The Cross- in Jesus time was not an ornament to be worn around your neck or on a piece of clothing but – an instrument of death! When the Roman soldiers came and took a man, if he was married he said goodbye to his wife, family, his possessions and he knew he was never coming back…. and on that cross its purpose was death to his life- he would not be coming down fro that cross alive!
Paul gloried in the cross of Christ and to those who are perishing the cross is foolishness but to those who believe it is the power of God.
THE CROSS- for the believer is still an instrument of death.
The Cross at work within us, as we yield it cuts away at those things that are offensive to Him and it frees us from self occupation, settling old scores, carrying offenses, to be liberated to freely, wholeheartedly love God and Prefer others. Jesus had a PREFERENCE, ” Father, if this cup can pass from Me, let it pass…” There is nothing wrong with preferences, but we must CHOOSE to lay our preferences in subjection to the PRIORITY of God for us – Jesus models this for us when He says after revealing His Preference, “NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE, FATHER GLORIFY YOUR NAME.”
There always has to be a “NEVERTHELESS…” and we see His PRIORITY trumped His PREFERENCE before that terrible hour, and see two truths about the cross we must apply from the heart.
1. The issue is GOD’S WILL being done in this situation- not my preference.
2. FATHER GLORIFY YOUR NAME- This must be the end of what I am making a decision on, going to say, partake in…
- To do GOD’S WILL
- TO SEEK GOD’S GLORY AS OUR END RESULT, in whatever we say or are involved in to Honor Him and benefit others for Him …. These are two elements in the Cross for each of us in our choosing of HIM. The cross cuts across our selfishness and releases the SELFLESS LIFE THAT He empowers us to Live- 2 Peter 1:3-4.
- I MUST BEGIN TO RENEW MY THINKING..NO LONGER EMBRACING LIES TO PROMOTE SELF, BUT EXCHANGING LIES FOR TRUTH AND TO REALIZE – HIS WILL, HIS GLORY IS TO BE MORE THAN A SAYING . IT IS THE LAYING DOWN OF MY LIFE CONTINUALLY TO DO HIS WILL, TO SEEK HIS GLORY, Life is not about my or your comfort, though God does show HIS Kindness to us- it is about HIS WILL being accomplished through YOU, me…to what end? HIS GLORY, HIS FAME been made known and spread. Would you rather make a name for yourself or make His Name known and see His Fame spread. I have heard people speak of and ask, “what is you five year plan?” I have never heard them ask that in light of DOING GOD’S WILL AND SPREADING GOD’S FAME? It usually has to do with material things, nothing wrong in material things for the Bible teaches, “what do you have that has not been given to you?” But the problem often is the question is asked from a heart devoid, or departed from first love for Jesus Christ who came to do the Father’s Will! In 100 years time if you could project yourself there and look back at these moments of your life from here on out would you live with eternal values or continues to seek the things on earth as your priority? Paul told young Timothy in 1 Tim 6:12 ” Lay hold of eternal life.” Lay hold. Lit means “GET A GRIP of eternal realities.” Live your life in light of eternity!
Jesus SUBMITTED His life to that of His Father’s will and for His Father’s glory– and that meant the Cross to die to fulfill the Father being glorified an multitudes being benefited through His life VOLUNTARILY been laid down that they may eternally be benefited by having their sins against God erased and be adopted into His family! Such is the wonder of the Christ of the cross. And on the third day He was raised from the dead- His Sacrifice accepted by the Father, His Will accomplished and future generations to benefit eternal safety and membership of the loving care in the family of God.
You may not be called to offer your life in sacrifice as a martyr but each day you and I are called to make CHOICES, with our THOUGHT LIFE, or SPEECH, our DEALINGS with Others, Motivations, and it is not about you. It is not about me! It is about Glorifying Him. Making His Name and fame known and only the embracing and appropriating of the cross in our lives will do this where people may see our good works and “glorify your Father who is in Heaven”
The choosing of personal preferences as the ultimate goal and Priority, is a life that does not understand, appropriate the cross and is fruitless and useless In the magnifying of God
The Choosing of THINKING Of His Priorities and choosing to follow in HIS WAY even at great personal cost is the doing of His will and as a corn of wheat must first fall into the ground and die then it brings forth fruit. Paul said “we die daily, that you might live”…That is the MINDSET and APPLICATION of the CROSS….”Nevertheless NOT My Will BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE, FATHER IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, IN MY THINKING, IN MY DOINGS, MAY MY GOAL AND AIM AND PURPOSE BE…GLORIFY YOUR NAME
1. PERSONAL PREFERENCES ARE NOT BAD IN THEMSELVES, BUT WHEN THEY CLASH WITH THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD IN HIS WORD, THEN THEY MUST BE REJECTED IN ORDER TO SUBMIT AND DO HIS WILL!
2. GOD’S PRIORITY- HIS WILL- HIS GLORY- OTHERS BENEFIT…
The Cross is still an instrument of death. Death to the Self centered, egotistical, me first, poor me, self occupation, self promotion, self appreciation and all the other ugly , sinful manifestations of a life that is intoxicated with the promotion, protection, PUTREFACTION of a life of sinful, self centered focus, to the LIBERATION OF THE CROSS where as Paul said “May it never be that I should GLORY{BOAST} except in the cross of Christ my Lord and the world has been crucified unto me and I to the world…” In other words this world finds nothing desirable in me and there is nothing this world has to offer that I find desirable in it because my desires, delights and focus has changed is being changed and it is in the cross of Jesus Christ my Lord{Master}
Think about it when you gave your life to Christ you gave up your “rights” to live as you want , do as you want, and all the cross’s around your neck on your writ band, on your t shirt cannot save or sever you from a self occupied life only the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives freeing us more and more{sanctifying us} from the self focus to the Savior Focus, and OTHERS FOCUS.. and we get a new boast- in the CROSS OF CHRIST my LORD!
THE CROSS OF CHRIST WAS AN INSTRUMENT OF DEATH . IT STILL IS TODAY THROUGH THE DEATH OF JESUS IT FREES US TO DO HIS WILL AND SEEK TO GLORIFY HIM IN OUR DAILY, AT TIMES what may seem mundane lives, :whatever you do , do ALL for the GLORY OF GOD”-
Time to THINK…. TIME TO CHANG FOCUS…TIME TO BE PRE-OCCUPIED WITH ANOTHER..TIME TO ACT.”You were both with a price{the blood of Jesus} YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN, THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD In your body. Your body is the vehicle you have to DO HIS WILL…LIVE TO SEEK HIS GLORY!
Do you Live more by what your Preferences are OR do you submit your preferences to Him when they clash with the will of God for You which is His Will being done and His glory as the priority of your life. One is self focused the other is Cross centered, WHICH LEADS TO the DOING OF GOD’S WILL and the SEEKING TE FAME AND GLORY OF GOD AS PRIORITY! The Difference can be summed up in one word, “NEVERTHELESS…” …John 12
Make eternal choices….
“Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain—
Free to all, a healing stream—
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain. Refrain:
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.
Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and Mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.
Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.
Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river…”