Jesus’ words are strong words. Taking up your cross means to go to your death. When Jesus spoke in this way he meant that to follow Him means to give up your life. Whether someone will follow the way of the cross determines his or her eternal destiny, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
As we prepare to participate in the Lord’s Supper I always try to focus on one of the three aspects of it. These are looking back at the cross, looking in at our life and looking forward to His return. Today we will look at what the cross means and why we can be thankful for it. We will also note how the cross and persecution are related.
There is an aspect of the flesh that works against us in the midst of persecution. It is called self-preservation. It can function as a good thing but in the midst of taking a stand for Jesus it can work to our detriment to cause us to deny what we know to be the truth for the sake of a little temporary comfort.
From these jumping off verses in Mark, I want to point you to two other passages found in Galatians 5 & 6. These verses are significant in looking at the cross and its effect in bringing about persecution in the life of the Christian. In 5:11, Paul says, “But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.” And in 6:12-17 Paul says, “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”
1. Background – The Law and Circumcision
Before we look at the verses in detail we need to understand the background issue of the law and circumcision. Why is Paul making such a big deal about this issue of circumcision? After all, isn’t this just an elective procedure that your ob-gyn asks if you want performed on your baby boy?
No. Circumcision, in the Jewish world of tradition, was the first step into following the way of the Law. It was the first step toward pursuing a righteous relationship with God and was the beginning of obeying the Law to obtain that righteousness. This isn’t how it was initially viewed nor was it meant to be viewed this way. It became viewed in this way as people sought to establish their own righteousness. There were groups of people teaching, in Paul’s day, that in order to be saved you must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. Now although circumcision doesn’t play a big part in today’s world concerning its importance in the Law, there are still people today who say, “In order to be saved you must obey the Ten Commandments.” “In order to be forgiven of your sin you must be baptized.” “In order to receive eternal life the good things you do must outweigh the bad.” All of these are one in the same. Whether you add circumcision to the mix or baptism or any good deeds by which God accepts a person you have bypassed the heart of the issue and have missed the true way of eternal life. You have missed the true way to please God and become righteous.
2. The Stumbling Block of the Cross
This brings us to Paul’s statement in Galatians 5:11. Here, we notice the stumbling block of the cross. Paul says in Galatians 5:11, “If I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.” People were accusing Paul that he also taught you needed to follow the ritual of circumcision to be made right with God. But he denied it. If I am doing this then I have nullified the stumbling block of the cross.
Paul says the cross is the way of salvation but it has also become an obstacle to people getting right with God. Why is this? Why is it difficult to believe only in the work of Christ on the cross? First, God has offered His gift of righteousness so that we may have eternal life only through the cross. He doesn’t offer it to those who try to be good and seek to offer their works to God. He gives His righteousness to those who trust in the work Christ did on the cross only for their salvation. Nothing can be added to it and allow it to still be effective. In other words, it is so simple that people have a hard time taking it seriously. How many people have you heard say, “That’s all there is to it? It’s too simple.” The second reason the cross is an obstacle to salvation is that receiving God’s salvation through the cross is an utterly humbling experience. You cannot add one work of your own to it. You must humble yourself and admit you are completely corrupt in the sight of God. You must admit that your sin has condemned you to hell. You must admit there is simply no other way to receive eternal life and the forgiveness of sins except by trusting that Jesus Christ died for your wretched sinful self.
Now a stumbling block is anything that might be in your path to cause you to trip. In this case the cross is the stumbling block that keeps people from getting to heaven. Now it’s hard to think of it this way because normally we see the cross as that which causes someone to go to heaven. Think of it this way. As you are walking along you see this cross. If you don’t pick it up, you will trip over it. If you pick it up you cannot carry anything else in your hands. But there are people who try to do this. We could call them “cross and” people. They see their salvation as provided by the cross and their good works or the cross and baptism or the cross and a certain church membership They would be willing to try the cross but they don’t want to put down their own good works. They want to still rely on their good deeds to earn favor with God. They are hedging their bets. If the cross alone doesn’t save me, then I have a back up. But what happens is people try to hold their own good works in their hands to present to God while they attempt to shuffle the cross along the ground. They are not willing to give up their self-righteousness and drop it to pick up the cross. So they go on their way kicking the cross as they go. Sooner or later they are going to trip over it. It is the stumbling block. If you don’t pick it up to the exclusion of every other hope you have for eternal life it will cause your eternal downfall.
