Centrality of the Cross

The point: Understand that unless God opens the mystery of the cross to your mind and heart, you will never be saved.

Hearing about Jesus' life and death without understanding the mystery of the cross is like growing old with gray hairs, but never being saved, emphasizing the necessity of divine revelation for salvation.

It is proper, therefore, to assert that if you are ever to be saved, you will be saved if God is pleased to open to your mind and heart the mystery of the cross. Unless God opens to your mind and heart the mystery of the cross, you will never be saved. Do you hear me, children? You can hear about Jesus living, dying, being buried and raised from the dead until gray hairs adorn your temples, but unless God is pleased to open up the mystery of the cross, you will never be saved.

4:37 - 5:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Grow in grace and knowledge only as you grow in appreciation of the significance and centrality of the cross of Christ.

The cross is depicted as the sole place where sin-laden sinners find rest and weary pilgrims find refreshment, illustrating its essential role in salvation and spiritual sustenance.

For as we read in 1 Corinthians 1, this message that to the natural man is stumbling block in foolishness is to those who are effectually called of God, the very means by which the power of God unto salvation is operative in their lives. Likewise, it is right to assert that we as Christians grow in grace and knowledge only as we grow in appreciation of the significance and centrality of the cross of Christ. The word of God makes plain that it is at the cross alone that sin-laden sinners find rest from the burden upon their backs, and it is at the cross that the weary pilgrim pressing on his wa...

5:17 - 6:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Grow in grace and knowledge only as you grow in appreciation of the significance and centrality of the cross of Christ.

Martin explains he will use the Socratic method of asking and answering rhetorical questions to engage the listeners' minds, clarifying the sermon's structure.

For as we read in 1 Corinthians 1, this message that to the natural man is stumbling block in foolishness is to those who are effectually called of God, the very means by which the power of God unto salvation is operative in their lives. Likewise, it is right to assert that we as Christians grow in grace and knowledge only as we grow in appreciation of the significance and centrality of the cross of Christ. The word of God makes plain that it is at the cross alone that sin-laden sinners find rest from the burden upon their backs, and it is at the cross that the weary pilgrim pressing on his wa...

5:17 - 6:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand what Communion means and why your parents participate in it.

The cross is distinguished from a mere ideal, religious symbol, hunk of wood, replica, or jewelry, to emphasize its historical reality and the meaning of Christ's death.

Well, negatively, it is not referring to a mere ideal or a religious symbol. It is not referring to the original hunk of wood upon which the form of the Son of God was pinioned. It is not referring to any replica of the same. It is not referring to something that people hang around the neck or put on the top of their church buildings and chapels and cathedrals.

7:46 - 8:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand what Communion means and why your parents participate in it.

The vivid image of having fingers wet with Christ's blood and seeing the darkened heavens underscores the tangible, historical reality of His death.

somewhere outside the city walls of Jerusalem, pinioned upon a Roman instrument of execution. It is speaking of the declaration of those facts and the biblical interpretation of the meaning of those facts. The message of the cross is essentially those two things. The proclamation of the fact of that death in time and space, a real death of a real person on a real hunk of real estate, in the real world, not a religious symbol, not something that by degrees and bits and pieces has accumulated to itself wonderful significance, but has no real roots in the world that is there. If you had been ther...

9:44 - 11:09 Read in full sermon

Driving home: For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Who was put to death upon that instrument of punishment, the cross? It was the Lord of glory.

Quoting a hymn about Christ's suffering and identity reinforces the question of 'Who was this Jesus of Nazareth?' and prepares for the answer of His deity.

That's the question that was asked in the hymn that we sang this morning. Who is this? Behold Him shedding drops of blood upon the ground. Who is this?

12:13 - 12:26 Read in full sermon

Driving home: For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Who was put to death upon that instrument of punishment, the cross? It was the Lord of glory.

The glory of God is compared to the outshining of the sun's perfections, illustrating that Christ's glory is the bursting forth of His divine perfections.

