I want you to open your Bibles
again tonight to Galatians chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6 and verse
14, and I want to pick up right where I left off Sunday morning.
I tried to preach to you Sunday morning on the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Tonight, I want to speak to you
about the glory of the cross. Paul says, God forbid that I
should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. But
what is the glory of the cross? What is it that compelled him
to glory in the cross? Let's begin in verse one and
we'll work our way down to verse 14. Galatians chapter six and
verse one. Brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault, Ye which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit
of meekness. Your brother sins a sin, not
unto death, as John describes it. Your brother falls into sin. What do you do? You help him. You lift him up. You strengthen
him. You restore him with the spirit
of meekness. Restore him with the spirit of
meekness, understanding yourself. considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted. The spirit of meekness, knowing
yourself a sinner, just like all others, knowing yourself
weak, frail flesh, just like all others. When your brother
falls, don't beat him. Don't push him down further.
Don't retaliate against him. Don't speak evil of him. Help
him. Help him up. Help him up. Because
soon you're going to need somebody to help you up. And don't forget
it. Pick him up and restore him.
Considering yourself in the spirit of meekness, lest thou also be
tempted. Verse two. Bear ye one another's
burden. Bear ye one another's burdens.
Carry each other's loads. How far do you carry that? What's
this talking about? In the context, he's specifically speaking about
the burden of sin, the burden of weakness, the burden of our
own faulty in this flesh. Bear one another's burdens with
patience. forbearing and forgiving one
another, time and time again, without number and without measure,
as you are forgiven by your Heavenly Father. Whatever the burden is
that your brother carries, shoulder to shoulder, carry it with him.
Walk together as one in Christ and one in the cause of Christ,
each carrying the other's load. Each looking out for the other. Oh, God, teach me this. It is not mine to look after
me. It is not mine to look after
me. It is mine to look after you. It is not mine to take care of
myself. It is mine to take care of you. Such is the attitude our Lord
by example and by word teaches us to have as we walk through
this world. Every man looking on the things
of others and as each child of God makes it his life's business
to take care of his brothers and sisters, his brothers and
sisters make it their life's business Take care of him. So
that we bear one another's burdens. We don't. And so fulfill the
law of Christ. That's what it is then to love
each other. What is the law of Christ? That
you love one another. How do you do that? You pick
each other up. You carry one another's loads.
Bearing one another's burdens. Verse three. For if a man think
himself to be something when he's nothing. Now, just in case
you haven't realized this today or this hour, you're nothing.
And if you think you're something, you deceived yourself. You're
nothing. Nothing. You and me and all of
us put together are all nothing. Just nothing. Sin. Ungodliness. Filth. Degradation. Wretchedness. Ignorance. Stench. Foulness. Now, any of those things
you want to identify with, you can take those. That's what you
are. And you put it all together, you're nothing. Nothing. And
that goes for everybody here, starting right here. Nothing.
And if you think you're something, you deceive yourself. Look at
me. Look what I've done. Look what
I've accomplished. Oh my, I've been so strong. I've been so faithful. I've been
so steadfast. He deceiveth himself. But let
every man prove his own work. Make your calling and election
sure. Prove your own selves. Examine yourselves whether you
be in the faith. That's your business. That's
your responsibility. You prove your own relationship
to God and your personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and
you won't need somebody else to give you comfort and sustain
you. You prove your own self and you
won't need to come to the preacher and say am I saved or am I lost? Do I know the lord or do I not
you won't need that watch what it says That every man prove
his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone
And not in another your faith will stand in christ and not
in what I say or somebody else says verse 5 For every man shall
bear his own burden We're to bear one another's burden, but
you're going to bear your own burden before God. You're going
to bear your own soul before God. Verse six, let him that
is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all
good things. If you are taught the gospel.
