“The Cross-Centered Church”
October 9, 2005
We are coming back to our series of messages on the doctrine of the local church. We’ve had two sermons so far in that series (though everyone tells me that Tim McGill’s message last week was a perfect fit into this series!). The first message was entitled: “The Newborn Church” and was a brief study of the birth of the church in Acts chapter 2. We saw there the five main “tools in our toolbox” for accomplishing our church’s purpose: worship, instruction, fellowship, evangelism, and service. Or, as we’ve been saying recently: loving Jesus, learning of Jesus, linking to others in Jesus, luring others to Jesus, and living for Jesus. “The Newborn Church.”
Then two weeks ago, the message was titled, “The Joyfully-Led Church.” And we looked at Hebrews 13:17. We learned about the importance of church leadership and church followership. Your job is to joyfully follow, our job is to joyfully watch over your souls. “The Joyfully-Led Church.”
Now this week, as you can see from the back of your bulletin, this message is titled, “The Cross-Centered Church.” Do you remember last year’s Summer Book Club book? The little orange book: C.J. Mahaney’s The Cross-Centered Life? I think most of you will agree that this was a very helpful little book: The Cross-Centered Life. The main question he asked was “What is your life centered upon?” And he urged us to center our lives on the gospel of Jesus Christ. To live what he called, “cross-centered lives.”
Well, I believe that God wants us to also center our church’s life on the gospel of a crucified Savior. God wants us to build our church around, not just loving, learning, linking, luring, and living for Jesus, but around the saving work of Jesus on the Cross.
God Wants Us to Build a Cross-centered Church.
As I have often said, the main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing. And the Main Thing is the gospel.
Let’s read 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 1 through 11.
“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” (NIV)
[prayer]
Paul was writing to a local church based in Corinth. And he wrote to correct problems in the local church. And he corrects those local church problems by reminding them (v.1) of the gospel that he had preached and that they had believed.
“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.”
The word Gospel means good news. The Greek word for gospel is “evanggelion.” What does that sound like? Our middle name here! Evangelical means “gospel oriented.”
Notice the four steps there in verses 1 and 2: Reception, Foundation, Salvation, and Retention.
#1, Reception. “I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received.” The Corinthians had listened to Paul’s message and took it to heart. They had not ignored it or blown it off. They had taken it in.
Step #2, Foundation. “Which you received and on which you have taken your stand.” The Corinthians had not merely listened to the word; they had staked their lives on it. They had come to a decisive turning point and began to trust their whole lives to this gospel message.
And it had paid off. Step #3, Salvation. “By this gospel you are saved.” God uses the Good News to effect salvation in those who believe it. That’s His method. The Gospel saves sinners. That’s the best news of the good news! This a saving gospel!
And step #4, Retention, “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” The proof that their faith was genuine was that they stuck with it. Paul doesn’t have a category for believers who do not believe! “If you hold firmly to the word preached, then you are saved.”
Reception, Foundation, Salvation, Retention.
Paul calls this gospel (v.3) “of first importance.”
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...”
Paul says that this Gospel of a crucified Christ is of first importance. It is foundational. It is essential. It is indispensable. It is of first importance.
God wants for us to build a church that sees the gospel as of first importance. Nothing else comes first. Everything else comes second to the gospel.
God wants for us to build a cross-centered church.
What is this gospel? V.3 again.
“[Jesus] Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...[and seen by a whole bunch of witnesess../]”
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins.
The whole New Testament is dedicated to teaching, proclaiming, and celebrating this gospel of a crucified Savior.
It’s more than that! It is a gospel of a resurrected Savior! That’s what 1 Corinthians 15 is all about. And it’s a gospel about a coming kingdom, and promised Holy Spirit, and a resurrection for all who believe and a New Heavens and New Earth. It is the good news of all of that.
But all of that comes through the death of Christ on our behalf. It all comes from the Cross. It is a gospel of a crucified Savior.
And it is of first importance.
V.3 again.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures [...and so on.]”
