1 Corinthians 17 and 18. This passage of scripture could
be my text every time I stand up here. With God enabling me, I could
preach the whole Bible from these two verses. What book of the
Bible would not be appropriate? to turn to and expound based
on this passage. What chapter does not apply to
the cross? More and more as I preach, my
desire and my prayer to God is that he would open our hearts
to receive the gospel. I've said to you many times,
a lot of things have to happen in order for this to happen.
But the one thing needful is Christ. And the only way we receive
him is by God opening our hearts. Now that's said a lot of different
ways in the scripture. Stabbing us in the heart, that's
one way it's put, isn't it? Opening our hearts, as Lydia
there in the book of Acts, it says they were stabbed in their
hearts. They were wounded in their hearts
by the word of God, by the truth of Christ. It's put other ways,
but God has got to open our hearts. Our Lord prayed and said, I thank
you, Father, that you've hid these things from the wise and
the prudent and you revealed them to babes. That's what we
need tonight. We need him to reveal Christ
to us and in us. The plain, clear, life-giving
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is able to make a sinner wise
unto salvation. But God's got to do something
for us. It doesn't happen just by the
function of the preacher studying and bringing a message and making
points and staying on subject. It doesn't happen just by us
coming here and gathering together and sitting down and listening.
We need God and we need him now. We need him right now. And that's
my prayer more and more as we gather It's not enticements and
threats that will save our children. The gospel is the power of God
and the salvation to everyone that believes. It's not rebuke
that will correct us. It's not me standing up here
and saying this is bad and that is bad, don't do that. The scriptures
are profitable for reproof and the scriptures are the gospel. It's not psychological tricks
and rhetoric that will comfort us and give us confidence and
fulfillment. Only Christ can comfort, feed,
and encourage the sheep. So pray with me always as we
gather that he will meet with us and do for us what we cannot
do for ourselves. Thank God he didn't just help
those who help themselves. He helps the helpless, and that's
us. It's also important to me tonight
not to preach about preaching Christ. I don't want to teach
you what it means to preach Christ. I just want to preach Christ.
May God give me grace to do that. Now the preaching of the cross
is not the only way the gospel is referred to in scripture,
but it is one of them. And that's one of the things
I want us to understand. The gospel is described as the
preaching of the cross. It's called the preaching of
Christ and him crucified. Paul said, God forbid that I'm
determined not to know anything among you, said Jesus Christ
and him crucified. It's called the gospel of God.
It's called the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. I believe
in first Timothy. These are all referring to the
same truth, the same doctrine, the same thing. Why is it called
the gospel of God? Well, because what it is, what
the gospel is, is that God so loved the world that he gave
his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. It's God's gospel. It's God's
word. God is the one that sent his
son. God is the one that purposed to save his sheep from the foundation
of the world. God originated the gospel. He perpetuates the gospel. He
is the gospel. But it's also called the gospel
of Christ. God, in the person of his son,
came where we were and accomplished salvation for us. Why is it called
the gospel of the glory of the blessed God? Because only the
gospel reveals the glory of God. What is God's glory? I'll have
mercy. I'll have mercy on sinners, on
the ones I wanna have mercy on. Don't leave that part out now
because that's part of the glory of God. That's why it's a big
problem when salvation is a crapshoot in religion. It's just God shot
into a flock of ducks hoping to hit some of them. That's not
my Savior crucified. He died for his sheep, and his
sheep shall never perish. Why? Because he died for his
sheep. That is the reason that they're saved. That is their
salvation. And that alone, him alone. It's
because What Christ accomplished on Calvary is salvation because
Christ is the good news and God's glory is seen in the face of
Jesus Christ The gospel of the glory of the Blessed God. Why
is it called the preaching of the cross? That's our subject
tonight because the good news is that God saves sinners And
the way he did is by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now
that sounds very simple and simplistic and obvious and something that
may just go in one ear after another, but that's not what
this world believes. They don't believe that. They
believe that God saves sinners by this whole big long process
that involves mostly the sinner. We believe and know from the
word of God that the cross is salvation. It's not the preaching of what
will you do with Jesus, it's the preaching of the cross. The
cross, not a cross. There should, there really is
but one cross, right? I started to say there should
never have been but one cross. People shouldn't make crosses.
