The Dividing Line

Since the first Easter, there has been a clear divide between those who believe and those who do not. That dividing line is Jesus Christ. People like to think, and sometimes preach that Jesus was all hope, love, peace, victory and so on. But listen to these words that he spoke in

Luke 12:51–53 ESV

51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Matthew 10:34–36 ESV

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.

For those who believe, Jesus is peace, joy, hope, ....salvation

But for those who do not believe, he can be something quite different. Listen to these words in

Revelation 19:11–16 ESV

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Easter matters for that very reason. We now have a way to avoid the wrath of God on sinful man. The message of the cross has cause many men joy and many men angst.

The verses I kept coming back to for today come from 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:6

1 Corinthians 1:18–2:6 ESV

18 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. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where 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? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 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. 6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.

Really verses 1:18 and 1:23 are my focus

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

18 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.

1 Corinthians 1:23 ESV

23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

I want to talk about three primary reactions one has to the cross of Christ and the meaning of Easter.

Some Harden

Ephesians 4:18 ESV

18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

They just cannot believe it. Some believe in something, but not this thing.

This can happen anywhere to anyone. Even to churchgoers.

For instance, if you read the word of God, ask yourself this question.

Does this Word cause me to soften, or cause me to harden?

Some people are hardened by the cross, by the Word of our Lord. Some will meet that rider instead of that shepherd.

Some Stumble

Some are so busy making their way to their plans that they keep tripping over God. He ends up in their path but they fail to notice him. Maybe until it is too late.

David in Psalm 73 write of almost stumbling in pursuit of the gains of this world and the wicked people in it.

Some of you stumbled into church this morning. Your are here for another reason than Jesus.

Let me tell you, I know from experience, you will keep stumbling on HIm. Surrender today and experience the joy, hope and peace Easter really offers.

Some Believe

1 Corinthians 1:24 ESV

24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

That gift was prepared on a cross, packaged in a tomb and opened on Easter Sunday.

Do not let today be another day to be hardened, to stumble, but rather, make it the day you believe.

There's a place Where mercy reigns And never dies

There's a place Where streams of grace Flow deep and wide

Where all the love I've ever found Comes like a flood Comes flowing down

At the cross, at the cross I surrender my life I'm in awe of You I'm in awe of You Where Your love ran red And my sin washed white I owe all to You I owe all to You Jesus

There's a place Where sin and shame Are powerless Where my heart Has peace with God And forgiveness Where all the love I've ever found Comes like a flood Comes flowing down

At the cross, at the cross I surrender my life I'm in awe of You I'm in awe of You Where Your love ran red And my sin washed white I owe all to You I owe all to You

I do owe all to this gospel, to this foolishness. This foolishness saved my life, and it can save your too.

Communion

1 Corinthians 11:27–29 ESV

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

His Body

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 ESV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

His Blood

1 Corinthians 11:25–26 ESV

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.