1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,560 Father, thank you, Lord, for tonight. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,560 We are grateful for the midweek opportunity to study the Word of 3 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:07,360 God. We thank you for what you've 4 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:11,520 already taught us as we have looked into your Word to see 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,400 what your Bible says about Christianity. 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,640 And we know that you'll teach us this evening as we study the 7 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,200 Word of God. Open our hearts and minds. 8 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,040 Help us to be receptive to the truth of your Word. 9 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,840 And our prayer, Father, is that as each of us look at our own 10 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,200 lives, we would measure it according to the standard you've 11 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,160 given in your word. And that, Lord, that would be 12 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,880 the measuring stick by which we look at our life and ask 13 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,520 ourselves the question, as Paul had said in 2nd Corinthians 13. 14 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:47,080 Five, test yourself, prove yourself to see whether or not 15 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:53,720 Jesus is in you. May that always be the case for 16 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,640 us and may we live a life of self examination according to 17 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,120 what your word says, and then maybe live according to your 18 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:06,920 word in Jesus name, Amen. I gave you an outline tonight. 19 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,160 If you didn't pick one up, they're still in the back, but I 20 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,160 gave one to you just so that you kind of know where we have been 21 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:18,160 over the last nine weeks that we've been together. 22 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:23,280 This is week #10 but we're on point #9 because the first week 23 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:29,480 was introductory. But all those points help you 24 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:34,440 identify the marks of true Christianity we're looking at 25 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,000 and answer the question. Question, what is a a Christian? 26 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:43,200 And so as you look at that, you realize that a Christian is 27 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:48,120 known by decision, by definition, by description, 28 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,000 declaration, dedication, denunciation, devotion, 29 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,720 disassociation, all those things we have covered over the last 30 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,960 several weeks. And we've only really touched 31 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,400 the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding all these 32 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:07,400 different points. But tonight, we want you to 33 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,680 understand that a Christian is known by determination. 34 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,880 There there is a firmness about the believer. 35 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,640 There is a resolute determination, A steadfastness 36 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:27,200 about the believer that helps mark him out as one who truly 37 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:34,080 knows the Christ. He is one who truly has one 38 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:42,600 focus, and that focus is a commitment and a discipline that 39 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,440 he exemplifies or she exemplifies. 40 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,280 In and through their lives. They know what needs to be done 41 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,240 and they do it. And the answer is in First 42 00:02:54,240 --> 00:03:00,400 Corinthians 2 verse #2 where Paul said these words. 43 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:08,200 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ 44 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,600 and Him crucified. That is the believers 45 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,560 determination. I determined to know nothing 46 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:26,800 except the person Jesus Christ and his passion, his 47 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,600 crucifixion. I determined to know nothing 48 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:38,800 among you except the man Jesus Christ and his mission to be 49 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:44,200 crucified, Paul says. I I determined to know nothing 50 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:53,440 among you except the Son Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. 51 00:03:55,160 --> 00:04:00,960 I determined to know just one thing, the person and work of 52 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:06,000 Jesus Christ our Lord. That is the believers 53 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,480 determination. Paul sums it up very succinctly. 54 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:16,519 I have one message, I have one mission. 55 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:23,560 I have one main talking point and it centers around a person, 56 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:34,400 Jesus Christ, and his purpose for coming his crucifixion. 57 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:42,280 Every Christian is determined to know nothing but the Christ and 58 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:45,400 his crucifixion, His death on Calvary. 59 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:50,520 It is the central mission of the life of the believer. 60 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:56,280 And yet we find ourselves more concerned about social issues 61 00:04:56,280 --> 00:04:59,480 and more concerned about political issues and more 62 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,040 concerned about moral issues and more concerned about mental 63 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,520 issues than we do biblical, scriptural issues. 64 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,720 And that's always going to be a problem. 65 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,440 But it need not be if you are determined to know nothing but 66 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:25,680 Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Everything centers on the person 67 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:31,120 of Christ and the power of the cross. 68 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:42,760 Everything centers on that. We have one symbol in our 69 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:51,160 auditorium and only one, and that symbol is behind me and is 70 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:56,480 the cross of Christ. That's the only symbol. 71 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,720 There's no other symbol necessary, for it is that which 72 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,880 defines our faith. It's the one thing that 73 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:12,040 separates us from everyone else, the person and work of Jesus 74 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,160 Christ our Lord on Calvary's cross. 