The Cross: Pathway to True Christian Life

Devotional

Day 1: Living Crucified with Christ

The Spirit of the Cross is the essence of true Christian life, leading believers to live as those crucified with Christ. This Spirit is not merely about enduring suffering but is deeply rooted in the disposition that animated Christ throughout His life. It calls for a transformation of the heart and mind, aligning one's life with the selfless love and obedience exemplified by Jesus. By regarding the flesh as crucified, believers can conquer worldly desires and live in the freedom of the Spirit. This journey is not about self-denial for its own sake but about embracing a life that reflects Christ's sacrificial love and humility. [01:46]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to live as if it is crucified with Christ? How can you invite the Spirit to transform this area today?

Day 2: The Cross as the Path to God

The cross is the way to God, speaking of sin, curse, suffering, and death. Through the cross, Christ opened the path for humanity to draw near to God, bearing the judgment on sin and breaking the power of death. This act of atonement is not just a historical event but a present reality that invites believers into a deeper relationship with God. By embracing the cross, believers acknowledge their need for redemption and the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice. It is through this path that one can experience true reconciliation and peace with God. [13:15]

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Reflection: How can you draw nearer to God today, acknowledging the power of the cross in your life? What steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Him?

Day 3: Triumph in the Present Reality

The triumph of the cross is a present reality, leading believers in triumph in Christ. This victory is not just a past event but a continuous triumph over the powers of darkness, proclaiming liberty to all who yield to Christ and His cross. The declaration "It is finished" signifies the completion of Christ's work and the beginning of a new life for believers. This triumph empowers Christians to live victoriously, overcoming sin and darkness through the power of the cross. It is a call to live in the freedom and authority that Christ has secured for His followers. [21:48]

Colossians 2:14-15 (ESV): "By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to experience the triumph of the cross? How can you live in the victory that Christ has already secured for you?

Day 4: Separation from the World

The relationship between the cross and the world is one of enmity. The cross is the separation between the believer and the world, a call to be crucified to the world and its spirit. This separation is not about isolation but about living a life that reflects the values of God's kingdom rather than the fallen world. The cross empowers believers to resist the temptations and influences of the world, drawing them into a life of holiness and purpose. It is a call to live distinctively, bearing the cross daily as the path to life and blessing. [27:04]

James 4:4 (ESV): "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Reflection: What worldly influences do you need to separate from to live a life that honors God? How can you practically take steps to align your life more closely with the values of God's kingdom?

Day 5: Embracing the Daily Cross

The daily cross is a call to deny self and take up the cross daily, living a life of separation from the world and its spirit. It is through the daily cross that believers find the power to live a life of blessing and victory in Christ. This daily commitment involves a conscious decision to follow Christ's example, prioritizing His will over personal desires. By embracing the daily cross, believers experience the transformative power of Christ in their lives, leading to spiritual growth and maturity. It is a journey of continual surrender and renewal, drawing strength from the Spirit to live faithfully each day. [35:14]

Luke 9:23-24 (ESV): "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.'"

Reflection: What does taking up your cross daily look like in your current season of life? How can you intentionally practice self-denial and follow Christ more closely today?

Sermon Summary

The Cross of Christ is the ultimate expression of the Spirit of Christ, embodying the essence of His mission and the path to true Christian life. The Spirit that led Christ to the cross is the same Spirit that flows from the cross to us, imparting its power and meaning. This Spirit is not just about the suffering or the act of crucifixion but is deeply rooted in the disposition that animated Christ throughout His life. It is through this eternal Spirit that Christ offered Himself to God, and it is this same Spirit that leads us to live a life crucified with Christ.

The cross is not merely a symbol of atonement but a call to live in intimate spiritual fellowship with Christ, bearing the cross daily and glorying in it. This means living as those crucified to the world, conquering the flesh by regarding it as crucified. The Spirit of the Cross is the only true Christian life, marking our like-mindedness to Jesus. It is the path to glory, requiring the denial of self and the acceptance of the cross as the way to life.

