Well, I hope we'll all practice
caution, but also know that the Lord's on the throne. Look in
the bulletin at the article by Arthur Pink, and he was talking
about something back then, but I thought it's exactly what we
need for today. Don't look at it now, wait till,
you know. Turn to 1 Corinthians 1. Verse 18, 1 Corinthians chapter
one. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved. Two kinds of people. those who
perish and those which are saved. To us which are saved, it, the
preaching of the cross, is the power of God. Let's pray. Lord, we ask in Christ's name
that we might hear the preaching of the cross this morning. What more could we ask for? Give
us grace to hear and believe the preaching of the cross. Lord,
we pray that your will would be done in all things as we know
it will. We pray according to your will
that you would make a cure for this coronavirus, if it be your
will. Give us grace to Think, walk,
and talk in a way that honors your gospel. Forgive us of our
many sins. Bless all your people everywhere
for Christ's sake. In his name we pray, amen. Now I can believe that the Bible
is the word of God, the inspired word of God, and I can be completely
ignorant of the message of the Bible. And let me repeat that. I can believe and stand for the
Bible being the inspired word of God. And I can be completely
ignorant of the message of the Bible. And I am ignorant of the
message of the Bible. If I don't see that it only has
one message, the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the only message of the
Bible. And if I do not see that, I don't
really understand the scriptures. Now in our text, verse 18, for
the preaching of the cross, that word preaching is the word logos,
the Greek word word. the preaching or the word of
the cross. Now, what is the one way that
you're going to find out what's going on in here? By the words
that come out. There's no way you can understand
what's going on in my mind unless you hear the words that come
out. Now, what is the word that comes
out of God's mind? the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is God's word with regard
to himself. That is God's manifestation of
himself. When God speaks, the cross of
the Lord Jesus Christ, not simply Christ, but the cross of the
Lord Jesus Christ is the word that comes out. The cross of
Christ, his person and his work is the expression of the mind
of the infinite, eternal, immutable, independent, sovereign God. I think that is so glorious.
The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is the word that comes out of
God's mind that expresses who he is. And there is no saving
knowledge of God without the knowledge of the cross of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, what do I mean by that?
There are some things we can know about God without knowing
anything about the cross. And notice I said no about God,
not know God, but know about God. I can look at the creation
and I can know that God is all powerful. in making this creation. And that's a logical deduction
too. I mean, it's, you can't look at creation and come up
with any other thing, but that God created the heavens and the
earth. Now I realize some people would deny that, but they didn't
always deny it. Everybody is born with that knowledge. God created the universe and
nobody created him. We can see that without the cross
of the Lord Jesus Christ, but there is no saving knowledge
of God apart from the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I
love Henry Mahan's statement that I've used so many times,
and it's really God's statement. I don't want to give credit to
any man, but I love this statement. The cross is the whole counsel
of God. Let me think about that. The cross is the whole counsel
of God. Now I'd like to begin by giving
you three things with regard to the doctrine of the cross,
or the word of the cross, or the preaching of the cross. Number one, the cross, the doctrine
of the cross, the word of the cross, the preaching of the cross.
