When I Survey the Wondrous Cross — Shane Idleman

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

What we decided to do is since we don't have a good Friday service yet, right? I want to talk about a Good Friday, or I want to give a good Friday message. It's entitled when I survey the wondrous cross.

Some of the young people might think well, that's a great message. Some of the older folks will know exactly where I got that that title. It's an old hymn when I survey the wondrous cross by Isaac Watts.

Lived back with John Wesley and Charles Wesley and those famous hymns. When I survey the wondrous cross what Good Friday usually is it's when we it's a more somber service than Easter. It's it's where you you look at the cross and and you know, I.

The Cross and the Empty Tomb

Some people might not agree with this, but I love the empty tomb. Thank God for it, but that didn't save us the empty tomb proved that who he was. Who said he was that's who he was. I will rise again, but the cross.

The cross is what provided redemption. The cross is what secured my eternal destiny. The cross is where his blood was shed for my sins. The cross is where it brings peace and in the midst of a chaotic war.

It's it's the cross now. I don't think we need to elevate one or the other. I mean the cross. Three days later the empty tomb. What was it? Was he right? Did he die on Wednesday? Did I am Thursday? Did he die in Friday?

Do you know there's debates on that to the Sabbath and the pre? Getting ready for the Sabbath and I might talk about that a little bit next week. I'm not sure but I want to survey the wondrous cross. Isaac Watts wrote.

I don't want to quote but I think it was in the 1700s mid mid mid 1700s when I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died. My richest gain I count but loss and poor contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it Lord that I should bow safe in the death of Christ my God and It's interesting about the cross is the bad news. Became good news and that's what I love about God. He can take bad news and with just a turning of Romans make that into good news and you have to picture it when back then the Disciples the person who they thought would save them from Rome who thought would deliver them from hell who thought would provide for them and rule over them just died an embarrassing death and Sometimes I think it's good when you read the Bible get a good commentary on the Bible get a good study Bible.

Or there's wonderful commentaries. I can recommend usually older commentaries for men who came before us. Hundreds of years ago sometimes a couple hundred years ago if you read the Puritans or Matthew Henry is a good Commentary it was said that George Whitfield would just carry Matthew Henry's commentary in the Bible.

And if you know anything about George Whitfield, God bless his ministry and it was he was involved in something called the Great Awakening here in our nation and You you can learn at the historical context of what they're writing in and some of the background.

But they they thought this was their king they put him on the the colt. They put him on in front of everybody in Jerusalem. Here he comes to save us. But then a few days later, he's on a cross and that's an embarrassing death to hang between two thieves.

Beaten hung on a cross so they thought all of what we'd hoped for everything is lost but God. But God and I want to encourage you in in that as well. No matter it might seem things might look bleak. It might link.

This is terrible news. This is bad news. But when God gets in it somehow, I don't know how he does it but he takes bad news and turns it into good news if We commit our ways to him and if we commit our lives to him He'll turn this this was horrific that I talk about suicidal thoughts.

I think these disciples who are having those some of them thinking this is not happening. What happened. But just give it a few days and then he rose again. That's why we celebrate the empty tomb. Jerry Jerry Vine wrote this and I think it's important if you really want to understand what Christianity is all about.

You have to go to the cross if someone said to me, what is Christianity? I'd have to explain the cross to them. That's very important. Anytime you get caught up in debates about different religions or what's Christianity the cross.

God? Died for Me. No other religion says that most most religions say I've got to do all these things. And what and be a good person then when I stand before God he's gonna see all these good things. I did.

That's what separates Christianity from all other religions. The cross. That God died for me. He says I'd have to explain the cross to them first. Corinthians 118 says the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are saved.

It's a wonderful gift. It's the power of God. This is why? Christianity is foolish to so many people. Hollywood will mock it that I mean the pastor looks like an idiot up there and the Christian dad looks like a just a Baffoon and and the young teenage daughters are running the show and it's just mocks it and the foolishness to cross.

That's so foolish right. Because you're perishing. So somebody thinks the cross is foolish. It's because they're perishing. But those who have those of us who have been saved and now we have the Holy Spirit.

Confirming God's truth. We run to the cross. We run to God and we thank him for everything. He's done for us. Jerry Vines continues. I cannot explain to you what salvation is without taking you to the cross where Jesus died where God died.

