The message of the cross is the Gospel. It is God’s power. To some it is a stumbling block or foolishness. To the believer it is Christ, power and wisdom. See 1 Corinthians 1:18-24.

1 – The cross of Christ is an offence. (Galatians 5:11)

• To good works for they cannot justify.
• To the mind for the cross appeals to faith.
• To the wise for this truth is revealed to babes.
• To the rich for God chooses the poor and downcast.
• To self for the cross calls for complete surrender.

2 – The cross of Christ is glorious

• Fulfilment of prophecy.
• God’s love openly declared.
• Removal of that which was against us.
• Defeat of Satan.
• Victory.

3 – Crucified with Christ

• No selfish ambition – so nothing to be jealous about.
• No reputation – so nothing to fight about.
• No possessions – so nothing to lose or worry about.
• No rights – so we cannot suffer wrong.
• Dead already – so no one can kill him.

4 – A Life of Self-Denial

This clear gospel message is so easy to forget in our flabby Western society. The world becomes you to a life of self-indulgence. Your flesh is drawn easily drawn in. The Lord has called us to a life of self-denial – to a cross.

• Universal – It is not a select few. It is made to ALL who follow Christ. It is not a second work of grace. Without a cross there is no following Christ. Without Christ there is no life at all! The narrow road is not easy.
• Perpetual – It is not an initiation fee. It is once paid and forever forgotten. Older Christians as well as new converts MUST bear a cross. Your cross is not a disposable item of Christian experience but a life-long burden in this world. Jesus says take up YOUR cross. Peter – Left his father and a good fishing business. Matthew – Left his tax collector business. It is a daily weight. You lose it at the cemetery – for a crown!
• Painful – The cross has lost all significance if the element of dreadful suffering is taken away. Like the Lord we may suffer inward as well as outward gains. Hebrews 12:2 – The shame of the cross for Jesus. He was made sin before the Father, before his enemies and identifying with filthy transgressions. The deepest pains of the cross were not publicly visible.
• Intentional – The Lord does not force a cross upon any man against his will. A cross must be taken up by the one who wishes to deny self. There WILL be pain. It is motivated by love for Christ. It may be preceded by an inward struggle but it is a voluntary choice.
• Mortal – It is deadly. Death on the cross may be slow but it ruthlessly brings death to self. (Self-importance, self-satisfaction, self-advancement, self-dependence and self-interest) It is “whoever will lose his life for my sake”…

They left there praising and preaching. They went straight back to preaching with increased fever. They could not keep it to themselves! They were not sitting on the fence. They went out and preached to the people the good news of Jesus Christ. Get off the fence! The fence “straddler” will not commit. They will come to church and not go any further than that. Get off the fence right now!

5 – Conclusion

The figure of bearing a cross is a demand for self-denial. It is teaching for the recruit and not merely for the seasoned warrior. It is a requirement for entering the army of God, not a call to an elite corps of super saints with a deeper life. Yet it does hold the clue to deepening maturity in Christ. At each stage of growth more self-denial is required, more painful blows to self and more reckless decision to serve the Lord Christ with abandonment of one’s own life.

Categories: Luke