is God's eternal purpose. Revelation 13, verse 8, and all that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of
life, of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I don't know of a verse of scripture
that I love more than that verse of scripture. I say that about
a lot of scriptures, I realize that, but I love this because
this is a reminder to us that before there was ever a sinner,
there was a Savior. And God's purpose is the cross
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. The universe was created. for
the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. I love that. The fall took place
according to God's purpose for the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything God does is for the
cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. God's eternal purpose is the
cross of Christ. Now, second thing, The cross
is God's eternal purpose and the cross is God's revelation
of himself. There's no knowing the living
God apart from the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look here
in 1 Corinthians 1 verses 23 and 24. We preach Christ Crucified. That's the cross of
the Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? That's what we preach. That's
who we preach. We preach Christ crucified. Unto the Jews, a stumbling block,
scandalous, something that they don't agree with, the religious
people. Unto the Greeks, utter foolishness. But unto them which are called. both Jews and Greeks, Christ,
the power of God, and Christ, the wisdom of God. Now when he's
talking about Christ crucified, here he mentions two attributes,
but every attribute of God is displayed in the cross. That's
what's so glorious about the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Whatever attribute there is of God is displayed in the cross,
but he mentions two. The wisdom of God, and the power
of God. Now it took the wisdom of God
to make a way for God to be utterly just and yet justify somebody
sinful like me and make it to where I stand before God without
guilt. Justified, perfectly righteous,
sinless before God. Only the wisdom of God could
make a way and this is to manifest His glory. Only the wisdom of
God could make a way for God to be just, be consistent with
his character, true to who he is, punish sin, and yet save
somebody like me when in and of myself, I'm nothing in and
of myself, but an ungodly sinner. And he can take this ungodly
sinner and make me stand before his presence without guilt, sinless,
perfect. Now only the wisdom of God could
come up with a way for that to take place. I couldn't and you
couldn't. And only the power of God could execute this. Only
the power of God could put away sin. Only the power of God could
make God become flesh, the Son of God become man. Only the power
of God could keep God's holy law perfectly. Only the power
of God could make my sin to not be and make me perfectly righteous
before God. You see, Christ, the wisdom of
God. Christ, the power of God. Now, the cross of Christ is our
salvation. 1 Corinthians 1.18, once again,
for the preaching or the word of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved. Now, that's being saved. unto us which are being saved.
And if you're being saved, it's because you've been saved. Unto
us which have been saved. And if we've been saved, we will
be saved. There's a time coming when we're
not going to deal with the flesh anymore. Unto them which are saved, The
preaching of the cross is the power of God unto salvation,
which leads me to my next point. Let's consider the accomplishments
of the cross of Christ. Now, every morning when I get
the paper, I've got a new paper boy that sometimes I'm not getting
it. I'm paying as much as I am. You'd think I'd get it every
morning, wouldn't you? But I don't know what's going on. Didn't have it Friday. But I always read the obituaries. And quite often you read of the
accomplishments of those people during their life. They'll have
big long ones and list their accomplishments. Now, one thing
I don't want in an obituary is anything but my name. You know,
that's it. It's almost embarrassing the
way people talk about all the accomplishments and the legacy
they've left and all the things they've done by their life. Well,
the Lord did accomplish something by his death, didn't he? You
know, when you and I die, what does it say about us? It says
one thing, we're sinners. That's the most comprehensive
thing you could say about your life. Talk about all these accomplishments.
Well, I'm glad you did all those things. More power to you, but
the reason you die, because you're a sinner. That's the most accurate
thing that could be said about me and you. We're sinners, that's
why we die. The wages of sin is death. And all our death says is failure. Sinner, coming short of the glory
of God. That's what my death says, that's
what your death says. So you might have a big obituary
talking about all your accomplishments, but it's very hollow. It's very
hollow. It's not real. It's blowing smoke
is all it is. But when the Lord died, totally
different. Totally different. Look in Luke
chapter nine. This is on the man of transfiguration. When two men, Moses and Elijah,
appeared when the Lord was transfigured. And I love this. And behold,
there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spake of his decease, which he should,
what's the next word? Accomplish. accomplish at Jerusalem. Talking about him being nailed
to a cross, there's something he accomplished by that. Now
let me give you several things. Number one, on the Lord's part,
this is the greatest act of obedience ever. How he obeyed his father's will. He humbled himself and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He trusted
his father completely, even while he was being nailed to a cross,
though he slay me, yet will I trust him. This is the greatest act
of obedience ever. The cross of Christ is the complete
accomplishment of the glory of God. The complete manifestation
of the glory of the blessed God. The Lord said in John chapter
17, verse four, that great high priestly prayer for his people
right before he was going to the cross. And he lets us listen
in on that. As a matter of fact, if you have
a, Try to read John 17 this week. What a blessing that would be
to you, to just read everything that the Lord said as the great
high priest of his people at this time. But he said in verse
four, I have glorified thee on the earth. I finished the work
thou gavest me to do. Now, no doubt part of the work
is saving his people. I'm thankful he did that, aren't
you? But the complete work is the full glorification, the manifestation
of the glory of the blessed God. He glorified God completely. It's the greatest act of obedience.