75 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:23,200 That is the main thing and it means to be kept the main thing 76 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,640 in the church. And over the years there have 77 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:33,840 been all kinds of crosses. There have been Greek crosses 78 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:38,840 and Coptic crosses and Roman Catholic crosses and Protestant 79 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:44,560 crosses, and Christians wear crosses and non Christians wear 80 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:50,360 crosses. And yet just because you have a 81 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:55,000 piece of jewelry around your neck doesn't mean you have the 82 00:06:55,000 --> 00:07:01,080 person of Jesus in your heart. It's very important to recognize 83 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:08,440 that a lot of people wear crosses, but do they even know 84 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:14,000 what that cross means? A cross was always a symbol of 85 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,760 torture. It was always a symbol of death. 86 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,200 It was always a symbol of degradation and humiliation. 87 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,520 It's very precious to the believer. 88 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:34,400 Why? Because what man chose to do to 89 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:41,120 destroy the Christ only truly magnified the Christ. 90 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:48,520 And so we realized that the cross was something that that 91 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:53,600 was such a, a, a painful experience. 92 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,400 It was developed by the Persians, Persians in, in the 93 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:06,160 500 B CS BC. It wasn't adopted by Rome until 94 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:12,600 63 BC. They adopted it and perfected it 95 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:17,520 to such a degree that that it became the the main symbol of 96 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:22,960 torture and humiliation. You'll, you'll see people with 97 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,480 crosses in their, in their homes or around their necks with, with 98 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:33,840 the person of Christ on the cross that, that always has, has 99 00:08:34,039 --> 00:08:39,760 been a, a sticking point with me because the person on the cross 100 00:08:39,799 --> 00:08:44,120 that they have is recognizable. But the Bible says he was 101 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:48,920 unrecognizable as a man because he was beaten beyond 102 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:53,000 recognition. So, yeah, if you have a Jesus on 103 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:58,120 a cross that he's recognizable, you got the wrong Jesus because 104 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:03,160 he was not recognizable. If you have a Jesus on a cross 105 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:08,040 that has a loincloth around him, that again is wrong because when 106 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,440 people were crucified, they were always crucified naked. 107 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,440 There was no loincloth on them because it was an act of 108 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,600 humiliation and degradation. But you don't have people with 109 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,360 crosses with naked Jesus on them. 110 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,240 They got the wrong Jesus on there because he's not there. 111 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,360 He died and was buried and rose again. 112 00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:37,960 So it's imperative that you get the cross of Christ right, 113 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:43,160 because it is everything. It's the main thing. 114 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:47,240 So Paul would say, I determined to know nothing among you except 115 00:09:47,680 --> 00:09:55,600 Jesus Christ the person and his cross, which was his passion and 116 00:09:55,680 --> 00:10:01,920 purpose for coming. So important to to understand 117 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:06,680 that, but yet we so easily forget that. 118 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:11,360 Paul didn't say I preach about the life of Christ. 119 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,480 Paul didn't say I preach about the miracles of Christ. 120 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,840 Paul didn't say I preach about the message of Christ. 121 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:28,440 No, I preach Christ and him crucified because his life 122 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:33,360 didn't save us. His message didn't save us. 123 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:38,120 His miracles didn't save us. It was his work on Calvary's 124 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:44,360 cross that saves us. And so Paul would determine to 125 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:49,680 know nothing among those in Corinth except Jesus Christ and 126 00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:57,720 him crucify. The centrality of the cross is 127 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:02,600 what the Bible is all about. I'll show you that in a moment. 128 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:10,000 But everything in the Bible centers on the person and work 129 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:15,600 of the Messiah, and that work was accomplished on Calvary's 130 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:20,440 cross. The cross was central to the 131 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:25,440 mission of Christ. It was central to the message of 132 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:30,320 Christ, and it's central to the meaning of Christianity. 133 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:38,000 The cross is everything. And so therefore you must 134 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:48,160 understand the Christ who hung on Calvary's cross. 135 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,720 It's interesting to note that the gospels, the Synoptic 136 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:59,440 gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, 1/3 of them is all about the 137 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:07,640 last week of our Lord's life. John's Gospel which is about the 138 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:17,840 deity of Christ. Half of John's gospel focuses in 139 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:22,720 on the last week of the life of Christ. 140 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:28,160 In fact, if you got your Bible, turn me to John chapter 2 141 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:38,360 because in John's Gospel, John would refer to the hour 7 times 142 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,920 and the hour is very very important. 143 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:47,320 As you recall in Luke's gospel that our Lord was 12 years old 144 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:52,200 and the very first recorded words in the scripture that were 145 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,200 spoken by Jesus were when he was 12. 146 00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:00,360 And there was nothing else until his ministry began and he began 147 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,760 to preach about the Kingdom of of heaven. 148 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:11,880 But the words that he spoke at 12 years of age to his mother 149 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:18,600 while he was dialoguing with the Pharisees in the temple were 150 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:23,240 these. Don't you know that I had to be 151 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:30,080 about my father's business? Everything about the ministry of 152 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:33,040 Christ centered on the business of his father. 153 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:38,040 Very important statement. Probably the most important 154 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:44,640 statement Christ ever made. At the age of 12, I must be 155 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,640 about my Father's business. In fact, it's the the first of 156 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:53,840 seven divine musts in the Gospel of Luke. 157 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:59,320 If you trace those divine musts through Luke's Gospel, you'll 158 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:04,120 realize that all of them deal with something about the truth 159 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,560 of his death. Why? 160 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:09,840 Because that was central to his message. 