Gazing at the Cross, Galatians 6:12-18
Introductory Sentence
On the anvil of the Cross, human sin is crushed and God’s love displayed. On the anvil of the Cross new lives are forged as we are reborn in Christ. On the anvil of the Cross Satan’s power is destroyed.
Introduction
It is told of a famous smith of medieval times that, having been taken prisoner and immured in a dungeon, he began to examine the chain that bound him with a view to discovering some flaw that might make it easier to break it. His hope was in vain, for he found from some marks upon it that it was his own workmanship. It had been his boast that none could break a chain that he had forged. Thus it is with the sinner. His own hands have forged the chain that binds him, a chain that no human hand can break.
Transition
On the anvil of the Cross the chains that we have made through our constant comprise and entanglement with the world. Unbelievers are bound in chains of which they are blissfully unaware. Not knowing the power of Satan he lulls them into the worship of a thousand false gods, most of which reside on the altar of self. Sadly, many believers are not in an entirely different state.
Though having received Christ we make constant concessions with the world; internally denying the power of the Cross and outwardly making peace with a world system that we are supposed to be at war with.
In Philippians 3:18-21 the Apostle writes: “For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (NIV84)
CIT/CIS: Turn away from pleasing the world and look only to the Cross.
Outline
A. Historical Context
a. Jewish Synagogues coexisted in safety with little proselytizing.
b. Jewish Converts wished to retain neutrality by downplaying the Cross and easing the conscience of the world. (v.12-13)
c. The Cross was seen as a vile and shameful death in the ancient world.
d. Paul knew this and boasted in the Cross nonetheless. (v.14)
B. The Church today, when it makes of itself merely a benevolent institution with little proselytizing, avoids persecution.
C. When we downplay the Cross and remain neutral in the eyes of the world we make of the Cross a shameful thing and dishonor Christ.
D. The Cross is the most “revoltingly beautiful” object in history.
a. Gazing at it we see the ugliness of our sin: this is what it took to save.
b. Gazing at it we see the depth of love God has for us.
c. Gazing at it we see the seriousness of our need for change.
d. Gazing at it we see that we are free from sin and shame: Christ did it all for us.
E. Boast in the Cross. Lift it high. It is our greatest treasure and deepest joy!
Exposition
A. Beginning at verse 12 the Apostle Paul highlights a very interesting historical dynamic that gives a great deal more meaning to this passage. The ancient heathen and Roman world was largely latitudinarian. That is they welcomed all gods to be worshipped alongside other gods.
Though the Roman pantheon of gods had a sort of hierarchy they saw little difference between the worship of this god from that city or that god from a far off land. The only catch was that if called upon for some reason to worship a different god that you were willing to do it; say upon entering a city with a certain patriarchal god. In this way they were similar to modern Universalists.
The only catch was that they didn’t accept any exclusive claims on the part of any of these gods and if a king or emperor demanded worship you had to be willing to do that too. There was one exception to these religious rules: Judaism.
Jews had been allowed to worship only Yahweh so long as they did not actively promote their faith to non-Jews. They lived in relative peace alongside pagans.
When the Christians came along they were perceived by many pagans to be little more than an offshoot of Judaism. You and I know that to be a radical distortion of the case but that was the early perception.
“The Jewish teachers thought that, if they made all Christian converts Jewish proselytes, they would secure Christianity from persecution. They did not want to be persecuted for the cross. They wanted to avail themselves of the toleration of Judaism and merge Christianity in it. An emasculated Christianity might escape the persecution which, in its naked simplicity, it was fitted to secure. It was a policy of compromise, begotten of cowardice and fear. Pride went along with it. It would be a grand thing to count up so many converts to Judaism and glory in the growth of circumcision. It was a selfish stroke under the guise of philanthropy.”
Apparently, and it fits with the text, Jewish leaders in the area wanted to both avoid being persecuted on behalf of the Christians and make their movement appear to be larger than it actually was.
The Jewish leaders wanted the Christians to downplay the Cross and play up the Judaic connection with Christianity. The Jewish leaders wanted to avoid persecution and appear larger.
Certainly the temptation on the part of Christians was similar. It is always easier to choose peace with the world over identification with the scandal of the Cross.
In the ancient world the Cross was scandalous. I’m not just talking about the Cross of Christ. I’m talking about the Cross. The Cross was seen as a wretched and shameful way to die and was a punishment reserved for criminals, traitors, and outlaws.
When we wear the Cross around our neck we wear a symbol of suffering and shame. Though made of gold or silver, it is no symbol of earthly wealth or joyful decoration. When we place it atop steeples or make it central in our meeting houses of worship, we are identifying ourselves with the vilest of things, from which springs forth beauty, new life!
“As an instrument of death the cross was detested by the Jews. “Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree” (Gal_3:13; compare Deu_21:23), hence, it became a stumbling-block to them, for how could one accursed of God be their Messiah? Nor was the cross differently considered by the Romans. “Let the very name of the cross be far away not only from the body of a Roman citizen, but even from his thoughts, his eyes, his ears” (Cicero Pro Rabirio 5).”
Paul was plainly aware of the shame of the Cross. Our salvation has not been born of human wisdom or things of aesthetic beauty. From the Cross emanates the revolting beauty of salvation! It cries to us saying “it took this much to save us from the ugliness of our sin. It took the man of mercy to die in our place to provide a sacrifice great enough to cover our sin!”
And unlike the world around us who perishes for lack of knowledge of the Cross, look to it; let its message sear your eyes; lets His blood cover your sin; let His love bring you to new life; be reborn and see the beauty which encapsulates the sorrow of the Cross…
Writing to the Corinthian Church he says “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (1 Corinthians 1:17-19 NIV84)
He goes on to writer “Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31 NIV84)
Application
What can we apply from this text and this message into our lives today? The highest aim of Christian teaching is Christian living and the highest aim of Christian living is the glorification of God.
(1) We must avoid the temptation that those ancient Jews and Church leaders faced. The Church today, when it makes of itself merely a benevolent institution with little proselytizing, avoids persecution as well.
Those ancient Jewish leaders, Jewish converts, and the Christians they sought to influence into playing up circumcision (outward shows of religion and morality) and playing down the Cross felt the real pressure of what it meant to step away from the culture, from the norms of pagan worship and stand for the Cross.
The pressure on us may not seem intense but friends the expectation upon us – the call from God – is the same. We must avoid the temptation to play up religion and outward shows of it and downplay the reality of the Cross and all that is associated with it: (1) sin (2) repentance (3) grace (4) new birth.
(2) When we downplay the Cross we dishonor the one who hung there. So great was the weight of our sin that only the Cross could set us free and bring us to new life. Amidst the pantheon of world religions, traditions, philosophies, and the like, only the Cross sets men and women free.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV84)
(3) We must fix our gaze upon the Cross. Gazing at it we see the ugliness of our sin: this is what it took to save. Gazing at it we see the depth of love God has for us. Gazing at it we see the seriousness of our need for change. Gazing at it we see that we are free from sin and shame: Christ did it all for us.
Boast in the Cross. Lift it high. It is our greatest treasure and deepest joy!
Conclusion
Martin Luther had a dream in which he stood on the day of judgment before God Himself—and Satan was there to accuse him. When Satan opened his books full of accusations, he pointed to transgression after transgression of which Luther was guilty. As the proceedings went on, Luther’s heart sunk in despair. Then he remembered the cross of Christ—and turning upon Satan, he said, “There is one entry which you have not made, Satan.” The Devil retorted, “What is that?” And Luther answered, “It is this—the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sins.” May we never become so mature in Christ that we forget the foundation of the Cross upon which our salvation is built! Amen.