The Cross as the Center of Salvation

At the cross we see humanity at its worst. With wicked hands they took him and crucified him at the cross. We see God at his best all of the facets and shades of the meaning of love God. Came together came together at the cross.

God put it all together at the cross and Really I know it's it's hard on a message like this to you could you could expound on the cross for the whole sermon you could Talk about Leviticus and and the and the shedding of blood and why the cross was required and and I like so many people.

They are confused about this area and to be completely honest with you nobody has a complete grasp on on what took place to think that God came down from eternity and Saved me died on the cross took my place.

Absorbed God's wrath. It'll just blow your mind. People will say Shane. I can't understand that and this is a good point to remind you I'm not gonna go to hell over a mystery. We cannot go to hell over a mystery.

I can't understand all the facets. No, you never will this side of heaven and even in heaven I don't know if we'll understand all facets of God and what he did in the love. I mean he creates this universe.

He has a little planet if you look at the universe at a big scale. It's not even a speck of dust. It doesn't even exist. You have to zoom in to show the earth. I created all that and you've got all these little creatures down there.

I don't believe in God. Yes. He's you know I don't care. He's not this and they're mocking God. He's just I can't imagine. He's just looking at them say whatever. Yeah, whatever ready or not here I come.

Remember that game used to play I played with my kids ready or not. Here I come but with God. You're not gonna tell him no go back and hide again dad. Go back. We're not ready. Okay, I'll go back one, two, three.

Here I come. No go back. We're not ready when God comes when Jesus comes again. It doesn't matter ready or not. Here I come. There's no second chances, there's no we'll go back we're not ready. So we have to prepare a people.

Yes. It's a mystery. Yes, we don't completely understand but truth is truth and it's true and it's confirmable. Everything I'm talking about is confirmed. You can confirm it. You can look to God and say Lord show me.

So let's look at the cross survey those in construction. You know what survey means, right? Well, I'm gonna take a survey of the land or I'm gonna I'm gonna go survey a house. Basically, it takes a very thorough look at this to evaluate Its value you survey you look at it.

You don't just glad Glance over it or gloss over it you take a look. So let's take a survey of the cross number one the cross heals and restores the cross heals and restores first Peter 224. I'm reading from the NIV in these next seven points.

Don't get upset at me. It's just Because I get you didn't know there's some people out there that don't don't touch NIV. That's it's from hell. Well If you believe that then I taught on what translation is reliable.

Just search it in our website and I spent an hour covering all this. So we'll save us an hour right now and just say let me read from it first Peter 224. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross.

So that we might die to sins and live for righteousness by his wounds. You have been healed. Now it's interesting this word healed means alleviate to alleviate a person's distress or Anguish so God through his stripes healed us.

He removed that distress in this anguish. I'm gonna talk about something controversial right here. It's okay. I think we can do that. A lot of times there's there's a group out there I don't I won't say names, but you should never be sick.

And if you are You just don't have enough faith. You just and I've heard it. I've seen it preach I've seen it on TV and it's it's kind of makes me sick like poor Paul. I Mean port. I mean there are people Godly people get sick and here's the verse they use by his stripes.

You are healed. You're healed he so whatever is going on is is is In you now, there's problems not with God by his stripes. You are healed. You need to walk in that victory get up walk in that victory.

Something's wrong with your faith. You're healed by his stripes. Well, really if you look at the context and everything. This is spiritual healing by his stripes. You have been healed spiritually. I've been set free and here's the interesting thing physical healing not everyone is healed.

But spiritual healing. Everyone who comes to the cross is healed. Nobody's nobody's cast away. Nobody says you're not good enough. Well, you're not prepared maybe later physical healing. We don't know we sometimes we're just not healed.

There's a memorial service. I missed today down at Costa Mesa Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. The wife of the guy who founded firefighters for Christ just found out I think five six weeks ago that went to the doctor.

Something's growing tumor and six weeks. Talk and talk about some prayer warriors. Talk about some people who you want to pray for you when you're sick. What happened? She's healed now. Perfect healing and I'm not trying to minimize anything because I believe God is the same yesterday today and forever more.