You are taught the word of God. You are taught the things of
God. It is your privilege and responsibility to support and
take care of those who teach you. It is altogether right that
churches supply the needs of their pastors to the best of
their ability and do so generously and care for them. taking care
that they have no need that's not supplied so that a pastor
can give himself to the work of the ministry and not be concerned
about how he's going to take care of his family. No faithful
man ought ever be concerned about how he's going to take care of
his family. That's the privilege and responsibility of God's people. But it applies not just to your
pastor. It applies to those who teach
the word. I'm going to go to Mexico, Lord
willing, Sunday afternoon. And I'll be just tickled to death
any any you want to write a check for a thousand dollars or fifty
thousand And send it down to the missionaries. I'll take it
and hand it to him personally tickle the death to do so Why? Why who would be so stupid anybody
who's taught in the word? Communicate to him who teaches
you You take of that which god's put in your hand and supply the
needs of those who serve your souls now Watch what he's saying
be not deceived. God is not mocked For whatsoever
man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his
flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth
to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. Oh, boy,
if you give and double give and triple give and tithe and double
tithe and triple tithe, oh, you're going to have lots of crowns
in heaven. No, that's not what it's saying. Now that's carnal,
fleshly, ungodly teaching. It is ungodly teaching. Proud,
carnal, and fleshly. What's he saying? He's saying
if you take what God's given you, doesn't matter whether you're
rich or poor. Doesn't matter whether you make $100 an hour
or $1 an hour. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter
what you have. But if you take what God's put
in your hand and use it to gratify your flesh, as soon as you've
gratified your flesh, It's gone. It's gone. I've come close to
owning a new car a time or two. I owned one one time, you could
actually smell the leather and it still smelled new. Man alive,
that's a good smell right there. Just, man, it smells good. And then the baby throws up.
Our best is a diaper. And all of a sudden the new is
gone. And all that was so delightful, in a few months, start looking
at another car. Because there's nothing here
that satisfies. There's nothing here that's going
to satisfy you. You sow to the flesh, you shall
have the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the spirit
shall the spirit reap life everlasting. Take what God puts in your hand. Doesn't matter what your money,
your time, your talent, your labor, your energies, whatever
God gives you. Use it for Christ and the good
of God's people and the glory of God and the increase of God's
kingdom and the furtherance of the gospel. And all my soul eternity
will tell what God does with it and bringing sinners into
life everlasting by his grace. And what's this? And let us not
be weary in well doing. For in due season, we shall reap
if we think not. Cast your bed on the waters and
just wait. You'll see it return. Verse 10.
As we therefore have opportunity, as we therefore have opportunity,
let us do good unto all men. Do good to all men. Treat everybody
good. Treat folks kindly, graciously,
generously, everybody, everybody, especially to them who are of
the household of faith. Treat folks with thoughtfulness,
gentleness, care, and loving kindness. Just do that with people. Do that with people. You ever
notice how much easier it is for you to get along when you
avoid confrontation, and you avoid conflict, and you avoid
tense situations, folks get upset, Well, a soft word turns away
anger. And you'll get along a whole
lot better that way. It'll make your life happier. But it's proper. It's proper. It's right that
we deal with all human beings with kindness and gentleness
and uprightness and honesty and integrity and faithfulness and
love. Proper that we forgive, overlook,
forbear things. Well, I'm just not going to do
that. I'm going to let anybody run over me. All right, have it your
way. And live like that if you want to. But believers, don't
do so. Don't do so. Don't retaliate. As much as lies within you, live
peaceably with all men. Live peaceably with all men.
So if a fellow is going to take your coat, give it to him. Just
let him have it. If a fellow wants to abuse you,
it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. I'm not talking
ridiculous stuff. Men smite you on the cheek. What's
that hurt? What's that? I'm going to fight back. You
know, that's my natural reaction. It's amazing I'm still alive.
I just... My natural reaction is to pop
a fella in the jaw. And you want to fight back. Don't do that.