The main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing.
God Wants Us to Build a Cross-Centered Church where the gospel is of first importance.
This morning, I want to talk about two main ways that God desires for us to keep the Cross at the center of our church.
#1. God Wants Us to Be Cross-Centered in Our Proclamation of the Word.
#2. God Wants Us to Be Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Ordinances.
Cross-Centered in Our Proclamation of the Word and Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Ordinances.
We’ll take them one at a time.
#1. God Wants Us to Build a Cross-Centered Church by Being Cross-Centered in Our Proclamation of the Word of God.
Turn with me to the second chapter of 1 Corinthians. Back a few pages to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Pew Bible Page #1129.
In this part of the book, Paul is contrasting the wisdom of God with the wisdom (or foolishness!) of the world. And he gives a personal illustration in the first five verses. 2 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 1 through 5.
“When I came to you, brothers [when he planted the Corinthian church], I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.” (NIV)
Paul is not saying that he didn’t bring any wisdom. He’s saying that he didn’t come with the world’s kind of wisdom. Especially, with the world’s kind of oratorical skill.
In the ancient world, orators, preachers, and actors were often judged not so much on the content of their message but on their style (much like our television culture today!). And people wouldn’t hardly tune in unless they sounded impressive and eloquent. But Paul didn’t bring wise and persuasive words like they were expecting. He brought the simple, unadorned, unashamed gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and the Spirit rode the gospel and transformed their lives. A demonstration of the Spirit’s power.
That way, their faith would not rest on how great a preacher Paul was, but on how great a Savior Jesus is.
Paul says (v.2), “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
Paul’s ministry of preaching was Cross-Centered. It was built around the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now, this does not mean that Paul didn’t talk with the Corinthians about anything except Jesus on the Cross. One of the Corinthians says, “Nice day isn’t it?” Paul answers, “Jesus died on the cross for our sins.” One of the Corinthians says, “Is Jesus coming back soon?” And Paul answers, “Jesus died on the cross for our sins. No.
It means that Paul never strayed far from the Cross. And it was at the center of all that he said and did.
D.A. Carson writes of this passage, “This does not mean that this was a new departure for Paul, still less that Paul was devoted to blissful ignorance of anything and everything other than the cross. No, waht he means is that all he does and teaches is tied to the cross. He cannot long talk about Christian joy, or Christian ethics, or Christian fellowship, or the Christian doctrine of God, or anything else without finally tying it to the Cross. Paul is gospel-centered; he is cross-centered.” (The Cross and Christian Ministry, pgs. 37-38)
He certainly was cross-centered. Read any of Paul’s letters and Christ and Him crucified runs all the way through it. Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, and so on.
That’s why he said in chapter 15, “this [gospel] what we preach, and this is what you believed.” (V.11)
Paul’s preaching ministry (while ranging throughout the Bible and on all kinds of points of doctrine and life was centered on and tied to the Gospel of the Crucified Savior. Paul’s preaching was cross-centered and so should ours be, as well.
Here’s the question. Are we Cross-Centered in our church’s proclamation of the Word of God?
The first person that question should be addressed to is me. Is my preaching Cross-Centered? Is everything tied to the person and work of Christ? Have I resolved [and how am I doing] to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified?
I have resolved that. You can tell me how I’m doing at it.
But I am not the only one in this church who is charged with proclamation.
Every one of our teachers is, as well. Every one of our Link Group leaders. Everyone who is responsible for sharing God’s word at this church is responsible to make sure that the teaching remains cross-centered. How are we doing at that?
But not just the teachers. All of us have a responsibility to proclaim God’s Word.
Dads and Moms at home.
Co-workers on the job.
Fellows students at school.
Retirees at the “Pumpkin House!”
We are all called to be cross-centered in our proclamation of the word of God.
How are you doing at this?
Now, I don’t just mean how are you doing at sharing the gospel with non-Christians. That is the first thing that comes to mind, and it is vital. How are we doing at sharing the Cross with unbelievers?