161 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:16,120 It was central to his mission. So at the very beginning of 162 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:20,320 John's Gospel and we'll, we'll embark on a great journey in the 163 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:24,560 new year, coming in 2026 on Sunday mornings by going through 164 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:29,960 John's Gospel. It will take us a long time to 165 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,440 get through John's Gospel. It took us nine years to get 166 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,840 through Luke, so it'll probably take us at least that long or 167 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,480 more to get through the Gospel of John. 168 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:45,400 But in the 2nd chapter of John, Christ is going to perform his 169 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:50,840 very first miracle, turning water into wine. 170 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,080 It's very unique. And we'll talk about this when 171 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,800 we get there in in 2026. But it's it's interesting to 172 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,520 note that that this is his first miracle. 173 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,040 And you would think that his first miracle would make a make 174 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,120 a bigger splash than turning water into wine. 175 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,040 You would think his first miracle would be a resurrection. 176 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:13,880 I mean, that would make a pretty big splash. 177 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:20,680 But it wasn't even healing someone who was who was 178 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,960 paralyzed would be a great splash. 179 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,240 I mean, after all, how many times do you get to make a first 180 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,640 impression? Just once. 181 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,720 And so we look at the turning of the water into wine in John 182 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:41,400 chapter 2 as a so, so miracle. Oh, but it was a miracle that 183 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:46,400 set the tone for his entire ministry, that that's why it's 184 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:50,720 recorded and that's why it's the first miracle, because it 185 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,680 describes to us exactly why Jesus came. 186 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:59,480 And the Bible says to John too, that on the third day there was 187 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:04,720 a wedding in Canaan of Galilee. And commentators will debate the 188 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,600 the meaning of the third day. I don't debate that. 189 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,520 I think it's very clear as to why John would say, why would 190 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:17,360 John say that on the third day there was a wedding in Canaan of 191 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:21,200 Galilee? The Jews will tell you it was 192 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:26,440 the day of weddings, that that would be Tuesday of the week. 193 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:32,800 Saturday, of course, would be the Sabbath and that ended at 194 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:37,360 the evening time on Saturday. Sunday would be the first day of 195 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,360 the week and so they would begin to make preparations for the 196 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:44,680 wedding. Monday would be the the final 197 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,160 duty surrounding the wedding and Tuesday would be the wedding. 198 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,760 And so they would say that a lot of Jewish weddings would take 199 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:54,400 place on a Tuesday in ancient times. 200 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,080 I don't buy that, but that's what a lot of Jews will tell 201 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,600 you. I think it's very important 202 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:05,880 because I think it it sets the tone for the resurrection of 203 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,920 Christ that on the third day he would rise again. 204 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,400 Why? Because this is the first 205 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,760 mention of the hour in John's gospel, the first of seven 206 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:21,160 times. And so it says in in verse 207 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:27,079 number #2 or says in verse #1 on the third day was the wedding in 208 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:29,400 King of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 209 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,640 And both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. 210 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:35,960 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, 211 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:39,840 they have no wine. And Jesus said to her, woman, 212 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:42,880 what does that have to do with us? 213 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:49,760 My hour has not yet come. So this is the first mention of 214 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,440 the hour. So I think that John inserts the 215 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,200 third day because the third day is related to the hour. 216 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,040 And these are the words that Christ said to His mother. 217 00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:06,280 My hour has not yet come because the very first mention of the 218 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,720 hour is that which would characterize His ministry. 219 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:11,560 Very important to understand that. 220 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:13,440 Why? Because He would take the filthy 221 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:18,680 water, the murky water, The Dirty water for cleansing and 222 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:23,080 make it into the finest of wine. Because you see, that's what 223 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,440 Jesus did when he saves the soul. 224 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:30,600 He takes the murky, dirty water of your life and makes it the 225 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,760 finest of wine. He makes you a brand new 226 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:36,960 creation. That that's why Jesus came. 227 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:38,600 That's why this is the first miracle. 228 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,840 It sets the tone for what the ministry of Christ is all about. 229 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,640 And that's why the very Nick scene, He's cleansing the 230 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:47,640 temple. Why? 231 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,520 Because Jesus is all about cleansing. 232 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:55,040 And so he turns the water in the wine, and the very next scene is 233 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,760 his cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem. 234 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:01,480 And the very next scene after that is the conversation with 235 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,920 Nicodemus which says that a man must be born again. 