A Sure Pathway To Living An Overcoming Christian Life.
Bible Passage – 1 Cor 1:17-18; Heb 12:2; Rom 1:16; Matt 16:24-25
THE REVELATIONS OF THE CROSS THROUGH APOSTLE PAUL
1. The Revelations of The Cross, The Message of the Cross, The Word of The Cross, As the Essence of our Faith and Hope: 1 Cor 1:17-24 | Acts 26:9-24
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
The Cross and The Message of The Cross: Ephesians 2:16 | Colossians 1:20 | 2 Corinthians 5:19
The cross and the message of the cross is the heart of the gospel.
Without the cross there is no salvation nor Christianity
The gospel is that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, and as many as receive this shall be saved and have eternal life. Jh 3:16 | Jh 1:12-13
The word of the cross is not limited as some would want us concentrate on a limited capacity of the power of the cross. It is complete, total, covering all areas of life beginning at the spirit of man. No area of life is left out of the power and word of the cross.
No Message of the Cross, No Christ, No Christianity: Acts 4:12 | 1 Corinthians 15:13 | 1 Corinthians 15:14
The Apostles were very certain and emphatic about the Cross of Jesus, The Word of The Cross and The Power of His Resurrection unto Salvation.
There is no Christianity without the message of the cross. Just as there is no man without the bones and the skeleton so is no Christianity with the cross and it message.
There is no gospel of Jesus without the cross and the word of the cross. As a writer said, the cross is the bones and skeletons of Christianity and we add of the Christian man or woman.
Without the cross anyone that calls himself or herself a Christian may be a liar and a deceiver.
2. It Is A Tragedy of Hopelessness To Be Offended By The Cross and The Message of The Cross
But many are offended at the cross and the word of its message which is our hope. Their offense makes them reject the message of the cross which is salvation in Christ Jesus and Christianity.
It is an opposition to God to be offended, by the cross, and the message of the word of the cross. It is the same as rejecting the Lord and embracing another god. Thou shalt have no other God besides me – Ex 34:14
Rather, we rejoice, accept and receive the word of the cross and in faith, it brings the power of salvation and much more into our lives.
Rm 1:16 – it is the power of God unto salvation
Let us examine these five deductions of offense and foolishness concerning the message of the cross as revealed by Apostle Paul; 1 Cor 1:17-24
a. To some it is just ridiculous what the Lord says the cross is and designed to accomplish — :18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.
b. To some, they are offended that they are called sinners — :23 “Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness”
c. To some they are offended at the cross and the salvation it offers, because the cross is rubbishing their accomplishments of intellect, wealth, wisdom and power to be of no consequence in making them right with God.
d. To some, you are calling the gods of their forefathers no God at all
e. Some are offended because they cannot save themselves by the claim of the message of the cross.
3. Foolishness and Offending of The Message of The Cross – Many are in this position and situation today – Acts 26: 9-24
‘Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord?
And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. and as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.’
After Paul shared his beliefs, Festus cries out in Acts 26:24 “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you mad!” It was just foolishness to him
“To Jews a stumbling block, to Gentiles foolishness …” — and the cross still is a a stumbling block and foolishness to many people to this day.
Some just mock the message of the cross. It does not matter because every man shall be accountable to the message of the cross one day. That shall be the yardstick for eternal life not what you or me have raised up as other standards contrary to the word of the cross.
4. No Salvation Without The Cross and The Word of the Cross – the Revelation of Jesus to Apostle Paul On the Road To Damascus- Acts 9:1-9
A Practical and Individual Revelation of Jesus and the Word of The Cross It is the power of God unto salvation.
We humbly enlarge it – it is the only power and the only power of God unto salvation. Acts 4:12 | Acts 9:1-9
5. What An Encounter – with the Saviour, the Cross and the Word of the Cross
This encounter is made available to all.
The only thing that can save anyone is the message of the cross of Jesus Christ. Romans 10:17
As we speak the messages and the word of the cross which Jesus, his love, his purpose, plans, sufferings, death, resurrection, deeds and word, there is the power of salvation released, available and goes forth to save, heal and deliver.
There is an encounter.
There are dialogues in the spirit and spirit man
It is the word of the cross that gives birth to faith
No other power nor message can do that – there is a conviction, repentance, a forgiveness, a righteousness imputed, there is a justification and then comes salvation unfortunately, many come to church and stay not because of message of the cross but a whole bunch of other reasons that cannot produce faith and salvation.
The power of the message of the cross and faith produce salvation.
Some many query that the salvation and conversion of Saul to Paul appear very simplistic and just like that. Beloved, no and not at all.
⁃ A lot happened in the light that shined bright than the sun shining at its strength.
⁃ A lot happened in the power that knocked him down
⁃ A lot happened in him becoming blind
⁃ A lot happened in him only hearing the voice and no other person.
⁃ A lot happened in the days without food
⁃ A lot happened in the prayers
⁃ A lot happened in the laying on of hands
⁃ A lot happened in the scale falling from his eyes.
Above all the word of the cross was in action, there were encounters, faith ensured and power of the cross went to work and a great salvation came. Romans 5:9 | Ephesians 2:16 | Colossians 1:20 | Colossians 2:15 | I Peter 2:24 | I John 2:2 | Colossians 2:14
Yours may not follow the actions that led to the work of the cross and its message in the story of Paul, but the result must be the same by the power of the word of the cross.
CONCLUSION
The cross ought to challenge, interrupt your personal setting of your life, your standards, yours goals and expectations, engage with and cause all areas of your life to be in tune with the cross of Jesus Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel,
And not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. 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 Cor 1:17–18