But believers need the gospel, too. Remember how we learned that in The Cross-Centered Life? You and I need the gospel just as much today as we did on the first day of our Christian lives.
The Gospel is the power of God not just to save but to sanctify. To give us hope, and joy, and peace, and love in the midst of whatever we are dealing with.
The Gospel overcomes depression and legalism and condemnation and performance based Christianity.
The Gospel is the key not only to being saved but for living the Christian life with passion and purpose.
So, the Gospel should be woven into all of our conversations. Our parenting. Our counseling, our singing, our talking with our friends.
The main thing is the keep the Main Thing the main thing in all of our talk formal and informal.
Over the last few years, I have been learning a little bit about counseling and what really helps a person to change. And the most profound thing I have learned is that the Gospel of a Crucified Savior more fully understood, more fully grasped is the most powerful change agent in a person’s life.
Why wouldn’t we share the gospel with each other? It is powerful!
God wants us to build a church that is cross-centered in our proclamation of the word of God.
Second question. How are you doing at receiving a cross-centered proclamation of the word of God?
Are you listening as the gospel is proclaimed? Are you taking it to heart? Are you applying it? Are you receiving it? Are you standing on it? Are you retaining it and staying with it? Or are you merely agreeing mentally or even checking out when Jesus and His cross are mentioned?
It’s one thing for me to resolve to know nothing among you but Christ and Him crucified. It’s another for us all to resolve to know nothing among each other but Christ and Him crucified. To believe it and live it out. That’s what a Cross-Centered Church would look like.
#2. God Wants Us to Build a Cross-Centered Church by Being Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Ordinances.
The ordinances are those things which the Lord Jesus ordered His church to do as they made disciples until He returned. Other churches call them the “Sacraments.”
They are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are two marks defining marks of the local church.
The evangelical reformers in the Protestant Reformation taught that a true church could be recognized by the right preaching of the Word of God and the right administration of the sacraments (or ordinances).
The true church, a healthy church, is present when you have a combination of the right preaching of the Word of God (which we have just said is Cross-Centered) and the right administration or celebration of the ordinances.
Because the ordinances are supposed to be Cross-Centered, as well.
Did you ever notice that these two ordinances are both about Jesus’ death?
Let’s take Baptism first. Turn to Romans chapter 6. Pew Bible Page #1116. Paul is in the middle of his argument here, but it amounts to this: someone could take the doctrine of justification by faith alone and think that it would glorify God more for us to sin more. But that doesn’t take into account what a decisive thing has happened to us when we come to believe. And that decisive thing is symbolized and signified in water baptism. Chapter 6, verses 1 through 4.
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? [When did we die?] Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Do hear the death in this passage?
Baptism is about the Cross. It’s about being identified with Jesus and His death on our behalf. It’s about being united with Jesus metaphysically in His death. It’s about dying with Him (somehow, mysteriously) and (praise the Lord!) being raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, to live a new life.
That’s what water baptism pictures. Going into the water symbolizing burial. Coming up out of the water a new person united with Christ.
Baptism is Cross-Centered. It’s about celebrating the death of Christ on our behalf. And joining Him in it in picture form.
Are you Cross-Centered in your celebration of baptism? Have you been baptized since becoming a believer?
Romans 6 here assumes that everyone who is a believer has been baptized! He just assumes it.
Have you taken this step of obedience? If you are unwilling to obey the Lord in baptism, you are living in disobedience.
Because God wants us to build a Cross-Centered Church.
In it’s in the Great Commission. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
We are not a Cross-Centered Church if we are not a baptizing church.
We baptize those who give a credible profession of faith.
Have you been baptized? If not, it’s probably time. (It’s probably past-time.)
Baptism is Cross-Centered Ordinance celebrating Jesus’ death on our behalf and our union with Him.
The Lord’s Supper is also a Cross-Centered Ordinance. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Pew Bible Page #1136.
Paul is dealing with another problem in that local church–they’ve been abusing the Lord’s Supper by not loving one another when they gather to eat it.
