In a city I
used to live in there was a massive, beautiful tree in the center of an
intersection of a main thoroughfare. However, one day during a severe storm the
tree toppled, and an interesting discovery was made by all. The tree was
completely hollow. The rotting process had left the tree beautiful on the
outside, but empty on the inside. It really was only a shell; the tree had
ceased to be a strong vibrant tree many years prior.
The same
can be said of many churches that have the appearance of being alive on the
outside, but have become only empty shells. How does this happen? It happened
to the Corinthian church as they had allowed a spirit of pride to enter the
church and in so doing had emptied the gospel of its power to save. The
boastful spirit that found its way into the church was completely at odds with
the definition of the gospel. The gospel doesn’t leave any room for boasting.
Our redemption depends on the mercy of God and God alone. You and I are sinners
who should be on our way to hell except for the grace of God. The gospel
demands we be humbled in ordered for Christ to be exalted in our lives. That’s
how it works, and any other approach to salvation is mistaken.
A couple of
years ago I saw a popular preacher was interviewed on television. When asked if
he preached against sin, he stated that he never mentions the word sin or
sinner because people feel guilty enough. That answer, although politically
correct, is dangerous. It is perilous because it supposes that we are not as
bad as we think we are or that somehow our sin can be ignored. The truth is
that no matter what some popular preacher says, we are worse off than we could
imagine. We are lost without Jesus Christ.
When Jesus
prayed an agonizing prayer in the garden, he asked his father if the cross was
necessary.
"My
Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will,
but as you will" (Matt 26:39). Yet even in his prayer he submits his will
to that of his father. Jesus, after his resurrection, explained to two
disciples that the cross was part of God’s plan: “Did not the Christ have to
suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses
and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures
concerning himself” (Luke 24:26-27).
The first
sermon preached by Peter to the newly baptized church on the day of Pentecost
states the same essential fact: “This man was handed over to you by God's set
purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death
by nailing him to the cross” (Acts 2:23). God knew in advance what would happen
to his son—the cross was no surprise. This is good to remember when it seems
that nothing good is happening in your life.
The cross of Christ
proves that God's plans are good. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the most
evil deed ever committed on this planet. God's own perfect Son was put to death
by wicked men. What could be more evil than that? At the same time, however,
the crucifixion of Jesus was the best thing that ever happened on this planet.
As we shall see, the cross has brought salvation to the world. If God brought
the greatest good out of the greatest evil, he can bring good out of what seems
to be evil in your own life. It is all part of God's good plan.[i]
Our view of
the cross must remain the same if we are to experience God’s saving grace in
our lives. Any attempt to exalt our human achievement instead of the work of
Christ on the cross will empty the gospel of its power to save.
Paul’s
testimony should be our testimony:
“When I came to
you, brothers, 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” (1 Corinthians
2:1-5).
[i]
James M. Boice & Philip Ryken, The Heart of the Cross, Crossway Books, Wheaton,
IL, 1999, p. 116
No comments:
Post a Comment