The Tree That Dwarfs All Trees, Part 1 Series

Pictures of the Cross

Part 1

Introduction:

1. In Sequoia National Park in California, There is a big tree called the General Sherman.

One of the oldest living things in the world

Largest living thing in the world

102 ft. around the base of the tree

It has the distinction of being the biggest, oldest tree in the whole world.

A. But there is a tree (as David Carter says, SermonCentral – next several thoughts) that dwarfs that General Sherman in size and age.

1. Do you know which tree that is?

2. It is a tree that while on the earth, it figurative extends into heaven itself.

Its arms wraps around the whole world.

It will stand through all eternity

3. It is the tree of the cross of Calvary.

a. The devil had put humanity on a highway of self destruction.

Instead of spending an eternity with our father in his presence, we would now be separated form him forever.

b. God slammed the cross down right in the middle of it all and opened up a way for man to again be in relationship with him.

"And, having made peace for us by the blood of his cross, he brought all things again into a right relationship with him whether in heaven or in earth. " (Colossians 1:20, KJV)

“He canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he did when he nailed it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14, ESV)

4. You have heard of the song, the way of the cross leads home? This is so true.

Text: "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

(Galatians 6:14, NKJV)

Introduction:

1. How many times have you heard about the old rugged cross and stopped long enough to realize what the cross means to my life…

………both literal and figurative?

2. Did you realize that the start of Christianity was by way of the cross?

a. It was a bloody and a gory and a loser way to die

b. Imagine starting a religious order or denomination after the electric chair, or lethal injection. Would we wear needles around our necks symbolic of the lethal inje3ction?

c. "For the message about Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God’s power."

"Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom. As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles;" (1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-23, GNB)

3. The cross was God’s answer to the age old question, “How far would God go to bring his children back who were lost?”

a. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19, KJV)