And Paul has strong words for them. Skip down to verse 23. This is the heart of his argument.
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” (NIV)
Do you see the Cross here? It’s pretty obvious.
The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the death of Christ. It’s actually (v.26) a proclamation of the Lord’s death.
And we are to do it, until He comes back for us.
That’s why we eat at the Lord’s Table so regularly.
We are being Cross-Centered. The Lord’s table reminds us our participation in the New Covenant. It reminds us of what He gave so that we may live.
It is very death-oriented, but it is the story of a great victory!
It is a gospel-centered Table.
And whenever we eat and drink from it, we are proclaiming our dependence and celebration and faith and hope in the Cross.
Are we Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Lord’s Supper?
We are not a Cross-Centered Church if we are not a Lord’s Supper Church.
How about you? Do you center your life on the gospel when you take communion?
We offered it last week. Did you focus your attention on the Savior and His Cross?
One practical way that we know we have is if we show love to others in the church.
October 9, 2005
We are coming back to our series of messages on the doctrine of the local church. We’ve had two sermons so far in that series (though everyone tells me that Tim McGill’s message last week was a perfect fit into this series!). The first message was entitled: “The Newborn Church” and was a brief study of the birth of the church in Acts chapter 2. We saw there the five main “tools in our toolbox” for accomplishing our church’s purpose: worship, instruction, fellowship, evangelism, and service. Or, as we’ve been saying recently: loving Jesus, learning of Jesus, linking to others in Jesus, luring others to Jesus, and living for Jesus. “The Newborn Church.”
Then two weeks ago, the message was titled, “The Joyfully-Led Church.” And we looked at Hebrews 13:17. We learned about the importance of church leadership and church followership. Your job is to joyfully follow, our job is to joyfully watch over your souls. “The Joyfully-Led Church.”
Now this week, as you can see from the back of your bulletin, this message is titled, “The Cross-Centered Church.” Do you remember last year’s Summer Book Club book? The little orange book: C.J. Mahaney’s The Cross-Centered Life? I think most of you will agree that this was a very helpful little book: The Cross-Centered Life. The main question he asked was “What is your life centered upon?” And he urged us to center our lives on the gospel of Jesus Christ. To live what he called, “cross-centered lives.”
Well, I believe that God wants us to also center our church’s life on the gospel of a crucified Savior. God wants us to build our church around, not just loving, learning, linking, luring, and living for Jesus, but around the saving work of Jesus on the Cross.
God Wants Us to Build a Cross-centered Church.
As I have often said, the main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing. And the Main Thing is the gospel.
Let’s read 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 1 through 11.
“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” (NIV)
[prayer]
Paul was writing to a local church based in Corinth. And he wrote to correct problems in the local church. And he corrects those local church problems by reminding them (v.1) of the gospel that he had preached and that they had believed.
“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.”
The word Gospel means good news. The Greek word for gospel is “evanggelion.” What does that sound like? Our middle name here! Evangelical means “gospel oriented.”
Notice the four steps there in verses 1 and 2: Reception, Foundation, Salvation, and Retention.
#1, Reception. “I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received.” The Corinthians had listened to Paul’s message and took it to heart. They had not ignored it or blown it off. They had taken it in.
Step #2, Foundation. “Which you received and on which you have taken your stand.” The Corinthians had not merely listened to the word; they had staked their lives on it. They had come to a decisive turning point and began to trust their whole lives to this gospel message.
And it had paid off. Step #3, Salvation. “By this gospel you are saved.” God uses the Good News to effect salvation in those who believe it. That’s His method. The Gospel saves sinners. That’s the best news of the good news! This a saving gospel!
And step #4, Retention, “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” The proof that their faith was genuine was that they stuck with it. Paul doesn’t have a category for believers who do not believe! “If you hold firmly to the word preached, then you are saved.”
Reception, Foundation, Salvation, Retention.
Paul calls this gospel (v.3) “of first importance.”
