who were in it all for themselves. See they wanted to take credit for there salvation so they could boast, but Christians we know that salvation belongs to the Lord. Psalm 3:8 “Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah”

Salvation belongs to the Lord alone, and every single faithful preacher including Paul knows this. But False teachers never remember the cross.

Remembering the Cross produces faithful teachers that boast in Christ.

Pauls response to the people of Galatia and to the false teachers was this, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Now we have talked about during our study of Galatians that Paul could boast. Listen to Phil 3:1-6 “1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. 2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

paul was a big deal.

Paul knowing what it was like to be righteous to the law didn’t want to boast in that. He wanted to boast in Christ. See Paul went from being like the Judaizers boasting in the flesh, throwing around his resume, to saying give me Jesus, let me boast in him.

The result from Paul in his new found boasting in Christ was this Phil 3:7-9 “7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”

The false teachers missed it, folks the Lord has graciously allowed me to be baptized, to have 3 degrees two of those studying about our Lord, but in the end those things are worthless in comparison to knowing Christ.

Listen to Pauls words in another place in Scripture 1 Cor 2:1-5 “1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Listen again to verse 1 Cor 2:2 “2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

See the cross shows us that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Charles Spurgeon says this, Notice that Paul does not here say that he gloried in Christ, though he did so with all his heart. He declares that he gloried most in “the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” which in the eyes of men was the very lowest and most inglorious part of the history of the Lord Jesus. He could have gloried in the incarnation; he might have gloried in the life of Christ; he might have gloried in the resurrection of Christ; he might have gloried in our Lord’s ascension; he might have gloried in His second advent. Yet the apostle selected beyond all these that center of the Christian system, that point which is most assailed by its foes, that focus of the world’s derision: the cross.”

Paul highlights the lowest place, because in that place God brings forth light in only a way he can.

Paul gave up all the works based systems and crucified that on the cross, because his value did not come in his works, but in Christ alone, and if you are going to follow Christ you must crucify the Cross as well.

To add to his argument. Paul makes another statement that neither circumcision or uncircumcision counts for anything. Paul is saying that our standing before God is not dependent on circumcision. I think we get that by now, but Paul adds that stipulation that you must be a new creation or another words born again.

And the only way you are born again is by faith alone in Christ alone. Repent and believe Not believe plus something.

The greatest value is knowing Christ. And Faithful teachers remember the cross.

Remembering the Cross helps you live a faithful Christian life.

Paul wants believers to remember the cross and remember that one is saved by only Christ. To remember that salvation only comes by justification by faith alone. And from this justification Peace and Mercy come.

Believers in Christ can have the peace of God that overflows because they know they are saved, they know that the standard has been met by Jesus.

Believers in Christ experience mercy because God forgives sinners through Christ alone.

Believers in Christ can share in the mercy that only Isreal had previously recieved.

One man could some up that statement like this, “The truth is that the gospel is the real promoter of peace and is the channel of God’s mercy. There can be no peace or mercy for the church when those responsible for following this “rule” depart from it.”

Paul knew this peace, and mercy despite all that had happen in his life. Paul had been persecuted for his faith. And his arguments in the book Galatians are so rock solid he doesn’t want to be caused trouble anymore for it.

His body proved that he believed what he taught. I have mentioned it before during our study of Galatia but look how Paul suffered. 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

2 Corinthians 11:16–33 ESV

16 I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! 20 For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. 21 To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

The gospel Paul preached is the the same gospel he suffered for. And in order to have reason to suffer he had to remember the cross.

The cross makes the worst sufferings manageable.

And Paul beared the marks of a man who had been changed by Christ why would he have preached anything else?

Our Study of Galatians was full of the beautiful gospel truth that Jesus alone can save, and having faith in Christ is the only way.

Remembering the Cross means boasting in the work of Christ and not the work of man.

During our study I have often quoted the prince of preachers Charles Spurgeon and I love his ending words in the book of Galatians and they say this.

“In the heaven of glory you will find that the blood-bought hosts celebrate the cross as the trophy of their redemption. Are you trusting in the cross? Are you resting in Jesus? If not, may the Lord teach you this blessed privilege. There is no joy like it. There is no strength like it. There is no life like it. There is no peace like it. At the cross we find our heaven. While upon the cross, holy things abound within our hearts. If you have never been there, may the Lord lead you there at this very hour; so shall you be pardoned, accepted, and blessed. The Lord grant that you all may be partakers of this grace, for Christ’s sake. Amen.”

Do you know that truth this morning if not please come talk to me, if you have any other decision you will like to make this morning come, respond however the Lord leads.