Embracing the Transformative Power of the Cross
Summary
In today's discussion, we explored the profound and often counterintuitive invitation of the cross. The cross, a central icon of Christianity, is not merely a symbol of belief but an invitation to a radically different way of living. In the first century, the cross represented a lifestyle that seemed foolish to outsiders. This lifestyle, the way of the cross, challenges us to live for the approval of one—God—rather than the ever-changing approval of the world. It invites us to embrace a life that may appear as losing by worldly standards but is, in fact, a path to true power and transformation.
Many Christians today may not fully grasp this invitation. For some, Christianity is a one-time decision—a prayer, a baptism, a check in the box. But the way of the cross is a daily choice, a continuous journey of aligning our lives with the teachings and example of Jesus. This path is not about striving for personal gain or comparing ourselves to others, which only fuels discontentment and exhaustion. Instead, it is about surrendering to the Spirit of God, allowing His power to work through us in ways that defy cultural norms and expectations.
The Apostle Paul, once a professional striver, understood this contrast deeply after his encounter with Jesus. He realized that the way of the cross was not an add-on to life but a complete transformation of it. It was a call to join what might be seen as the "loser's club" by worldly standards, yet it was a path to true victory and impact. The power of God is most evident when we embrace this way, manifesting in acts of love, forgiveness, and selflessness that cause others to stop and stare in awe.
This invitation is not about passivity or laziness. It is about leveraging our talents and opportunities for the glory of God, living against the grain of societal expectations. The way of the cross is where real change begins, both in our lives and in the world around us. It is an invitation to participate in the kingdom of God here and now, experiencing His power in our everyday lives.
Key Takeaways:
- The cross is an invitation to a lifestyle that seems foolish to the world but is a path to true power and transformation. It challenges us to live for God's approval rather than the world's ever-changing standards. [05:20]
- Many Christians may not fully understand the daily invitation of the cross, seeing faith as a one-time decision rather than a continuous journey of aligning with Jesus' teachings. [06:59]
- The way of the cross is not about striving for personal gain or comparing ourselves to others, which only leads to discontentment. Instead, it is about surrendering to God's Spirit and allowing His power to work through us. [12:58]
- The Apostle Paul exemplified the transformation that comes from embracing the way of the cross, realizing it was not an add-on but a complete life change that defied cultural norms. [09:01]
- Embracing the way of the cross is not passive; it is about leveraging our talents for God's glory, living against societal expectations, and participating in God's kingdom now. [25:21]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - The Cross: An Invitation
[03:38] - Chasing the Wind
[04:27] - Ambition and Achievement
[05:20] - The Icon of the Cross
[06:59] - Choosing to Lose
[09:01] - Paul's Transformation
[11:01] - The Foolishness of the Cross
[12:58] - Embracing the Way of the Cross
[15:01] - The Power of God
[16:37] - The Fruit of the Spirit
[18:06] - Living by the Spirit
[19:02] - The Church's Role
[20:49] - The Wisdom of the World
[22:23] - The Value of a Life
[23:42] - Experiencing God's Power
[24:27] - The Ultimate Expression of Power
[26:43] - Invitation to Transformation
[27:54] - Opportunity for God's Power
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
#### Observation Questions
1. What does the Apostle Paul mean when he describes the message of the cross as "foolishness" to those who are perishing? [09:01]
2. How does the sermon describe the way of the cross as an invitation to a different lifestyle? [05:20]
3. What examples from the sermon illustrate the concept of "chasing the wind"? [03:38]
4. How did the Apostle Paul's encounter with Jesus change his understanding of the cross? [09:01]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why might the way of the cross seem foolish or counterintuitive to those who are not followers of Jesus? [09:01]
2. How does the sermon suggest that living for God's approval differs from seeking the approval of the world? [05:20]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the power of God is manifested through the way of the cross? [12:58]
4. How does the sermon describe the transformation that occurs when one embraces the way of the cross? [09:01]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt the need to win an argument or prove a point. How might choosing to "lose" in that situation have demonstrated the way of the cross? [06:59]
2. Identify an area in your life where you are striving for personal gain or comparing yourself to others. How can you surrender this area to God's Spirit this week? [12:58]
3. Think of a time when you felt pressured to conform to societal expectations. How can you leverage your talents for God's glory instead? [25:21]
4. Consider a relationship where you struggle with patience. What specific action can you take to walk at the other person's pace, as described in the sermon? [16:37]
5. How can you make the way of the cross a daily choice rather than a one-time decision in your faith journey? [06:59]
6. Reflect on a moment when you witnessed the "stop and stare" power of God in someone's life. How can you cultivate that kind of impact in your own life? [15:01]
7. What is one practical step you can take this week to participate in the kingdom of God here and now, as the sermon suggests? [12:58]
Devotional
Day 1: The Cross as a Radical Invitation
The cross is not just a symbol of belief but an invitation to a radically different way of living. In the first century, the cross represented a lifestyle that seemed foolish to outsiders. This lifestyle, the way of the cross, challenges us to live for the approval of one—God—rather than the ever-changing approval of the world. It invites us to embrace a life that may appear as losing by worldly standards but is, in fact, a path to true power and transformation. The cross calls us to a life of surrender, where we find strength in weakness and victory in what seems like defeat. [05:20]
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking the world's approval instead of God's? How can you begin to shift your focus today?
