Text: Galatians 6:14

14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Series: Seven Different Perspectives of the Cross

Introduction:

We talk about the cross, the facts of the cross, what it means to us. That’s it! The cross is much more than that. We are going to take a closer look at the cross from seven distinct points of view:

• What the Cross meant to God.
• What the Cross meant to Christ.
• What the Cross meant to Satan.
• What the Cross means to the World.
• What the Cross means to the Church.
• What the Cross means to the Christian’s struggle against sin.
• What the Cross means in Heaven.

We will be addressing the big question "What does the Cross mean to YOU?"

He Took My Place – He Died For Me

Galatians 6:14-15

14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

KJV

14 As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in all the attractive things of the world was killed long ago, and the world's interest in me is also long dead. 15 It doesn't make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not; what counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people.

TLB

• A Civil War band of outlaws in Southwest called “Quantrill’s Raiders”
• They would rob pillage, burn, then ride away before help could come
• The people in Kansas formed a militia to stop the outlaw
• They had orders to execute on the spot any raiders found
• After a group of these raiders were captured they were lined up before a firing squad
• As the order to fire was about to be given, a young man came running out from the trees
• He cried out “Wait! Wait! He approached the officer in command
• He pointed to a middle aged man who was waiting to be shot and said:
• “Let this man go free, he has a wife and four children and is needed at home”
• “Let me take his place, I am guilty” After a long pause the officer granted the request.
• The condemned man was set free, the volunteer was put in his place
• And fell dead before the firing squad
• Later the redeemed man came back to the awful scene of death
• He found the body of his friend and carried him to a little cemetery near his home in Kansas City
• Where he gave him a proper burial and there erected a memorial stone
• Upon which was inscribed these words “He took My Place, He died For Me.

But something greater happened at the cross, a truly innocent man died, the just for the unjust. When Jesus died he took your place that you might be free.

Romans 5:7-8

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The Cross Means Four Things to the Church

In the bible the cross is always a place of suffering and death. In a practical sense it means four things to the church.

• Death to the old life
• Romans 6:6
• Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
• 1 Peter 2:24
• Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
• Death to self
• 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.
• Death to flesh
• Galatians 5:24
• And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
• Death to the world
• Galatians 6:14
• 14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

The cross essentially is a confrontation with sin.

Three commands of the Cross

• Carry the Cross
• 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.
• Boast in the Cross
• Galatians 6:14
• But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
• Preach the Cross
• 1 Corinthians 1:18
• For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Closing

Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.