Because of the Cross - Part 2

Welcome to Right Beside You in the Pulpit with Dr. Stephen Rummage! 

This episode is Part 2 of a recent sermon titled "Because of the Cross." 

Over a four-week series, we’ll focus on a single sermon—tracing the journey from initial preparation all the way to the closing invitation on Sunday morning. Each month, we’ll also gather around the table with pastors from across our state to hear insights from their unique preaching rhythms, contexts, and experiences. 

As you listen, our prayer is that you’ll find encouragement and practical help to strengthen your weekly preaching of God’s Word. 

This podcast is funded by the generous Cooperative Program giving of Florida Baptist churches.  

If you have any questions about this episode, please email stephen@flbaptist.org.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:03

When Jesus, the spotless, sinless Son of God, was nailed to the cross, your sin was nailed to the cross. Your debt was paid in full. What Jesus did on the cross brought to a culmination and to a conclusion everything that God had been pointing to under the old covenant in the Old Testament.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Welcome to Right Beside You in the Pulpit with Dr. Stephen Rummage, a series geared to help strengthen your preaching of God's Word and encourage us together along the way.

SPEAKER_02 0:39

Hi, this is Stephen Rummage, Executive Director of the Florida Baptist Convention. Thank you for listening to the next episode of Right Beside You in the Pulpit. This month we're walking through a sermon I preached from Colossians entitled Because of the Cross. Today we're jumping into the second part of the sermon. Please skip back to the previous week to hear the first half of the message. Pastor, I hope that you're doing well during this season of ministry. I pray that God is blessing you week by week as you preach his word. Now let's continue back into Colossians 2, verses 13 through 15. The message is because of the cross. It's been calculated that during the thousand plus years of the Old Covenant, there were more than a million animal sacrifices. Considering that each bull's sacrifice spilled a gallon of blood, and each goat a court. The old covenant, the old testament, that sacrificial system rested on a sea of blood. I asked this question: why all of this blood? Why did God require blood and blood, all of that blood in the Old Testament? Here's why. To show that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. And why did it have to be repeated? Because get this none of those sacrifices canceled sin. They covered sin, but they didn't cancel sin. In fact, the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 10, verses 3 and 4, in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Each year's sacrifice, each day's sacrifice bore testimony to the insufficiency of the sacrifice that came before it and the inevitability of the sacrifice that would come after it. Why? Because a greater perfect sacrifice was required. And only Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, who died upon the cross, could bring a sacrifice that not only covered sin temporarily, but that took sin away, that canceled sin permanently. For as long as Michelle and I have been married, we've used a credit card. Every month we get a credit card statement. We have three options when we get that record of our debt. It's a record of our debt. It's not written in our own hand, but we we've charged it, and there it is. There's the record of our debt. We've got three options when we get that credit card statement. We can ignore the debt altogether and not pay anything. That would get us into big trouble with the credit card company. Or we can take a second option. We can make the minimum payment. Are you familiar with the minimum payment? We can make the minimum payment. Now that will cover us for that month, but you tell me, does that take away our debt? No. It keeps us out of trouble for that month. It doesn't cancel the debt. We've got a third option, and this is the one we always take. We pay the bill in full. And when we pay the bill in full, the debt is canceled. Under the old covenant, the blood of bulls and goats and other sacrificial animals covered sin, but their blood did not take away sin. It was something like making that minimum payment. Then Jesus came and he nailed our sin debt to the cross, and as he died, he said, It is finished. That means paid in full. Paid in full. Because God has canceled our sin debt through the cross. We stand before God, justified and righteous and clean and holy. Praise the Lord. Only the cross of Jesus can do that. And because of the cross, God looks at you as though you had never sinned if you've trusted Jesus as your Savior. If you place yourself in Jesus, God looks at you as though your life were as righteous as his. How would God treat you if you were a righteous man? How would God treat you if you were truly a righteous woman, a righteous man, a righteous person? If you lived a perfect life, how would God treat you? Well, he would smile on you. He would bless you while you lived in this world. And when you were done with this world, he would welcome you to be with him forever because you would deserve it. Here's the truth of the gospel. As God would treat a person who was righteous because he deserved it, so the gospel treats men and women who are not righteous and who do not deserve it. Not because of us, but because of the blood of Jesus Christ shed for our sin. Praise the Lord. Because of the cross, God has forgiven our trespasses. Because of the cross, God has canceled our sin debt. Then there's a third accomplishment of the cross, number three. The Bible says, because of the cross, God has conquered our adversary. Because of the cross, God has conquered our adversary. The final verse of this text shows that not only have we been forgiven of our sins, but we have been set free from the power of demonic spiritual forces by the cross. Look at verse 15 again. The Bible says he disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. The Bible says that God has disarmed the rulers and the authorities. Jesus has disarmed the rulers and authorities. By rulers and authorities, Paul is speaking here of evil spiritual forces. He's talking about Satan and his demons who fight against God and who stand against us. The Bible says that these powers have been disarmed. That word disarmed means stripped. Satan and his armies no longer hold the weapons of death in their hands. The Bible says they have been stripped. And in the book of Hebrews, chapter 2, verse 14, the Bible says that Jesus partook of flesh and blood that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death. That is the devil. The Bible says they've been disarmed. And then the verse goes on to say that because