It's the complete glory of God. Now, third, turn with me to Colossians
1. Here is what the cross accomplished. Verse 20, the cross of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Remember, the reason this is
true is because of who died. It's Christ that died. Anybody
else dying wouldn't do anything, but it's Christ that died. And
look what he did, verse 20, and having made peace through the
blood of his cross. Now, We need to be careful. I don't want to get coronavirus
any more than you do. But if I get coronavirus and
die, you know what that day will be? The best day of my life. You see, he made my peace. And I don't have to do anything
to work up a peace with God because He made it for me. God is at
peace with me. He's satisfied with me. He's
satisfied. There's nothing else He's looking
for. Having made peace. And I love, I want somebody to
say to me, have you made your peace with God? No, I have not.
He made my peace with God. having made peace through the
blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself.
By him I say, whether they be things in earth or things in
heaven, and you that were sometime or before time alienated, and
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
in the body of his flesh through death. This is what his cross
has done, to present you holy, and unblameable, and unreprovable
in His sight. Now that's the glory of the cross.
Everybody Christ died for, right now, is holy, is unblameable. Nothing to reprove you for in
His sight. Look in Colossians chapter two,
verse 14. Here's what He did Verse 13, and you being dead
in your sins and the earned circumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him? That's when life took place,
when he was raised. Having forgiven you all trespasses,
blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing
it to his cross. Now, that's all about God's law.
God's law has all kinds of things against us. You've broken every
commandment, nonstop. I hope you believe that. You've
broken every commandment nonstop. God's handwriting of ordinance
is against you. You know what he did by the cross?
He blotted them all out. And now there's nothing to condemn
me for. All the law has to say is he's accepted. He's kept me. There's no sin. That's what the
Lord Jesus did by his death on Calvary's tree. He blotted out. The handwriting of ordinances
that was against us. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? I love the scripture in Hebrews
chapter 12, verse two, it says, looking unto Jesus, who for the
joy that was set before him, endured the cross. Despising,
counting as nothing, the shame. The word shame lets us know something
of the guilt he experienced, that he was actually ashamed
of the sin. It actually became his. I'm ashamed
of my own sin. I'm ashamed of any believer's
sin, as far as that goes. I don't want to be indifferent
about that, but I'm particularly ashamed of my own sin. Well,
the Lord experienced shame on the cross when God's people's
sins were made His, but He counted it nothing. looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was
sent before Him. You know what that joy was? The
joy of doing His Father's will. He said, my meat and drink is
to do the will of Him that sent me. And what joy He experienced,
even going to the cross, knowing He was doing His Father's will.
And you know what else His joy was? Saving me. Saving you. Do you know that
when he went to the cross, if you're a believer, your name
was on his heart? He knew what he was doing for
you, making you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in God's sight
and what joy he experienced in doing that. Turn with me to Galatians
chapter five. This is such an important scripture.
I'm running out of time here. Let me kind of put it on double
speed. Verse 11. And I, brethren, if
I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?
Then is the offense of the cross ceased? He said, if I was preaching
works, I wouldn't be being persecuted. And if I'm preaching works the
offense of the cross Has ceased now. What is the offense of the
cross? Well for one thing You know it
says he was made a curse for us in Galatians chapter 3 and
he was made sin Do you know that the word offense is scandalous
that seems scandalous doesn't it? To say that the Son of God
was made all that sin is That seems scandalous. And even saying
that makes me feel uncomfortable, because no one knows who he is.