God didn't ordain that. God didn't approve that. And
we find out in the Old Testament, the Old Testament God and the
New Testament God are just God. We find out he doesn't take too
kindly to people just making stuff that he didn't ordain and
specifically order. Not a cross, Christ's cross. Crosses don't save people or
even bring them good luck. They should not be worn. They
should not be formed with the motion of the hand like you're
trying to scare a vampire away or something. It's stupid superstition. Whether you believe in vampires
or don't believe in vampires, it's stupid superstition. The cross, the cross of Christ
is salvation. God purposed to save all of his
elect before the foundation of the world. Were they saved then? I don't see how you could say
they weren't. If God purposes something, it's
done. God's purpose is not like ours. Salvation was purposed by God
and his purposes are sure, they're certain. They are immutable. He said, I've spoken it, shall
I not do it? We're talking about God now.
God's eternal salvation of his sheep is a blessed doctrine.
Isn't it wonderful to know that God had already forgiven your
sin before you ever sinned it? I take comfort in that, because
it reminds me who I'm dealing with. He's the sovereign God
and we love to think of him so. The salvation that God purposed
though is the cross. He didn't purpose to give people
a chance to be saved. He purposed to save them by the
blood of his son and then he sent his son down here to shed
his blood to save them. We must understand that. The
preaching of the cross That's why what we do is called the
preaching of the cross, because the saving that was ordained
in eternity by God took place on Calvary. It doesn't take place
in your decision-making process. It doesn't take place by you
searching your heart for some kind of a spark. It took place
on Calvary. I'll tell you why else it's called
that, preaching of the cross. What Christ did on the cross
was save us. He didn't earn a chance for us
to be saved. He didn't make it possible. He
didn't make it available. It's not the preaching of God
did all he can do, now it's up to you. It's the preaching of
the cross. It's the preaching of Christ
crucified. The good news is news of what
he did. Does that make sense? That's the good news. The gospel
is not trying to get you to do something for God. I'm just up
here telling you what God did for you, if you believe. If you're his, well, how can I know that? Believe
on him. Come to him, look to him for
all that you need to be saved, to please God, to find acceptance
with God, righteousness and a sin offering. The good news is news of what
Christ did on Calvary and what he did is what it is because
of who did it. Don't forget that either. Forbid
that I should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, but
what is that? What is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ? Paul said Determined not to know
anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucify his cross
The infallible It's the infallible invincible
victorious and Successful almighty son of God came to save us. And
when he had done it, he said, it's done. It's so simple. It's so simple. You can't miss
it unless you're just determined to miss it. You can say that about people
in earthly things, can't you? You're saying the evidence is
right in front of your face and you can't see it. They see it,
they're determined not to believe it. You can't hate somebody you don't
understand. You don't know. Even when they knew God though,
they glorified him not as God. That's the problem. God laid help, our help. on one who's mighty. His perfect, victorious, cannot
fail son. When he had done what he did
for us, he said, it's finished. It's perfect. The son of man
has come to seek and to save that which was lost. It's finished. Perfect salvation accomplished
by Christ alone, The cross that's why it's the preaching of the
cross The cross which represents what Christ accomplished there.
It's not a shape It's an accomplishment They spoke of the death that
he should accomplish Its salvation I want you to give careful consideration
to the language very familiar language in Romans chapter 8
verse 31, please turn there with me and Romans chapter 8 I Want you to think about this
because there's a couple of scriptures that are often quoted To set forth to expound the the
doctrine we're teaching right now that the successful nature
of the cross the efficacy of the cross is what theologians
call it and But every part of this passage, listen, Romans
8.31. What shall we say then to these things? If God be for
us, who can be against us? You know, that teaches the efficacy
of the cross right there. What is God for us but the cross? Every blessing that God has to
bestow upon a sinner happened on the cross. When he gave us
his only begotten son, he gave us everything. He's for us. Now who's gonna
do something against that? Who's gonna disannul that? You,
me, Satan. Verse 32, he that spared not
his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things? That's the efficacy
of the cross, is it not? That's saying no way is God gonna
spare not his son for you and then put you in hell. If he spared not his own son
for you, if he gave his son on Calvary for you, then everything
that God has is yours. And it's all in Christ. Is that
not what that says? If Christ dies for you and you
still go to hell, does verse 32 make a lick of sense anymore?
Can you put any hope in the word of God anymore? All of scripture
teaches this. This is our hope. We preach the
cross because the cross is our salvation, our hope, our life,
everything. I'm not telling you what you
need to do tonight. I'm telling you what God did.
If you believe on him, he did it for you. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died. Well, religion says you can be
condemned in spite of the fact that Christ died for you. God
says no. Who is he that condemneth? There's
one reason that no charge can be laid against God's elect by
anybody in heaven, earth, or hell, because Christ died for
that sinner. One reason we preach the cross. Yea, rather that it's risen again
who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. Look at this one. Does this have
anything to do with the efficacy? of Christ's atonement on Calvary,
who shall separate us from the love of Christ? You know what
love is? Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us and sent
his son to be the propitiation for our sin. Who's gonna separate
me from that? If Christ loved me that much
that he laid down his life, nobody took it from him. He laid it
down of himself for me. Who's going to separate him from
me now? Your stupid sentimental doctrine,
your blasphemies from the pulpit, not going to do it, not going
to cut it. That's the preaching of the cross.
