Does His Cross Have Enemies? (Good Friday Sermon 2020)

John 19:23-24  New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says,

“They divided my clothes among themselves,

    and for my clothing they cast lots.”

DOES HIS CROSS HAVE ENEMIES?

Text: John 19:23 - 24

Billy Graham once said, When Jesus said, “If you are going to follow me, you have to take up a cross,” it was the same as saying, “Come and bring your electric chair with you. Take up the gas chamber and follow me.” He did not have a beautiful gold cross in mind—the cross on a church steeple or on the front of your Bible. Jesus had in mind a place of execution. Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press. [Billy Graham in “The Offense of the Cross” (from Great Sermons on Christ, Wilbur M. Smith, ed.)[]]. How many people today think about the cross that way?

As we talk about the cross, we are in no way talking about worship the cross! When we talk about the cross, we are talking about the place meant for the vilest of offenders. Crosses were instruments of execution. Crosses were the for the people who had become enemies of the state! The cross was not only used as a place of execution, it was also meant to be a deterrent to let Rome’s enemies know that they meant business.

As Christians, when we talk about the cross we are talking about the place where the “lamb of God”, was slain to take away the sins of the world! (John 1:29). The Cross is where the sin of man, the wages of death and the fear of death were destroyed by God’s love once and for all. The Cross with a capital “c” stand for the Cross of Jesus Christ! The Cross is therefore a symbol of God’s unconditional and undying love! That is why I’ll stand for the flag, but kneel for the Cross!

ONCE AND FOR ALL!

Hebrews 7:27 says  He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 9:12  says  he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Hebrews 10:10  says And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

DOES THE CROSS HAVE ENEMIES?

Does the cross have enemies? This question might sound like a weird question to ask but it is a question worthy of being asked. One author (Calvin Miller) attempts to answer this question in ways that others might not even consider. One of the ways that he seeks to answer this question is by looking at what the meaning of the cross has become in our culture. He has labeled three enemies.

1) A symbol of a self-indulgent religious fraternity?: “The cross seems to be an overwrought, under-lived, representation of Christianity. It has degenerated into a vacuous [blank and empty] symbol of a self-indulgent religious fraternity.

2) Our world has literally gone “cross crazy”.: Crosses are manufactured in celluloid to be used as bookmarks. They are painted on automobile bumpers and displayed in plastic on dashboards. Luminous crosses are suspended on light pulls. They are worn on neck chains, embroidered on pulpit garments, welded to steeples, and built of polished wood for church altars.

3) Overexposed [and depreciated]: Cross factories manufacture crosses for a mass-production market. We have literally “crucified” the cross with overexposure!” (Calvin Miller. (quoted and paraphrased on numbers 1 - 3) Once Upon A Tree. West Monroe: Howard Publishing, 2002, p. 147). Are there other enemies to consider? Yes! There are other enemies.

We feel comfortable as long as we do not show up on a list of the Savior’s enemies of the cross. But, before we breathe a sigh of relief, let us ask ourselves if we are really exempt? To go back to Billy Graham’s point we can ask ourselves this question, “Do we think of picking up our crosses being likened to a symbol versus a lifestyle?”

TWO KINDS OF ENEMIES

There are two kinds of enemies of the Savior’s cross. First, there are those who are clearly enemies because of their contempt and disregard. Secondly, there are others who are enemies because of their spiritual blindness and ignorance.