236 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:10,400 He must be washed with the washing of water of the Word. 237 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,720 Again, speaking about the cleansing of the inner man. 238 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:20,800 Everything about the ministry of Christ was about cleaning the 239 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:26,920 life that is so filled with sin so that we can be clothed in the 240 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,560 righteousness of Christ. But that's the first mention of 241 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:34,760 the hour and it characterized his ministry. 242 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:39,840 The second mention of the hour is found in John Chapter 7. 243 00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:43,240 Because the Jews were were seeking to kill him. 244 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,360 And it says in verse #30 of John 7. 245 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:50,200 So they were seeking to seize him, and no man laid his hand on 246 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,960 him because his hour had not yet come. 247 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,960 The second mention of the hour in John's gospel. 248 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,640 The first characterized his ministry, the second conveyed 249 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,720 His sovereignty. His hour had not yet come. 250 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,400 They wanted to kill him, but they couldn't. 251 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,680 Why? Because He was on a divine 252 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:17,880 timetable and everything about the Cross is is precise. 253 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,200 And although they wanted to seize them and although they 254 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:25,680 wanted to kill them, him, they couldn't do it because his hour 255 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,680 had not yet come. But it was coming. 256 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:36,600 And so it truly conveyed His sovereignty over an 820 is the 257 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,400 third mention. It's the same thing. 258 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:42,280 It says these words. He spoke to the treasury as he 259 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:48,880 taught in the temple, and no one seized him because his hour had 260 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,600 not yet come. Again, it's all about the hour. 261 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:59,200 So the first mention, excuse me, clarifies His identity or His 262 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:03,440 ministry, and the second and the third one convey to us His 263 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,320 sovereignty. And then you come to the the 4th 264 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:14,480 mention of the hour, excuse me, that's in John 12 verse #23 when 265 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:19,080 some Greeks had come to to Philip and asked to see Jesus, 266 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:22,000 and Philip took him to Andrew and Andrew brought them to 267 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:24,000 Jesus. And these are the words of 268 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,280 Jesus. In verse 23, He says the hour 269 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:32,880 has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 270 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:36,880 The hour's here. The hour has come. 271 00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:45,520 He, he, He has truly conveyed His sovereignty. 272 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:53,560 He has truly clarified His ministry, and now he's going to 273 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:58,920 certify His destiny. The hour has come. 274 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:04,760 Then in verse 27, now my soul has become troubled and what 275 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,080 should I say? Father saved me from this hour. 276 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,360 But for this purpose I came to this hour. 277 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:18,800 Father glorify your name. The hour certified His destiny. 278 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,800 And then you, you have the next mentioned, the 6th mentioned in 279 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:27,240 chapter 13 verse #1 now before the the feast of the Passover. 280 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:34,640 Excuse me, Jesus knowing that His hour had come, that He would 281 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:40,360 depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who 282 00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:44,120 were in the world, He loved them to the end. 283 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:51,720 Here He clarified His identity. And then in John 17 verse #1 is 284 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,080 the 7th mention of the hour, and it says, lifting up his eyes to 285 00:22:55,080 --> 00:23:01,080 heaven, He said, Father, the hour has come, glorify your Son 286 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:06,920 that the sun may be glorified, or that the sun might glorify 287 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:11,280 you. So everything was about moving 288 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:17,040 toward the hour, and this one communicated His glory. 289 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:21,480 Father, glorify the sun, so the sun may glorify you. 290 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,160 Put the sun on display so the sun can display you. 291 00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:32,680 And is it not true that at the cross the glory of the Lord was 292 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:37,280 on display? His love was on display, His 293 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,840 mercy was on display, His forgiveness was on display. 294 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:46,160 His goodness was on display. His wrath was on display. 295 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,120 Everything about the attributes of God were displayed at 296 00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:53,080 Calvary. So Paul will say, I determined 297 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:58,120 to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified, 298 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:03,120 because when he was crucified, his glory was on display and he 299 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:06,840 glorified his Father by putting him on display. 300 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,560 Everything is about putting Christ on display. 301 00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:14,680 That is the determination of the believer. 302 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,080 I am determined to put Christ on display. 303 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:23,320 So I'm going to preach Christ, the person and the power of the 304 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:27,480 cross because that's the best way I can show people who Jesus 305 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:31,840 really is. You see, we forget that that the 306 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,480 cross is, is everything. Let's look at it this way. 307 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:41,280 Eternity past eternity past before the creation of the world 308 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:47,080 is all about the let's call it the predetermination or the 309 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:53,360 predestination of the cross because he was the Lamb slain 310 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,120 before the foundation of the world. 