That is, the Lord who has surrounding His throne, His person, all the ineffable glory of the Godhead. The one who could pray in John 17, saying, Father, give me that glory that I had with Thee before the world once. And glory in that setting is nothing less than the outshining of the perfections of deity. As the rays of the sun are its glory, the outshining of its perfection, so the glory of God is the bursting forth of His perfection.

13:51 - 14:31 Read in full sermon

Driving home: My friend listen carefully he is not there for any crimes done in his person he is there because of the crimes that are charged to him in his position and unless you catch that distinction you'll miss the whole message o…

The analogy of people having sterling character from a distance but revealing dross under close relationship highlights the unique, unblemished character of Christ even under intense scrutiny.

The holy eternal God I see reflected in my own beloved Son the perfect image of my own holy nature and character which he shares with me. This is my Son my beloved in whom I am well pleased. The vindication of the sinlessness also came from those that were closest to him. It's amazing how some people have sterling character from a distance but don't put them under the heat of close relationship because the dross begins to boil to the surface.

18:39 - 19:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Study frequently and meditate deeply upon Romans 5:12-21 to understand the message of the cross.

Judas's act of throwing down the silver and declaring Christ innocent is presented as a powerful, unexpected vindication of Christ's sinlessness.

Listen, who betrayed him? Judas, Judas I venture to say in this congregation this morning almost every well known Bible name has been stuck on some male here this morning we have our Johns and our Peters and our Thomases but we have no Judases the very mention of the name of all that is evil and wicked and what was Judas his last public act? What was his last public act? A vindication of the sinlessness of the Son of God.

20:38 - 21:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Study frequently and meditate deeply upon Romans 5:12-21 to understand the message of the cross.

Pilate washing his hands and declaring Christ innocent further emphasizes the universal acknowledgment of Christ's blamelessness.

He runs into the temple, throws down his filthy thirty pieces of silver and says I have betrayed innocent who gave him up to die. Pilate, what was his last public act? He washes his hands and said I am clear of the blood of this innocent man. Rough cursing soldiers whose eyes have almost become blind to moral excellence after they have done their wicked deed and put him to death they see and they listen and there is wrung from that soldier this confession surely this was the Son of God. You see how the vindication of his innocence comes from every quarter from the Father from his most intimate...

21:16 - 22:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Study frequently and meditate deeply upon Romans 5:12-21 to understand the message of the cross.

The rough soldier's confession, 'Surely this was the Son of God,' after Christ's death, serves as another unexpected testimony to His innocence.

He runs into the temple, throws down his filthy thirty pieces of silver and says I have betrayed innocent who gave him up to die. Pilate, what was his last public act? He washes his hands and said I am clear of the blood of this innocent man. Rough cursing soldiers whose eyes have almost become blind to moral excellence after they have done their wicked deed and put him to death they see and they listen and there is wrung from that soldier this confession surely this was the Son of God. You see how the vindication of his innocence comes from every quarter from the Father from his most intimate...

21:16 - 22:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Study frequently and meditate deeply upon Romans 5:12-21 to understand the message of the cross.

The analogy of Adam as the covenant head of the human race, whose actions affected all, illustrates Christ's position as the Second Adam, representing His people.

of a guilty criminal because though in his person he is innocent in his position he is guilty he deserves to die he must die for what is his position? the bible says he goes to the cross and to the death thereof as the second Adam he is called the last Adam in first Corinthians chapter 15 and the significance of that phrase is opened up in detail in the apostle in Romans 5 verses 12 to 21 and if you desire to have any understanding of the message of the cross study frequently meditate deeply upon Romans 5 12 to 21 for it is the core of the whole perspective that I'm attempting to convey this m...

24:23 - 25:51 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are to be saved, God must open up the mystery of what happened to Christ on the cross. If you are to grow in grace, you must plumb this mystery more and more.