Don't do that. You're going to be uncomfortable
and miserable the rest of the day. Don't do that. Don't retaliate. But rather do good to men, especially
unto them who are of the household of faith. Those who are loved
of God, chosen of God, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ,
called by his spiritual brother and sister in Christ, especially
do good to them. Don't retaliate evil for evil.
Don't hold grudges against them. Don't be harsh and mean. Don't be unforgiving, but kind
and gracious and forbearing and overlooking. Oh God, teach me
to live by what I preach to you right now. Verse 11, you see
how large a letter I've written unto you with mine own hand. Paul apparently wrote this by
his own hand and wrote in large letters because of his own difficulty
with vision. As many as desire to make a fair
show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised. Why do
fellows teach us to live by law? Why do folks make rules and say,
live by these rules? Why do folks have laws, and bylaws,
and constitutions, and church covenants, and church priests,
and say, this is how we live? Why do fellows make up religious
legislation and tell folks, this is what we do at our church?
So they can look at you and say, boy, you see the kind of converts
we produce? See the kind of folks we have? We've got a holy church. We've got a bunch of godly, godly
folks at our place. We preach a message that causes
people to stand out and be different, to stand up and be candid. They
only do it to make a show in your flesh. They only do what
they do in the name of religion to get attention for themselves,
only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of
Christ. They refuse to preach the gospel
because they will not, they will not, they will not willingly
endure the offense of the cross. They refuse to preach the gospel
of God's free grace. They refuse to preach Christ
crucified because they're scared to death of offending somebody.
For neither they themselves or circumcised keep the law, but
desire you to be circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. That they may point to the number
of baptisms they had this year and the number of Church members
they have and the amount of money they raised and their buildings
and and the congregation say wow look at us Look at us. They make merchandise of men's
souls. They do business counting noses
They're just religious politicians and religious hucksters who use
you for their game That's what Paul says here. Yeah, what's
what it says? But God forbid That I should
glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the
world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. For in Christ
Jesus, neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature, a new creation. And as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel
of God. I will repeat just briefly what
I said to you Sunday morning because it needs repeating as
often as I stand in the pulpit. When Paul speaks of the cross
here, when the word of God addresses the matter of the cross, speaking
of it as in reference to that which we preach, that in which
we delight, that in which we glory, it is not talking about
the historic fact that Christ died on the cross. It is not
talking about some religious icon or emblem or statue or anything
like that. If you've got crosses hanging
on your wall at home, got little crucifixes you wear around your
neck or on your keychain, little good luck charms that you use
as religious symbols, get rid of them. That stuff is just sheer
idolatry. The cross is the doctrine of the cross. The cross is the
message of the gospel of God's free grace in Jesus Christ, our
crucified substitute. Hold your hands here and turn
back to the second Corinthians chapter five. When Paul speaks
of the cross, he's talking about the doctrine of the atonement,
legal propitiation, free justification through Christ our substitute.
Look at second Corinthians five verse 17. Here's the message.
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, He's a new creature. This is
the only thing that matters. Not circumcision or uncircumcision.
Doesn't matter whether you were born a Jew or born a Gentile.
Doesn't matter whether you were raised in the church or raised
in the bar. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter.
Those things don't matter anything. But a new creature. If any man
be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things are passed away. What
you were, had been, or did. What you possessed or didn't
possess where you came from or didn't come from matters nothing
old things have passed away and behold all things have become
new And this is god's work. All things are of god Who hath
reconciled us to himself by jesus christ and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation god's given us this service of reconciliation
This message of reconciliation, this work by which God reconciles
sinners to himself, to wit that God was in Christ, reconciling
the world, reconciling his elect out of every nation, kindred,
tribe, and tongue, wherever they may be found in the world, unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed
unto us the word, the message of reconciliation. What is that? Now then, we're ambassadors for
Christ. As though God did beseech you
by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. Quit fighting God. Quit opposing
God, for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Now, how is it
that Paul Gloried in the cross. This man understood that the
only hope he had before God is the finished work of the crucified
Redeemer, that one who accomplished redemption by the sacrifice of
himself, the Lord Jesus. Do you understand that? That's
the only hope we had before God. There is no righteousness, but
his righteousness. No redemption, but His redemption.