311 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,200 So when eternity passed before the creation of the world, 312 00:25:00,360 --> 00:25:03,480 everything was about the predetermination or the 313 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:08,120 predestination of the cross. So when the Bible says in Jesus 314 00:25:08,120 --> 00:25:13,600 one, let us make man in our image, the plan had been put 315 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:18,360 into place. Deity communicating with deity, 316 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,640 let us make man in our image. Why? 317 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,200 Because the whole purpose was to redeem a bride for the Son. 318 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:31,960 So in eternity past, it's all about the predetermination of 319 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:35,160 the cross. So when you open your Bible and 320 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,080 you read the Old Testament, the Old Testament is all about the 321 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:42,400 preparation or the prediction of the cross. 322 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,400 Everything in the Old Testament prepares you for the cross 323 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,480 because everything in the Old Testament predicts the cross. 324 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:55,600 OK, so you read Psalm 22A, Messianic Psalm written 1000 325 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,840 years before the cross was about the crucifixion. 326 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,840 And then you move and you you open your Bible and you begin to 327 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:10,080 read Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53 was written 700 years 328 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,800 before the cross. And then you read Zechariah 329 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:17,760 chapter 12 verse #10 where it says that that one day they will 330 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,120 look upon him whom they have pierced. 331 00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaking of the of the crucifixion written 550 years 332 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:27,080 before the cross. Now why is that important? 333 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:34,240 Because the first recorded crucifixion in history happened 334 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:41,440 500 years before the cross, and yet 1000 years before the cross, 335 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,800 there was a prediction about it. 700 years before the cross there 336 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:50,560 was a prediction about it. 550 years before the cross there was 337 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:54,240 a prediction about it. But the cross did not come into 338 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:58,880 play until 500 BC by the Persians. 339 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,800 So before it was ever a thing of torture, before it was ever an 340 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,080 item that that would come into play, where it would crucify 341 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:10,040 and, and, and, and had this cruel death of people. 342 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:11,840 The Bible had already predicted it. 343 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,360 Why? Because it was predetermined in 344 00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:17,520 the eternity past that he'd be the Lamb slain before the 345 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:21,040 foundation of the world. So in eternity past you have the 346 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:25,520 predetermination of the cross, and then in the Old Testament 347 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:29,080 you have the preparation or the prediction about the cross. 348 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:32,400 And so you move through your Old Testament, you come to the 349 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:40,800 Gospels and the Gospels is all about the mission and the 350 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:49,120 revelation of the cross. Remember Mark's Gospel in Mark 351 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:56,680 chapter 8 after Christ that asked the disciples who do men 352 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:00,680 say that I am doubt the Christ, the Son of the living God. 353 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:07,760 He says, OK, don't tell anybody that this is what I want you to 354 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:11,600 tell them. Mark 831 And he began to teach 355 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,800 them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be 356 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:18,280 rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, 357 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,240 and be killed. After three days, rise again. 358 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:24,480 And he was stating this matter plainly, openly. 359 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:26,680 In other words, this what you tell everybody? 360 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:29,160 Don't tell I'm the Christ and I'm the living God. 361 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:31,960 Tell them that the Son of Man must suffer. 362 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:38,880 Tell them about the divine certainty of the cross. 363 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,720 And of course, that's when Peter would pipe up and say, Lord, you 364 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:45,080 know, you don't have the mind, the things of God. 365 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,400 I mean, Lord, you don't understand who you are. 366 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:49,360 You're the Messiah. You're not going to die and 367 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,120 Christ is going to be behind me, Satan. 368 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:57,040 But they didn't understand the predetermination of the cross, 369 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,800 nor did they understand the predictions about the cross. 370 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:06,080 So you move from Mark 9, from the divine necessity of the 371 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,680 cross to mark, I'm sorry, mark 8 to mark 9, which speaks about 372 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,120 the divine certainty of the cross. 373 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,520 He said He was teaching His disciples the Son of Man is to 374 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:18,760 be delivered. This is divine certainty. 375 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:23,120 What was the divine necessity? He must be delivered. 376 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:28,400 This is divine certainty. He is to be delivered into the 377 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,240 hands of men, and they will kill him, and when he has been 378 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,720 killed, he will rise three days later. 379 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,960 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid 380 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,520 to ask him. Why were they afraid to ask him? 381 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:46,200 Why didn't they want to ask Jesus about the cross? 382 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:51,280 All you got to do is read on in in Mark's Gospel and you realize 383 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,480 that says the verse 33. They came to Capernaum and when 384 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,240 he was in the house, he began to question them. 385 00:29:56,240 --> 00:30:02,280 What were you discussing on the way as if Jesus didn't know, but 386 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:07,040 they kept silent for on the way they discussed with one another 387 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:14,000 which of them was the greatest. Of course, not going to ask 388 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:17,920 Jesus about the cross because that didn't fit into their their 389 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:21,600 methodology of greatness. So they weren't going to tell 390 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:25,480 him anything. But you see, the Gospels is 391 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:28,800 about the mission of the cross and the revelation of the cross. 