3. The Reason People Add to the Cross
The question we have to ask ourselves is “Why do people do this? Why do people add to the cross?” This brings us to point 3, the reason people add to the cross. In Galatians 6:12 Paul says, “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.” There are two reasons, Paul mentions in this verse, people add to the cross. First, they want to impress people. Paul says that they are trying to make a good showing in the flesh. These are the Pharisees. They are the self-righteous hypocrites who are not truly righteous. They are trying to appear superior to others. But it doesn’t impress God. God doesn’t make you right with Himself because you are trying your best. Your best is not good enough. God expects perfection. Neither is He giving us points because we are killing ourselves trying to be perfect. He has provided a means for us to receive His righteousness as a free gift. This is what the cross is about. Jesus lived perfection because He was the Son of God. And then, on the cross, He suffered for your sin. When you recognize this as sufficient to pay for all your sin He gives you His own righteousness. He receives people who are willing to admit their sinfulness instead of covering it up. He receives people who believe Him when He says trust the cross. This is enough. He doesn’t receive anyone else.
The second reason people add to the cross is they want to avoid persecution. Paul says, “so they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.” By allowing the pride of man’s achievement to enter into the process of salvation you stop the persecution due to the cross. By proclaiming the cross alone you hit the pride of mankind square in the mouth. But when you add good works to the message of the cross it lets a person think they are not so bad after all and they might contribute in some way to their salvation. It takes the persecution out of the cross’ message that speaks of the great and utter depravity of our sinful condition. It takes the sting out of the message. But, like antiseptic used on a wound, if it doesn’t sting, it doesn’t heal. When a person feels that sting in their conscience they lash out. This is the persecution that attends those who preach the cross without addition. When you tell someone the truth they don’t want to hear because it stings they will persecute you.
4. The Necessity of the Cross (6:13, 15)
Fourthly, we see the necessity of the cross. Paul speaks of these in Galatians 6:13 and 15. Paul notes two reasons the cross is necessary. The first reason the cross is necessary is that righteousness cannot be received by keeping the law. We’ve touched on this briefly already but in verse 13 Paul notes, “For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves.” God requires us to be completely righteous to please Him. What must be understood is that those who want to trust in their own attempt at doing good to please God cannot do it. Paul’s note that those who are circumcised can’t even keep the Law tells us that even those who start at the very first step of the Law cannot do it. And the truth is that neither can you. You cannot do enough to please God. This brings us to the next reason the cross is absolutely necessary for salvation.
Paul tells us this in verse 15. Righteousness must be received through regeneration (through new birth). Paul says, “For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. We cannot simply turn over a new leaf, but a new birth must take place. We must be made new. The imperative is regeneration. And it is only through the cross that this regeneration takes place. If you have never been born again then you are simply without the life of God. Regeneration brings to us the life of God through the cross work of Christ. Our pitiful effort cannot do it.
5. Hold high the cross (6:14, 17)
Finally this morning we see that we must hold high the cross. In verse 14 Paul says, “May it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Anything that diminished the finished work of the cross was an anathema to Paul. The cross alone stood as the pinnacle of God’s work. Anything added to it lessened the glory due to God.
Satan has always sought to reduce the centrality of the cross because what Jesus did on the cross, in suffering for our sin, was the deathblow to ALL of Satan’s authority. Paul tells us this in Colossians 2:15. He notes, “When He [God] had disarmed the [demonic] rulers and authorities [by the cross], He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them Him. And because the cross is the deathblow to Satan’s authority he desires to dilute the centrality of the cross because when he does people go to hell. God is not willing for any to perish but Satan wants everyone to go to hell. God wants to see all come to repentance but Satan wants them to suffer eternally.
The cross saves. It needs to be lifted up. As believers in Jesus Christ, it must be the goal of our lives to display the cross and the cross alone.
Paul said, “May it never be that I would boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” The love of the world and men’s applause had died in Paul. He was not concerned so much about what men thought of him to make him change the message of the Gospel. Others would do it but may it never be in his life. Paul knew that it was what Jesus accomplished on the cross that saves and nothing else. The message is so important he would not let persecution dissuade him from that message. He would not change it.
Paul ends in verse 17 by saying, “Let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus.” He had suffered because he would not change his message.
We want to be accepted by those around us. But we cannot do it by changing the message of the cross. The message of the cross is a hard one. But it is the only one that saves. And if it is the only one that saves then it is worth receiving the brand marks of Jesus for. Let us hold high the cross. Don’t waver when you are about to suffer for Jesus’ sake and message of the cross.
Safe Saver