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...”
Paul says that this Gospel of a crucified Christ is of first importance. It is foundational. It is essential. It is indispensable. It is of first importance.
God wants for us to build a church that sees the gospel as of first importance. Nothing else comes first. Everything else comes second to the gospel.
God wants for us to build a cross-centered church.
What is this gospel? V.3 again.
“[Jesus] Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...[and seen by a whole bunch of witnesess../]”
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins.
The whole New Testament is dedicated to teaching, proclaiming, and celebrating this gospel of a crucified Savior.
It’s more than that! It is a gospel of a resurrected Savior! That’s what 1 Corinthians 15 is all about. And it’s a gospel about a coming kingdom, and promised Holy Spirit, and a resurrection for all who believe and a New Heavens and New Earth. It is the good news of all of that.
But all of that comes through the death of Christ on our behalf. It all comes from the Cross. It is a gospel of a crucified Savior.
And it is of first importance.
V.3 again.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures [...and so on.]”
The main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing.
God Wants Us to Build a Cross-Centered Church where the gospel is of first importance.
This morning, I want to talk about two main ways that God desires for us to keep the Cross at the center of our church.
#1. God Wants Us to Be Cross-Centered in Our Proclamation of the Word.
#2. God Wants Us to Be Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Ordinances.
Cross-Centered in Our Proclamation of the Word and Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Ordinances.
We’ll take them one at a time.
#1. God Wants Us to Build a Cross-Centered Church by Being Cross-Centered in Our Proclamation of the Word of God.
Turn with me to the second chapter of 1 Corinthians. Back a few pages to 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Pew Bible Page #1129.
In this part of the book, Paul is contrasting the wisdom of God with the wisdom (or foolishness!) of the world. And he gives a personal illustration in the first five verses. 2 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 1 through 5.
“When I came to you, brothers [when he planted the Corinthian church], I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.” (NIV)
Paul is not saying that he didn’t bring any wisdom. He’s saying that he didn’t come with the world’s kind of wisdom. Especially, with the world’s kind of oratorical skill.
In the ancient world, orators, preachers, and actors were often judged not so much on the content of their message but on their style (much like our television culture today!). And people wouldn’t hardly tune in unless they sounded impressive and eloquent. But Paul didn’t bring wise and persuasive words like they were expecting. He brought the simple, unadorned, unashamed gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and the Spirit rode the gospel and transformed their lives. A demonstration of the Spirit’s power.
That way, their faith would not rest on how great a preacher Paul was, but on how great a Savior Jesus is.
Paul says (v.2), “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
Paul’s ministry of preaching was Cross-Centered. It was built around the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now, this does not mean that Paul didn’t talk with the Corinthians about anything except Jesus on the Cross. One of the Corinthians says, “Nice day isn’t it?” Paul answers, “Jesus died on the cross for our sins.” One of the Corinthians says, “Is Jesus coming back soon?” And Paul answers, “Jesus died on the cross for our sins. No.
It means that Paul never strayed far from the Cross. And it was at the center of all that he said and did.
D.A. Carson writes of this passage, “This does not mean that this was a new departure for Paul, still less that Paul was devoted to blissful ignorance of anything and everything other than the cross. No, waht he means is that all he does and teaches is tied to the cross. He cannot long talk about Christian joy, or Christian ethics, or Christian fellowship, or the Christian doctrine of God, or anything else without finally tying it to the Cross. Paul is gospel-centered; he is cross-centered.” (The Cross and Christian Ministry, pgs. 37-38)
He certainly was cross-centered. Read any of Paul’s letters and Christ and Him crucified runs all the way through it. Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, and so on.
That’s why he said in chapter 15, “this [gospel] what we preach, and this is what you believed.” (V.11)
Paul’s preaching ministry (while ranging throughout the Bible and on all kinds of points of doctrine and life was centered on and tied to the Gospel of the Crucified Savior. Paul’s preaching was cross-centered and so should ours be, as well.