392 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:30,760 So everybody knows about the cross. 393 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,160 So you have the divine necessity and you have the divine 394 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,080 certainty, and then you have the divine brutality of the cross. 395 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,640 And that's in chapter 10 when it says these words. 396 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:44,040 And again he took the 12 aside and began to tell them what was 397 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:47,440 going to happen to them, saying, Behold, we are going up to 398 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,880 Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief 399 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,960 priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death 400 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:55,960 and will hand them over to the Gentiles. 401 00:30:56,120 --> 00:31:00,960 They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, kill him, and three 402 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:09,840 days later he will rise again. The divine brutality of the 403 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,520 cross. But even though he spoke about 404 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:17,160 its necessity, its certainty, and its brutality, he always 405 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:21,360 couched it in the victory of the cross. 406 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,280 Three days later I will rise again. 407 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:27,920 So wonder, Paul said. I determined to know nothing to 408 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,400 money except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 409 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:32,040 Why? Because everything about the 410 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:35,400 cross was something that was predetermined in eternity past 411 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,800 and everything in the Old Testament all just predicted 412 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,560 what was going to happen with the death of the Messiah before 413 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:46,080 crucifixions were ever a thing. Now you now you come to the to 414 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:50,960 the gospels and now you have the mission of the of the cross. 415 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:55,000 This was the divine mission of the Messiah. 416 00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:59,480 And so when he came, he came to die. 417 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:06,200 So you move from the Gospels to where the book of Acts and the 418 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:10,680 book of Acts is all about the explanation of the cross. 419 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:15,160 If eternity passes about predetermination, and in the Old 420 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:18,280 Testament is about prediction and the Gospels is about the 421 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:20,680 mission of the cross, then in the book of Acts you have the 422 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:24,960 explanation about the cross because you're explaining to the 423 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:30,400 Jewish nation why it is the Messiah must come, must suffer, 424 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:37,560 and must die and rise again. So you you have in the book of 425 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:42,240 Acts the explanation of the cross, and with that explanation 426 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:47,000 came the persecution of those who followed the way of the 427 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,600 cross. And you move from the book of 428 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,720 Acts to the Epistles. In the Epistles you have the 429 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:57,640 application of the cross. The cross is applied to daily 430 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,680 living. So you had this memorial that's 431 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:04,160 set up called the Lord's Table, this due in remembrance of me. 432 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,800 And everything about the Epistles is applying the cross 433 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:12,800 life to your daily life because you've denied yourself. 434 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:14,600 Take it up your cross and you follow Christ. 435 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:17,480 And Paul would say, I've been crucified with Christ. 436 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,200 I've died to myself. Christ died. 437 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,960 Second Corinthians chapter 5 say you would no longer live for 438 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:26,520 yourself, but for the one who gave himself for you and rose 439 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:30,600 again. It's all about the application 440 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:33,760 of the cross. Then when you're done with the 441 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,440 epistles, you come to what? The Book of Revelation? 442 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:38,800 What's the Book of Revelation about? 443 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,840 It's all about the celebration of the cross. 444 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:47,560 It's all about the celebration. It's all about the adoration of 445 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:51,360 the cross. Why, for those of you who've 446 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:53,960 been here, you know what I'm going to say. 447 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:03,160 One time in the Old Testament, the Messiah is referred to as a 448 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:07,200 lamb. Two times in the Gospels, John's 449 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:11,000 Gospel, he's referred to as the Lamb. 450 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:17,880 Two times in the epistles, the Messiah is referred to as the 451 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:19,840 Lamb. But when you come to the Book of 452 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:24,719 Revelation, 28 times he's referred to as the Lamb. 453 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:26,800 Why? Because the Book of Revelation 454 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:31,560 is about the celebration of the cross, the Lamb that was slain. 455 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:36,040 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive glory and honor 456 00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:40,280 and praise. It's all about the celebration 457 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:44,360 of the cross. And then after the Book of 458 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:48,239 Revelation, where are you? You're in the eternal state. 459 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:50,639 And you know what's going to happen in the eternal state. 460 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:53,760 It's all going to be centered around. 461 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:58,040 Get this now, the illumination of the cross. 462 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:03,240 Listen to this Revelation, chapter 21, verse 23. 463 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:09,680 And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, 464 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,640 for the glory of God has illumined it. 465 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:20,800 And it's lamp is the lamp, the illumination of the cross. 466 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:24,560 It's that which illuminates eternity, future. 