Consider the Cross, Part 10

Lance Sparks
Transcript
This morning, we come to the conclusion of our study of the cross. Our twelfth and final point, the repercussions from the cross. Number one, the pain is real.
I'm going to begin right there. The pain is real. We talked about it last week in Luke chapter 14, verses 25 to 35. Christ says, If any man come after me and hate not father, mother, brother, sister, yea, even his own life, he's not worthy of me.
If any man comes after me and does not deny himself and take up his cross, he can't be a disciple of mine. The pain is real. And Christ wanted people to count the cost. And as you look at the repercussions from the cross, you must understand that if you're going to take up your cross daily, And follow Christ, the pain is very real.
We want to minimize that, but I think that the Bible accentuates that, and we need to understand it. Whenever you take a stand for Christ, whenever you serve Christ, whenever you surrender to Christ, you will suffer for Christ. That is the natural byproduct of following Jesus Christ. It's going to happen. That's why Paul said in Philippians 1:2, it has been granted to you for Christ's sake not only to believe on Him, but to suffer for His sake. He makes it very clear, helping us to understand that believing on Christ leads to suffering for Christ.
He would go on to say in Philippians chapter 3, verse number 10, as he spoke about the fellowship of his sufferings, realizing that there was sweet communion, sweet intimacy in fellowship with Christ when you are in The sufferings with Christ. And we talk about the pain in following Christ, we're not talking about difficulty that comes your way, only In the manner of the fact that you stand for Christ. The cross of Christ is about standing for Christ, testifying for Christ, living for Christ, and the natural consequences of that.
As I thought about that today, I was driven back to the book of Revel. I would invite you to turn there with me, if you would, please. Revelation chapter 1 to help you understand. The pain of following Christ is very real. Remember, John was one of the beloved disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. He gave to us the book of Revelation as the Lord Jesus Christ would reveal to him the future of the world. And it says in chapter 1, verse number 2, about John being a bonds. That he bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ.
And then it says in verse number 9, I, John, your brother, and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patman. Because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. John was on the island of Patmos because of the testimony of Jesus. Because of the Word of God, because he took a stand. Because he would serve his God. Because he surrendered everything to his God. The natural byproduct of that was for him to be exiled to the island of Petmus.
All by him. But the Lord Jesus would reward him in a significant manner by giving to him and him only. A composite picture of end-time events. You go on to chapter 2 in Revelation. It says this about the church of Smyrna. Verse number 8. It says unto the angel of the church in Smyrna, write the first and the last who was dead and has come to life, says this, I know your tribulation and your poverty, but you are rich.
and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear. What you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. The Lord says through the pen of John, You be faithful. You're going to suffer because of your testimony, because of your stand for me, because you are committed to serving me. And then he talks about Antipas in verse number 13.
In the church of Pergamon, I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is, and you hold fast my name and did not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one. Who was killed among you where Satan dwells? Antipas would experience the persecution of Christ, or persecution because of the name of Christ. The church of Smyrna. John the Apostle, over in Revelation chapter 6, it says this in verse number 9: And when he broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain.
Because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. John says, I saw these souls that had been slain, and the reason they were slain during the tribulation was because. Because of the stand they took, because they were committed to serving Jesus Christ, because they had surrendered everything to Him. Go over to chapter 12 of Revelation. In Revelation chapter 12, as it gives us a composite picture of the history of the world, the only chapter in the Bible that gives you a picture from the beginning to the end of the world is Revelation chapter 12.
I don't have time to go into it this morning, but at the end, it says this: in verse number 17, and the dragon, which is Satan, was enraged with the woman, who was Israel, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, that is, everybody who's a believer, who keep the commandments Of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. John says, What I saw was how Satan would go after the people of God, those who kept the commandments of God, those who were faithful to the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Christ, because that's what Satan does. He goes after those people who are committed to God in order to destroy them. Now, all that to say this: the pain of following Christ, taking up your cross daily, bearing the name of cross of Christ. Is to suffer pain. That's the repercussion from the cross. That's why most people don't want to follow Jesus Christ. Look earlier in chapter 12. This is when Satan is cast out of heaven, and I believe he's cast out of heaven geographically. At the start of the tribulation, people say, Well, wasn he cast out way back when?
No, he was cast out morally, but he wasn't cast out geographically. That's a long, long sermon, so you might want to get the tape on Revel 12. There 's three of them, if you want to understand that, but he's cast out at the beginning of the tribulation. Geographically, he's thrown down to earth, and that's why everything on earth is so bad. That's why the tribulation is Satan's day, is because he is cast out of heaven to the earth, and this is where he unleashes his fury. And it says this, verse 10, and I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night, and they overcome him because of the blood of the Lamb.
and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death. That, my friend, is the Christian. That is a testimony of the believer. He doesn't love his life, even to the death. That's why Christ says, If any man come after me and Does not deny himself, he cannot be a disciple of mine.