But it's what the Bible teaches, but it seems scandalous. The
only thing more scandalous than I can think of than that is me
standing amongst the redeemed in glory. Now, that seems like
a scandal. Me, this man speaking to you,
being in that great heavenly choir, singing the praises of
the redeemed, well, that seems scandalous. Yeah, it does to
me. The scandal of the cross. The offense of the cross, it
is a scandal. That's what the word is. You think of this, the cross
offends men's self-righteousness because it says we don't have
any righteousness. None at all. Our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags. The cross offends men's sense
of My rights, I want my rights. The cross says you don't have
any rights. You lost them all in Adam and now you're in the
hands of a sovereign God who can save you or pass you by as
he's pleased, it's all up to him. You don't have any rights
because of your fall in Adam and your sin in Adam. The cross
offends men's pride because it doesn't give us anything to be
proud about. Salvation's not by our works,
it's by his grace. The cross offends men's wisdom
because it says, well, shut up to revelation. We can't figure
this out. It's up to God to reveal himself to us. Just like you'll
not know the words going on in my mind unless I let you know
and reveal them. You can guess, but you can't
know. The only way you can know the gospel, the only way you
can know God is if he makes himself known to you. The cross offends
men's love of self. And I've thought about this.
I wish I knew how to say it the way it ought to be said. But
the Lord said, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross. What we're talking about right
now, this confession of who God is. I'm to take that cross up.
Somebody says, I've got to cross the bear. Don't talk like that. You've got a cross to pick up
if you're a believer. You willingly pick up this cross,
this confession of Christ, you glory in this message, and this
is your message. If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Look in 1 Corinthians 2. Verse one, and I, brethren, when
I came to you, I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom
declaring in you the testimony of God, for I determined, I made
this my determination, not to know anything among you, save
what? Jesus Christ and him crucified. Now, why did Paul make this determination?
I mean, that's a pretty drastic statement. I'm not going to know
anything among you. I'm not going to talk about anything
else. I'm not going to be interested in anything else. This is the
only thing I'm going to speak of. Jesus Christ and Him crucified,
and I'm not going to talk about anything else. Now, that's what
he said, isn't it? That's what he said. Why? Because there's
nothing else to talk about. That's why. This is the only
message of the scripture. He's not choosing to ignore other
parts of the scriptures to talk about the most important part.
He's talking about the only message of scripture. Jesus Christ and
him crucified. Have you seen yourself? Not just because you've heard
the preacher say it. Have you seen yourself? that
Jesus Christ and him crucified is the only message of scripture,
and it covers everything. Galatians chapter six. Verse 12, as many as desire to
make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised
only as they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For
neither they themselves which are circumcised keep the law,
but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. That is a summary of man's religion.
He wants to get you to be obedient. He knows deep down he's not obedient,
but if he gets you to be obedient, that'll be a feather in his cap
and he can glory in your flesh. Look at the influence I've had
over this person. But God forbid that I should
glory. This is Paul speaking. God forbid
that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. There's only one thing we're
allowed to glory in. Not my knowledge. Not my works. Not my preaching. Not my relationships. Not my efforts. One thing every
believer glories in and has confidence in and rejoices in. The cross
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing else. What is that to
you? Do you glory only in the cross? Well, I've got a reason for glorying
in the cross, only in the cross, because I don't have anything
else to glory in. I really don't, I know that. I know as sure as
I'm a foot and a half high that I don't have anything to glory
in but the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. But how I glory,
how I rejoice in the cross. Now, in our text, back to 1 Corinthians
1, You know what I'd love to have
brought to my charge? He didn't preach anything but
the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, I'd love to have that laid
to my charge. I've had people complain about
that. Well, you listen to that guy, you've heard all he's got
to say? Good. Good. I don't want it to
be any other way. For the preaching, verse 18,
for the preaching, the word of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness, but unto us which are saved. It is the power of
God unto salvation. The cross is the power, the omnipotence
of God to salvation. Do you find it so? May God give
us all the grace to find it so. Amen.