A LOOK AT THE CROSS

Matthew 27:24-37

  1. Intro.
    1. when watching one of the many wonders of nature, we always like to take one last look before leaving
    2. Easter is one of the wonders of the Christian faith, and we need to take another look at the cross
    3. the cross, each time we look at it, presents a challenge to us as Christians
    4. the challenge comes in recognizing, embracing and carrying the cross of Christ
  2. recognize the cross - Luke 9:23, Matthew 10:38
    1. the cross that we are to bear is not the burdens or troubles in our lives
      1. we must deal with them
      2. the cross that Christ compels us to bear is His own
      3. the cross challenges us to bear the burdens He bore for our sake (for other to be saved)
    2. to die to self - I Corinthians 15:31
      1. Paul considered it a thing he needed to do daily
      2. if there is not a daily dying to self, self will soon stop dying
      3. eventually we will not recognize the cross as something we need to bear
    3. to know and do the will of God
      1. the ultimate expression of recognizing the cross for Christ was to know and do the will of God, and that meant to die upon it
      2. do we recognize the cross today, or have we allowed it to be pushed down in all the rubble of our lives, to the point we no longer recognize the cross we are to bear
  3. embrace the cross
    1. the cross comes before family - Matthew 10:37
      1. our allegiance to the cross and Christ must be beyond family ties
      2. many people are kept from following Christ because of family
    2. the cross comes before ourselves - Matthew 10:39
      1. to embrace the cross of Christ means that we must present our body, soul, mind and heart as a living sacrifice to God - Romans 12:1
      2. Christ first, others second, and self last
    3. the cross comes before popular persuasion - Luke 9:26
      1. Peter represents us in our denials of the Lord
        1. on that night he wanted so much to stand with Christ, but he allowed popular persuasion to defeat him
        2. it is our warning
      2. popular persuasion would have us let go of the cross
        1. it would have us believe that the world has more to offer us than the cross
        2. but we should count the cost - Luke 9:25
  4. carry the cross
    1. carry the cross beyond the boundaries of the church building
    2. the cross needs to be raised again at the center of the market place as well as on the steeple of many churches
      1. Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves
      2. at a crossroad of society so complex that they had to write His title in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek
      3. at the kind of place where the unbeliever talked smut, and thieves curse and soldiers gamble
      4. that is where He died, and that is what He died for
      5. that is where Christ's men ought to be, and what church people ought to be about
  5. conclusion
    1. perhaps it is not time to put away the cross, nor take one last look
    2. maybe it is time for us to again pick up the cross daily and follow Jesus