WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN
SERMON TITLE: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18
TEXT VERSE: ROMANS 1:16 “FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.”
Now let’s jump up to verse 14 and Read it again: “I AM A DEBTOR BOTH TO THE GREEKS, AND TO THE BARBARIANS; BOTH TO THE WISE AND THE UNWISE. SO AS MUCH AS IS IN ME IS, I AM READY TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO YOU THAT ARE AT ROME ALSO. FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION THAT BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.”
I want you to notice something in this scripture. I want you to notice the origin of the Gospel. He said: “The Gospel of Christ.” A lot of people think they take ownership of the gospel. It’s not our gospel. It’s His gospel. He’s the one that came and gave His life on the cross of Calvary. Nothing that we can do will ever add or take away from the Gospel. It’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was not originated here in the face of this world. It originated in God’s glory. Thank God by His wonderful and marvelous grace it came down with His Son Jesus Christ to save all that would believe. There’s a lot of people in the world today that would tell you different things. They’ll try to lead you out of the scripture. There’s a lot of people today that’s believing false doctrines. There’s a lot of people in the world today that has false prophets trying to share things with them that isn’t even in the Bible. There’s people today that will tell you that you can sign up on the roll books and go to Heaven. But I’m glad today that the Gospel has never changed. The origin has always been and it always will be Jesus Christ.
Number two: I want you to see the operation of the Gospel. The power of God. There’s not a thing that we can do to add to God’s family or to the house of God...it’s the power of God. Praise God for his power. The power that can reach to lost sinners and save them. His power is unending.
Thirdly I want you to notice the outcome of the Gospel. Unto Salvation. It’s about saving souls. He said He came to seek and to save that which was lost. There’s a lot of lost people in the world today and you what they need to hear. They need to hear the gospel. Every church in the world ought to be proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. Too many other people get other things on their mind and gets their hearts off of God. You need to be sharing the Gospel. The outcome of the Gospel is Salvation. I’m glad some preacher stood up and preached the gospel and that somebody was praying for me when I got saved.
Now I want you to notice the outreach of the Gospel. Too everyone. God is here to save all of them. Jesus said, I came not to destroy men’s lives but to save men’s lives. When He used that word men he was referring to mankind. It’s not the will of the Father that anyone of these little ones should perish but that all should come to repentance. He gave His life for all. He said, Whoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely.
Turn to the book of ACTS 8:26-39 “AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SPAKE UNTO PHILIP, SAYING, ARISE, AND GO TOWARD THE SOUTH UNTO THE WAY THAT GOETH DOWN FROM JERUSALEM UNTO GAZA, WHICH IS DESERT. (27)AND HE AROSE AND WENT: AND, BEHOLD, A MAN OF ETHIOPIA, AN EUNUCH OF GREAT AUTHORITY UNDER CANDACE QUEEN OF THE ETHIOPIANS, WHO HAD THE CHARGE OF ALL HER TREASURE, AND HAD COME TO JERUSALEM FOR TO WORSHIP. (28)WAS RETURNING, AND SITTING IN HIS CHARIOT READ ESAIAS THE PROPHET.
(29)THEN THE SPIRIT SAID UNTO PHILIP, GO NEAR, AND JOIN THYSELF TO THIS CHARIOT. (30)AND PHILIP RAN THITHER TO HIM, AND HEARD HIM READ THE PROPHET ESAIAS, AND SAID, UNDERSTANDEST THOU WHAT THOU READEST? (31)AND HE SAID, HOW CAN I, EXCEPT SOME MAN SHOULD GUIDE ME? AND HE DESIRED PHILIP THAT HE WOULD COME UP AND SIT WITH HIM. (32)AND THE PLACE OF SCRIPTURE WHICH HE READ WAS THIS, HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER; AND LIKE A LAMB DUMB BEFORE HIS SHEARER, SO OPENED HE NOT HIS MOUTH: (33)IN HIS HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY: AND WHO SHALL DECLARE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH. (34)AND THE EUNUCH ANSWERED PHILIP, AND SAID, I PRAY THEE, OF WHOM SPEAKETH THE PROPHET THIS? OF HIMSELF, OR OF SOME OTHER MAN? (35)THEN PHILIP OPENED HIS MOUTH, AND BEGAN AT THE SAME SCRIPTURE, AND PREACHED UNTO HIM JESUS. (36)AND AS THEY WENT ON THEIR WAY, THEY CAME UNTO A CERTAIN WATER, AND THE EUNUCH SAID, SEE HERE IS WATER; WHAT DOTH HINDER ME TO BE BAPTIZED? (37)AND PHILIP SAID, IF THOU BELIEVEST WITH ALL THINE HEART THOU MAYEST. AND HE ANSWERED AND SAID, I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. (38)AND HE COMMANDED THE CHARIOT TO STAND STILL: AND THEY WENT DOWN BOTH INTO THE WATER BOTH PHILIP AND THE EUNUCH; AND HE BAPTIZED HIM.(39)AND WHEN THEY WERE COME UP OUT OF THE WATER, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAUGHT AWAY PHILIP THAT THE EUNUCH SAW HIM NO MORE: AND HE WENT ON HIS WAY REJOICING.”
