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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/jim-smith/the-message-of-the-cross/
If you will please turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. These are the words of the apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians verse 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, not playing with men's minds, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching or the message, the message of the cross, is to them that perish foolishness. That can't make sense. But unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. Verse 21. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Verse 18. I want to notice with you the message of the cross in the closing part of the meeting here tonight. When Paul is speaking of it so broadly as the cross, I'm sure we're all very much aware as we read this text that the person of the Lord Jesus is the one that makes the cross worth preaching about.
That's what it is all about. That's what the passage is talking about, is directing our attention, we dying sinners, to the blessed person and the accomplished work of Calvary's cross. But he says here the cross has a message.
And really, I think it is wise for us just to take a moment and notice how the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is really that which is dividing our Bible into two parts. That's an interesting thing, friend, because the Old Testament is always pointing forward to the fact you need something more than this.
This is just temporary. In fact, this is preparatory for the cross. That's the Old Testament. And the New Testament is looking back, looking back and declaring the fact that the cross has accomplished its purpose.
And so the Bible, friend, is divided that way. And when you are reading the scriptures, when you read about Isaac upon the altar and Aram taking his place, it's pointing forward to the cross. And when we read in the New Testament concerning the preaching of the gospel from the apostles, he's pointing us back to the cross.
Because, friend, the cross is the center of divine purposes for unfolding all the mind and the heart of God towards humanity. That's why he kept pointing forward to it. Don't get occupied with your 10 commandments all the time.
They're only going to show you how much is missing. There's something more. And the cross, as we know, friend, tonight is really the dividing between humanity. Two classes, only two classes. Those who are in their sins on the back side of the cross, if you will, on the wrong side of the cross, and those who are saved.
That's what divides it. And friend, that's the message that we want to look at a little tonight. The message of the cross. And this audience tonight, I know that there are young folk here and your parents have been praying for you for years.
They brought you up with the gospel, the message of salvation, and you've never come to the cross. Because, friend, the cross is the meeting place for God and sinners. It's really, we're going to notice in our passage, it's the only foundation possible for the God of eternity to come out to men, his creature man who has fallen in sin and dying with no hope.
He has to come by way of the cross. And he is looking for you and for me to come to him by way of the cross. The cross is the center and it divides eternity as we realize a real heaven. And I love Revelation chapter 5.
I love to read that passage. I tried to put a little tune to it on one occasion in Roman Revelation 5 where they're singing in heaven because I'm going to sing that song. I don't know what tune they're going to use, but I've got one that fits.
And it's a wonderful thing, friend, to know that I'm going to be a part of that choir in glory singing unto the Lord Jesus, thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.
Yes, friend. And the great question is, have you been to the cross that you might be in that choir of praise to the Lord Jesus? If not, my friend, whatever else you may do, feelings you may try to get, experience you may try to develop.
You may seek to reason. You may be looking for information on top of what you have. You may be looking for the Lord Jesus on top of what you have. No, friend, it's the wrong answer. You've missed the message of the cross.
So I want to notice with you tonight in this passage four things about the message of the cross. We read in verse 18, the message of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. What that really means is not that you're calling the Lord Jesus a fool.
That's not the idea at all. What the idea is that man in his wisdom is trying to figure out the spiritual. He's trying to fathom God. And that is total ridiculous. It's impossible because we are a created being with a limitation to our creations.
And God is infinite. He is eternal. We cannot figure out God for them, for a man to come and preach and say that the eternal invisible God took humanity, that he might die upon a cross to save sinners who are dying, to fit them to go to heaven with him.
They say that's nonsense. That's impossible that a man dying could be of any use that men should live. That's foolishness. Doesn't make sense. Are you trying to figure out God's salvation tonight, friend?
And the jigsaw pieces just don't fit together, do they? No, because the jigsaw is already finished. That's what we have heard tonight. And that's the message of the cross. Let me notice with you the first thing, the message that the cross preaches to us and tells us.
It's a marvelous thing, friend, and it's of value to you and to me tonight. The message of the cross is telling us. It's a prophecy. All the prophecies, rather, of the Old Testament have now been fulfilled.
Now, this is the value, friend, of that message. All that you have in the Old Testament of the promises of a coming Messiah, at least 388, at least. Every one of those prophecies have been fulfilled. Now, that's the message of the cross.
They were fulfilled at Calvary, and that's telling us two things, friend. First of all, it tells us that there's nothing remaining to be accomplished, as we've been hearing. It is finished. Every scripture required in order that there might be the power of God unto salvation for sinners was accomplished at Calvary.
