Embracing the Cross: A Journey of Transformation

Devotional

Day 1: The Cross as the Ultimate Expression of Love

The cross stands as the ultimate expression of God's love and sacrifice. It is not merely a symbol but the essence of divine love that led Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He faced profound anguish. In His humanity, Jesus asked if there was another way, yet He submitted to the Father's will, exemplifying the ultimate act of obedience and love. This act calls us to live lives of gratitude and worship, continually thanking God for the cross and the salvation it brings. The cross invites us to reflect on the depth of God's love and to respond with a heart full of gratitude. [04:46]

Isaiah 53:5 (ESV): "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."

Reflection: How can you express gratitude for the cross in your daily life today? What specific action can you take to demonstrate this gratitude?

Day 2: Decreasing for Christ to Increase

Our journey with Christ involves a transformation where we decrease so that He may increase in us. Like John the Baptist, our role is to point others to Jesus, bringing them to His feet and allowing them to walk with Him. This journey is empowered by the Holy Spirit, who enables us to live lives of godliness and virtue. As we decrease, we make room for Christ to be magnified in our lives, allowing His love and grace to shine through us to others. [01:54]

John 3:30 (ESV): "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to decrease so that Christ can increase? How can you actively point others to Jesus today?

Day 3: Growing in Faith and Virtue

We are called to make every effort to grow in our faith, adding to it qualities such as virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These qualities ensure that we are not ineffective or unfruitful in our knowledge of Jesus. By cultivating these attributes, we align ourselves with God's purposes and reflect His character in our lives. This growth is a continuous journey, requiring intentional effort and reliance on the Holy Spirit. [24:39]

2 Peter 1:5-8 (ESV): "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."

Reflection: Which of these qualities do you feel is lacking in your life? What practical steps can you take to cultivate this quality today?

Day 4: Focusing on the Eternal

We must not be nearsighted, focusing only on the temporary things of this world. Instead, we should fix our eyes on the eternal, unseen realities that God has promised us. Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. By focusing on the unseen, we align ourselves with God's eternal purposes and live in the fullness of His promises. This perspective shift allows us to endure present challenges with hope and faith. [41:25]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: What temporary concerns are distracting you from focusing on the eternal? How can you shift your perspective to align with God's eternal promises today?

Day 5: Partakers of the Divine Nature

By focusing on the unseen, we align ourselves with God's eternal purposes and live in the fullness of His promises. We are partakers of the divine nature, empowered to live lives of godliness and virtue, reflecting the glory and excellence of God. This divine empowerment enables us to live out our faith in practical ways, demonstrating God's love and character to the world around us. As partakers of the divine nature, we are called to live lives that reflect God's holiness and love. [16:05]

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV): "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."

Reflection: How can you actively partake in the divine nature today? What specific actions can you take to reflect God's glory and excellence in your life?

Sermon Summary

In reflecting on the profound significance of the cross, I was moved to a place of deep gratitude and awe. The cross is not just a symbol; it is the very essence of God's love and sacrifice for us. It is a reminder of the immense love God has for us, a love so profound that it led Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He faced unimaginable anguish. Jesus, in His humanity, asked if there was another way, yet He submitted to the Father's will, demonstrating the ultimate act of obedience and love. This act of love calls us to a life of gratitude and worship, where we continually thank God for the cross and the salvation it brings.

Our journey with Christ is about decreasing ourselves so that He may increase in us. Like John the Baptist, our role is to point others to Jesus, to bring them to His feet and let them walk with Him. This is a journey of transformation, where we become partakers of the divine nature, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives of godliness and virtue. We are called to make every effort to grow in our faith, adding to it virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These qualities ensure that we are not ineffective or unfruitful in our knowledge of Jesus.

We must not be nearsighted, focusing only on the temporary things of this world. Instead, we should fix our eyes on the eternal, unseen realities that God has promised us. Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. By focusing on the unseen, we align ourselves with God's eternal purposes and live in the fullness of His promises.

Key Takeaways

1. The cross is a profound demonstration of God's love and sacrifice. Jesus' submission in Gethsemane exemplifies ultimate obedience and love, calling us to live lives of gratitude and worship. We must continually thank God for the cross and the salvation it brings. [04:46]
2. Our journey with Christ involves decreasing ourselves so that He may increase in us. Like John the Baptist, we are to point others to Jesus, bringing them to His feet and letting them walk with Him. This is a journey of transformation, empowered by the Holy Spirit. [01:54]
3. We are called to make every effort to grow in our faith, adding to it virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These qualities ensure that we are not ineffective or unfruitful in our knowledge of Jesus. [24:39]
4. We must not be nearsighted, focusing only on the temporary things of this world. Instead, we should fix our eyes on the eternal, unseen realities that God has promised us. Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [41:25]
5. By focusing on the unseen, we align ourselves with God's eternal purposes and live in the fullness of His promises. We are partakers of the divine nature, empowered to live lives of godliness and virtue, reflecting the glory and excellence of God. [16:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - Gratitude for the Cross
[01:09] - Decreasing for Christ to Increase
[02:42] - The Garden of Gethsemane
[04:46] - The Will of the Father
[05:39] - Journey to Africa
[06:15] - A Life of Service
[08:07] - Best Day of My Life
[09:42] - Control Over Spiritual Growth
[11:16] - Equal Standing in Faith
[13:04] - Divine Power for Godliness
[16:22] - Partakers of the Divine Nature
[18:44] - Envy of the Old Testament
[20:00] - Vision of Dry Bones
[22:16] - Miracle of Transformation
[24:39] - Making Every Effort
[36:29] - Qualities for Fruitfulness
[38:43] - Nearsightedness and Blindness
[41:25] - Eternal Weight of Glory
[44:45] - Best Prayer Time Ever

