Sermons on The Criminal On The Cross:

The Beauty Of The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

Weeds being transformed into flowers is amazing, but nothing can compare with the wonder of the cross being transformed from a symbol of horror and death to a symbol of beauty and life.

Luther Burbank took an interest in the common field daisy that was an outcast weed despised by the farmers in the East. He crossed it with the Japanese daisy and an English daisy and produced the Shasta daisy, a flower whose beautiful bloom has grown as much as two feet in diameter, and which will ...read more

Scripture: John 12:29-33

The Necessity Of The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

Whoever heard of listing the necessities of life and putting the cross at the top of the list? Yet, that is where it belongs. Without the cross there is no salvation, and without salvation life is worse than meaningless.

Over fifteen hundred years ago, on Good Friday, Ambrose the Bishop of Milan ascended to his pulpit in the Cathedral of Milan and said to his congregation, "I find it impossible to speak to you today. The events of Good Friday are too great for human words." Centuries later the great ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-46

The Foolishness Of The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

Paul wrote about the foolishness of many things, but the most shocking is that he wrote about the foolishness of the cross.

The mayor and other dignitaries were looking into the vast pit dug for the new hospital to be built. The town half-wit came up and gazed into the pit, and asked the mayor what he was going to do with this big hole. The mayor decided to humor him and said, "We are going to round up all the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

The Cruelty Of The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

If God turned the cruelty of the cross into a universal blessing, we need never doubt that verse of Paul in Rom. 8:28 that says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Pierre VanPaasen once had an interview with Marshal Lyauty, but the former procounsul of the French Republic in Morocco. VanPassen asked him what he would have done had he been in Pilate's place. Lyauty, after describing what a trouble maker Jesus had been, endorsed Pilate's action. ...read more

Scripture: John 19:1-16

The Burden Of The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

Jesus says, happy are those who take following me seriously enough to bear the burden of the cross. Take up the cross and follow me Jesus said, and His demand is still the same today, and the promise is still the same, that those who suffer with Christ shall also reign with Him.

Florence Chadwick was the first woman ever to swim the difficult and cold 21 mile stretch of water between Catalina Island and the California coast. She failed on her first attempt because of poor vision. After 15 hours and 55 minutes of numbing cold she asked to be taken out of the water. A heavy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Christmas And The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

It is possible to look forward to a merry Christmas in full awareness that we live in a world of misery. Just as there is nothing inconsistent with taking medicine to feel better in a world of sickness, so there is nothing inconsistent with a merry spirit in a world of misery.

Dr. Samuel Upham, a theological professor and a man of great learning, was dying. The family was gathered around his bed and someone said I believe he is already dead. Someone else said his feet are still warm and nobody ever dies with warm feet. Dr. Upham opened one eye and said, "Joan of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Remember The Cross

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 8, 2021

The battle cries of our national history have been, “Remember the Alamo,” and “Remember Pearl Harbor.” Why in the world should we remember great defeats? It is because, like the cross, they become great defeats out of which came greater victories.

A couple of bank robbers hit a small country bank one lazy afternoon when the staff was small. They herded everyone into the vault at gunpoint. Then they gagged the teller and bound him hand and foot. They began to stuff the money into bags when they noticed the teller squirming and trying to talk ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Burden Of The Cross Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 12, 2021

In this last beatitude Jesus provides His disciples with a defensive weapon to penetrate the fog of persecution. He promises great reward in heaven to those who will press on in the dark, knowing the light is still shining beyond.

Florence Chadwick was the first woman ever to swim the difficult and cold 21 mile stretch of water between Catalina Island and the California coast. She failed on her first attempt because of poor vision. After 15 hours and 55 minutes of numbing cold she asked to be taken out of the water. A ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

The Offense Of The Cross

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Mar 12, 2021

Why was the cross a stumbling block for people to accept Christ in Paul's time and today?

The Offense (Stumbling Blocks) of the Cross Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz Galatians 5:7-12 We have an exciting statement from our brother Paul which can be translated in different ways. In Galatians 5:11, the verse can be translated as "the offense of the cross." I found this to be an ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:7-12

Denomination: United Methodist

The Way Of The Cross.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 9, 2023

The Cross of Jesus, and our cross.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS. Matthew 16:21-28. MATTHEW 16:21-23. When Jesus began to openly teach the necessity of the Cross, Peter - of all people - took Him aside, and began to rebuke Him. This brought to the lips of Jesus what is perhaps the sternest rebuke that He ever gave. Jesus' rebuke of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of The Cross Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Jan 1, 2023

The power of the cross is so great that we've chosen to make this cross the emblem. We look at that cross and we don't just think about death, we think about life.

I think there's something inside of all of our hearts that loves superheroes. I think that as I was growing up, I really liked the Old Testament Bible stories of Samson, David, Moses, and Joshua. Those are great stories. I can imagine the Jewish young men growing up, the disciples themselves ...read more

Scripture: John 12:27-50

Denomination: Independent/Bible

No Cross… No Crown

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Jan 5, 2023

In our text today this is a conditional promise.

Notice the condition on which this promise is made. The Lord said, if we are faithful unto death, He would give us a CROWN OF LIFE. He did NOT say, “If you are faithful a few short weeks, months or years I will give thee a Crown of Life”. The promise is made to those who are faithful unto ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:10

Denomination: Baptist

Paul And The Cross

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Feb 14, 2020

Paul's life is the cross.

“Paul and The Cross” 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) 1. The “preaching of the cross” was the distinctive message of the Apostle Paul. • The Cross for the Apostle was (The Center of the Gospel) The Main thing • The Cross to Paul was to be lived out every day a cross life, The Cross solves ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

Conformity To The Cross Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 4, 2021

The Corinthians Christians had become arrogant, crowing like a rooster. To use a Texas idiom, they had become “all hat and no cattle.” In the words of Glenn Campbell, “A Rhinestone Cowboy.”

It’s a message from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians and it represents a journey of sorts. A journey to an another land – and older land – where the goals of Christianity were not set by marketers in order to make it more palatable. Instead, the agenda was set by prophets who sought holy, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of The Cross

Contributed by Charles Mallory on Sep 12, 2025

The power of the cross is the redemptive work of God through His Son Jesus to reconcile us back to Him. The power of the cross: For God so loved the world!

THE CROSS! THE CROSS OF JESUS IS, BY FAR, THE MOST WELL KNOWN AND RECOGNIZED SYMBOL ALL AROUND THE WORLD. WHAT WAS, TO THE ROMANS, THE MOST HUMILIATING FORM OF TORTURE AND EXECUTION BECAME THE EMBODIMENT OF SACRIFICE AND SALVATION THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. THE CROSS! THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS UPON ...read more

Scripture: John 3:13-17, Romans 5:6-8, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Romans 10:9-10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Free Methodist