The second thing that it is telling us is, friend, you can trust every promise of the scripture, because every one that was promised for a Savior has been fulfilled. That's the first message that the cross is giving to you.
Consider, friend, tonight the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's telling me I can trust the Word of God. Whatever He promises through the gospel, I can trust it. It will be given. It will be accomplished.
Everything that's required according to the law of God, that salvation might be accomplished and be prepared and offered to dying sinful men who don't deserve it, they have been fulfilled. That's the wonder of it, friend.
That is why we read in that very same verse, to them that believe it's life everlasting. That's the message of the cross. The Word of God is absolutely trustworthy. Every promise fulfilled and every promise in the gospel will be fulfilled to them who take God at His Word.
That is the first message, friend. Believe the Bible. Are you looking for peace with God? Then go to His Word. Look in His Word. Read the messages that relate to the cross. Read John 19 of our blessed Lord Jesus as He goes to Gebathah, the place where He was tormented at the hands of men.
Follow Him then in His footsteps as He bears the cross outside Jerusalem's wall to the place of a skull and yields His holy body to be impaled upon that tree. What is He telling you, friend? I am fulfilling every scripture so that there will be a Bible that you can trust, a Word that you can receive.
My promises, He says, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And friend, you can trust it because the man who said it is the man who has fulfilled the promise and has accomplished every requirement that God's holy Word requires that the Savior might be available to men to trust Him for salvation.
That's the first message that the cross brings to us, the trustworthiness of the Word of God. The second message that the cross brings to us is in relation to propitiation. Now, just for the sake of those who are young, that is a big word.
But as you can see, it's made up of two words, and that's towards. Con is against, but pro is for or towards. And to propitiate is to satisfy a claim or satisfy an argument. Propitiation. So the Word is really teaching to us the fact that God has received an absolute satisfaction for the greatness of His holiness, His righteousness, and His love.
Every claim of God's love in order that it might flow freely in the riches of its grace to us who are dying sinners, unworthy of one ounce of mercy from God in order for it to flow to us. It required the cross.
And the message of the cross is God is satisfied in relation to the question of human sin. And friend, that's the best news that our ears could ever hear. Amazing love. How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
That's the message of Calvary tonight. Propitiation has been accomplished. God is satisfied with the cross work of our Lord Jesus Christ. But let me remind you, friend, that that is really the foundation by which God in His holiness is able to come out to us with a message of invitation.
It's because of the cross. That's the message. God is not going to come to you or to me because I'm doing the right thing. God is not coming to me because I'm trying so hard to get salvation. Humbug, friend.
That's nonsense. That's of self. God is meeting the sinner at the cross. That's where He has found His satisfaction for His righteousness, for the purposes of His love. That's the message. If you want to get right with God, and oh, how foolish is the human being who is not thoughtful about a relationship with the holy God of eternity, the determiner of destinies.
Friend, tonight, get to the cross. That is where you will find a welcoming God because of the basis of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is saying, come, come. Ah, the message, friend, is being sent worldwide.
Calvary, oh, Calvary. Mercy's vast, unfathomed sea. Love, eternal love to me. Friend, one wonders as we think of the gospel being preached that every heart in this audience tonight should not be able to shout from the bottom of their heart, hallelujah, what a Savior.
Look to Calvary, friend. That's where God will meet the sinner on the basis of a propitiatory work accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. But let me notice with you the third message that we have in our passage here.
It is the presentation of the person. That is what God has in mind, the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because you see, friend, as we have been looking at this passage, God is occupying us with preaching the cross.
It's interesting, isn't it, that it isn't Christ preaching here. Paul says, Christ sent me to preach the gospel. The believing of the message of the gospel is putting faith in the person. And that's what this passage is teaching, friend.
That's the message of the cross. It's putting faith in Christ. He is the one who accomplished Calvary's great work. He is the one who is able to meet every necessary word of prophecy that God might be satisfied.
His word may be justified, and the invitation may flow equal to all mankind. It's the person, friend, the Lord Jesus Christ, as my brother has been telling you already tonight. It's the same in every message of the gospel.
Get to Jesus, weary one. Look to the cross of Calvary, and we behold a man crucified upon Golgotha's tree. His life's blood has been shed. His holy head is bowed in death upon his bosom. How can there be hope?
Friend, that blessed one who stood in the breach and gave his life became answerable to God. The cross is declaring he's a trustworthy savior. Furthermore, says the apostle Paul, he's a living savior.
Ah, blessed be God tonight. Jesus lives. That blessed glorious one is alive to make good the promise of his cross work to every sinner that will turn to him in faith. He has said it. His work is done.
