THE WAY OF THE CROSS
Study Text: 1 Corinthians 1:17-18
Introduction:
- When he wrote to the church in Corinth, Paul reminded them that he had been called for one purpose and that purpose was to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That message was to be his focus and that message was to be his ministry.
- The message of the cross of Jesus is still a strange message to those who have never experienced its life changing power. To them it is "foolishness". To the lost the idea of trusting a suffering, bleeding man for salvation is foolishness. (1 Cor. 1:21-24)
- To hear the details of Christ's death on the cross is disturbing! But, it is a necessary truth that must be proclaimed and must be heard before there can be salvation.
- Friend, there is only one way for you to get to God and that is by the way of the cross. There is no salvation apart from faith in the work of Jesus on Calvary. (Acts 4:12).
- We shall discuss the topic under three sub-headings:
1. The Preaching of the Cross
2. The Purpose of the Cross
3. The Power of the Cross
1. The Preaching of the Cross
- The preaching of the cross is a simple message not clouded by demands and details, but delivered in simplicity and clarity.
- One of the problems with the modern church is that we have tried to attach too many conditions to salvation.
- However, the Bible is clear when it tells us that the way to be saved is for the sinner to accept by faith what the Bible teaches about Jesus and His atoning death on the cross, Rom. 10:9-10.
- This is what the preaching of the cross is all about! It is not just about you quitting your sins! It is about you coming to Jesus by faith! It's not just about turning over a new leaf, it's about placing your faith in Jesus and Him alone for salvation!
- There's nothing that needs to be preached any more or any stronger. Nor is there any theme or subject or cause with a greater need for it to be preached than to preach about the cross of Christ, and what it really means. Galatians 6: 14
- It is a sign of man's complete dependence upon the grace of God for salvation, and forgiveness of sins.
- There's a divine meaning in the death of Christ. God's only plan for our salvation is all based on His death on the cross.
- The only way for man to be saved is based entirely on the death of Christ on the cross. There is no pardon and peace apart from atonement.
- So Jesus bought our pardon, our adoption as sons of God, with His own blood.
- Then there needs to be a Preaching of the cross because it is the power of God.
The world will never understand the cross and what it represents without us talking about the power that we have received because of Christ and how He died on the Cross but rose again and overcame death, hell and the grave
2. The Purpose of the Cross
i. To reveal the love of God unto the world
- Through Christ's death on the cross, God was able to declare boldly, for all to see, His boundless, matchless love for the lost of this world.(Rom. 5:6-8)
- The cross is God's statement of love to the world - John 15:13!
ii. To give salvation through the remission of sins
- When the Lord Jesus went to the cross and died for the sins of humanity, His death on the cross forever settled the sin debt of man, Heb. 10:12-14; Heb. 9:24-28
iii. To gain and give total victory over Satan
- When Jesus died on the cross, He did not die to stay dead, but He rose from the dead three days later.
- The Bible tells us that the victory over the devil is found in the blood of the Lamb, Rev. 12:11. This was accomplished through His death and resurrection.
- Satan has been defeated for the saints to have victory. He may roar like a ferocious lion and he may try to keep you from God, 1 Pet. 5:8, but he has been defeated by the power of God and you do not have to remain his prisoner because there is power in the blood of Jesus to set you free.
iv. To call us to a life pleasing unto God. 1 Thessalonians 4:7
- We are not just forgiven our sins, we are called to start and continue to live a life pleasing unto the Lord.
- The Bible says because of His death, we should stop living for our sinful pleasures and start living for Him in righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:15.
3. The Power of the Cross
i. Power over sin and the flesh
- - When a person places his/her faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, that person is forever changed!
- The chains of sin are broken, Rom. 6:14, and they are made into a new creature, 2 Cor. 5:17.
ii. Power over the world
- The cross of Jesus gives power to every believer to overcome the dictates, practises and traditions of this world which are contrary to the ways of righteousness. 1 John 5: 4 – 5.
- When God commanded us not to love the world, and when His word says we should not conform to the world, it was because He knows we have the power to overcome.
iii. Power over satanic kingdom
- Through the cross of Christ, the believer has power over the devil and all his agents of darkness.
- We are expected to deal with them, cast them out of people possessed by them without us being hurt. Luke 10: 18 – 19.
iv. Power over sicknesses and diseases
- His death on the cross purchased for us a good health, and assure us of divine healing in times of sicknesses and diseases.
- All the stripes He received on the cross are meant for our healings and freedom from all afflictions against our body. 1 Peter 2:24
v. Power over poverty
- Jesus chose to come with a low and poor background, suffer and died a shameful death, so that we can enjoy the riches of God in all ramification.
- He became poor for our sakes that we might be rich through His poverty. 2 Corinthians 8:9
vi. Power to preach the kingdom of God.
- We are qualified to receive the power of the Holy Spirit because of the works of redemption on the cross of Calvary.
- This power prepares and enables us to be effective witness for Him, that Christ may be known, loved, praised and made Lord of God’s chosen people. Acts 1:8
