The cross of Christ is the central point of our faith, and it is through this lens that we should view every aspect of our lives. Galatians 6:14 encourages believers to boast only in the cross, recognizing it as the source of every blessing and the means by which we endure trials. By seeing our lives through the cross, we acknowledge that all good things come through Christ's sacrifice. This perspective transforms our daily experiences, reminding us that the cross is the ever-present foundation of our lives. [03:44]
"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent blessing or trial in your life. How can you view it through the lens of the cross today?
Day 2: Worship Through Song
Worship through song is a powerful way to experience the love of Christ anew. Singing hymns and worship songs centered on the cross can provide fresh insights and emotional connections to the truths we hold dear. These songs remind us of the double cure of the cross: saving us from wrath and making us pure. In moments of need, they help us cling to the cross, reinforcing the profound truths of the gospel. [07:48]
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)
Reflection: Choose a hymn or worship song about the cross to listen to today. How does it deepen your understanding of Christ's love for you?
Day 3: Meditation on Scripture
Regular meditation on Scripture, such as Galatians 6:14, helps us see the cross as the foundation of our faith. This practice deepens our understanding and appreciation of the cross, transforming our daily experiences. By engaging with Scripture, we continually broaden our perspective, allowing the cross to shape our thoughts and actions. [01:26]
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105, ESV)
Reflection: Set aside time today to meditate on Galatians 6:14. How does this passage challenge or encourage you in your current circumstances?
Day 4: Exploring the Purposes of the Cross
By studying the varied purposes of Christ's death, we can expand our love for what He accomplished. Resources like "50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die" offer insights that enrich our understanding of the cross. Exploring these purposes helps us appreciate the depth of Christ's sacrifice and the many ways it impacts our lives. [09:26]
"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died." (2 Corinthians 5:14, ESV)
Reflection: Research one reason why Jesus came to die that you haven't considered before. How does this new understanding affect your view of the cross?
Day 5: The Ever-Present Glory of the Cross
The cross is the foundation for every good we experience and the transformation of our trials. Recognizing this truth helps us see the cross as ever-present in our lives, providing a source of hope and strength. By embracing the profound depths of its significance, we find the cross to be the source of our hope and the foundation of our faith. [05:15]
"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to recognize the ever-present glory of the cross? How can you invite Christ's strength into this area today?
Sermon Summary
In our journey to deepen our understanding and appreciation of the cross, we must strive to see beyond the surface-level truths and embrace the profound depths of its significance. The cross is not just a historical event; it is the foundation of our faith and the source of our hope. To truly grasp its magnitude, we must engage with Scripture, worship, and reflection in a way that continually broadens our perspective.
Firstly, we should meditate on passages like Galatians 6:14, which calls us to boast only in the cross of Christ. This is not a call to ignore other aspects of our faith but to see them all through the lens of the cross. Every blessing, every trial, and every moment of weakness should be viewed as an opportunity to exalt in the cross, recognizing that all good things come to us through Christ's sacrifice. This perspective transforms our daily experiences, reminding us that the cross is the ever-present foundation of our lives.
Secondly, worship through song can be a powerful way to experience the love of Christ anew. Singing hymns and worship songs that are centered on the cross and saturated with the gospel can move us deeply, providing fresh insights and emotional connections to the truths we hold dear. These songs remind us of the double cure of the cross: saving us from wrath and making us pure, and they help us to cling to the cross in our moments of need.
Lastly, we should immerse ourselves in the varied purposes of Christ's death as revealed in the New Testament. By exploring the many reasons Jesus came to die, we can expand and deepen our love for what He accomplished. Resources like "50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die" can aid in this exploration, offering insights that enrich our understanding and appreciation of the cross.
