Gospel Message: Anathema Against the Cross
Key verse(s)/quote(s):
“The philosopher puts his glass to his eye, looks at the cross, and then says, “I cannot see anything so very wonderful in it, — even with this splendid glass of mine, which more than can be seen by that poor, humble peasant; I do not care about such a system of religion as that; any simpleton can understand the cross.” So he passes by, and merely sneers at it.” - C.H. Spurgeon
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:18
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” - Romans 3:23
Overview:
A few months ago, I was given the utmost of pleasures by being asked to preach my first ever “official” gospel message – it was also the first time I preached a message from the pulpit at my home church. We held an evening event for which we had established a theme of “It starts and ends at the cross”. It was an oddly nerve-wracking endeavor to prepare this message as I felt a weight from hosting such a lofty privilege as to handle a most poignant message carrying such extreme importance. Although there is an element of the Gospel in much if not all that I preach, it was different having a singular mandate to make the case for Christ and Christianity clear.
Please feel free to flip through the slides below or listen to the audio or simply watch …
Can you please share the evidence for the belief in the resurrection of Christ?
Question:
Can you please share the evidence for the belief in the resurrection of Christ?
Answer:
Incarnation ad infinitum: He that made man was made man
Key verse(s)/quote(s):
“Infinite, and an infant.
Eternal, and yet born of a woman.
Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast.
Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms.
King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph.
Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son.” - Charles H. Spurgeon
“It was the only way in which He could save us. So we cannot afford to take any risks about this doctrine. We cannot afford to say, ‘It does not matter what your precise statement is.’ That is to be utterly unscriptural. We must be precise and clear and certain and definite in all our statements, otherwise, without knowing it, we may make the doctrine of our own redemption quite impossible.” - Martyn Lloyd-Jones
“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” - Philippians 2:6 – 11
Key takeaway(s):
- We should have
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How is Jesus Christ both fully God and fully man?
Question:
Discuss how Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man.
Answer:
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” - Colossians 2:9-10
This question is one that can be approached from several angles. By demonstrating that the Trinity indeed exists throughout Scripture or by defending the truth that Christ is indeed God and Man or by simply explaining how this mysterious understanding can manifest itself. For the sake of this question we will look at each of these elements in a concise manner.
Firstly, let us look to the direct question of Jesus being fully God and fully man. This teaching is known as the hypostatic union (comes from the Greek word hypostasis which means sediment, foundation, or substance). It states that the Word of God put on flesh and is Jesus Christ. This means that Jesus is not just man, not just God, not half man and half God but that He is fully divine and fully human. John 1:1 and 1:14 lays this out for us in a very succinct fashion:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
This is …
Shadow to substance: The Tabernacle
Key verse(s)/quote(s):
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” - John 1:14
“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” - Hebrews 9:11-12
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Key takeaway(s):
- The tabernacle can be understood as an image of Christ.
- We can gain a glimpse into God’s consistent method of propitiation (appeasing of God’s wrath) & expiation (removal of God’s wrath).
- We are called to be a holy temple of God.
Overview:
This post is part 1 of a 3-part series of messages I had the pleasure of sharing at our 2010 church summer conference. The 2 additional components of this series overview the prophetic significance of The Jewish Feasts (click here to read) and Jesus in the Old Testament (click here to read).
One of the most amazing aspects of the Bible is when we encounter elements in the Old Testament that …
