Text: Galantians 6:14

Introduction

1.          The cross of Christ is much more than a symbol of Christian faith.  It is the secret of Christian life.

2.         The cross makes the difference in the believer’s life. 

I.      Freedom

1.          For Christians, the cross means freedom.

“In whom (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood” (Eph 1:7).

a.          Before we became Christians, we were the slaves of sin.

            When we believe in Jesus, the Lord Jesus set us free from the bondage of sin (Rom 6:6, 7).

            That is freedom!

b.         We are not to serve sin.

            Paul said, “henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom 6:6b).  We are to serve God (Rom 6:22).

c.          We must not go back to the old life.

            We must live the new life.

2.         Illustration from Lazarus.

When Jesus raised Lazarus from death, He commanded, “Loose him, and let him go” (Jn 11:44b).

a.          Lazarus was bound, so they set him free.

b.         Why?

c.          The next thing we know, Lazarus was seated with Christ and bearing witness to his saving power (Jn 12:2, 9–11).

d.         Lazarus was free to walk in newness of life because of Jesus Christ.

3.         The Apostle Paul, before and after receiving Christ, said in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

a.          Before he became a believer, he lived for himself.

b.         After he came to Christ, he lived for Christ. 

II.     Focus

1.          If we have identified ourselves with Christ, then our hearts and minds will have a new direction.

            We will focus on things above.

            “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:1–3).

2.         Can you imagine:

a.          Lazarus longing to go back to the tomb, and wanting to live like a dead man?  Of course not!

b.         The son of the widow of Nain certainly would not want to keep his grave clothes, and the bier on which the men carried him.

c.          Colossians 3:3 says, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

(1)        That is, we no longer belong to the world.

            We are dead to the world.

(2)        Our security and satisfaction are found in Christ.

(3)        Our identification and union with Christ.

d.         If our lives are hidden in Christ, we will walk the way Jesus walked.

3.         When a man and woman fall in love and plan to get married, their whole outlook on life is changed.

III.  Values

1.          The dedicated believer measures everything in life by the cross.

a.          When measured by the cross, no sacrifice we make is too great; no amount of suffering we endure is too unbearable, no burden we carry is too heavy, and no assignment we receive from God is too difficult.

b.         The worldly ambitions and achievements of the dedicated Christians become garbage.

            The Lord Jesus says, “for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Lk 16:15b).

2.         The Lord Jesus was going to the cross.

Jesus said to His disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt 16:24).

a.          Beloved, bearing the cross is not a metaphor for experiencing the normal difficulties of life, such as living or working with people we can’t agree with or having to put up with difficult circumstances.

b.         To bear the cross means daily to be identified with Christ in His shame, suffering and death. 

3.         The example of Paul.

“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Phil 3:4–7). 

IV.  Endurance

1.          Jesus endured the cross because of “the joy that was set before him” (Heb 12:2). He had the joy of returning to His Father in heaven (Jn 17:3).

2.         Paul had a similar outlook on the Christian life.

            “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:16–17).

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom 8:18).

3.         Peter had the same outlook of life.

            “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 1:6–7).

4.         It is one thing to wear a cross hanging on a gold chain, but it is another to bear a cross, following Jesus in His shame, suffering and death.

a.          Jesus says, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour” (Jn 12:26).

b.         Paul called this “the fellowship of his sufferings” (Phil 3:10b).

c.          When we truly carry the cross, we find ourselves unconcerned about the world’s offer of pleasures and success.

            We are greatly concerned about the world’s need for a Saviour.

Dearly beloved, let us focus on what the Lord wants us to do, and do them well for His glory.

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