467 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:29,400 And so you, you, you go through all that, you begin to realize 468 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:35,280 everything in the Bible is about the cross. 469 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:40,040 So no wonder Paul said, I determined to know nothing among 470 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:44,720 you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 471 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:47,920 Why? Because that's everything. 472 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:51,280 That's what we do. That's who we are. 473 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:58,080 And so after the predetermination of the cross 474 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:03,920 and after the prediction about the cross and the mission of the 475 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:09,720 cross and the explanation of the cross, and then you have the 476 00:36:09,720 --> 00:36:13,640 celebration of the cross and the illumination of the cross. 477 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:19,160 What's left? The invitation to the cross. 478 00:36:21,240 --> 00:36:25,480 There's always the invitation that's given because it's Christ 479 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,600 to invite you to come. If any man come after me, let 480 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:34,800 him deny himself, take of his cross and and follow me 6 times. 481 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:41,400 Christ talks about the cross and following him because that's the 482 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:46,760 gospel invitation. It's all about the cross. 483 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:55,080 Remember way back in, in, in the book of Exodus, Christ gave 484 00:36:55,080 --> 00:37:03,960 Moses his memorial name. Exodus 3 verse #15 this is my 485 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:09,040 name, my memorial name that is to be remembered from generation 486 00:37:09,040 --> 00:37:13,560 to generation. And that name is is given when, 487 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:20,920 when, when Moses is speaking to God, who's speaking to him 488 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:25,720 through a burning Bush, He says, who should I say? 489 00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:30,280 Send me? Tell him I am sent you. 490 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:34,720 I am is commonly called the tetragrammaton, the the four 491 00:37:34,720 --> 00:37:38,800 Hebrew consonants that make up the name of God, the yod, the 492 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:41,480 hey, the vav in the hey pronounced yave. 493 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:44,880 We had some vowels in there to call it Jehovah, but the right 494 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:50,280 pronunciation pronunciation is yave in the Greek. 495 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:56,120 It's ego a me I am, and Christ would say in John 824, unless 496 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:59,800 you believe that I am ego a me, which is the translation of the 497 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:03,560 for Hebrew consonants in the book of Exodus, the 3rd chapter. 498 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:06,440 Unless you believe that I'm the God who spoke to Moses from the 499 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:09,120 burning Bush, you'll die in your sins. 500 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:16,920 That's His memorial name because everything about His name is to 501 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:24,440 be memorialized. Because in that name I am that I 502 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:29,880 am. God declared his preeminence, 503 00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:38,360 demonstrated his power, described his provision, and 504 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:44,720 delivered his people. That's the memorial name of God. 505 00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:48,640 And that's exactly what happened on Calvary. 506 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:53,400 He declared his preeminence. How? 507 00:38:54,160 --> 00:39:00,600 By the inscription above the cross, Jesus of Nazareth, King 508 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:08,080 of the Jews, the thief would look at him and say, Remember Me 509 00:39:09,200 --> 00:39:16,040 when you come into your Kingdom. Everything about Calvary's cross 510 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:20,680 demonstrated the preeminence of Christ on the cross, because 511 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:24,960 everything happened precisely as He described it and planned it 512 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:28,360 out. And it was through His death on 513 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:33,720 Calvary that He destroyed the power of sin over death and 514 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,960 destroyed the power of Satan in your life and mine. 515 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:41,680 He declared His preeminence on Calvary. 516 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:48,240 He also demonstrated His power. John 10 verse #18 Nobody takes 517 00:39:48,240 --> 00:39:50,960 my life from me. I lay it down on my own 518 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:54,040 initiative. And if I lay it down on my own 519 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:57,680 initiative, guess what? I take it right back up again. 520 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:01,640 That's power. That's real power. 521 00:40:02,720 --> 00:40:06,360 And he demonstrated his power. He demonstrated his power when 522 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:08,760 when the world became dark, he demonstrated his power through 523 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:10,880 the earthquake and the and the falling of the rocks. 524 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,520 He demonstrated his power when when many people came out of the 525 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:15,240 tomb. He demonstrated his power when 526 00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:19,680 the veil was torn in two. But everything about the great I 527 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:24,680 am didn't just declare his pre eminence, but it truly 528 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:30,600 demonstrated his power. Now, Calvary, did he describe 529 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:32,800 his provision? Yes, he did. 530 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:40,680 He looked at his mother and said, behold your son, and 531 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:43,960 looked at John and said, behold your mother. 532 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:50,720 Even in his dying breath, he would provide for his mother. 533 00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:58,040 Even in his dying breath, he honored his mother and he would 534 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:00,160 provide forgiveness. Father, forgive them, for they 535 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:04,400 know not what they were doing. He died so that man could be 536 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:08,520 forgiven, and so he would provide forgiveness. 537 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:13,320 The great I am would do this. Why? 538 00:41:14,240 --> 00:41:18,600 So he could deliver his people. And that's exactly what he did 539 00:41:19,840 --> 00:41:22,160 to the thief, he said. Today you'll be with me in 540 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:25,240 paradise. And if it wasn't for Calvary's 541 00:41:25,240 --> 00:41:28,040 cross, we'd still be dead in our sins. 542 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:35,000 But we experienced deliverance from the power of sin, from the 543 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:38,680 penalty of sin, ultimately one day from the presence of sin. 544 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:45,920 Why? Because of the cross of Christ. 545 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:49,200 So Paul would say, I determined that there is nothing among you 546 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:58,080 except one thing, Jesus Christ and him crucified. 547 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:05,480 AW Tozer has written a a devotional. 