TAKE UP THE CROSS
INTRO: HOW BIG IS THE CROSS TO CHRISTIANITY?
1: HOW BIG IS IT TO THE CHRISTIAN?
A) IS A THE CROSS SOMETHING YOU IDENTIFY WITH?
B) IS IT A SYMBOL YOU WEAR AROUND YOUR NECK?
C) OR IS IT MORE THAN THAT TO YOU?
POINT: A LOT OF PEOPLE WEAR CROSSES AROUND THEIR NECKS. RECENTLY I WAS HOSTIGN A SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE CHALLENGER LEAGUE. THE CHALLENGER LEAGUE IS A LEAGUE SPECIALLY SETUP AND DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN WITH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. WHAT SHOCKED ME WAS AT THIS TOURNAMENT WHICH WAS HELD AT THE COUNTY REC DEPT, MANY GROWN MEN BEARING CROSSES AROUND THEIR NECKS, WERE CURSING AND DRINKING AND DOING THINGS THAT HONESTLY GO ON AT ANY SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. IT BROUGHT ABOUT A REVELATION TO ME AS I WATCHED THESE YOUNG MEN THROUGH OUT THE NIGHT.
2: MARK 8:34
A) JESUS CALLS THE PEOPLE
B) EVERYONE WHO WAS AROUND HAD TO HEAR WHAT HE HAD TO SAY
C) ANYONE WHO COMES AFTER ME MUST DENY HIMSELF
D) TAKE UP HIS CROSS
E) AND FOLLOW ME
POINT: SADLY TODAY IN SOCIETY THE CROSS IS NO MORE THAN A PIECE OF JEWERLY TO MOST. THE COMMAND OF CHIRST IS TO TAKE UP THE CROSS. THE SIZE OF THE CROSS IN ONES LIFE IS CRUCIAL TO WHERE AND WHAT THEY DO IN THEIR LIVES.
BODY: TAKING THE CROSS
1: CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE
A) THE WAY YOU LIVE IS DIFFERENT
B) THE THINGS YOU DREAM FOR AND DESIRE CHANGE
C) YOU DON’T SEEK TO PLEASE MAN BUT SEEK TO PLEASE GOD
D) THE PLACES YOU GO ARE DIFFERENT THE PEOPLE AND CHOICES YOU MAKE WILL CHANGE.
POINT: WHEN SOMEONE BECOMES BORN AGAIN THEY CHOOSE TO TURN AWAY FROM THEIR SINFUL LIFESTYLE TO BEGIN A LIFE WITH CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR. THE FIRST STEP IN TAKING THE CROSS IS THE CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE.
2: CHANGE OF MIND
A) YOUR THINKING WILL CHANGE
B) THE WAY YOU SEE THINGS WILL CHANGE
C) WHEN A PERSON SUBMITS TO THE WILL OF GOD FOR THEIR LIFE THEY HAVE A NEW MIND SET.
POINT: A CHRISTIAN’S MIND SHOULD BE AS THE MIND OF CHRIST, FULLY TRUSTING AND DEPENDING UPON GOD THE FATHER FOR EVERYTHING, THE CROSS YOU TAKE UP WILL DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE THE WAY YOUR MIND WORKS.
3: CHANGE YOUR HEART
A) A PERSON WHO IS LOST DOES NOT KNOW GOD PERSONALLY OR INTIMATELY
B) THE BIBLE SAYS GOD IS LOVE
C) TO KNOW LOVE YOU HAVE TO KNOW GOD
D) THE CONDITION OF A PERSONS HEART WILL CHANGE WHEN THEY TAKE UP THE CROSS OF CHRIST
POINT: THE HEART IS TRANSFORMED FROM A COLD HARD UN FEELING ORGAN TO A WARM VERY REAL AND POWERFUL PART OF THE CHRISTIAN ANATOMY. THE HEART IS WHERE CHRIST DWELLS IN THE BELIEVER. THE CROSS WILL HELP YOU TO PUT YOUR HEART INTO DOING WHATEVER CHRIST CALLS YOU TO DO.
CLOSING: HAVE CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST
1: 1 JOHN 5:14-17
A) BIBLE SAYS WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST
B) WE ASK ACCORDIGN TO HIS WILL
C) HE WILL HEAR US
POINT: PRAYER IS THE KEY TO A VICTORIOUS LIFE IN CHRIST. IT IS HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH GOD THE FATHER. IF WE HAVE OUR CROSS AS WE ASK GOD FOR THE PROVISIONS WE NEED WE ASK IN HIS WILL. OUR MIND WILL BE TRANSFORMED TO THAT OF A SERVANT ONE WHO IS SEEKING TO SERVE GOD AND DO HIS WILL. THEREFORE WE ASK FOR WHAT WILL MAKE US MORE CHRIST LIKE.
2: SIN UNTO DEATH
A) DEATH REPRESENTS SEPERATION
B) SIN IS SIN TO GOD BIG OR SMALL
C) BUT ONE THING THAT CAUSES ONE TO STUMBLE AND FALL MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME THING FOR ANOTHER PERSON.
D) IF YOU HAVE A CLOSE ENOUGH RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE YOU TEND TO LEARN THEIR WEAKNESSES
E) IF YOU DO THEN IF SOMETHING TRIGGERS YOUR MIND THAT THE OTHER PERSON IS ABOUT TO FALL OR THUS BECOME SEPERATED FROM THE FEELING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
POINT: GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US NOTHING WILL EVER SEPARATE US FROM HIS LOVE BUT WE CAN SEPARATE OURSELVES FROM THE FEELING OF BEING INDWELT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. THUS A SIN UNTO DEATH
CONCLUSION: WHEN A CHRISTIAN TAKES UO THEIR CROSS FOR CHIRST THEY ARE MAKING A PERSONAL AND PUBLIC CONFESSION FOR JESUS TO BE WHATEVER IT IS CHRIST HAS CALLED THEM TO BE. THE CROSS WILL EMPOWER BUT ALSO LIMIT THE CHRISTIAN.
IF YOU CARRY IT EVERYWHERE IT WILL LIMIT THE THINGS YOU WILL BE WILLING TO DO. IT WILL CONVICT YOU AND CAUSE YOU TO STOP AND THINK IS THIS PLEASING TO GOD. THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD NEVER GO ANYWHERE OR DO ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES THEM TO LAY DOWN THEIR CROSS.