And tonight, the Lord Jesus Christ is presented in this passage. He's the one who has sent the men with the gospel. He is the one who, as we mentioned in verse 21 of our passage, it pleased God by preaching to save them that believe.
God has put his trust in the Lord Jesus for the glorious work of atonement, reconciliation that sinners might be brought to him on terms of grace and everlasting life. And friend, God's looking for you to put your trust in him.
That same one, he trusted him with the mighty work of salvation for sinners, and he accomplished it. The cross is empty, but the cross is the monument that God is pointing you to tonight. And the message of that cross is the savior who died, he lives again, and he is there to give the promise of eternal life to everyone who will believe the gospel.
But as I close the meeting, I want you to notice the priceless invitation that's given in this passage. Priceless, friend? Ah, yes. We may look at its value from different viewpoints, but I just want to leave one with you tonight, friend.
It is amazing how simple it is to receive eternal life. Amazing. That's why it's priceless. That's what makes it equal to all men. There's not one gospel for believer's children, and one gospel for my beloved brother who was in such darkness in Hinduism and all of that type of thing.
No, friend, there's not two gospels. He got it the same as I did, and that's the way you'll get it. That's the simplicity of it. It's a priceless invitation. Listen to it, friend. It pleased God through preaching to save.
You mean there's no experience? You mean there's not a light gonna flash? No. It's the word preached. It's God's word. That's the message of the cross. And the blessed person of the Savior stands behind it, living to justify his word to every soul that will believe the message.
The mighty price to satisfy God for my sin is fully paid, and I've got his word for it. God says through the preaching of that message, save them that believe. That's priceless tonight, friend. There need not be a moment of time to elapse.
There need not be an experience of any kind to take place. You see, putting faith in the Lord Jesus is the idea that you have turned your back on everything else. That's repentance. You turn away from your own thoughts to Christ because of what God declares of him in his cross work.
Yes, friend, repentance toward God is you leaving the thing that he's shown you won't work, and faith in the Lord Jesus. That blessed person, by believing his message, God says, thou shall be saved, and that's the message of the cross.
I trust tonight, friend, that you will listen to the message. Just fix your eye upon that cross. It's telling you you can trust every promise of the word. John 3 16 is a divinely given promise, and you can trust it.
God has been satisfied, and he will meet you at the cross. Not through your thinking. We read about that. Not the wisdom of men. It's not the great fathoming of spiritual things. No, it's coming as a sinner to Calvary.
That's the message of the cross. God meets sinners at the foot of Calvary because there, friend, is where the precious blood of Christ was shed. The blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin, and you'll never receive salvation anywhere else than at the foot of Calvary.
That's where God meets the sinner. That's the message of the cross. And the third thing that we notice is the person. The person who makes it good. He says, go and preach it, and those that believe it are saved.
That's the person, friends, putting faith in the Lord Jesus. He said it. That's what makes it true. Not made true when you do the right thing. It's not made true when you have an experience. It's true because of who says it.
The blessed, glorious, living Lord Jesus Christ. And at Calvary, that cross is telling you that person finished the work. The cross is empty. Behold, the Savior lives. Put your faith in Christ, says God, and thou shalt be saved.
That is the amazing, priceless invitation given to a world of sinners. Friend, there's no need for you to leave that seat that you are sitting upon tonight like you came in, perhaps even worried about your soul.
Perhaps you've been thinking and figuring and trying and scheming. Perhaps you've been careless, but through what the preaching that you heard and the testimonies that you listened to, you've come to grips with this fact.
I am a guilty sinner, and if God gives me what I deserve, I'll go to hell. Friend, will you please listen to the message of the cross? It's salvation for sinners through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Turn to him tonight, accept his word, and know the blessedness of God's salvation. Let's pray. Our God in heaven, we marvel indeed at the wonder of thy love. Not one of us or all of us together could ever put our merits together and deserve thy love, for our merits are as filthy rags.
We are sinners by birth and practice and choice. Oh, what an awful reality. God, we ask of thee tonight to make it real to some. We fear that some of them are so occupied with themselves and with what they're trying to do, they become angry with God that thou art not doing something for them, and they're missing the message that thou art declaring to them by an empty cross.
We ask thy blessing tonight upon thy holy word. May they turn and look upon Calvary and learn the great message of an accomplished work on their behalf, on behalf of a world of sinners, and they may personally appropriate it tonight through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
We ask this blessing for them as we know thou art willing to give it to every soul that will turn to thee tonight. We ask this blessing in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.