I’m taking a bit from the Easter Message our pastor sent by email since we all stayed home because of the coronavirus and weather.
The cross is the heart of the Gospel. What would we sing about or preach about if Christ never went to the cross?
Mark 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
If Christ never died on the cross there would be no resurrection.
The crowd watched. Imagine their conversation. They had seen people crucified on the cross. But this was different. This was the Son of God!
When Jesus died on the cross, He said, "It is finished!", John 19:30. When He rose from the dead that first Sunday morning, God the Father said, "I am satisfied!"
When the women made their way to the tomb to finish preparing His body for burial, they found the stone rolled away and an empty tomb.
What a glorious message — a message of hope, and life, and victory.
May we never forget that the message of the empty tomb is as fresh today as it was then. Jesus is still alive and men trapped in the bondage of fear and sin still need to hear about it.
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“On a hill far away stood an old rigged cross, —. The emblem of suffering and shame. —. And I love that old cross, where the dearest and best — For a world of lost sinners was slain.
CHORUS
“So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross —. Till my trophies at last I lay down. —. I will cling to the old rugged Cross. — And exchange it some day for a crown.
“Oh, that old rugged Cross, so despised by the world, —. Has a wondrous attraction for me; —. For the dear Lamb of God left his Glory above. — To bear it to dark Calvary.
“In the old rugged Cross, stain'd with blood so divine, —. A wondrous beauty I see; —. For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died. — To pardon and sanctify me.
“To the old rugged Cross, I will ever be true; —. Its shame and reproach gladly bear. —. Then He'll call me some day to my home far away, —. Where his glory forever I'll share.”
George Bernard
Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit.