No forgiveness, but by His blood. No salvation, but by His grace.
We recognize that our only hope before God is that Redeemer sitting
yonder in heaven who was crucified at Calvary in the womb instead
of His people 2,000 years ago. Paul gloried in the cross, recognizing
that that cross, the message of the gospel, is the message
of the entire Word of God. He said to the elders at Ephesus,
in Acts chapter 20, I have not shunned to declare to you all
the counsel of God. He was only there two years. I've been here, it's going to
be 35 years, finish up 34 years this year. I, I preach through the scriptures
pretty consistently. And I, uh, I haven't come close. I haven't come close to preaching
from every text in this book yet. I haven't come close to
it. I go through, we went through all 66 books, but we went through
them just kind of giving highlights. I haven't come close to expanding
everything in this book. But what's Paul being when he
said, I've declared to you all the counsel of God. He said,
I've told you everything God sent me to preach to you. I've
told you everything God reveals in this book. I've told you everything
sinners need to hear. I've told you everything that
a man needs to know to know God. I've preached to you the whole
message of this book. What was it? He said to the Corinthians,
I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and
him crucified. Paul understood what very few
preachers and fewer people understand in this day or have in any day. The whole Word of God contains
one message, and it is the message of the cross. It is the message
of the gospel. Brother Lindsay stands here and
teaches Sunday after Sunday and expounds the scriptures to you.
Men come in and preach. Brother Frank will be preaching
here. Sunday night by the Todd preacher, Tuesday night the Lord
willing, and they'll expand the scriptures to you. As they stand
to expand the scriptures, Mark downstairs teaches those young
people every Sunday. If you don't teach them the gospel, you haven't
taught the scriptures. Did you get that? If you don't
teach them the gospel, You haven't taught the scriptures. It doesn't
matter how accurate, how precise, how orthodox the teaching is.
If you don't teach the gospel, you haven't taught the scriptures.
And if a man doesn't preach the gospel, he hasn't preached the
scriptures. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter
9. I want you to see something. Verse 16. 1 Corinthians 9, 16. For though I preach the gospel,
I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me, yea,
woe is unto me if I preach not. Bill, that's not where it stops,
is it? That's not where it stops. There are preachers all over
the world, all over the world. You can buy them for a dime apiece.
You can buy them a dime a dozen. They're all over the place. Preachers
preaching somewhere, everywhere. You flip on the internet and
just do one of those searches and search preaching. Oh my soul. I had no idea what kind of response
you'll get from it. Preachers everywhere. Nobody
preaching the gospel world. You, you, you hard to find that
ever happened. You hard to find that ever happened. Go to churches
and stop in and listen fella preach. Well, he had a good study
of what they had to say Well, he he had he had it was all right
Not if he didn't preach the gospel it wasn't If one the preaching
the gospel it was a waste of time It was an abuse of opportunity
It was contrary to the teaching of the Word of God Necessity
is laid upon me Yea, woe is unto me if when I preach I don't preach
the gospel to you. You're going to meet God, Dodd,
maybe before I get done preaching. And it's my responsibility every
time God gives me opportunity to speak to an immortal soul
to preach the gospel of Christ to him. That's how Paul gloried
in the cross. He said, I understand the message
of the book. God sent me to preach Jesus Christ
and him crucified. But what about prophecy and church
dogma and history and stuff? I count it just dung. Just dung. Just dung. four years and two
of the most reputable Bible colleges in the world. I mean literally
two of the most reputable conservative Bible colleges in the world.