of the cross, God put the forces of evil to open shame. And there Paul was referring to something very specific that happened in those days. In those days, in the days of the Roman Empire, and in the days of the Caesars, and when they would go and conquer different countries. When a king or a general was defeated, the first symbolic act was to remove his regalia and all of the symbols of his power. Though Jesus died naked and bleeding on Calvary, in reality, God's enemies were defeated, dethroned, disgraced, and disrobed of their vestments of power. Paul concludes the text by saying that God triumphed over them through Jesus, through his cross, our adversary Satan and all of his forces have been conquered. It's been noted that the language of this verse is taken from the victory march of the conquering Roman generals. When the enemy was defeated, the victorious commander would chain the officers of the conquered army to his chariot, and he would drag them all the way back to Rome. Those defeated soldiers trailed behind the chariot, stumbling and falling and being dragged in the dust. The victorious commander not only defeated his enemies, he put them to open shame. And then the general, I love this, the general would send a runner ahead to announce to the city that the victory had been won, and the people would line the streets as the conquering king, the conquering general came back in, and the defeated enemy was placed on display. And what did they call that messenger who ran ahead with the news? They called him the keruks. They called him the preacher. That's what the word Kairuks mean. He's the announcer, he's the proclaimer, he's the herald, he's the preacher. And that herald wasn't winning the victory, but he was preaching and witnessing to a victory that had already been won. Church, here's what God calls us to do. The victory has already been won. He calls you to proclaim it. He calls you to tell other people that they can be forgiven, that their sins can be canceled, that the power of Satan in their lives can be stripped, and that they can live a forgiven life with victory on this earth and heaven after this earth, all because of the cross of Jesus. That's why we must preach the cross. People aren't saved by us preaching anything other than the cross. Early in Billy Graham's ministry, he was preaching in Dallas. About 40,000 people attended each night. But one evening, only a few people responded to be saved. And Billy Graham didn't understand it. He left the platform discouraged. And a godly German businessman put his arm around Billy Graham and said, Billy, do you want to know what was wrong tonight? He said, You didn't preach the cross. The next night, Billy Graham preached on the blood of Jesus. He preached on the cross. And a large, large number of people responded. Reflecting on that night, Billy Graham said, When we preach Christ crucified and risen, there is a built-in power to it. Because of the cross. The word of God says, Because of the cross, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Because of the cross, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Because of the cross, the Bible says we have been justified through faith. Because of the cross, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the cross, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Because of the cross, no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. Because of the cross, the Bible says to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Because of the cross, I have been crucified with Christ. And because of the cross, I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Because of the cross, the life that I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Because of the cross, may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the cross, the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. Because of the cross, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Because of the cross, thanks be to God. He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the cross, God declares, I have swept away your offenses like a cloud. Your sins are like the morning mist. I have redeemed you. And because of the cross, he proclaims, I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sins no more. Because of the cross, we can respond, who is a God like you who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? Because of the cross, you do not stay angry forever, but delight to show mercy. Because of the cross, you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. Because of the cross, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God's grace. Because of the cross, we who were enemies have now been reconciled to him through the death of his son. Because of the cross, how much more having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life? Because of the cross, everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life. And because of the cross, we cry out to him be glory and power forever and ever and ever. Because of the cross, he did not spare his own son, but because of the cross, gave him up for us all. Because of the cross, how will he not also along with him freely give us all things? Friends, it's all because of the cross. And everything that God desires for us begins when we turn to that cross. Many, many years ago, centuries ago, off right on the coast of China, Portuguese missionaries had built a large church right on the ocean. And on the outside wall of that church facing the ocean, they had placed a large cross. A storm came, and in an instant the fingerwork of God erased the handiwork of men, and that whole church was just wiped out. Except for that one wall facing the ocean with that cross. And it stood there for years and years and even centuries. And then a little over a hundred or so years ago, there was a ship that was coming into that area of China. There was a storm at sea that began to tear that ship apart. And the ship wrecked. Some survived, many died. One man who lived said that he lived by holding on to a piece of debris. He said the ocean waves were so high, they take him up so high and then go down so low that it was very easy for him to lose sight of the shore. He really couldn't tell which way he was going. But every now and then a wave would lift him up and he would see there on the shore that cross. And every time he did, he just kept turning himself toward the cross. And he'd go back down and he'd get disoriented, and he'd come back up and he'd turn himself back toward the cross. And he eventually made it to shore by turning himself toward the cross. If you've never been saved, salvation comes when you turn toward the cross. And dear Christian friend, peace and hope and holiness and purpose and joy and everything that God wants for you in this life comes when you keep turning yourself to the cross.