Key Takeaways
1. Boasting in the Cross: Our boasting should always be in the cross, as it is the source of every good thing we receive. By viewing all aspects of life through the lens of the cross, we recognize that our blessings and trials are opportunities to exalt in Christ's sacrifice. [03:44]
2. Worship Through Song: Singing cross-centered hymns and worship songs can provide a fresh experience of Christ's love. These songs remind us of the profound truths of the gospel and help us to cling to the cross in our moments of need. [07:48]
3. Meditation on Scripture: Regular meditation on passages like Galatians 6:14 helps us to see the cross as the foundation of our faith. This practice deepens our understanding and appreciation of the cross, transforming our daily experiences. [01:26]
4. Exploring the Purposes of the Cross: By studying the varied purposes of Christ's death, we can expand our love for what He accomplished. Resources like "50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die" offer insights that enrich our understanding of the cross. [09:26]
5. The Ever-Present Glory of the Cross: The cross is the foundation for every good we experience and the transformation of our trials. Recognizing this truth helps us to see the cross as ever-present in our lives, providing a source of hope and strength. [05:15] ** [05:15]
What does Galatians 6:14 mean when it says to "boast only in the cross of Christ"? How does this relate to other things we might boast about in life? [01:26]
According to the sermon, how does the cross serve as the foundation for every good thing we experience? [05:15]
What role do hymns and worship songs play in deepening our understanding of the cross, as mentioned in the sermon? [05:27]
How does the sermon describe the "double cure" of the cross? What are the two aspects of this cure? [06:28]
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Interpretation Questions:
How might boasting in the cross change the way we view our personal achievements and failures? [02:48]
In what ways can worship through song provide a fresh experience of Christ's love, according to the sermon? How does this impact our daily walk with God? [07:48]
The sermon suggests meditating on the varied purposes of Christ's death. How can this practice expand and deepen our love for what He accomplished? [09:26]
How does the concept of the cross being "ever-present" in our lives provide hope and strength during trials? [05:15]
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Application Questions:
Reflect on a recent blessing or trial in your life. How can you view it through the lens of the cross, as suggested in the sermon? [03:44]
Identify a hymn or worship song that has helped you connect with the message of the cross. How can you incorporate more of these songs into your personal worship time? [07:48]
The sermon encourages meditation on passages like Galatians 6:14. What steps can you take to make regular meditation a part of your spiritual routine? [01:26]
Consider the "double cure" of the cross—saving from wrath and making pure. How does this understanding affect your view of salvation and sanctification? [06:28]
The sermon mentions the importance of finding a good church that emphasizes Christ-exalting worship. How can you evaluate whether your current church or a potential church meets this criterion? [08:50]
How can you actively seek to understand the varied purposes of Christ's death in your personal Bible study? What resources might you use to aid this exploration? [09:26]
Think of a situation where you felt distant from the cross. What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of its significance in your daily life? [05:15]
Sermon Clips
"Christians all christians are sinners and do not deserve anything but judgment, which means that daily hour by hour we are receiving hundreds of good things that we don't deserve and bad things that happen to us which are being turned for good. Why do people who don't deserve anything good and they don't deserve to have the bad things turned for good get so many good things and get all their bad things turned for good? Why? And the answer is Christ died for us." [00:03:55]
"All other boasting should also be a boasting in the cross. All exaltation in anything should be an exultation in the cross. If you exult in the hope of glory, you should be exalting in the cross of Christ. If you exult in tribulation, you should be exalting in the cross of Christ. If you exalt in your weaknesses or in the people of God, in that very exalting you should be exalting in the cross of Christ." [00:03:11]
"Make it your habit to sing great old hymns and good modern worship songs that are cross-centered and Bible-saturated with the gospel of Christ. And the one we sang yesterday was 'Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood from thy wounded side which flowed be of sin and then this phrase the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.'" [00:05:59]
"Number one linger over and meditate regularly on Galatians 6:14 or other texts like it goes like this far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that is an astonishing statement. Everything in the world has died to us and we have died to it it says at the end of the verse." [00:01:29]
"Secondly, worship through song can be a powerful way to experience the love of Christ anew. Singing hymns and worship songs that are centered on the cross and saturated with the gospel can move us deeply, providing fresh insights and emotional connections to the truths we hold dear. These songs remind us of the double cure of the cross: saving us from wrath and making us pure." [00:06:06]
"Lastly, we should immerse ourselves in the varied purposes of Christ's death as revealed in the New Testament. By exploring the many reasons Jesus came to die, we can expand and deepen our love for what He accomplished. Resources like '50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die' can aid in this exploration, offering insights that enrich our understanding and appreciation of the cross." [00:09:01]
"All other boasting which is right he's got other boastings that he commands in the New Testament, all other boasting should also be a boasting in the cross. All exaltation in anything should be an exultation in the cross. If you exult in the hope of glory, you should be exalting in the cross of Christ." [00:03:11]
"Christians all christians are sinners and do not deserve anything but judgment, which means that daily hour by hour we are receiving hundreds of good things that we don't deserve and bad things that happen to us which are being turned for good. Why do people who don't deserve anything good and they don't deserve to have the bad things turned for good get so many good things and get all their bad things turned for good? Why? And the answer is Christ died for us." [00:03:55]
"Number two, second way of coming at this this is what I was talking about when I said that yesterday in worship this happened. I was singing and reading the texts that were being put up on the overhead I mean on the screen for us and a fresh deep sweet moving unusual for a long time taste of the love of Christ in the cross came over me and I was so moved and thankful." [00:05:23]
"Make it your habit to sing great old hymns and good modern worship songs that are cross-centered and Bible-saturated with the gospel of Christ. And the one we sang yesterday was 'Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood from thy wounded side which flowed be of sin and then this phrase the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.'" [00:05:59]
"Lastly, we should immerse ourselves in the varied purposes of Christ's death as revealed in the New Testament. By exploring the many reasons Jesus came to die, we can expand and deepen our love for what He accomplished. Resources like '50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die' can aid in this exploration, offering insights that enrich our understanding and appreciation of the cross." [00:09:01]
"Number one linger over and meditate regularly on Galatians 6:14 or other texts like it goes like this far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that is an astonishing statement. Everything in the world has died to us and we have died to it it says at the end of the verse." [00:01:29]