What’s Really In the Way
Jerry Watts
1 Corinthians 1:18, Matthew 16:24
(This message was preached with a 10 foot cross place in the center of the platform area. The worship leader and band had to work around it & the choir was behind it)
• Several years ago a pastor friend told me a true story about an event that had happened in his past. It seems that he, my pastor-friend, led a prominent business man to faith in Christ. This man’s faith was so genuine that it began impacting every part of his life, even how he did business. In point of fact, his new faith not only affected every part of his life, but also how he viewed all of life and the world around him. The day he bowed his knee at the cross of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin & the salvation of his soul, the “Old Rugged Cross” became his place of change, redemption, freedom, hope, help, and LIFE. This was so true for him that he began looking at the church building where he worshipped and noticed that there was no CROSS to be seen in the place. He was indeed a successful business man and possessed the financial resources needed to fund that project, so he offered his pastor, now friend, and the money which would be needed to put a cross in their worship center. With an excitement, the pastor started the process of taking this through the ‘channels’ of the church, only to run up against a brick wall. There would be no cross in that worship center. Why? Because the cross could be offensive. (A HUGE CROSS ON THE PLATFORM)
• Have you noticed this cross this morning? Actually, how can you not notice? It’s simply up here on the platform & is considered ‘in the way!’ It’s in the way of the band, the worship leader, the choir, you can see the baptistery, and you have to look around it to see the screens! Every time you turn your eye up here, all you can see is the CROSS! What is that about?
• In fact, I suggest & submit some in here have already wanted to get this cross “OUT OF THE WAY.” And you know what? You have just preached today’s message. People really want to get the cross out of their way! If they can get the cross out of their way, then they can do what they want.
• The person who has never placed their faith in Christ wants the cross out of the way because, as is intimated in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “The word of the cross is folly or foolishness to those who are outside of faith (perishing).” Sometimes those who ‘profess’ faith in Christ want the cross out of the way because Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me or follow me, HE MUST DENY HIMSELF, TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and then follow me.” You do realize that Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded these words of Jesus so these are important or even tantamount to the Christ follower. Here’s the truth: For the one who follows Christ ‘from a distance, the cross gets in the way of a lot of things.
• Today, I want to simply answer a few questions about the cross.
1. What is it? –We have sung about the cross & how much we cherish & love it. Admittedly, without the cross, we have no hope of heaven & eternal life. But the reality of the cross is sobering!
a. A Place of Shame – A public crucifixion was intended to deter others from committing such an act that would require this type of punishment. The Romans were masters of the crucifixion, they knew how to exact a response from the people. The Bible tells us that they ‘stripped’ Jesus. Over the years, artists renditions have graciously put a loin cloth on Jesus, but historical evidence indicates that it is more likely that Jesus was stripped bare & crucified naked while the soldiers gambled for their prize, His clothes. Hanging naked caused the victim, his family, his countrymen (Jews), and all who looked on, a great deal of shame.
b. A Place of Suffering – Once again, the Romans were masters at the crucifixion. The purpose of such a punishment was not simply death, although death was the ultimate result. They desired for the victim to writhe in agony & pain. The nails in the hands & feet, the little seat (sedile), the distance between the nails were all strategically placed to cause suffering. The little seat was actually a sharp board which would cut into the backside, the nails between the radial & ulna was place to cause the nerves to electrify when weight was place on them, & the nails in his ankles which allowed the victim to ‘stand’ were placed to bring excruciating pain. Ultimately, his arms was be dislocated at the shoulders & he would no longer be able to pull up for a breath or the nails in his ankles would not hold his weight, & a painful death would ensue. A place of suffering.
