That Wondrous Cross — E.A. Johnston

Hunger for a Holy Walk with God

Years ago, I sat at a table with two famous pastors having lunch. I sat facing Adrian Rogers and Stephen Olford. And as I spoke with these men, I realized I was in the company of holy men of God. Men who knew how to live, dying to self and sin.

Men who knew how to live, leaning upon the Holy Spirit and a holy walk with their God. And as I sat there at that table, I hungered. I did not hunger for the food before me. Rather, I hungered to have a walk with God like those two men.

I ended up standing at both their coffins. But their fragrant life of uselessness and holiness still lingers in my memory. Unfortunately, holiness is a forgotten doctrine in our churches today, friends.

Rejecting Elevator Christianity

And most believers struggle with the flesh, the world, and the devil. With those three getting the upper hand. Do you know what Elevator Christianity is, friend? It's an up-and-down walk with God. One day, you are living in the penthouse suite in a life of victory.

Then the next day, you're in the basement of the agony of defeat. Sometimes this happens in the very same day. You don't have to settle for Elevator Christianity, friend. And if you'll give me a few moments to bring this message before you, I will share with you how to live above the world by the power of the cross, by applying the cross in the life of a believer.

The Twofold Work of the Cross

The title of my message today, friends, is That Wondrous Cross. And my text can be found in the Book of Romans. We will be in Chapter 6. You can turn in your Bibles there now, friends. The death of Christ was twofold.

Both an atonement for sin and a triumph over sin. The first, bringing deliverance from sin's condemnation. And the other, from sin's power. That wondrous cross, friends, has wonder, work, and power for our daily life in Christ.

Listen to me, friend. You are either dead in sin or dead to sin. Listen to our text from Romans 6 and verse 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Let me ask you, friend. Who do you serve? Sin, self, and the world? Or are you dead to sin in your service to King Jesus? Romans 8 .1 declares, There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Like I said earlier, the death of Christ was twofold, in its atonement for sin, bringing deliverance from sin's condemnation, and freedom from sin's dominion. That wondrous cross has power to save and power to deliver.

Crucified with Christ

That wondrous cross, friend, delivers from the power of self and sin, and the world and the devil. Listen to me, friend. On that cross, Jesus was crucified for me. And on that cross, I am crucified with him.

Paul tells us in Galatians 2 .20, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

He loved me so much. He loved me enough to go to that cross and suffer and die there for my dirty, rotten sins. So I may have life and freedom from the power of sin. Like I said, on that cross, Jesus was crucified for me.

And on that cross, I am crucified with him. The crucified life is the life of victory. The power of the cross in the life of the believer brings deliverance from sin's power. First, there was the shame and scandal of that ignoble cross.

From Calvary's Suffering to Resurrection Power

Jesus was nailed up there between two criminals. The scandal of the cross and humility and shame. Then there was the pain of Calvary. The excruciating torture of being crucified was a horrible, painful death.

Jesus did all that for me. But after the shame and the pain came the power of the resurrection. Amen? You can experience the power of the resurrection, friend, applied in your life by the power of that wondrous cross.

I am crucified with Christ, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him. The apostle Paul says, when this occurs in the life of a believer, then henceforth we should not serve sin. Oh, wondrous cross and its liberating power.

Christianity and the Crucified Follower

Listen to me, friends. A crucified Christ must have crucified followers. Do you know what distinguishes Christianity from other world religions? Other world religions seem pleased to gather at the foot of the cross.

But Christianity gets up on the cross. I am crucified with Christ. The gospel has rights and claims on my life because I was bought with a price and that price was his precious blood. What can wash away my sins?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Remember how earlier I talked about elevator Christianity? That up and down walk with God. It's frustrating and it's discouraging. The apostle Paul cried out in Romans 6 .24, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Freedom from Sin Through the Holy Spirit

The answer, friends, is found in the person of Jesus Christ. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. He lives in me, friend, by his Spirit who has resurrection power.

I no longer have to be a slave to sin because I am dead to sin by the power of the cross and the enablement of the Spirit. Living a life under the discipline of the Holy Spirit. Praise God. O that wondrous cross.

And O that wonderful Savior. Because on that cross he was crucified for me. And on that cross I am crucified with him. Do you hunger for a closer walk with God? Listen to me, friend. Do you really have a hunger to go deeper with him?

Walking with God in Agreement

Amos 3 .3 declares, can two walk together except they be agreed? Sin will keep you from the Bible and the Bible will keep you from sin. Spend more time immersing yourself, friend, in the Word of God and ask the Lord Jesus to give you victory by the power of the cross applied to your life as you walk by the Spirit.

We are either in the flesh or in the Spirit. Jesus is a wonderful Savior, friend. And on that cross Jesus was crucified for me. And by his grace and by his Spirit on that cross I am crucified with him.

Hallelujah. Praise God for that wondrous cross. Listen to me, friends. Jesus is not only worthy. He is worth it. Let us pray.