Here’s the question. Are we Cross-Centered in our church’s proclamation of the Word of God?
The first person that question should be addressed to is me. Is my preaching Cross-Centered? Is everything tied to the person and work of Christ? Have I resolved [and how am I doing] to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified?
I have resolved that. You can tell me how I’m doing at it.
But I am not the only one in this church who is charged with proclamation.
Every one of our teachers is, as well. Every one of our Link Group leaders. Everyone who is responsible for sharing God’s word at this church is responsible to make sure that the teaching remains cross-centered. How are we doing at that?
But not just the teachers. All of us have a responsibility to proclaim God’s Word.
Dads and Moms at home.
Co-workers on the job.
Fellows students at school.
Retirees at the “Pumpkin House!”
We are all called to be cross-centered in our proclamation of the word of God.
How are you doing at this?
Now, I don’t just mean how are you doing at sharing the gospel with non-Christians. That is the first thing that comes to mind, and it is vital. How are we doing at sharing the Cross with unbelievers?
But believers need the gospel, too. Remember how we learned that in The Cross-Centered Life? You and I need the gospel just as much today as we did on the first day of our Christian lives.
The Gospel is the power of God not just to save but to sanctify. To give us hope, and joy, and peace, and love in the midst of whatever we are dealing with.
The Gospel overcomes depression and legalism and condemnation and performance based Christianity.
The Gospel is the key not only to being saved but for living the Christian life with passion and purpose.
So, the Gospel should be woven into all of our conversations. Our parenting. Our counseling, our singing, our talking with our friends.
The main thing is the keep the Main Thing the main thing in all of our talk formal and informal.
Over the last few years, I have been learning a little bit about counseling and what really helps a person to change. And the most profound thing I have learned is that the Gospel of a Crucified Savior more fully understood, more fully grasped is the most powerful change agent in a person’s life.
Why wouldn’t we share the gospel with each other? It is powerful!
God wants us to build a church that is cross-centered in our proclamation of the word of God.
Second question. How are you doing at receiving a cross-centered proclamation of the word of God?
Are you listening as the gospel is proclaimed? Are you taking it to heart? Are you applying it? Are you receiving it? Are you standing on it? Are you retaining it and staying with it? Or are you merely agreeing mentally or even checking out when Jesus and His cross are mentioned?
It’s one thing for me to resolve to know nothing among you but Christ and Him crucified. It’s another for us all to resolve to know nothing among each other but Christ and Him crucified. To believe it and live it out. That’s what a Cross-Centered Church would look like.
#2. God Wants Us to Build a Cross-Centered Church by Being Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Ordinances.
The ordinances are those things which the Lord Jesus ordered His church to do as they made disciples until He returned. Other churches call them the “Sacraments.”
They are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are two marks defining marks of the local church.
The evangelical reformers in the Protestant Reformation taught that a true church could be recognized by the right preaching of the Word of God and the right administration of the sacraments (or ordinances).
The true church, a healthy church, is present when you have a combination of the right preaching of the Word of God (which we have just said is Cross-Centered) and the right administration or celebration of the ordinances.
Because the ordinances are supposed to be Cross-Centered, as well.
Did you ever notice that these two ordinances are both about Jesus’ death?
Let’s take Baptism first. Turn to Romans chapter 6. Pew Bible Page #1116. Paul is in the middle of his argument here, but it amounts to this: someone could take the doctrine of justification by faith alone and think that it would glorify God more for us to sin more. But that doesn’t take into account what a decisive thing has happened to us when we come to believe. And that decisive thing is symbolized and signified in water baptism. Chapter 6, verses 1 through 4.
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? [When did we die?] Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Do hear the death in this passage?
Baptism is about the Cross. It’s about being identified with Jesus and His death on our behalf. It’s about being united with Jesus metaphysically in His death. It’s about dying with Him (somehow, mysteriously) and (praise the Lord!) being raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, to live a new life.
That’s what water baptism pictures. Going into the water symbolizing burial. Coming up out of the water a new person united with Christ.
