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Spiritual Intimacy:
Into-Me-You-See
Sermon #2
Intimacy with the Cross
Lesson
Text: Philippians 3:7 But what things
were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith
of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may
know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead.
One of the
primary reasons why the world rejects Christ as the Son of God and Savior is
because she does not understand or have an intimate relationship with the
cross. Any person who can grasp the concepts relating to the gruesome death of
Christ on the cross can truly begin to engage in the Ginosko, an intimate
knowing of God. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1
Corinthians 1:18). "For many walk, of whom I have told you often,
and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of
Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is
in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Philippians 3:18).
Points
of Discussion:
1.
Why Be Intimate
with the Cross?
2.
The Power of
Paul Because of the Cross of Christ
3.
The Ability
of the Christian Today Because of the Cross
Why
Be Intimate with the Cross?
In the death
of Christ, He totally revealed and exposed Himself to all of human creation. He
suffered on the cross so that men and women could obtain forgiveness of sins (Mark
16:15-16; John 3:16). From the perspective of Isaiah (53), on the journey
to the cross, Christ was despised and rejected (v. 3). He was wounded, bruised,
chastised, and beat with many stripes for offenses not of His own (v. 5). He
willingly allowed Himself to be tried and convicted as an innocent man,
absorbing in the body of one, the sins and consequences of millions (v.6).
Through His fraudulent trial He refused to vindicate Himself or call twelve
legions of angels. He said nothing in His defense (v. 7).
Ø John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took
Jesus, and scourged him. 2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns,
and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3 And said,
Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
Ø John 19:16 Then delivered he him
therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 17
And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a
skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified
him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
The death of
Christ was treacherous, painful, humiliating, degrading, and wrong, yet Christ
did it so men/women could be saved. The bloodshed of Christ on the cross allows
a believer to enter into an intimate relationship with Him.
Ø Colossians 1:20 And, 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.
The
Power of Paul Because of the Cross of Christ:
In our
Philippian text, the apostle Paul scripturally illustrates his desire to be
intimate with Christ because of His cross experience. Because of Christ, Paul
was able to substitute his earthly and personal desires for the knowledge and
will of Christ.
Ø Philippians 3:10 That I may know
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead.
The
self-sacrifice of Paul is what allowed him to engage in the Ginosko, an
experiential relationship with Christ. Paul did not have a superficial
relationship with Christ, it was experiential. Christ personally taught and
transformed Paul (Acts 9; Galatians 1:11-12). It was because of the
experiential relationship that he was able to say "For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).
The desire
of Paul was to grow deeper and deeper into an intimate relationship with the
cross of Christ. Through this, he wanted to know/ginosko, experience, the power
in the Messianic resurrection,
fellowship of his sufferings, ultimately resulting in a righteous resurrection
as a Christian at the second coming of Christ.
Paul, in
sharing encouraging words with the beloved church at Philippi, spoke of his
discovery about the power utilized in the resurrection of Christ. The fact that
the Godly power used to raise Christ remains as the same power that transports
a sinner from darkness to light (Ephesians 2:19-21; 1 Peter 2:9).
Paul also
knew that to truly experience Christ would entail personal suffering for the
Kingdom.
Ø Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is
given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer
for his sake;
Ø 2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we
shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Ø 2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Ø Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of
the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must
through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
The
Ability of Christians Today Because of the Cross:
When
Christians have an intimate relationship with the cross of Christ, we can bear
our cross. We can be a living sacrifice for Christ because we understand His
sacrifice and the Christian installed power.
Failing to
have an intimate relationship with the cross equates to an unworthy
relationship with the Master.
Ø Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not
his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
An intimate
relationship with the cross requires personal denial and sacrifice.
Ø Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto
his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross, and follow me.
The intimate
relationship with the cross of Christ is evidenced in daily service, sacrifice,
and denial.
Ø Luke 9:23 And he said to them all,
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow me.
Ø Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not
bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Intimacy
with the cross begins with hearing the gospel of Christ, His death, burial, and
resurrection (Romans 10:17). The good news of Christ must be believed (Mark
16:15:16; Hebrews 11:6). Intimacy with the cross requires change in the
form of repentance (Luke 13:3, 5). Bold confession, confirming the
belief in Christ as the Son of God breeds further intimacy (Matthew
10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10). Finally, the relationship must be sealed through baptism (Acts 2:38).
Become
intimate with God today as one of His dear children!
God
has paved a way to save you today!