The cross is the way to God, speaking of sin, curse, suffering, and death. It is through the cross that Christ opened the path for us to draw near to God, bearing the judgment on sin and breaking the power of death. The cross is the triumph over the powers of darkness, a victory that began when Christ declared, "It is finished." This triumph is not just a past event but a present reality, leading us in triumph in Christ.

The relationship between the cross and the world is one of enmity. The world, in its fallen state, is opposed to the kingdom of God. The cross is the separation between the believer and the world, a call to be crucified to the world and its spirit. The cross is the power of God to draw men out of the world and into His kingdom. It is through the cross that we are called to live a life of separation from the world, bearing the cross daily as the path to life and blessing.

Key Takeaways

1. The Spirit of the Cross is the essence of true Christian life, leading us to live as those crucified with Christ, conquering the flesh by regarding it as crucified. This Spirit is not just about suffering but is deeply rooted in the disposition that animated Christ throughout His life. [01:46]
2. The cross is the way to God, speaking of sin, curse, suffering, and death. It is through the cross that Christ opened the path for us to draw near to God, bearing the judgment on sin and breaking the power of death. [13:15]
3. The triumph of the cross is a present reality, leading us in triumph in Christ. This triumph is not just a past event but a continuous victory over the powers of darkness, proclaiming liberty to all who yield to Christ and His cross. [21:48]
4. The relationship between the cross and the world is one of enmity. The cross is the separation between the believer and the world, a call to be crucified to the world and its spirit, living a life of separation from the world. [27:04]
5. The daily cross is a call to deny self and take up the cross daily, living a life of separation from the world and its spirit. It is through the daily cross that we find the power to live a life of blessing and victory in Christ. [35:14]
** [35:14]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - The Spirit Leads to the Cross
[00:51] - The Cross and the Holy Spirit
[01:18] - The Cross as Our Life
[02:15] - The Disposition of Christ
[03:13] - The Eternal Spirit in Christ
[04:07] - The Spirit's Work in Us
[05:34] - Denying Self and Taking the Cross
[07:00] - The Mystery of the Cross
[12:00] - The Cross: The Way to God
[18:01] - The Triumph of the Cross
[24:57] - The Crucifixion of the World
[30:06] - The Power of the Cross
[34:44] - The Cross and Sanctification
[35:14] - The Daily Cross

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Cross of Christ

Bible Reading:

Hebrews 9:14 - "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."
Galatians 2:20 - "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."
1 Peter 3:18 - "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit."

Observation Questions:

According to Hebrews 9:14, what role does the eternal Spirit play in Christ's offering to God? How does this relate to the Spirit's work in us? [00:09]
In Galatians 2:20, what does it mean to be "crucified with Christ"? How does this affect the way we live our daily lives? [01:46]
How does 1 Peter 3:18 describe the purpose of Christ's suffering and death? What does this imply about our relationship with God? [12:15]
The sermon mentions that the cross is not just a symbol of atonement but a call to live in spiritual fellowship with Christ. How is this reflected in the passages we read? [01:31]

Interpretation Questions:

What does it mean for the Spirit of the Cross to be the essence of true Christian life, as mentioned in the sermon? How does this understanding impact our daily walk with Christ? [01:46]
The sermon states that the cross is the way to God, speaking of sin, curse, suffering, and death. How do these elements contribute to our understanding of the cross as a path to God? [13:15]
How does the triumph of the cross as a present reality influence our perspective on spiritual battles and victories in our lives? [21:48]
The sermon describes the relationship between the cross and the world as one of enmity. How should this understanding shape our interactions with worldly influences? [27:04]