And Merle, I spent four years walking chest high in dung. That's all. That's learning about
religion, learning about creeds and history and learning about
prophecy and learning about This, that, and the other thing. Just
walking chest high and dumb. That's all. Well, Brother Don,
you can't dare talk like that. Read Philippians chapter 3 and
see if that's not how Paul spoke of this very same thing. It's
exactly what it is. Alright? Paul gloried in the
cross, then, believing Christ and preaching Christ crucified
from all the scriptures. But what is it that is the glory
of the cross? Everything about the doctrine
of the gospel is glorious. We have a glorious Savior who
died in our stead. He died for a glorious purpose
to redeem God's elect. His death reveals all the glory
of the triune God. And by his death, our Lord Jesus
raises ruined sinners up to a glorious inheritance. But let me give
you five specific answers as to what is the glory of the cross.
When I get done, there'll be a lot more to be said, and I'll
be very brief. But I want you to get these. Nothing new here,
just things I've repeated a number of times. Understand first that
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ has this glory to it. It is the
revelation of God's infinite love for sinners. It is the revelation
of the love of God to sinners. It is the revelation of the love
of God. Yes, it is first and foremost
the revelation of God's justice. First and foremost, the revelation
of God's righteousness. That's what Paul teaches us in
Romans chapter 3. But here and here alone do we
see and apprehend as best sinners can on this earth the knowledge
of the revelation of the glory of God in his love for sinners. I hear sometimes preachers mistakenly
say this or that is God's chief attribute. People commonly say
holiness is God's chief attribute. Let me tell you something. God's
holiness is no more important to him than his justice. His
justice is no more important than his grace. But this alone
is used in the scripture to describe God's character in one word. God is love. The word of God never says God
is righteousness. It never says God is holiness.
It never says that God is gracious. It says God is love. Oh, what a word. How do you know that? Where do
you see that? Well, we see that everywhere. I beg your pardon. I beg your
pardon. You don't see the love of God
anywhere except in the crucified Redeemer. You don't see the love
of God in your family. You don't see the love of God
in the birds in the sky and the air and the gentle rain and the
warm sunshine and the nice beautiful snow. No, no, no. Those things
are displays of God's power and wisdom, but not his love, not
his love. You see the love of God only
in Jesus Christ crucified. Hereby perceive we the love of
God. because He gave His life for
us. He laid down His life for us. Herein is love. Not that we loved
God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
for our sins. The enormous load of all my guilt
was on my Savior laid. The sinless one, God's spotless
lamb, for sinners sin was made. And in the darkest pangs of death,
he wept and prayed for me, loved and embraced my wretched soul
when nailed to the tree. Oh, love, amazing love, beyond
the reach of tongue. Savior, your love shall be the
theme of everlasting song. God commendeth his love toward
us. And while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Would you know the love of God?
Behold, the Lamb of God crucified on the cursed tree in the room
of sinners, that sinners might go free. Oh, let my heart ever be ravished
with this revelation of the love of God. Turn back to Jeremiah
chapter 32. Jeremiah 32. Here's the glory
of the cross. By the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the everlasting covenant of God's grace was ratified. The covenant of God's grace was
respected, brought to force, ratified by the death of the
testator. Jeremiah chapter 32, I said chapter
31, chapter 31. Now this covenant speaks of Israel
and Judah. If you care to read Hebrews chapters
eight, nine, 10 and 12, you'll find out that this covenant speaking
of Israel and Judah is God's covenant of grace to God's church. His covenant of grace for his
elect for the true Israel of God. Now this is what he says
about the covenant. Jeremiah 31 verse 31. Behold
the days come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Not according
to the covenant I thought I made with their fathers in the day
that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land
of Egypt Which my covenant they broke although I was in husband
unto them saith the Lord But you shall this shall be the covenant
that I will make on with the house of israel after those days
saith the lord i will put my law in their inward parts and
write it in their hearts and will be to them a god and they
shall be to me a people and they shall teach no more every man
his neighbor and every man his brother saying no the lord for
they shall know me they shall all know me from the least of
them to the greatest of them saith the lord for i will forgive
their iniquity and will remember their sins no more. Now this
covenant is revealed in time, but it was made before the world
began. made between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit. And by this covenant, the salvation of God's elect
was absolutely secured. For the Father and the Son struck
hands together in the covenant as Christ stood as our sheriff.
