The Cross of Christ
"For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ..." -Philippians 3:18-20
I have been focused in on the cross this week. Many of you who know me well know I think deeply about things, then I get aggrevated, then can't stop thinking until I reach a solution even though I said I'm done thinking about it. Things that should be simple, I like to make hard. Why, I guess I just like depth and I like to use my mind, and LOVE to learn. Sometimes I come up with off the wall things, and I'm glad there are a few people I can run my mouth too, and they just leave me to my thoughts knowing I will figure it out.
I can remember when "The Passion of Christ" came out, directed by Mel Gibson. There has never been a movie made so grusome about the death of Jesus. I remember being so moved by this film, that I wrote a song called, "Passion for Me." It's easy to say and sing of the cross, it becomes another word or topic, a motion. But have we really stopped to think about the depth and the power of the cross? Have we considered why we "come to the cross" or "come by the way of the cross"? Do we fully understand what the cross calls us too? I believe it's important to know, because as my pastor preached recently, we must know the cost of our salvation and having a relationship with Jesus. We don't have to study philosophy, that just ends up being a love hate relationship....trust me, but we do need to know and understand the Bible and study the things that supplimize it.
As I have been immersed in the Word today trying to understand the meaning of the cross, not like I didn't know. I guess I needed to be reminded and more in tune and aware of what Jesus did for me, and why we honor and reverence the cross, why we must love the cross. Why we must love Jesus, why He loves us. What I found today in scripture blessed my heart, as well as a conversation with my sister...she's good about reeling me and my thoughts in.
What Paul emphasized most to the Corinthians was the power of the cross, and how all his concentration was on the cross....not on higher ways of thinking, not on being intellecutal, he called his sermons simple, and plain, straight to the point. Yet, his sermons have been the foundation of Biblical theology and doctrine for what we as Christians believe. Jesus speaks of the cross often, the cross is referenced to way in the old testament (the old convenant) this cross became the new convenant. Jesus became the scrifice, so I guess we can view the cross as an alter, where we ourselves come in surrender to Him. We are called to our own death. Jesus says in Matthew 10:38 "If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will loose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it." Jesus says again in Mark 8:34 "...if any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me." I looked up the word "selfish ambition" is means: an eager or strong desire to acheive something, such as fame or power. The object or goal desired; self seeking. There is a verse that says the he must increase and I must decrease. He must always be greater in my life, and I in my flesh must remain lesser....in fact just be dead.
When we come to the cross, and come by the way of which Jesus did, we are doing exactly what Jesus taught us to do. Obedience to the Father. We sacrifice ourself so that God might raise us up and fill us with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead! In case you didn't know, Jesus is no longer on the cross.
The cross we are called to carry is not a symbol for suffering in general. Rather, it refers to withstanding persecution, by the Lord's power, as He directs the circumstances of our lives. To be a true follower of Christ, we must pick up the cross. It represents unspeakable pain, humiliation, and suffering. However, it is also a symbol of infinite love!
This puts Salvation in a whole new light. We are told by many self professed Christians to become a better and greater you, we are told that we suffer because we do not have enough of God's power or whatever. But my Bible says that I will suffer, I will become less, while HE becomes greater in me (1 John 4:4). My goals, my dreams, my acheivements mea nothing, no fame or power, no gift, no intellect, nothing matters unless it is done unto the Lord. it's all meaningless, until we die with Christ in HIS suffering so that HE can give to us what He wants us to have.
This is the cross of Christ. The cross by which we come by in order to recieve HIS salvation. We are being saved daily, so we must die daily. Ask for the Holy Spirit daily too!! Galatians 6:14, 5:11 ; Philippians 3:18 ; Ephesians 2:16 ; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:2-8 ; Hebrews 12:2 ; Mark 8:34 ; John 19:17 ; Matthew 10:38, 27:32, 16:24 ; Luke 14:27
I have been focused in on the cross this week. Many of you who know me well know I think deeply about things, then I get aggrevated, then can't stop thinking until I reach a solution even though I said I'm done thinking about it. Things that should be simple, I like to make hard. Why, I guess I just like depth and I like to use my mind, and LOVE to learn. Sometimes I come up with off the wall things, and I'm glad there are a few people I can run my mouth too, and they just leave me to my thoughts knowing I will figure it out.
I can remember when "The Passion of Christ" came out, directed by Mel Gibson. There has never been a movie made so grusome about the death of Jesus. I remember being so moved by this film, that I wrote a song called, "Passion for Me." It's easy to say and sing of the cross, it becomes another word or topic, a motion. But have we really stopped to think about the depth and the power of the cross? Have we considered why we "come to the cross" or "come by the way of the cross"? Do we fully understand what the cross calls us too? I believe it's important to know, because as my pastor preached recently, we must know the cost of our salvation and having a relationship with Jesus. We don't have to study philosophy, that just ends up being a love hate relationship....trust me, but we do need to know and understand the Bible and study the things that supplimize it.
As I have been immersed in the Word today trying to understand the meaning of the cross, not like I didn't know. I guess I needed to be reminded and more in tune and aware of what Jesus did for me, and why we honor and reverence the cross, why we must love the cross. Why we must love Jesus, why He loves us. What I found today in scripture blessed my heart, as well as a conversation with my sister...she's good about reeling me and my thoughts in.
What Paul emphasized most to the Corinthians was the power of the cross, and how all his concentration was on the cross....not on higher ways of thinking, not on being intellecutal, he called his sermons simple, and plain, straight to the point. Yet, his sermons have been the foundation of Biblical theology and doctrine for what we as Christians believe. Jesus speaks of the cross often, the cross is referenced to way in the old testament (the old convenant) this cross became the new convenant. Jesus became the scrifice, so I guess we can view the cross as an alter, where we ourselves come in surrender to Him. We are called to our own death. Jesus says in Matthew 10:38 "If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will loose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it." Jesus says again in Mark 8:34 "...if any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me." I looked up the word "selfish ambition" is means: an eager or strong desire to acheive something, such as fame or power. The object or goal desired; self seeking. There is a verse that says the he must increase and I must decrease. He must always be greater in my life, and I in my flesh must remain lesser....in fact just be dead.
When we come to the cross, and come by the way of which Jesus did, we are doing exactly what Jesus taught us to do. Obedience to the Father. We sacrifice ourself so that God might raise us up and fill us with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead! In case you didn't know, Jesus is no longer on the cross.
The cross we are called to carry is not a symbol for suffering in general. Rather, it refers to withstanding persecution, by the Lord's power, as He directs the circumstances of our lives. To be a true follower of Christ, we must pick up the cross. It represents unspeakable pain, humiliation, and suffering. However, it is also a symbol of infinite love!
This puts Salvation in a whole new light. We are told by many self professed Christians to become a better and greater you, we are told that we suffer because we do not have enough of God's power or whatever. But my Bible says that I will suffer, I will become less, while HE becomes greater in me (1 John 4:4). My goals, my dreams, my acheivements mea nothing, no fame or power, no gift, no intellect, nothing matters unless it is done unto the Lord. it's all meaningless, until we die with Christ in HIS suffering so that HE can give to us what He wants us to have.
This is the cross of Christ. The cross by which we come by in order to recieve HIS salvation. We are being saved daily, so we must die daily. Ask for the Holy Spirit daily too!! Galatians 6:14, 5:11 ; Philippians 3:18 ; Ephesians 2:16 ; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:2-8 ; Hebrews 12:2 ; Mark 8:34 ; John 19:17 ; Matthew 10:38, 27:32, 16:24 ; Luke 14:27
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