Day 2: The Daily Journey of the Cross
Many Christians today may not fully grasp the daily invitation of the cross. For some, Christianity is a one-time decision—a prayer, a baptism, a check in the box. But the way of the cross is a daily choice, a continuous journey of aligning our lives with the teachings and example of Jesus. This path is not about striving for personal gain or comparing ourselves to others, which only fuels discontentment and exhaustion. Instead, it is about surrendering to the Spirit of God, allowing His power to work through us in ways that defy cultural norms and expectations. [06:59]
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23, ESV)
Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to align your life more closely with the teachings of Jesus?
Day 3: Surrendering to God's Spirit
The way of the cross is not about striving for personal gain or comparing ourselves to others, which only leads to discontentment. Instead, it is about surrendering to God's Spirit and allowing His power to work through us. This surrender is not passive; it is an active choice to let go of our own ambitions and trust in God's plan. When we do this, we open ourselves to experiencing His power in our lives, manifesting in acts of love, forgiveness, and selflessness that cause others to stop and stare in awe. [12:58]
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to surrender control to God? How can you begin to do that today?
Day 4: Transformation Through the Cross
The Apostle Paul exemplified the transformation that comes from embracing the way of the cross. He realized it was not an add-on to life but a complete life change that defied cultural norms. The way of the cross was a call to join what might be seen as the "loser's club" by worldly standards, yet it was a path to true victory and impact. The power of God is most evident when we embrace this way, manifesting in acts of love, forgiveness, and selflessness. [09:01]
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, ESV)
Reflection: How has your understanding of success been shaped by the world? How can you redefine success in light of the cross?
Day 5: Living Against the Grain
Embracing the way of the cross is not passive; it is about leveraging our talents for God's glory, living against societal expectations, and participating in God's kingdom now. This invitation is not about passivity or laziness. It is about leveraging our talents and opportunities for the glory of God, living against the grain of societal expectations. The way of the cross is where real change begins, both in our lives and in the world around us. [25:21]
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection: What is one talent or opportunity you have that you can use for God's glory today? How can you begin to live against societal expectations in this area?
Quotes
2. "It's crazy. In fact, you might even chalk it off as lazy because it's an invitation that's so contrary to our nature that we are tempted to decline the invitation, as we said last time, every single day. Because every single day, if you are a Jesus follower or if you're a Christian, you are invited every single day to follow the way or embrace the way of the cross. It's an invitation. And you get to choose whether or not you do it, even as someone who's placed their faith in Jesus as Savior." [00:01:25] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Now, as we said last time, the person who understood this and had the greatest clarity around the contrast between the way of the world and the way of the cross is the Apostle Paul. And the reason he had such extraordinary clarity, if you know his story, is this, that he was a professional striver, okay, in his pre-Jesus days. He was a professional striver. He actually prided himself, which is so strange. He documents this himself. This isn't what people said about him. This is what he said about himself. He prided himself as the best-in-class Pharisee of the first century." [00:07:27] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "The cross was not a good luck charm. It was a way of life and not just a way of life. It was the opposite way of life. It was against the grain in almost every component, every facet. In a way, the way of the cross was an invitation to join the loser's club because by every first century measure, Jesus lost. Jesus lost on purpose with a purpose and the purpose included you. And included me." [00:08:37] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "It's the stop and stare power of God. Like, wait a minute, wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. She forgave them? Who does that? Wait, wait, wait, wait. He decided to give to them in spite of what they took from him. Are you kidding me? The stop and stare, contrary to culture, power of God. When you see it, you recognize it. And the strange thing is this, when people of any faith tradition or no faith tradition see it, they stop and they stare. It's why it changed the world in the first century because these Jesus followers took this seriously." [00:14:26] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Do you want to experience the power of God in your life? By losing, he won. And don't be confused. I talked about this last week. I'm gonna probably say this every time. Look, this is not an invitation to being passive or just folding our arms and being lazy. Well, God's just gonna work it. Uh-uh, follow Jesus through the gospels, follow the apostle Paul through the book of Acts, this is not about this. The way of the cross, this is so important, the way of the cross is an invitation for you to leverage your talent and your opportunities to their full potential for the glory of your king who loves you and invites you to follow him against the grain." [00:25:45] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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