Glory in the Cross: Our Source of Hope

The Apostle Paul had a rich choice of things in which he could have gloried if it had been his mind to have remained among his own people he might have been one of their most honored rabbis he saith in his epistle to the Philippians in the third chapter if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might Trust In the Flesh I more circumcised The Eighth Day of the stock of Israel of The Tribe of Benjamin and Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law a Pharisee concerning Zeal persecuting the church touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless. [00:01:58]

Paul might also if he had so chosen have gloried in his sufferings for the Cross of Christ for he had been a living martyr a Perpetual self-sacrifice to the cause of the crucified he says are they Ministers of Christ I speak as a fool I am more in labors more abundant in Stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths of of the Jews five times received I 40 Stripes save one th was I beaten with rods once was I stoned Thrice I suffered shipwreck a night and a day I have been in the deep in journeyings often in Perils of waters in Perils of robbers in perils by my own countrymen in perils by the Heathen in perils in the city in perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in weariness and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness. [00:03:30]

The great Apostle had yet another reason for gloring if he had chosen to do so for he could speak of visions and Revelations of the Lord he says I knew a man in Christ above 14 years ago caught up to the third heaven and I knew such a man how that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable Words which it is not lawful for a man to utter he was in danger of being exalted above measure by reason of the abundance of these Revelations and hence he was humbled by a painful Thorn In the Flesh. [00:05:04]

Learn then that the highest Glory of our holy religion is the cross the history of Grace begins earlier and goes on later but in its middle point stands the cross of two eternities this is the hinge of past decrees and future glories this is the pivot let us come to the Cross this morning and think of it till each one of us in the power of the spirit of God shall say God forbid that I should Glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. [00:07:37]

What did Paul mean by the cross did he not include under this term first the fact of the cross secondly the doctrine of the Cross and thirdly the cross of the doctrine I think he meant first of all the fact of the cross our Lord Jesus Christ did really die upon a gibbet the death of a felon he was literally put to death upon a tree a cursed in the esteem of men I beg you to notice how the Apostle puts it the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Epistles he sometimes saith Christ add another other time Jesus frequently Lord often times our Lord but here he saith our Lord Jesus Christ. [00:08:25]

The doctrine of the Cross is that of sacrifice for sin Jesus is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin Of The World God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life the doctrine is that of a full atonement made and the utmost Ransom paid Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. [00:12:23]

Paul's Doctrine was it is not of him that willth nor of him that runneth but of God that showeth mercy and it was his constant teaching that salvation is not of doing nor of Ceremonies but simply and alone by believing in Jesus we are to accept by an act of trust that righteousness which is already finished and completed by the death of our blessed Lord upon the cross he who does not preach atonement by the blood of Jesus does not preach the cross and he who does not declare justification by faith in Christ Jesus has missed the mark altogether this is the very bowels of the Christian system if our ministry shall be without blood it is without life for the blood is the life thereof. [00:13:49]

I believe again thirdly that Paul delighted to preach the Cross of Christ as the removal of all guilt he believed that the Lord Jesus on the cross finished transgression made an end of sin and brought in Everlasting righteousness he that believeth in Jesus is Justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses since sin was laid on Jesus God's Justice cannot lay it upon the believing sinner the Lord will never punish twice the same offense if he accepts a substitute for me how can he call me to his bar and punish me for that transgression for which my substitute endured the chastisement. [00:27:33]

Paul concludes this epistle by saying from hence forth let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus he was a slave branded with his master's name that stamp could never be got out for it was burned into his heart even thus I trust the doctrine of the atonement is our settled belief and faith in it is part of our life we are rooted and grounded in the unchanging varities do not try to convert me to your new views I am past it give me over you waste your breath it is done on this point the wax takes no further impress I have taken up my standing and will never quit it a crucified Christ has taken such possession of my entire nature Spirit soul and body that I am hence forth beyond the reach of opposing arguments. [00:47:12]

Paul did not blanch before the sharp and practical reply of the conquerors of the world he trembled not before Nero in his Palace whether to Greek or Jew Roman or Barbarian Bond or free he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ but gloried in the cross though the testimony that the one all sufficient atonement was provided on the cross stirs the enmity of man and provokes opposition yet Paul was so far from attempting to mitigate that opposition that he determined to know nothing saved Jesus Christ and him crucified his motto was we preach Christ crucified he had the cross for his philosophy the cross for his tradition the cross for his gospel the cross for his glory and nothing else. [00:16:23]

I make this confession and I make it very boldly that I never knew what rest of heart truly meant till I understood the doctrine of the substitution of our Lord Jesus Christ now when I see my Lord bearing away my sins as my scapegoat or dying for them as my sin offering I feel a profound peace of heart and satisfaction of spirit the cross is all I want for security and joy truly this bed is long enough for a man to stretch himself on it the cross is a chariot of Salvation wherein we Traverse the high road of life without fear the pillow of atonement heals the head that aches with anguish beneath the shadow of the cross I sit down with great delight and its fruit is sweet unto my taste. [00:34:06]

Paul gloried both in the fact of the Cross and in the doctrine of the Cross but the the Apostle also gloried in the cross of the doctrine for the death of the Son of God upon the cross is the Crux of Christianity here is the difficulty the stumbling block and the rock of offense the Jew could not endure a crucified Messiah he looked for Pomp and power multitudinous ceremonies and diverse Washings and sacrifices were these all to be put away and nothing left but a bleeding savior At The Mention Of The Cross the philosophic Greek thought himself insulted and vilified the preacher as a fool in effect he said you are not a man of thought and intellect you are not a breast of the times but are sticking in the M of antiquated prophecies why not Advance with the discoveries of modern thought the Apostle teaching a simple fact which a child might comprehend found in it the wisdom of God Christ upon the cross working out the salvation of men was more to him than all the sayings of the sages. [00:15:00]