I pray for healing. I believe in healing. I've seen it not to the magnitude. We've seen the New Testament, but I've seen God move so I'm not going to discount that but this verse by his stripes. He's saying you are healed.

It's not you might you keep praying. We'll see you are healed. You are healed from what from your distress and your anguish. But being set apart from from God you're healed by his stripes because here's what really did it for me.

By his stripes you are healed. What's more important? My being healed physically or being healed spiritually. So if he's saying by his stripes, you are healed. We can't just take that say no, it's spirit.

It's physically it's physically now. There's what happens is you are healed spiritually. Went because of the cross because of Jesus bore your sins on the cross by his stripes the stripes. What's the stripes the shit that he was whipped?

Do you want to would you want to watch the passion of the Christ again to remind us of what took place? It was horrific. He was whipped. He was beating the stripes the blood shed. And then on the cross he died and was pierced and that blood shed that blood without the shedding of blood.

There's no remission of sin. So that blood had to be shed so by his stripes. You are healed and I am healed physically and spiritually. But here's what happens physically spiritually you're healed physically.

It's a benefit but sometimes It's not according to god's will and i'm not ashamed to say that I I don't think that god is running around like a butler bring me ice water. Bring me this right. We need healed healing here.

God healing now here healing and god's okay. Okay, okay, and he's healing everybody. There's something according to sovereignty according to his will. I know a lot of people Johnny eric santata, you know her in the wheelchair.

Uh, she's got a national ministry. She's said before that. Um, and I don't want to misquote but along the lines of she thanks god for what. Where she's at because without that she wouldn't be able to reach the countless people that she's reached and god Through that infirmity can reach and can break.

Uh people and and and uh, there's a guy named nick. I can't pronounce his last name no arms. Or legs. YouTube, I mean this is amazing this guy. I mean. And they'll just put him on the podium or they'll put him on stage about this high married now I'm like god.

How unthankful? Can we become. No arms no legs and he's preaching the gospel and he's encouraging. I just want to cry every time. And i've got problems. But see he doesn't have problems. He gotta use that.

In a powerful way to you should see the young adults crying. Young adults who would walk out of my sermon they sit and they listen because different giftings god's called each of us. And so sometimes he doesn't heal.

And I've prayed for people in in in these hospital homes or the hospital and four days later five days later. They're gone. I remember the emergency room. I ran in there and I was praying for this guy and he was in a coma and I felt good.

I felt the peace and I just left and then four days later. They never came back. They lost him. What do you mean? Lord, what and it's just confusion, but it doesn't need to be confusing. Because god has has has saved us spiritually and then physically.

Sometimes we just don't know where he's going to take us. It doesn't mean you don't pray. It doesn't mean you don't contend. It doesn't mean you don't hope for the best. But when something happens that doesn't line up with what we thought we don't we shouldn't allow that to to.

Make us doubt god. And become angry and it's hard, especially if you've lost a child. There's there's there's anger and there's anxiety. Those are normal human emotions. I don't want to discount any of that.

But the cross brings spiritual healing spiritual healing and restoration. Number two the cross makes his will clear. This is an interesting concept the cross makes god's will clear. If you want to know god's will read luke 9 23.

Then he said to them all whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross. Daily and follow me. I die daily walking according to god's will will bring peace and direction. I'll submit this to you for your consideration that I believe in the majority of the problems we have in life.

Are because of this issue we don't die daily. I fight for shane daily. I don't dying daily is is when you you get up and or throughout the day. You're like lord not my will but your will be done. Well shane.

I've got it. What do I do? I take this job. Is it going to hurt your family? Is it going to hurt your relationship to the lord die daily? Do you have to get the right answer? Do you have to get the right?

You know thing and you have to this you die daily. Or if pride comes in you've always got to be at the top of your game. You've always got to achieve and you've got you die daily. I've shared with some of you before i'm coaching little league a little league team and we just lost our sixth game today in a row die daily.

Because i'm competitive. I want to win. I don't want the parents going. Oh, who's this coach? Oh my goodness. I mean my dad built my grandpa built the field in the 50s and 60s and we've baseballs runs through our veins.