And the Lord Jesus was received and accepted as the lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. And we were accepted in the beloved. so that our salvation was done
from eternity. This is what gave David comfort
as he lay on his deathbed. Although my house be not so with
God. Mine's not as yours. Your house what you want it to
be with God? All your sons and daughters and brothers and sisters
and mothers and fathers and husbands and wives walking with God? David
wasn't either. He had a house full of rebels.
About all of them going to hell or already in hell, and he knew
it. And this is what gave him comfort. Although my house be
not so with God, yet the Lord hath made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things and sure, and this, God's covenant,
God's purpose, God's grace, God's salvation, God's son. This is
all my salvation and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
Look at Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 20. Our Lord Jesus, by his obedience
unto death, even the death of the cross as our substitute,
fulfilled and ratified that everlasting covenant, making certain that
every stipulation of the covenant was met and satisfied and all
the blessings of the covenant flow freely to God's elect. Now,
the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, he brought him again
from the dead. He raised him up out of the tomb.
Our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep. How did he do that?
by the blood of the everlasting covenant. The covenant fulfilled! The Son
arose! Because justice is satisfied,
righteousness is brought in, and God's people are redeemed.
Number three. Here's the glory of the cross.
Look at John chapter 12. By his cross, by his death, By
his accomplishments as our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus conquered Satan. Oh, what a word. He conquered
Satan. John chapter 12, verse 31. Now
is the judgment of this world. Saying that may be better translated,
now the condemnation of the world or it might be better translated
now is the turning point of the world the cross of our Lord Jesus
is that by which the whole world is condemned and it is that upon
which all history hinges the turning point of the world for
what he says now is the prince of this world cast out now is
shall the prince of this world be cast out. The Lord Jesus,
by his death on the cross, has crushed the serpent's head. Read
the 20th chapter of the book of Revelation. and John speaks
of that binding of Satan for a thousand years and calls it
the age of the first resurrection. This age in which the gospel
is preached in all the four corners of the earth and dead sinners
are raised to life by the power of the gospel. Blessed and holy
is he that hath part in the first resurrection. On such, the second
death shall have no power. He says, now is the judgment
of this world. Now shall the prince of this
world be cast out and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will
draw all men unto me. Now look at verse 33. This, he
said, signifying what death he should die. Turn over to Colossians
chapter 2. Colossians chapter 2. Let me just break in here, verse
12. We're buried with Christ in baptism, wherein also ye are
risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who
hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins,
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together
with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. Now watch how
he did it. blotting out the handwriting
of the ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us,
and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross, and having spoiled,
having spoiled, isn't that a good word? Having spoiled. When a
man takes a company to war, and they go in and conquer another
land, and they take possession of the land, and they take all
the goods of the land, They spoil the land. They take everything
that's worth anything out of the land. As Israel took all
the silver and gold and brass and iron needed in Egypt for
all their journeys, took all the wealth of Egypt with them
out of Egypt. They spoiled the land. The Lord
Jesus spoiled, spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of
them openly, triumphing over them in his cross. Oh, the Lord
Jesus has conquered Satan. So that that roaring lion, that
old serpent, the devil, that dragon of hell, that prince of
darkness, can never in any way harm one of his own. All they can do is roar. All
they can do is roar. All they can do is roar. Nothing
else. Nothing else. We used to take
faith to the zoos like you did your children. And when she was
a little girl, I recall once there was a little
zoo close to us in West Virginia. Just she and I were there. And
they had some mountain lions in there. When she'd be by herself,
that lion just paced up and down in front of that cage and let
out a roar one time. Man, just a blood-curdling roar
scared the liver out of her. I kind of jumped a little bit,
but I wasn't scared. It just kind of startled me because I wasn't expecting
it. I knew the lion couldn't hurt me. He was in a cage, in
a cage he couldn't possibly break through. Will you hear me, children
of God? Stop the trembling. Stop the
whining as though somehow Satan's going to win the day. He can't
even injure you, let alone conquer you. He's conquered. His head's been crushed. The
Lord Jesus did it. What's the glory of the cross?
