Pastor
Larry Gatlin, USA
1
Cor 1:18 KJV For the preaching of the cross is to them
that perish foolishness;
but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
THE
CROSS REPRESENTS VARIOUS THINGS TO EACH OF US.
Ř
FOR SOME IT WOULD SPEAK OF POWER.
Ř
FOR
OTHERS IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE.
WHAT
DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
LET’S
TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT TWO AREAS. THERE ISN’T ENOUGH TIME TO FULLY DEVELOP THIS
THOUGHT BUT LET’S PRESS ON JUST THE SAME.
THE
SHAPE OF THE CROSS SPEAKS TO US OF TWO AREAS: THE VERTICAL AND THE HORIZONTAL.
●
THE VERTICAL REPRESENTS OUR PRAISE, WORSHIP, AND ADORATION FOR THE LORD.
WORSHIPING HIM DIRECTLY.
●
THE HORIZONTAL, SPEAKS OF THE FULNESS OF OUR FELLOWSHIP IN WORSHIPING HIM TO
ONE ANOTHER.
FIRST
--- IF WE ONLY OFFER OUR PRAISE AND WORSHIP TO THE LORD, WE ONLY HAVE A
VERTICAL DIMENSION OF WHAT WORSHIP IS.
SECOND
--- BUT WHEN WE LEARN TO PRAISE HIM TO ONE ANOTHER, WE WILL FULFILL THE,
“GEOMETRY OF THE CROSS,” WITH OUR HORIZONTAL DIMENSION OF WORSHIP.
IT
IS WHEN WE LEARN TO DEVELOP THE VERTICAL AS WELL AS THE HORIZONTAL DIMENSIONS
OF WORSHIP THAT WE WILL TRULY AND COMPLETELY BEGIN TO LIFT JESUS UP. JESUS WAS
EMPHATIC ABOUT HIS BEING LIFTED UP. WE KNOW THAT THE CROSS HAD A LOT TO DO WITH
HIS BEING LIFTED UP. BUT IT IS ONLY WHEN WE LIFT HIM UP IN VERTICAL AND
HORIZONTAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP THAT HE IS FULLY LIFTED UP.
John
12:32 NIV "And I, if I am lifted
up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
CONCLUSION:
DR.
MARK HANBY SAYS: “ WHEN THE ISRAELITES FINALLY ENTERED THE PROMISE LAND,
THEY HAD TO CONQUER JERICHO. ALL THEY DID WAS GET JERICHO BETWEEN THEIR FACES
AND GOD, AND GIVE A SHOUT. AND THE WALLS FELL DOWN. IF WE COULD EVER OVERCOME,
SELF, AND LOOK AND SPEAK TO ONEANOTHER ABOUT THE MAJESTY OF ALMIGHTY, THEN GOD
WOULD STEP IN BETWEEN OUR FACES AND NO HINDRENCE WOULD EVER EXSIST BETWEEN THE
PEOPLE OF GOD AND HIS PURPOSE AND PROVISION.”
ISAIAH
KNEW THAT IT WOULD TAKE CLEAN LIPS TO LIFT UP THE ALMIGHTY AS HE SHOULD BE AND
FOR MANKIND TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE GOD’S PLAN.
Isa
6:1-9 In the year that king Uzziah died I
saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train
filled the temple. Above it stood the
seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with
twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto
another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is
full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that
cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! For I am
undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which
he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth,
and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and
thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send,
and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
THIS
VERTICAL/HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP IS A LARGE PART OF HAVING CLEAN LIPS THAT WILL
LIFT UP THE LORD TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
THERE
ARE OTHER AREAS THAT WE MUST WORK ON, BUT THESE TWO WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR THE
REST.
.