Why? Because the believer doesn't love his life, he loves God's life. He loves God more than he loves himself. And so he's willing to give his life away for the sake of the gospel. And that's why the pain is real. That's important. Now, I know that doesn't make a lot of people's heart happy this morning, but that is the honest truth, and that is the repercussion from the cross. Whenever you stand for Jesus Christ, if you stand for something, there's always going to be somebody who stands against what you're standing for.
And if you stand for Christ, the world's not going to stand for Christ. They're going to stand against Christ. And when you want to serve Him so much that everything else pales in comparison, people take great offense to that. And they don't want to be your friend. And they don't want to be around you. Because God is your priority. Knowing that the pain is real, number two, you must understand the second as of the repercussions from the cross, and that is this: pardon is received.
When you follow Jesus Christ, when you give your life to Him, understand: yes, the pain is real, but pardon is received. It says this in Ephesians 1, verse number 7. It says, In him we have redemption, through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to their riches. Of his grace, which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight. He lavished this upon us. He forgave us our sins. We have been released from our sins. Pardon has been received. We have a not guilty verdict rendered in our name.
No long are we guilty before God. We have been set free. There were over 20 million slaves in Rome during the time of Christ. Buying slaves was a major, major occupation, buying them and selling them. And when you were redeemed for the marketplace, when you were bought with a price, You were set free from that bondage. And because we're born in sin, because we are a slave to sin. In fact, Paul in the book of Romans would call those Christians at Rome before they were saved slaves of sin. He even called himself a slave of sin in Romans chapter 7.
But God set him free from that bondage. God delivered him from that slavery in order that he might be set free from the bondage of sin. And so when you understand the repercussions from the cross, you begin to realize that when you understand that Jesus Christ died for your sins. And receive him as Lord and Savior. Oh, the pain will be real, but pard has been received. God redeems sinners. He saves them not only from the penalty of sin and not only from The p of sin, but ultimately from the presence of sin.
One day we will go home to be with Him and we will be forever separate. From any kind of sin. The Bible says in Micah chapter 7, verses 18 and 19: Who is a God like unto thee who pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?
He retains not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths. Of the sea. God forgives. God wipes the sl clean. Pardon is received. The pain is real, but pardon is received. The penalty is removed. The penalty is Removed. What's the penalty? That you'll perish, right? That you'll end your life in destruction. That's why Paul would say in Philippians chapter 3: that the enemies of the cross, their end is destruction.
They will be forever separated from the presence of God. They will perish. That's why the Bible says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that Whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
The penalty now is removed. If pardon has been received, the penalty now has been removed. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans chapter 8, verse number 1. We will no longer be condemned along with those. Who have not received Christ the Savior? We will no longer be condemned. We have been set free from the penalty Of death. The Bible says the wage of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
And that's why the Bible says over in Luke chapter 13, Christ says in verse number 3, unless you repent, You will likewise perish.
In verse number five, I tell you, unless you repent, you will likewise per. The issue being that you need to turn from your sin. You need to follow Christ, and Christ is compelling people to repent of their sins or they will perish. In their sins. And so he goes on to say in Luke 13: Strive to enter by the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, Lord, Open up to us.
Then he will answer and say to you, I do not know where you are from. And then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in your streets. He will say, I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evild. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham. and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out. You see The penalty is removed. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
And that's why when Christ came in Mark chapter 1, it says, That this is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And what's the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ? The very first word was not about the love of Christ, was not about the grace of Christ, it was about repentance toward Christ.
Repent and believe the gospel. This is the beginning of the gospel, it says in Mark chapter 1. And Christ comes on and says, the scene and says, Repent and believe the gospel. John the Baptist said the same thing: rep and believe the gospel. Why? Because if you don't, you're going per. That's why you'll perish in your sins. Pain is real, but pardon is received. If pardon is received, the penalty is removed. If the penalty is removed, Purity will be realized. Purity will be realized. You'll become clean before God.
It says this in Hebrews chapter 9, verse number 13: For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer Sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctified for the cleansing of the flesh. How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? The old system, the sacrificial system, could cleanse you on the outside, but there was only one sacrifice that would cleanse you on the inside.
And that was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. It will cleanse your conscience. It cleans you up on the inside. And it takes away that defilement in order that you might serve the living God. You see, the reason unbelievers can't serve God is because they are impure. On the inside, and God promises to purify you on the inside in order that you might be equipped to serve Him on the outside. And therefore, we realize that what happens is that God purifies our lives.