The analogy of a child asking a parent to 'spare me' from deserved discipline illustrates the meaning of God's 'non-sparing' of His Son, signifying the full measure of wrath.

you children know what it means you've been disciplined or about to be disciplined for something you've done and you deserve to be and you cry out to mommy or daddy no no spare me what do you mean withhold what is coming to me withhold what is my due withhold what I ought to receive withhold something of the full measure the cross is the display of God's non sparing non sparing of what ah here's the heart of its message everything that God's law demanded of that people whom Christ represented Jesus Christ assumes to render to the father the holy law we had broken said this do and thou shalt li...

33:07 - 34:34 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are to be saved, God must open up the mystery of what happened to Christ on the cross. If you are to grow in grace, you must plumb this mystery more and more.

Quoting a hymn about Christ draining the cup of wrath and the sword waking against Him powerfully illustrates the substitutionary nature of His suffering.

hearest me always I and my father are one I do always the things that please my father those were his claims in the gospel record but the mystery of mysteries is the cry my God my God why hast thou abandoned those words clash with everything else in the gospel record thou hearest me always why hast thou abandoned this is my son in whom I am pleased why hast thou abandoned oh dear people in answer to the question what happened to him while he was there in the room in the stead of his people the answer of this text is the father spared him not but he brought upon him the full measure of his holy...

36:03 - 37:32 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are to be saved, God must open up the mystery of what happened to Christ on the cross. If you are to grow in grace, you must plumb this mystery more and more.

The image of God crushing us in righteous anger, yet providing payment in His Son, highlights the depth of divine justice and mercy at the cross.

woke against thee that sword was plunged into the bosom of the son of God that's the biblical doctrine of substitution representation Christ standing in the room in stead of others that's the word of the cross not merely pointing to the writhing form of an innocent man and saying do you not pity him are you not moved with compassion spill out at his feet a little bit of the measure of human kindness and compassion no no that's not the message of the cross the message of the cross is it pleased the Lord oh sinner stand in amazement that the father should bruise his well beloved one that's the m...

37:32 - 38:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Get into vital union with Christ, for only then does the Father put to your account everything Christ did.

Christ holding and draining the cup of divine wrath until the last drop, then throwing it away, vividly illustrates the completeness of His atoning work.

what is finished to go back to the analogy of that hymn the Lord Jesus that had that cup held in a sense throughout the entirety of his life John said behold the Lamb of God and he uses a present who is bearing away the sin of the world from his conception he was sin bearer but that obedience in sin bearing was climaxed upon the cross when he felt the pangs of divine abandonment and he held that cup as it were in those final three hours of agony indescribable until he was certain that every last drop was gone and when it was he threw the cup away and said I am the Father now what blessing come...

38:58 - 40:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Get into vital union with Christ, for only then does the Father put to your account everything Christ did.

The concept of God reckoning Christ's death, burial, and resurrection as ours through union with Him is explained as 'retroactive' in God's mind, emphasizing the completeness of our acceptance.

you've got to get into him if you can be in him then you see in the mind of an eternal God it's all retroactive and this is the difficulty of the text in Ephesians 2 how to bring together those concepts that what to us is parceled out in time is to God all one bundle and that's how sinners find acceptance when they get into Christ and in union with Jesus Christ the Father reckons the death of his son is my death I can look at all of my sins and say Father you can't spare you can't spare your anger my sins cry out for judgment divine abandonment must be my portion and the Father says yes it mus...

40:26 - 41:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not merely acknowledge the cross, but be in loving, trustful union with the Son of God through living faith.

The phrase 'walked by the cross and tipped your hat' is used to contrast superficial acknowledgment with true, living union with Christ.

frown yes every child of God will know them but the despairing cry of abandonment rooted in divine wrath and justice Christian Christian that will never be your portion there is therefore now no condemnation to those what who've made a decision no to those who are in Christ Jesus Romans 8 1 are you in Christ Jesus are you in Christ Jesus I'm not asking you have you walked by the cross and tipped your hat and said oh that's lovely Jesus took the rap and I've heard that cursed phrase used with reference to that sacred agony upon the cross no no my friend are you in loving trustful union with the...

41:55 - 43:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not merely acknowledge the cross, but be in loving, trustful union with the Son of God through living faith.

