Boast in the Cross
April 27, 2025 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We dare not boast in anything but the cross of Jesus Christ.
Focus Passage: Galatians 6:11–18
Supplemental Passage: Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. (Proverbs 16:18 NASB)
Introduction: While overseas, we had a missionary colleague who told us a story about banana pudding. Her husband declared that his mom made the best banana pudding in the world. Well, she was bound and determined to at least meet the quality of her mother-in-law. She found a wonderful recipe and made it from scratch. Her husband admitted it was good, but not as good as mom’s. She struggled for years finding more and more intricate recipes and each time was met with, “well, it’s good, but it just isn’t mom’s”. Finally, in desperation, she told her dilemma to her mother-in-law and asked for her recipe. “It isn’t anything special; it’s just Jello Instant Pudding!” We must be careful about what we boast in for we may be setting unrealistic expectations for others!
I. Beware of Religious Pride
a. Paul exposes the false motives of those trying to compel circumcision—to avoid persecution and to boast in outward religion.
b. "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 6:1 NASB)
c. Jesus warns about pharisees: "But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; (Matthew 23:5a NASB)
i. Religious pride prioritizes appearance over authenticity. Be wary of practicing faith for applause or acceptance.
d. But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7 NASB)
II. Boast Only in the Cross
a. In verse 4, Paul declares his only boast is in the cross of Christ, through which the world has been crucified to him, and he to the world.
i. Paul gave up all worldly status to embrace Christ.
b. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB)
c. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (Philippians 3:7-8 NASB)
d. Our identity and confidence must be rooted in the finished work of Jesus—not in achievements, background, or moral effort.
III. Live as a New Creation
a. In verses 15 and 16, Paul says that what counts is not religious ritual but becoming a new creation. Those who walk by this rule find peace and mercy.
b. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB)
c. that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Ephesians 4:22-24 NASB)
d. The Christian life is not about behavior modification but heart transformation. We live out of our new identity in Christ.
Application/Call to Obedience: To summarize, Let go of pride; Cling to the Cross; Walk as a new creation. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:8 says that God demonstrates His love for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And Romans 10:9-10 says that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