I know what i'm doing, right? But you think oh, what are people thinking and and it's humiliating. It's humbling. You know, it's just die daily die daily. This isn't about you die day. Because if if I don't die daily i'm gonna i'm gonna pop off to the empire.

Or the coach, right? Come on blue, what was that? He's clearly saying this is ridiculous. Who's that guy pastor? Oh, no. But it's it's dying daily and all that what about marriage oh my goodness. Get the last word in.

Have to be right have to do this have to argue have to you know, just die daily. Relation with your kids die day. You see how important dying daily is. And that's why he said this here, I believe he said To the disciples.

Deny yourself take up your cross daily and follow me. And the point i'm trying to make here is that the cross is a is a is a uh, resembling it resembles death death to self death to our dreams and our ambitions and it's I it's the funny thing is once we Death to our dreams and ambitions and lord.

I give you my life. He gives you a whole new set of goals and agendas and fills your heart with the things that please him and you're on fire for god. These things that were meaningless you thought were important are now meaningless and you're dying daily.

It doesn't mean you don't earn a living and live a home take care of your kids. But there's a there's an agenda that has to die because our will that will not coincide with god's will it. Here's what happens.

So once you say lord, I die daily I die what what what? Here's a perfect example. What what what what did I just talk about in the announcements with the church that we're considering uniting with? Would that ever have even entered my mind.

Never and it wasn't even on the radar didn't and when it was brought up to me i'm like no no. No, we're we're good Lord, i'm we're looking here. We're lancaster. This is our focus and then somebody said would you at least pray about it?

No, no not gonna pray about it. This is our focus. This is where god's called me to do and would you at least pray about? Yeah, I guess i'll at least pray about it and me and my wife finally talked after a few weeks of bad moods, you know.

Because you know when you're fighting god, it's not a good spot. Finally when you surrender it's a great spot and I said, well, what about if god is doing this? Can we rule that out? What about if god is doing this and actually I love the area i'm from I love the country and the mountains and so the area I love I just didn't it wasn't on my Radar scale, you know, I here's here's what we're doing and this is okay over here.

So once I gave that i'm saying, okay lord if you're doing it, then I just want to get on board. I just want it your will not my will be done and then Tremendous peace came and confirmation and confirmation and and now it just feels like home.

We've grown to love the people love the place. Let everybody here too. It just feels like one united coming together. But it was not easy. Because I had you know, you what you think you and it's not a bad thing.

It's just like, okay. Here's our focus, you know, you've called me to this and now you're switching gears get ready because god will switch gears. You won't stay in first gear very long. You're in the second and third and fourth and because he's directing and here's why it doesn't it rarely works out because here's how we look at things and this is going to be embarrassing if you don't but I'll just be transparent because I know it's everybody I'm looking at things.

Okay. Here's here's i'm going comfort easier. Not as far. Can get home earlier you know newer um. And you start we start to so we start to think that all these things in our comfort zone. And we make decisions based on my comfort zone and when god gets involved that your comfort zone is not even a consideration.

Does it god want to give us peace and rest of course, but i'll choose things according to. Many times what what's comfortable what's familiar and not necessarily bad. It's just what's familiar what feels safe.

Don't push me beyond my safety zone god. I'm safe right here. And he says oh no. No, we're getting way out of that area. Most problems are the result of selfishness of not carrying our cross. So then the third point the cross offers hope to a dying world.

The Cross Offers Hope to a Dying World

The cross offers hope to a dying world hebrews 12 to fix our eyes on jesus. And I cannot get that sentence out of my mind this week since I read it. It reminded me fix your thoughts fix your eyes on jesus because my mind doesn't want the the flesh doesn't want to.

It's it. Wants to fix my on everything else that's going wrong. The news and who's going to be next president who's this and and fix and fix and work. You have to fix your eye. In other words, take your eyes and throw it back at jesus throw it back.

No back at jesus. You're fixing your eyes back on him. That's the only way to get through life folks. Because the run of the mill daily activities will take your eyes away and you've got to fix your eyes back.

There's an effort involved fix your eyes on jesus the pioneer and the perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross. And I still I couldn't get over that a lot of these scriptures really hit me hard this week.

For the joy set before him. Can you do? Watch the passion of the christ and what if I knew that was before me. No, no, no i'm moving to brazil under an alias. But the joy set before him he and he endured the cross.