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt the Spirit leading you to a deeper understanding of the cross. How did this experience change your perspective on your faith journey? [00:51]
The sermon emphasizes living as those crucified to the world. What practical steps can you take to separate yourself from worldly influences that hinder your spiritual growth? [01:58]
How can you incorporate the practice of denying self and taking up your cross daily into your routine? What challenges do you anticipate, and how can you overcome them? [05:49]
In what ways can you actively participate in the triumph of the cross in your community, proclaiming liberty to those around you? [21:48]
Consider the enmity between the cross and the world. How can you ensure that your life reflects a clear separation from worldly values and aligns with the Spirit of the Cross? [27:04]
Identify an area in your life where you struggle to deny yourself. What specific actions can you take this week to surrender that area to Christ and embrace the cross? [06:46]
The sermon calls us to live a life of blessing and victory in Christ through the daily cross. How can you encourage others in your small group to embrace this call and support each other in this journey? [35:14]

Sermon Clips

The Cross of Christ is the highest expression of the spirit of Christ. The cross is his chief characteristic, that which distinguishes him from all in Heaven and Earth, that which gives him his glory as mediator on the throne through eternity. Until we truly know the spirit that led Christ to the cross, we neither know it nor him. [00:12:16]

Scripture does not teach that with the bearing of the Cross and the atonement, the meaning of the Cross is exhausted. It tells us that in the most intimate spiritual Fellowship, the cross is to be our life. We are to live as crucified with Christ. We are to walk as those who have crucified the Flesh and can conquer it in no way but by every hour regarding it as crucified. [00:78:36]

The path in which Jesus Christ walked had its value in the first place not from the amount of suffering or the actual surrender to death but from the disposition which animated him. That disposition was not something strange or different which came in his last hour, but what animated and inspired him through the whole course of his Earthly life. [00:146:24]

The cross speaks of sin, curse, suffering, and death. It is only as man is ready to part utterly and entirely with his whole present life to die to it that he can enter into or fully receive unto himself the life and glory of God. All this Christ did; his whole life was animated by the crucifixion Spirit. [00:726:12]

The cross is the only way for human nature to come to God. It is the path in which Christ himself walked, the path which he opened for us, the path in which we too walk, the path in which alone we can lead others. The way of the cross was the way in which Jesus as man personally walked his whole life through. [00:842:16]

The cross is a triumph which began when Christ cried out, "It is finished." It is the beginning of a triumphal procession in which Christ moves on through the world in Hidden Glory, leading captivity captive, leading into Liberty his ransomed ones. The believer can now ever rejoice, thanks be unto God which always leads us in Triumph in Christ. [01:300:14]

The cross is the turning point. In our text, we have a wonderful lifting of the veil to show what the Redemption of the Cross implies. Having put off from himself the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in the cross. In the darkness of the cross, the powers of Darkness had made their Onslaught. [01:1212:33]

The cross is the symbol of Victory. He led them in Triumph as prisoners, their power forever broken, the Gate of the prison house in which they hold men captive broken open, and Liberty is proclaimed to all their Prisoners. The prince of this world is now cast out; he no longer has power to hold in bondage those who long for deliverance. [01:1263:36]

The cross is a Triumph. This is the great lesson of our text. The cross is a triumph which began when Christ cried out, "It is finished." It is the beginning of a triumphal procession in which Christ moves on through the world in Hidden Glory, leading captivity captive, leading into Liberty his ransomed ones. [01:1295:09]

The cross is the Everlasting signal of the victory Christ has won by weapons not of fleshly warfare. Yes, and of the victory which every servant of Christ in particular can continually win as he enters more deeply into the spirit of his crucified Lord and so yields more fully to him. [01:1464:09]

The cross was the separation between them. The cross was the sign of the world's condemnation of Christ. Paul accepted it; he was crucified by the world and to it. The cross was God's condemnation of the world. Paul saw the world condemned and under the curse. The cross was the Everlasting separation between himself and the world. [01:1642:26]

The cross removes the curse from the believer, not from the world. Whatever has sin in it has the curse on it as much as ever. Whatever the believer is to possess of this world and its goods must first be Sanctified by the word of God and by prayer. [01:1933:38]

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