It is Christ that died. And Christ Jesus dying for me
means no condemnation. It means inseparable love. It
means that I am freely given all things in him. Is that good
enough for you? That's our rest, not in what
we do or think or decide or, Look with me, well, John chapter
10, you're familiar with John 10, verse 11, I believe that's
where he said, I'm the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep. That's the cross. And then I
believe in verse 15, he said there also, he talks about giving
himself for the sheep. But then look at verse 25 with
me, let's turn over because I don't want to misquote it. What's your hope tonight? A decision
you made? That God left it up to you and
you did the right thing? I know that's not your hope tonight
if you're here. But John 10 verse 25, let's look
at verse 15, because I might have not quoted it perfectly
there. As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father. and I lay down my life for the
sheep. He says that twice now leading
up. I lay down my life for the sheep. Now in the same occasion,
same chapter, yes, but in the very same conversation, he says
to the religious Jews, you're not my sheep, you're not my sheep. And that's the reason you don't
believe on me, because you're not my sheep. Don't get plainer
than that now. Why is that important? Because
when Christ lays down his life for a sinner, everything is given
to that sinner. When Christ is, how shall he
not? What's he gonna withhold from me? Who can separate me from that
kind of love? And then look at verse 25, what
a beautiful, Jesus answered them, I told you now, if you're the
Christ, just tell us plainly, I told you. And you believe not the works
that I do in my father's name, they bear witness of me, but
you believe not because you're not of my sheep, as I said unto
you. Oh, but here's where it gets wonderful. Everything that
comes out of his mouth is wonderful, but listen to this. My sheep
hear my voice. Not I hope they do, not that's
what I want if they'll just let me, you know, if they'll let
me tell them. And I know them and they follow
me. You see how it gets real certain
all of a sudden? It's all certain. But when it
comes to his sheep, there's nothing left up to chance. There's nothing
left up to man. There's nothing left up to anybody
in heaven, earth, or hell. He said, my sheep, I know them. And look what he said. I give
unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them.
out of my hand. I lay down my life for the sheep,
preaching of the cross. Because of the cross, I can never
perish. Our text says that the preaching
of the cross is foolishness to them that perish. You know, another
way the gospel is described in Galatians 5.11 is the offense
of the cross. We preach the offense of the
cross. The offense of the cross would be ceased if Paul preached
works, he says in Relations 5.11. Why is it offensive? Why is it
foolishness to them that are perishing? Because the cross
says that salvation's not up to you. You see, I believe the
clearest way to refute the soul damning error of our day is to
put it right in their own words. What do they say? Oh, salvation's
up to you. No, it is not. No, it is not. The cross declares that salvation
was decided and accomplished by Christ on the cross. That's
why it's foolishness to them. It's not because they don't understand.
Oh, that's confusing. I don't understand it. Malarkey. You know exactly what we're saying.
You just don't like it. It's willful ignorance. Jonah said, salvations of the
Lord. And we quote that a lot, but
do you remember why he said that? He said, I'm in the belly of
hell, but I'm gonna look to the cross. I'm gonna look to Christ
crucified. I'm gonna look to the temple
where the blood is applied, where atonement is made. That's the
cross. And God saved him from the belly
of hell. He was hopeless. He was helpless.
He was in the dark and miserable as it gets. And God just saved
him. And he said, salvation is of the Lord. Have
we learned that yet? If we preach the cross enough,
maybe we'll figure that out. Maybe God will tell us. Oh my
goodness. What a glorious message it is.
The message of the cross. You're so wretched, vile, and
monstrously evil that you're helpless and hopeless to do anything
about it. That's the message of Calvary. If there had been a law which could have given life,
if there was anything that you could have done for God, If there
was anything you could do right. Is that not what Paul's saying
there? If there was anything. How simpler does it get than
don't eat of that tree? Paradise is yours, don't eat
that. Because I'm God, that's why. If there had been a law that
could have given life, then salvation would have been by the law. But it is of faith that it might
be by grace to the end, that the promise might be sure to
the seed, to the elect. Dead in trespasses and sins we
are, and we have just as much power to change that as a physically
dead man has to come forth out of the grave. If a dead man's
coming out of the grave, God's gonna have to say something. That's why we preach the cross. That's what God has to say to
sinners like us. His son and what he did. No power, no ability. That's
what Paul said very soon in our context that we'll look at. Not only is it foolishness, but
neither can they know. Because it's spiritually discerned.
