Why Preach the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus?

Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there. Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would this idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” So Paul went out of their midst.

Preserves the sense of God’s Holiness

It is lacking in our culture, and society today. (The Holiness of God)

We seem to serve an easy-going, kind, compassionate, and good-nature god who yuks it up with us, walks with us, who is our friend through thick and thin. Is never harsh, chastising, disciplining or training. We focus on the relationship of God at the expense of the religion of God. We are living in day where there are numerous amounts of words that are becoming obsolete in the religious languages: awe, fear, trembling, and reverence which are very seldom heard anymore from the pulpits of the Church. (John Henry Jowett 1864-1923)

We have regulated the Holiness of God to the Old Covenant and the Old Testament dispensation. Why fear God when He is Love (New Testament)? Why remove the shoes from our feet when we have no condemnation in Christ (New Testament)? Why gather together or assemble when I can simply go into my prayer closet and be alone (New Testament)?

The doctrine of the Holiness of God is why we must preach the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

Reveals the depravity of mankind

Because the cross preserves the Holiness of God, it must reveal the depravity of mankind. But what happens when the cross no longer preserves and no longer reveals? Evil prevails. Paul writing to the Congregation at Corinth explains it this way (my paraphrase) The cross is the stumbling block for the experience, and the foolishness of the educated.

There is no other sermon found within the pages of the Bible that reveal the true depravity of mankind. No other sermon brings conviction, realization, a call to renounce and to repent. No other sermon brings a call to faith. Passages may be used for good living, proper treatment of God’s creation, and peaceful for living, but nothing stirs the mind and the heart like the cross.

It is the demonstration of Love and Grace

The Crucifixion and the Resurrection are the application of God’s love and grace. If we truly are to love God and to love each other, than the message of the Cross and Resurrection must always be at the front of minds, the forefronts of our hearts, and the first expressions from our lips.

When the “believer” remains silent and no longer preaches the cross and the resurrection we no longer apply nor do we demonstrate love and grace. When we no longer preserve the Holiness of God, reveal the depravity of mankind, we no are longer obedient to the Greatest of commands, to love the Lord our God, and then to love our neighbor.

When we fail to share the cross and the resurrection we no longer demonstrate the grace that God has bestowed upon us. We become arrogant in our way of living thinking that we must be right, correct, and godly. We fail to see that it was God’s grace demonstrated by the death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God.

Why preach the Crucifixion and Resurrection?

To preserve the Holiness of God, to reveal the depravity of mankind, and to demonstrate the love and grace of God to hurting, dying, and evil world.

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