Baptism is Cross-Centered. It’s about celebrating the death of Christ on our behalf. And joining Him in it in picture form.
Are you Cross-Centered in your celebration of baptism? Have you been baptized since becoming a believer?
Romans 6 here assumes that everyone who is a believer has been baptized! He just assumes it.
Have you taken this step of obedience? If you are unwilling to obey the Lord in baptism, you are living in disobedience.
Because God wants us to build a Cross-Centered Church.
In it’s in the Great Commission. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
We are not a Cross-Centered Church if we are not a baptizing church.
We baptize those who give a credible profession of faith.
Have you been baptized? If not, it’s probably time. (It’s probably past-time.)
Baptism is Cross-Centered Ordinance celebrating Jesus’ death on our behalf and our union with Him.
The Lord’s Supper is also a Cross-Centered Ordinance. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Pew Bible Page #1136.
Paul is dealing with another problem in that local church–they’ve been abusing the Lord’s Supper by not loving one another when they gather to eat it.
And Paul has strong words for them. Skip down to verse 23. This is the heart of his argument.
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” (NIV)
Do you see the Cross here? It’s pretty obvious.
The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the death of Christ. It’s actually (v.26) a proclamation of the Lord’s death.
And we are to do it, until He comes back for us.
That’s why we eat at the Lord’s Table so regularly.
We are being Cross-Centered. The Lord’s table reminds us our participation in the New Covenant. It reminds us of what He gave so that we may live.
It is very death-oriented, but it is the story of a great victory!
It is a gospel-centered Table.
And whenever we eat and drink from it, we are proclaiming our dependence and celebration and faith and hope in the Cross.
Are we Cross-Centered in Our Celebration of the Lord’s Supper?
We are not a Cross-Centered Church if we are not a Lord’s Supper Church.
How about you? Do you center your life on the gospel when you take communion?
We offered it last week. Did you focus your attention on the Savior and His Cross?
One practical way that we know we have is if we show love to others in the church.
That’s the big point that Paul is trying to make in 1 Corinthians 11. Some of the richer believers weren’t thinking about and serving the other more poor believers. They weren’t “recognizing the body of the Lord” in the church around them. They were thinking only of themselves.
But a Cross-Centered approach to the Table rejoices in the salvation of the Savior and then turns around and focuses on the needs of the Body of Christ in the gathered church.
A Cross-Centered Church is one that adopts the Cross as our model of sacrificial love, not just as our way of salvation.
How are you doing at being Cross-Centered in your celebration of the Lord’s Supper?
The main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing.
We must work to build a church where the Gospel is truly at the center of all that we are and do.
We must be Cross-Centered in our Proclamation of the Word of God.
In our preaching.
In our Sunday School Classes.
In our Wednesday Night Program.
In our Link Groups.
In our families.
In our church planting efforts.
In our Uth Nights.
In our Basic Training for men.
In our search for additional ministry staff.
We must be Cross-Centered in our Celebration of the Ordinances.
In Baptism.
And in the Lord’s Supper.
Proclaiming His death until He comes back for us.
But a Cross-Centered approach to the Table rejoices in the salvation of the Savior and then turns around and focuses on the needs of the Body of Christ in the gathered church.
A Cross-Centered Church is one that adopts the Cross as our model of sacrificial love, not just as our way of salvation.
How are you doing at being Cross-Centered in your celebration of the Lord’s Supper?
The main thing is to keep the Main Thing the main thing.
We must work to build a church where the Gospel is truly at the center of all that we are and do.
We must be Cross-Centered in our Proclamation of the Word of God.
In our preaching.
In our Sunday School Classes.
In our Wednesday Night Program.
In our Link Groups.
In our families.
In our church planting efforts.
In our Uth Nights.
In our Basic Training for men.
In our search for additional ministry staff.
We must be Cross-Centered in our Celebration of the Ordinances.
In Baptism.
And in the Lord’s Supper.
Proclaiming His death until He comes back for us.
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