548 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:10,440 It's called The Pursuit of God, The Pursuit of man. 549 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:18,040 It's very small devotional. You can't buy it on Amazon 550 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:20,600 because I bought the last 13 copies yesterday. 551 00:42:22,160 --> 00:42:27,040 Sorry, but I bought them. It's such a unique devotional. 552 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:32,080 And in there he describes the cross. 553 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:38,600 Listen to what he says. The cross where Jesus died 554 00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:41,200 became also the cross where his apostle died. 555 00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:46,280 The loss, the rejection and the shame belong both to Christ and 556 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:49,480 to all who are in very truth His. 557 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:57,640 The cross that saves them also slays them, and anything short 558 00:42:57,640 --> 00:43:01,160 of this is a pseudo faith and not true faith at all. 559 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:05,040 But what are we to say when the great majority of our 560 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:09,000 evangelical leaders walk not as crucified men, but as those who 561 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:13,720 accept the world at its own value, rejecting only its 562 00:43:13,720 --> 00:43:18,240 grosser elements? How can we face Him who was 563 00:43:18,240 --> 00:43:24,920 crucified and slain when we see his followers accepted and 564 00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:30,920 praised, yet they preach the cross and protest loudly that 565 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:37,720 they are true believers. Are there not 2 crosses? 566 00:43:38,720 --> 00:43:41,360 And did Paul mean one thing and they another? 567 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:47,800 I fear that that is so, that there are two crosses, the old 568 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:53,880 cross and the new cross. He says. 569 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:58,560 If I see you right, the cross of popular evangelicalism is not 570 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:03,040 the cross of the New Testament. It is rather a new bright 571 00:44:03,040 --> 00:44:07,320 ornament upon the bosom of self assured and carnal Christianity, 572 00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:12,480 whose hands are indeed the hands of Abel, but whose voice is the 573 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:17,680 voice of Cain. The old cross slumin. 574 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:26,360 The new cross entertains men. The old cross condemned. 575 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:32,960 The new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed. 576 00:44:32,960 --> 00:44:39,120 Confidence in the flesh. The new cross encourages 577 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:46,400 confidence in the flesh. The old cross brought tears and 578 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:50,920 blood. The new cross, well, it brings 579 00:44:50,920 --> 00:44:55,040 laughter. The flesh, smiling and 580 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:58,520 confident, preaches and sings about the cross. 581 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:02,000 Before the cross it bow, bows, excuse me. 582 00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:06,360 And toward the cross it points with carefully staged 583 00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:11,280 hysteronics. But upon that cross it will not 584 00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:13,960 die. And the reproach of that cross 585 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:20,360 is stubbornly refused to bear. I will know how many smooth 586 00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:23,360 arguments can be marshaled in support of the new cross. 587 00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:26,160 Does not the new cross win conference and make many 588 00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:29,560 followers and so carry the advantage of numerical success? 589 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:33,200 Should we not adjust ourselves to the changing times? 590 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:36,520 Have we not heard the new slogan, New days, new ways? 591 00:45:38,240 --> 00:45:44,320 And who but someone very old and very conservative would insist 592 00:45:44,320 --> 00:45:49,080 upon death as the appointed way to life? 593 00:45:50,720 --> 00:45:54,680 And who today is interested in a gloomy mysticism that would 594 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:59,240 sentence its flesh to a cross and recommend self effacing 595 00:45:59,240 --> 00:46:02,960 humility as a virtue actually to be practiced by modern 596 00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:07,120 Christians? These are the arguments, along 597 00:46:07,120 --> 00:46:10,720 with many more flippant still, which are brought forward to 598 00:46:10,720 --> 00:46:17,240 give an appearance of wisdom to the hollow, meaningless cross of 599 00:46:17,240 --> 00:46:23,000 popular Christianity. Doubtless there are many whose 600 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:27,560 eyes are open to the tragedy of our times, but why are they so 601 00:46:27,560 --> 00:46:31,600 silent when their testimony is so sorely needed? 602 00:46:32,600 --> 00:46:38,760 In the name of Christ men have made void the cross of Christ. 603 00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:44,000 Men have fashioned a golden cross with a graven tool, and 604 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:49,360 before they sit down to eat and drink and rise up to play in 605 00:46:49,360 --> 00:46:53,240 their own blindness, they've submitted, or, excuse me, they 606 00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:57,040 have substituted the work of their own hands for the working 607 00:46:57,040 --> 00:47:01,840 of God's power. Perhaps our greatest present 608 00:47:01,840 --> 00:47:08,760 need may be the coming of a prophet to dash the stones at 609 00:47:08,760 --> 00:47:14,920 the foot of the mountain and call the church out to 610 00:47:14,920 --> 00:47:25,400 repentance or to judgement. So articulate was a man who said 611 00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:35,720 this almost 100 years ago. But he saw what was happening 612 00:47:35,720 --> 00:47:44,120 with the cross of Christ and how man refuses to carry his cross 613 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:53,240 and be slayed by that cross. True Christianity, the true 614 00:47:53,240 --> 00:48:04,080 believer has one determination and that is Jesus Christ and Him 615 00:48:04,080 --> 00:48:08,480 crucified. Every believer is determined, 616 00:48:09,760 --> 00:48:20,040 focused, steadfast, resolute on fulfilling 1 Main purpose, 1 617 00:48:20,040 --> 00:48:25,440 objective, 1. Discipline, 1 Focus. 618 00:48:26,560 --> 00:48:31,280 Christ and His cross. It's everything. 619 00:48:32,680 --> 00:48:40,240 It's that which gave you life. Why would you focus and be 620 00:48:40,240 --> 00:48:43,640 determined to do anything else? Let's pray. 621 00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:48,240 Lord, we thank you for tonight. We thank you for your word. 622 00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:51,400 We thank you, Lord, for the conviction that it brings. 623 00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:59,240 Truly, Lord, there is so much in the Word of God and everything 624 00:48:59,240 --> 00:49:03,400 about it. It's about the cross, your 625 00:49:03,400 --> 00:49:09,680 coming, your death, your Burrow, your resurrection, the victory 626 00:49:10,280 --> 00:49:15,960 of that which was certain, of that which was necessary, of 627 00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:21,520 that which was brutal. It was victorious. 628 00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:31,760 And we who have embraced Christ and His cross live a victorious 629 00:49:31,760 --> 00:49:35,840 life. Our prayer is that Lord, every 630 00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:41,920 single day we would manifest that victorious life because we 631 00:49:41,920 --> 00:49:51,440 have determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him 632 00:49:51,440 --> 00:49:55,840 crucified. Jesus name Amen.