That’s some great scripture. I want to point out some things. In verse 26 I want you to notice the synonym. What’s a synonym? I didn’t know either until I looked it up. A synonym is when God speaks directly to His angels and they come and pass that message on to his people. That’s a synonym and verse 26 the Bible says the Angel of the Lord spake. And what did he say? Arise and go toward the south in the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. That angel told him which direction to go. If you don’t believe in angels you don’t believe in the Bible. Heaven is full of angels and this one happened to be the angel of the Lord.
Now I want you to notice in verse 27 and 28 the sinner. “and he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia .” This happened to be a man that God knew needed to be saved. And God spoke to His angel and His angel spoke to Philip and Philip went that way and spoke to this Ethiopian who had come to Jerusalem to worship. (Just because you come to the house of God, don’t mean you’re saved by the Grace of God.) He read Esaias the prophet. (At least he had enough sense about him to read the good book. Some Christian must have given it to him. It’s the best gift you can give somebody.) He was a sinner.
Now look at verse 29. I want you to notice the Spirit. “The Spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself to this chariot.” So the Angel told him where to go and the Spirit told him when to go. Aren’t you glad that the Bible says if any man be led by the Sprit of God, they are the sons of God.
Now here in verse 30 and 31. I want you to notice the Saint. “And Philip ran.” We’re not running enough out to the lost people. First God speaks to the angel . Second the angel speaks to Philip. Third the Spirit of God led him. Fourth when Philip saw the sinner, HE RAN! Too many of us are sitting on the stool of do nothing. CARRY THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST OUT INTO THE WORLD! Instead of running to them, we run from them a lot.
Now listen to this blessing in verse 32. I want you to notice the scripture. The scripture which the Eunuch read. “The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer.” In 33 this is a prophesy from Isaiah 53:7 “and in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from earth.” and listen, the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” This same scripture that I just read to you that is a prophecy in the book of Isaiah, A lot of people think Jesus just came in the book of Matthew. I have news for you. He was in the beginning and he’ll be there in the end. He’s Alpha and Omega. When God created the earth God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit was there. He didn’t preach to them about his church, about his family. Philip didn’t preach to them about his Pastor. Philip didn’t say anything about the Deacons. He preached to him....JESUS CHRIST! That’s what we need to do. You can’t share Jesus unless you share Him in the word. But now look at verse 36 and 37. I want you to see the Salvation of God. “and as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the eunuch said, see here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? and Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” It was up to him whether or not he believed. It wasn’t up to Philip. I can’t make you get saved. It’s up to you. That’s all it takes, is to believe. I’ve seen four year olds get saved. I’m glad I’m still serving an Almighty God that’s still saving lost souls.
But in verse 38 I want you to see the separation. “and he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. You know what a water Baptism represents? It represents a separation. A separation from this old sinful world. The Bible says if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things have passed away and all things have become new. We’re just pilgrims and strangers passing through. We need to be separate from the world.
Last verse 39 I want you to notice the satisfaction. “And when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” The Lord had sent Philip to another place. That tells you that there is no stopping place for the Lord. When you get done with one, God will have you another one. The eunuch went away rejoicing. I believe he was satisfied. I wonder are you satisfied in the Lord Jesus tonight. Do you really know that you’re saved by the Grace of God? I wonder, do you really know tonight if God were to call your name and end your life, would you go to Heaven or would you go to Hell? Your life is not going to last forever. it is appointed unto all men once to die, but after that the judgment. If you’re not prepared you can get prepared today. Today is the day of Salvation. Jesus came to seek that which was lost. I’m like Philip. I’ve done all that I can do. Now it’s up to you.
LET US PRAY: Father, I believe with all my heart that Jesus is Christ and He is the Only Begotten Son of God. I pray that you would forgive me of my sins and save me. How unworthy I am Lord, but I thank you for you abundant mercy upon me, a sinner. Open my eyes and allow me now to grow in your word so that I can gain comfort and strength to witness to others that may be lost. Help me to be a warrior in your army. In Jesus name. Amen