Here it is. It is the complete removal of
the curse of God's law from His people. Look at Galatians chapter
3. Galatians chapter 3. Christ hath redeemed us, verse
13, from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for
it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. When
the Son of God died yonder upon the curse tree, when he was made
sin for us, he was made a curse for us. He who was made sin was
made the curse. And being made the curse, he
endured all the fury of God's holy wrath and justice in the
place of his people and endured it until the curse is gone. Gone. Christ has 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. But the sentence
doesn't end there. Look at the next line, verse
14. This is why I did it, that the blessing of Abraham, the
blessing of the covenant, the covenant God made with Christ
before the world began, of whom Abraham is just a type, the blessing
of Abraham. What did God say to Abraham?
He said, I'm going to bless you. And I'm going to bless all your
seed. and in blessing you and blessing your seed, I'm going
to make you a blessing. And this is what Paul says to
us, bringing this thing of God's covenant with Abraham and God's
blessing to Abraham and God's promise to Abraham down to God's
elect, the true children of Abraham. He says that the blessing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles. You were God's elect scattered
in the four corners of the earth through Jesus Christ. Well, what
is that? What is that? That we might receive
the promise of the spirit. through faith. The blessing of
Abraham. Abraham would take his son, according
to the commandment of God, and on the eighth day circumcise
his children. Every male child in Israel who
had a faithful daddy and mother circumcised that baby on the
eighth day. And by circumcising that baby
on the eighth day, he said, look here, this is a son of Abraham. And all God's blessings, Thomas
Abraham belonged to him. This is a man. through whom God
promised to send his son into the world. This is God's covenant
child. All that symbolically, ceremonially
portrayed in circumcision. Christ crucified at the appointed
time of love, sends his spirit and performs a work of circumcision
in the hearts of chosen sinners. And when he causes the sinner
redeemed by his blood to be born again by his spirit, by an operation
made in the heart without hands, the work of God, the Holy Spirit,
the spirit of God says, look here now, this is a son of God. This is a covenant child. This
is one in whom the Christ of God resides. And now there's
no condemnation to him. Oh, how blessed it is, from which
this fear and unbelief has not the father put to grief his spotless
son for me? And will the righteous judge
of men condemn me for that debt of sin which Lord was charged
on thee? Oh no, complete atonement thou
hast made, and to the utmost farthing paid whate'er thy people
owed. How then can wrath on me take
place, if sheltered in thy righteousness, and sprinkled with my blood?
If thou hast my discharge procured, and freely in my room endured
the whole of wrath divine, payment God cannot twice demand. First
at my bleeding surety's hand, and then again at mine. All right,
look at chapter six and verse 16 of Galatians. Here's the glory
of the cross. Here's the glory of the cross. It becomes for every heaven born soul, a sweet and
comfortable rule by which to live. Paul's still talking about
the glory of the cross. He says, as many as walk according
to this rule. What rule? The rule of the cross. Peace be on them. That is, peace shall surely be
upon them. All who live under the rule and
dominion of the cross find peace. Believers don't live under the
terrifying rule of law. They live under the rule of the
crucified Redeemer, under the rule of substitutionary redemption
accomplished, the rule of the cross. And he who died in our
stead says, come unto me. All ye that labor in a heavy
laden, take my yoke upon you. and learn of me. And ye, I'm sorry, let me go
back to that. Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you shall find
rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light. God forbid that I should glory
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.