And I I don't know people speculate but the joy set before him seeing people. Set free. Those of you who are believers you have been set free from the powers of darkness. That's something to celebrate.

That's joyful. Jesus has set millions of people free. But we live sometimes as if he hasn't. And he there's a joy set before him. He endured the cross. Scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of god.

Basically the right hand of god is a position of power and authority. He's he came down from heaven. Took on the form of a man's flesh just and he took on this form he became obedient to the point of death.

Endured the cross for the joy that was set before him to save humanity when he's done. He sits on the right hand of the father and says it is finished in a position of authority. There's only one hope and what I want to Say on this point is and I saw at the lily field you see people my age and they're in tremendous shape.

I mean, you know just just like this guy's he's bragging on this and just and his hope is in his health. Another guy talked to his hope is in sold his house somewhere and and it was paid off from a divorce.

Something got six hundred thousand dollars in the bank. He wants to do. Okay. Well, that's great and all these people. But their hope is in these things see the hope is and he's healthy right now. What happens next week?

The hope isn't six hundred thousand sitting your bank. Hmm, that would be pretty nice. But he's that's his hope right there. So you started talking about church. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but see there also. There's hope and success and fame we put our hope in all these things, but there's only one true hope.

All these hopes fall by the wayside. All of them ask somebody dying on their deathbed who doesn't have any hope. Does that six hundred thousand matter? Did having a six pack of abs in perfect shape matter went 20 years ago?

None of that matters. There's only one hope. That's why he says the cross offers hope to a dying world. And he says endurance he suffered patiently as he carried the cross. And i've said this before and i'll probably say it again, but if I was if I was jesus the the.

And and you you actually hold everything you know that jesus holds everything together. That roman soldier doesn't breathe unless jesus says breathe the first person to spit on me. Okay angel. You slap me.

And just wipe out rome. I mean that that would that would be our but he endured. I mean and I don't know maybe it's me. But I just can't imagine the creation. He created the the soldier who was about to hit him and he sit there and he endured the cross.

It's not just walking up and getting shot and it's done. This is a process not of minutes of hours and hours and hours of being beaten. Your your your beard was ripped out the crown of thorns paste placed on your head.

The blood came down and he was whipped with the cat of nine tails. That would actually rip the flesh off endured the cross for me. And then he had to carry the thing he was going to hang on. They put it in the they laid it on the ground and began to nail his his his wrists and his legs into the cross.

And he's enduring the cross for me. And you shouldn't that change the way we live? I think so. It would sure get rid of all little bickering and complaining. It would get rid of all the pre-trip post-trip mid-trip and arguing and debating look at the cross.

That's the hope the joy that was set before him. There is only one hope. And the cross offers hope to a dying world anytime. I try to talk to people. I do try to point them to the cross. Because think about that when people say i'm a good person.

What was the point of the cross? What's fairy tale? No, it's not read his go go read secular historians. That say a man named jesus who had followers died on a cross. Oh, wow. Okay. What do you do with that?

It's historical figure. It's an historical figure. I mean, we'll put we'll put more trust into shakespeare. Don't people oh shakespeare is real, but not jesus shakespeare and they think Romeo and juliet, that's that's real, but not jesus.

Out out breathe candle life is but a walking shadow a poor player that stretches hour upon the stage and has heard no more. It is the east and juliet is the west arise fair sun and kill the envious moon who is pale and full of grief.

That's truth. And this is fake. The cross number four the cross set us free romans 6 6 for we know that our old self was crucified with him. So that the body ruled by sin might be done away with that.

We should no longer be slaves to sin. Let me listen to this. For we know that our old self was crucified with him. So that the body ruined and ruled by sin might be done away with. That we should no longer be slaves to sin.

Freedom From Sin Through Union With Christ

Here's the difference between you if you know the lord and the world you are no longer a slave to sin. Well shane if i'm no longer a slave, why is it still here? Because whatever you choose to obey becomes your master.

Paul says that in the same same discourse in romans. He says whatever you choose to obey becomes your master and it's an interesting concept. I'm no longer bound to sin. But it's still alive in me. If you choose to obey it and it's interesting point the old man.