The analogy of a 'feeble hand of faith' touching Christ's garment versus a 'bold hand' clasping Him illustrates that the strength of faith is not the issue, but the object of faith.

frown yes every child of God will know them but the despairing cry of abandonment rooted in divine wrath and justice Christian Christian that will never be your portion there is therefore now no condemnation to those what who've made a decision no to those who are in Christ Jesus Romans 8 1 are you in Christ Jesus are you in Christ Jesus I'm not asking you have you walked by the cross and tipped your hat and said oh that's lovely Jesus took the rap and I've heard that cursed phrase used with reference to that sacred agony upon the cross no no my friend are you in loving trustful union with the...

41:55 - 43:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not dishonor God by acting as though the cup of wrath is still half full and needs to be drained by your own efforts; Christ drained it completely.

Acting as though the cup of wrath is still half full and needing to be drained by one's own groans is presented as dishonoring to Christ's finished work.

two strong arms and God nowhere speaks that it's strong faith or much faith but by grace are you saved through faith oh dear child of God as you come to the table today why do you come you come because the message of the cross has been opened to you by the spirit and you found in your representative your living head the one who died in your room instead you found there's an adequate ground to believe my sins will never be charged to me they shall never rise up in judgment against me there is not one little dram left in the inside of that cup he drained it Christian it's empty it's been thrown ...

43:24 - 44:54 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are to miss hell, Christ crucified must become the most precious thing in all of life to you, for forgiveness is found there, not by trying to be good.

Quoting the hymn 'Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling' encourages sinners to come to Christ in simple faith.

oh dear children listen listen to your pastor this morning if you're ever to miss hell what your pastors preached this morning better become the most precious thing in all of life to you Christ crucified Christ crucified that's where you find forgiveness not by trying to be a good girl and a good boy now you ought to try to be a good girl and a good boy but the more you try if you're honest you're going to find the harder it gets and even if you became the bestest boy and the bestest girl in the world what about all those times you weren't the best boy and the best girl what about those sins s...

44:54 - 46:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't rest until you know you're in Christ, and seek to be in Him by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The idea that God was not 'juggling the record books' or engaging in 'mental fantasy' at Calvary emphasizes the reality of Christ's guilt in His representative position and the real wrath poured out.

though he were indeed because he was guilty in their room instead guilty one hence the bruising hence the abandonment hence the shrouded heavens hence the piercing cry God wasn't playing games at Calvary dear people and how I bless him he wasn't playing games because my sins are no playing matter nor are yours I want to know that a real satisfaction has been rendered for my real sins because there's a real hell crying out to consume sinners like you and like me thank God it was a real satisfaction there was real wrath poured out upon the real son of God there was real satisfaction to the law a...

47:49 - 49:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't rest until you know you're in Christ, and seek to be in Him by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The existence of a 'real hell crying out to consume sinners' underscores the necessity of a real satisfaction for real sins, highlighting the gravity of the cross.

though he were indeed because he was guilty in their room instead guilty one hence the bruising hence the abandonment hence the shrouded heavens hence the piercing cry God wasn't playing games at Calvary dear people and how I bless him he wasn't playing games because my sins are no playing matter nor are yours I want to know that a real satisfaction has been rendered for my real sins because there's a real hell crying out to consume sinners like you and like me thank God it was a real satisfaction there was real wrath poured out upon the real son of God there was real satisfaction to the law a...

47:49 - 49:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't rest until you know you're in Christ, and seek to be in Him by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Heaven is described as an 'eternal commentary' on what Christ purchased for believers, illustrating the boundless and unending benefits of His work.

though he were indeed because he was guilty in their room instead guilty one hence the bruising hence the abandonment hence the shrouded heavens hence the piercing cry God wasn't playing games at Calvary dear people and how I bless him he wasn't playing games because my sins are no playing matter nor are yours I want to know that a real satisfaction has been rendered for my real sins because there's a real hell crying out to consume sinners like you and like me thank God it was a real satisfaction there was real wrath poured out upon the real son of God there was real satisfaction to the law a...

47:49 - 49:17 Read in full sermon