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does 2 Peter 1:1-8 say about the qualities we should add to our faith, and why are they important? [24:39]
How does 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 describe our troubles, and what perspective does it encourage us to have? [41:25]
In Matthew 26:36-46, how does Jesus demonstrate submission and obedience in the Garden of Gethsemane? [04:10]
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the cross in our daily lives? [00:24]

Interpretation Questions

How does the concept of being "partakers of the divine nature" in 2 Peter 1:4 impact a believer's understanding of their spiritual identity? [16:22]
What does it mean to "fix our eyes on the eternal, unseen realities" as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4:18, and how can this perspective change our approach to life's challenges? [41:25]
How does Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39) illustrate the balance between human desire and divine will? [04:10]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that gratitude for the cross should manifest in a believer's life? [05:00]

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How can the perspective of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 help you view this challenge differently? [41:25]
Identify one quality from 2 Peter 1:5-7 that you feel is lacking in your life. What specific steps can you take this week to cultivate this quality? [24:39]
Jesus submitted to the Father's will in the Garden of Gethsemane. Is there an area in your life where you struggle to submit to God's will? How can you work towards surrendering this area to Him? [04:10]
The sermon emphasizes decreasing ourselves so that Christ may increase in us. What practical changes can you make in your daily routine to prioritize Christ's presence in your life? [01:54]
Consider the distractions in your life that prevent you from focusing on the eternal. What is one distraction you can minimize this week to better align with God's eternal purposes? [41:25]
How can you actively express gratitude for the cross in your interactions with others this week? [05:00]
Think of someone in your life who needs to be pointed to Jesus. What is one action you can take this week to guide them towards Him? [01:54]

Sermon Clips

I just laid in bed last thing I did was I just after Louis's talk I I just kept think thinking about the cross and enjoying the cross and thanking God over and over I this is not what I do every night I'm sad to say but last night that's what I did I went to bed praising God for the cross. [00:09:33]

I couldn't help but think about last night when Louis was talking about the uh The Garden of Gethsemane and Jesus being there you know as a as a dad of of five children I pictured my oldest daughter and I thought what would I feel if she's looking at me and going dad is there any other way. [00:27:59]

But then for Jesus to say but but not not my will but your will not my will but your will if there's any other way please take this cup from me you as he's as he's sweating drops of BL please take it from me but not not my will your will be done and then to hear that it was the will of the Lord to crush him. [00:42:13]

I don't want us to leave the cross I don't want us to move on from the cross I just want to drop you off there that's all we want to do everyone that's going to be on the stage we're saying you know what we're just telling you go with Jesus oh you're leaving us and going with good good good good because we've got to become less. [00:50:56]

I love what Peter says in second Peter second Peter chapter 1 verse 1 it says Simon Peter a servant an apostle of Jesus Christ to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ I love that phrase he's a signed Peter's servant and Apostle Jesus Christ. [01:49:59]

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness his Divine so God's divine power has given you everything you need when it comes to life and godliness do you believe that so you're an equal standing with Peter and God himself by his power he just gave you everything everything you need. [02:10:32]

By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature are you kidding me not only that he says you can actually partake you become partakers it's not just like Francis is here and God's going to help me out being beside me. [02:42:39]

For this reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue your virtue with knowledge your knowledge with self-control self-control steadfastness steadfastness with godliness godliness with brotherly affection brotherly AFF C with love but I want you to pay attention to what he says verse 5 for this very reason make every effort. [03:59:39]

Make every effort to add to your knowledge self-control this is key this is such a big one for all of us he says make every effort to add to your knowledge selfcontrol I have heard so many people blame the holy spirit for their lack of effort where they go well I asked God to take away my desire. [04:56:36]

If these qualities are yours and are increasing they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ if these qual if these qualities are yours and increasing they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful I love that God guarantees you if you just work on these character issues. [06:03:59]

Whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind I love that phrase whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he's blind and having for forgotten he was cleansed from his former sins he goes if you lack this he goes you're so nearsighted you're blind I love that phrase the idea of being you know what. [06:28:56]

Our light and momentary troubles they're achieving for you this eternal weight of Glory that far outweighs them all so he says so we don't look to the things that we can see we look to the Unseen have you ever done that look at things that you can't see he says stop looking at what you can see. [06:51:20]

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