SPEAKER_01 17:15

I love that song that says, Jesus keep me near the cross. There a precious fountain.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

Bow your heads as we pray together. Just bow your heads, close your eyes all across this room. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your cross. Thank you for loving us so much. That you left heaven and came to earth. You humbled yourself, became a servant. And then you were obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. God, your word says, therefore you have highly exalted Jesus and given him the name that is above every other name. That every tongue should confess, that every knee would bow, and every tongue confess. Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Lord, we come before you and we thank you for your cross. And Lord God, I pray for believers in this room tonight, Lord, may we continually turn to the cross when the waves of life are tossing us up and down, and when we wonder what our next steps should be or even what our direction is. Lord, turn our hearts to your cross. Where you showed your great love for us, where you wiped our sin away, where you defeated Satan forever, where you have given us hope and life. Lord God, I pray for believers in this room that we would glory in the cross. And Lord, I pray that we would proclaim the message of the cross to those around us. Lord, we think of people that we see every day, maybe at work or maybe in our community or maybe people that part of our family live in the same house we do. People we care about a whole lot. And they need the cross of Jesus. They need the salvation that only Jesus can give them. Lord, may we be faithful proclaimers. May we tell others about Jesus. Lord, burden our hearts for the lost around us who need to be saved. And then, Father, I pray for those in this room tonight who need to come to the cross of Jesus to receive your gift of salvation. Speak to their hearts even now. In this quiet moment, with our heads bowed and our eyes closed, I want to ask you, do you know for sure? Do you know for sure that you have eternal life? Do you know for sure that you've been saved? If you would say, Well, I'm not sure, or maybe you'd say, I know I'm not saved, I would plead with you. Don't leave this place tonight without Jesus. Tonight, we want to give you an opportunity to call on the name of Jesus and ask him to save you. And then we want to give you an opportunity to take your next steps in following Jesus. So right now, if you're unsaved or unsure, I want to lead you in a simple prayer. I'm going to lead it out loud. I'm going to pray out loud, and I just invite you to pray in your heart. You can whisper this prayer. You can just pray it silently in your heart. And in your heart, call on Jesus and ask him to save you. He promises whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. So tonight, if you want to receive Jesus as your Savior, you pray this prayer with me. Just right now, pray. Dear Jesus, just in your heart, say, Dear Jesus, thank you for loving me. Jesus, I believe you are God's Son, and I believe You died on the cross to pay the price for my sin. Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. But Jesus, I'm thankful that there's no sin in my life that you will not forgive. And so, Jesus, right now I turn from my sin and I ask you to save me. Give me your gift of eternal life, Jesus. Save me right now. And Jesus, I will follow you as my master and my Lord and my friend. For I pray this, Jesus, in your name. With our heads bowed and our eyes closed, if you prayed that prayer with me and you meant it in your heart, the Bible promises, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And so that means you've just been saved. If you meant business with the Lord, if you truly trusted him, the next thing I want to ask you to do in just a moment when we stand up to sing a final psalm is to step out from where you are. The pastor's going to be here right here at the front. Others are here as well. I'll be here at the front if the pastor's talking to someone. And all you need to do is just come and tell one of us, I prayed that prayer. That's all you need to say. We'll know exactly what you mean. And we want to help you take your next steps with the Lord. It's very important. The decision to follow Jesus is a personal decision, but it's never a private decision. He calls people to follow him publicly. And so this is a step you can take. If you prayed that prayer, as soon as we stand up, you just come. Others of you are here tonight, and maybe you just want to come and pray at these steps for somebody you know who needs Jesus. Or maybe you want to come and pray for someone who just needs to turn back to the cross because maybe they've gotten confused or mixed up in their way. You come. Lord God, we thank you for speaking. Thank you, Lord, for those who prayed to receive Jesus. Give them the courage to step out and make that decision public. And then, Father, I pray also that you would speak to our hearts and that we would obey you during this time of invitation. For we pray this in Jesus' holy name. Amen. Let's stand to our feet. If you'll just stand right where you are as we stand and sing. If you prayed that prayer with me, you come. Just tell the pastor I prayed that prayer. If you want to come pray with me. With every sermon I preach, I hope that you'll join me in the joy it is to preach the word of the Lord. This sermon was special for me to preach before the church that day. And Pastor, I pray that we would always see the honor and joy of preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. Now I'm excited to turn from the preaching of the sermon to the making of the sermon. Next week we're going to dive into my sermon prep for this message, followed by a group discussion from pastors around our state. It's always encouraging for me to hear from other pastors about their approach to sermon preparation and their approach to the specific text we're looking at each month. As you listen to each episode, I'd love to hear from you. Don't hesitate to reach out. You can contact me at info at flbaptist.org. Also, take a moment and share this podcast with a friend in ministry. Thanks for listening, and remember, we're right beside you. See you next week.

SPEAKER_00 25:18

Thank you for listening to today's episode of Right Beside You in the Pulpit with Dr. Stephen Rummage. This podcast is made possible through your faithful cooperative program giving. For more resources, ministries, and upcoming events in Florida Baptist life, visit flbaptist.org.