The one time bible talks about the old man is not talking about the dad. Oh my old man, you know the old man was the old sinful nature that will lead you to hell. And the new man is a new person in christ and the old man and the new man cannot be friends.

Well, we still like to bring them together for reunions don't we. So this another interesting concept early methodist used to teach perfectionism that you could actually be perfect and and i'm going to be careful what I say here, but So Scripturally you have the power To walk in the newness of life and to be separated from the world and you have the ability but because of the sin nature that comes in it can.

Continually is a battle and many people succumb to the battle and they lose the fight not the war. They lose the fight. And this is the number one culprit of most of our problems the old man and the new man.

You try to bring them back together again. We try to we they try to be Friends again. If i'm dead to sin, why is it still alive in me? It's because we feed that. That area. Here's what happens the old man begins to put thoughts in.

You have to tell that you have to say that's a lie. That's a lie. Because he'll say come on just a few more drinks. Remember that let's go relax. Lie. Or oh, that's that's right. Thanks for inviting me again.

You go back or or smoke this or take this or click here or go there or say that. The old man begins to plant thoughts to get the new man to fall back in. That's how it works. Jc. Ryle i've read this quote before.

And he said the holiness will cost a man his sins. He must be willing to give up every habit practice, which is wrong in god's sight. There must be no separate truths which with any special sin, which he loves.

Our sins are often as dear to us as our children. Remember this we love them. We hug them we cleave to them and we delight in them. To part with them is as hard as cutting off a right hand. Or plucking out a right eye, but it must be done.

The parting must come. The old man the new man must be separated. Next point number five it separates me from the world. The cross separates me from the world. Galatians 6 14 may I never boast except in the cross of our lord.

Jesus christ. Through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. This is interesting the cross is it's a line of demarcation because of the cross. Now i'm separated from the world and that's a good thing.

That's a very good thing. I like what a different translation said because of the cross. My interest in this world has been crucified in the world's interest in me is dead. So the cross comes in and and it cuts me away from the world to save me.

So because of the cross paul said don't boast in anything except in the cross don't boast in anything of accomplishments. But what god has done? The world boasts against god. Look at what i've done see what i've accomplished.

Those outside of god's salvation are connected to the world. They resemble it. Here's a sad fact many christians want just a little piece of god. You've heard me talk about this before. They just i'll give you this much like a pie not the whole pie.

You can have a little piece god. And they actually look like the world. They love the world. There's not a separation but because of the cross. If you truly embrace the cross there should be a separation.

If a christian is not separated with the world but loves the world the things of the world. Then you have to wonder are they have they truly embrace the message of the cross? Because it separates. Number six one of my favorite points it brings peace.

Peace Through the Blood of the Cross

It brings peace to an anxious heart. If you're anxious tonight that can change Colossians 1 20 and through him. To reconcile to himself all things whether things on earth or things in heaven. By making peace through his blood shed on the cross.

See without. There's temporary peace what I just talked about earlier. Somebody's got came across some money or they're in health or there's temporary peace, but there's no there's no peace long term without the cross.

Because the cross brings that peace to me the cross satisfies god. So how can I live in fear and trembling before god because the cross satisfied it the cross? The cross of christ has has saved me my redemption because of that cross.

D l moody said this there is no peace. There is no peace until we see the finished work of jesus christ until we can look back and see the cross of christ between our sins. When you can look back and see the cross of christ between you and your sins that brings peace.

And this is why the world doesn't know peace because there's no true peace outside. Of having a right relationship with god all of us know there's a there's an internal alarm clock. We have to worship something we either worship the world or we worship god or we worship the devil.

We worship there's something so without that. Without that what I think billy graham called or other people a hole there that god-sized hole without that filled. There's no peace. There's no peace. And then the final point of course you all know, but it bears repeating.

Eternal Life Through the Cross

It brings eternal life. There is a such thing as heaven and hell. There is a such thing as right and wrong life and death eternity. Eternity is real. And the cross. That's why I love the cross. It brings eternal life.

The empty tomb revealed who jesus was but it's the cross who brings eternal life. Philippians. And being found in appearance as a man. He humbled himself. And became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross.

Did you catch that and being found in appearance as a man? Just as I said earlier, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on the cross. Now let's talk about that for a minute.