c. A Place of Sacrifice – Sacrifice is not a popular word today & the definitions explain why: “the act of giving up something you want to keep especially in order to get or do something to help someone else,” or ‘an act of offering to a deity something precious, especially the killing of a victim on an altar,’ or even ‘the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.’ Sacrifice is ‘giving up’, ‘offering’, or ‘surrendering’ and these are not popular concepts. Yet, Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice. For centuries the Jewish people had centered their lives around raising that perfect, spotless, & acceptable Lamb to sacrifice during the Passover. On the cross hung the “Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.” Jesus gave up, offered, & surrendered His perfect life for every imperfect life. Think about it: Death on the cross was reserved for sinful & wicked people, yet on this cross was a sinless & perfect person.
d. A Place of Substitution – The reason He was there was to take our place, that is, my place & your place. The Bible says, “Christ died once, the Godly for the ungodly, that He might bring us to God.”
• In sports we know what the word ‘substitute’ means. Someone fill our position. This is exactly what happened on the cross. The nails, thorns, stripes, & the abuse was mine because I was & am the sinner. When He died, He died for us. Years ago, Jimmy Owens wrote these words:
When we were sinners Jesus came And took upon Himself our blame Willing to bear our sin and shame He died for us. The Son of God became a man Fulfilling God's eternal plan Conceived before the world began He died for us. There once stood a wall Deep and wide strong and tall There it stood Built of all our unholiness. But this man by His blood Broke the wall loosed the flood Of the mercies of God to mankind. And now God offers to each one A priceless pardon for what we've done
Because of Jesus His own Son Who died for us He died for us
• This cross is the place where our Lord said, “I love you this much” & suffered your punishment.
e. A Place of Salvation – Better said, the cross is “THE” place of salvation. There is no other place where a person can find salvation & there is no other name under heaven that offers salvation. It is Jesus & Jesus only. Here’s the hard truth, it is only at the cross where you & I can be saved. We must come face to face with the truth that we cannot save ourselves, that we are both helpless & hopeless on our own. In love, Jesus died for us. By love, He offers forgiveness & pardon to us, & with love, He reached to you and me saying, “Come and be saved.” You must come to the cross.
2. What am I doing with the cross? – The cross stands in the path of your life. Today, you see the cross – front & center – as you look at the cross, what are you doing with it? Are you umoved?
a. The soldiers cast lots for His cloak. They were playing games at the cross. Listen & pay close attention. Let this speak – (VIDEO – Luke Garrett’s “Playing Games at the foot of the cross”)
b. Sometimes we do play games. Solitaire, Trivial Pursuit, Charades, Monopoly, Family Feud, Chicken, & Church are but a few that we play. The better plan is to embrace the cross. Jesus said, “If you are going with me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross, & follow me.” The cross is the centerpiece of a life given to Christ.
3. Where is the cross in my life? – Do you have it centered? Too often, the cross which is the place where new life in Christ begins, is cast aside for other things. How about a couple of questions: Does the sacrifice of Jesus control who you are, what you do, how you speak, and how you live or does something else control you? Is the cross of Jesus & His sacrifice centered in your heart, life, & daily walk? Have you gotten over His gift to you of HIS LIFE? So I end this message with:
4. What is really in way? Today you have looked on the platform & said, “They need to get that cross out of the way” & I wonder if that is not exactly what we speak with our lives every day. If you are trying to live life like YOU WANT IT TO BE, quite likely, the cross stands in your way.
• The cross stands in the way of a life, a culture, or anyone that is running away from God. If you run from God, chances are, you will run headlong into the cross because the cross is God’s road sign to turn away from disaster.
• What really stands in the way today is our cultural belief. This culture has lied to us & told us that whatever we like, want, and even wish for, is ours – if we’ll just stay the course. You want happiness, well guess what, you deserve it & you can have it, but you really don’t need Jesus or the cross. How absurd that you would need a cross in your life?!
• Do you remember how I began this message? I told about a church who refused to put a cross in the worship center. It is worth noting that, many years later, that Worship Center was destroyed! So it is also with a life that is without a cross. Jesus died for you, Jesus loves you, & Jesus calls you to follow Him & Live for Him – what is it that stands in your way?