And we are spiritually dead. But when the cross is preached,
sometimes Christ speaks in power and says, come forth. And he
that was dead comes forth. That's our text, the last part
of 18, isn't it? The power of God. the power with
which God saves. The power with which Lazarus
was given life after four days stinking dead was what? The voice of Christ, the voice
of God. What's the power of God unto
salvation? The voice of God in the preaching
of the cross. No man can come unto me except
the Father which hath sent me draw him, our Lord said in John
six. What is God's drawing power unto
salvation? The gospel preaching of the cross. With men it's impossible, but
with God, all things are possible. Religion preaches it's up to
you. Come to the front, make a decision, repeat after me,
rededicate your life, come get saved. With men it's still impossible. If a sinner's gonna be saved,
somebody's got to preach the cross. Whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved, but how shall they call
on him of whom they've not heard? How shall they believe on him
of whom they've not heard? How shall they call on him of
whom they've not believed? And how shall they believe on
him of whom they've not heard? And how shall they hear without
the preaching of the cross? And how is the cross gonna be
preached unless God sends somebody to do that? You know, he taught
us to pray to the Lord of the harvest. Boy, this would be a good time
to do that, wouldn't it? Pray to the Lord of the harvest.
Lord, send forth laborers into your field. Send us somebody
that glorifies you in every word because they preached the cross
where every one of your glorious attributes was revealed and set
forth. The only place where God is glorified
and man is saved. Give us grace. The cross says there's no hope
for you but the cross. That's why it's foolishness to
them that perish. And that's why they perish. If
the cross is foolishness to you, what hope do you have? Paul said, God forbid that I
should glory, saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
remember now, what our Lord said in John 3.14, Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness Even so must the Son of Man be
lifted up. You remember what happened in
the wilderness? all the camp of Israel was bitten by fiery
serpents that had come into the camp and Many had died and were
dying And God told Moses people said we've sinned We've sinned
against God Moses speak to the Lord. I Speak to him he did and
god told moses make a serpent of brass and lift it up on a
pole And tell everybody look and live Look and live Christ said even so must the
son of man be lifted up In the likeness of sinful flesh why
a serpent because that's what we are snakes you generation
of vipers. But the Lord came in the likeness
of sinful flesh, yet without sin. He condemned sin in the flesh.
Chris, what does the preaching of the cross say to me? It's not just doctrine. It's
your hope. What does it say to me? Look, the Lord Jesus said in
Isaiah 45, 22, look unto me and be ye saved. You reckon that God will save
you if you look to him? Look unto me and be you saved. What part does the sinner's prayer
have in that? What part does walking down an
aisle have in that? What in the world has that got
to do with religious trinkets and ceremonies? The nonsense that goes on in
this religious world. Look unto me and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth. You remember the next part? You know how that happens? How
can you just look? How can you say, they don't even
say turn your head and look, just look. Did you know that
looking is receiving something? Your eye doesn't act upon something
to look at it, it acts upon your eye. Only God can give an eye. We can't make eyes, can we? But
he does. For I am God. And there's none else. Isn't that glorious and simple,
plain, clear? Look unto me and be ye saved.
All the ends of the earth, I don't care where you are, who you are,
what you are. For I'm God. I'm God. and there is none else. Look
unto me because I am God, the one you've sinned against. You're
gonna have to look to the one who is your problem. What was
it the early church preached? They preached Jesus Christ, whom
you crucified. And there's none other name under
heaven given among men whereby you must be saved. You've got
to come to the one that you nailed to a cross and spit on and ask
him for mercy. Look unto me and be ye saved.
For I'm God, I'm the one whose face you spit in every day. I'm
the one who you sinned against. I'm the one who ought to put
you in hell. You better look here, look here. the one that you must bow to, though you crucified him. Look
unto me, for I'm God, whose hand is not shortened, that it cannot
save. Only the sovereign can save you.
Look to him, there's not another one. A God that wants to and tries
can't save you. There is none else. In fact,
the scripture says, if any man preach anybody else, anything
else but the gospel, we've preached unto you, the preaching of the
cross, let him be accursed. Look unto me, don't labor for
me. He doesn't need you to do anything
for him. You need him to do everything
for you. That's what look to means. Look
to him for righteousness. Look to him for atonement from
sin. Don't look to yourself for anything,
he don't. Look to Christ alone and be ye
saved. He's God. He saves whom he pleases. And he's the one that we need
to be saved from. Ourselves, but because God is
God. And we're wretched, vile sinners. Look unto me. Let's pray.