If the penalty has been removed. If pardon has been received, then the life becomes pure because of the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from all sin. And that's why when Jesus came, He said to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus knew exactly what he meant. He knew what Ezekiel 36, 25 said, when it talked about the cleansing of defilement. With a new heart, how God was going to cleanse the inner man, and that's why Paul would say that Jesus Christ sanctified the bride of Christ.
By the washing of water with the word. That's why Titus 3:5 says that we are born again, not by works of righteousness which we have done. But according to his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration, by the renewing of the Spirit of God. It is that cleansing act of the word of God that Purifies the life of an individual that cleans up that individual and makes him pure before God. Paul would say this over in the book of Colossians. the first chapter, the 21st verse.
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet he has now reconciled you in his fleshly body through death in order to present you before him holy and blameless. And beyond reproach. That's how Jesus wants to present you. He wants to present you holy, set apart, sanctified. Blameless, beyond reproach. You see, as a believer, you now are beyond reproach in the eyes of God. There is no sin held to your account. There is no way Satan can accuse you before the throne of God and say, Well, he did this or she did that or they went there or they did this, and Christ says, My blood covered that transgression.
My blood wiped away that sin. My blood cleansed that individual. And purity now is real. For the first time, you become clean before God.
That's the repercussions from the cross. I can be clean. You see, we don't need to think of ourselves as dirty. Sure, we sin and we need to confess our sins in order that we might restore fellowship with our Heavenly Father, but we have been cleansed positionally in Christ. And therefore, because purity is realized, because the penalty has been removed, because pardon has been received. We understand the repercussions from the cross. And that's far greater than the pain that we will experience because of our stand for Christ, because of our willingness to serve Christ.
Because of our willingness to surrender all to Him and to suffer for His name's sake. Fifthly, Peace is restored. Peace is restored. You see, the unbeliever has no peace. The Bible says there's no peace for the wicked.
And the unbeliever has no rest in his soul. But the believer, us, we do. And now peace is restored. You see, once when God would walk with Adam in the cool of the day. And they would commune one with another. They had great peace among themselves. Adam was at peace with God. There had been no sin, he was clean. And when sin into the world in Genesis chapter 3, something happened between Adam and God. They were now separated. Something had come between them in that relationship. And peace had to be restored.
They had lost that communion. They had lost that fellowship. And in order for peace to be restored, it would ultimately come to the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. And that's why God gave the promise. In Genesis chapter 3, verse number 15, of that seed that would crush Satan, that would destroy the works of Satan. And he was destroyed at the cross. And so we begin to understand from our perspective that now, once I begin to appropriate the work of Christ on the cross on my behalf, Peace with God now is restored.
Paul said this way in Colossians chapter 1, verse number 20. And through him. To reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, through him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. Paul would say in Romans 5, verse number 1, having been justified by faith, we now have peace with God. Peace with God. You see, if you're not at peace with God, you're an enemy of God, right? If you're a friend of the world, you're an enemy of God. You're at war with God.
The unbeliever doesn't like to think of himself at war with God because he sees God as a God of love. So he doesn't see himself at war with God, but that's where the unbeliever is. The believer is at peace with God because he understands that Christ him took upon him on the cross the wrath of Almighty God on our behalf. He became our substitute. Now we can have peace with God. Ah, that's so good. Let me give you one more.
Privileges are rewarded. Privileges are rewarded. Peter says, Lord, we left all. What's in it for us? What do we get? If we have surrendered everything, if we've left our family, if we left our friends, if we've left our future occupation, Lord, what is in it for us? And Jesus tells them. This is what it is, Peter. This is what's going to happen. And the Bible becomes very clear when we understand what Romans 8. 3 says. He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things?
Wow. That's pretty good. I mean, God the Father, the Bible says in Isaiah 53 that it pleased the Father to bruise the Son.
It pleased him. And he gave him up willingly in order that he might receive you unto him. And because he received you to him. How much more would he give us all things to enjoy? The Bible says over in Ephesians 1, verse number 3: He hath blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.
See, what are those blessings? Well, one is peace. We talked about that, right? Peace. I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind has stayed upon me. Christ said in John 14, I want to give you my peace. So he gives us his peace. He gives us his love, right? The love of Christ has been shed abroad in our hearts. Romans chapter 5, verse number 5. Right? Because of what he did on the cross. There is also the fact that we have his joy. John 15, 4 says, These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be made.
Full. Full of the joy that God gives us. His love, His joy, His peace, His strength. His S. He gives us all things to enjoy. Our God, watch over you. Take care of you. Because that's the way he is. But as I thought about this, I was reminded of the fact that no matter what Jesus gives us. The fact that he gave him for us that we might obtain his life is the greatest privilege we could ever have. You see, when you take Jesus Christ, you get everything. You get it all, right? And that's the privilege that's reward.
Jesus Christ Himself, and in Him. Is everything because he is everything