Glory In The Cross

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GLORY IN THE CROSS
GALATIANS 6: 11 - 15
Paul writes to the Galatians.
11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Webster defines Glory as: praise, honor…something that secures praise.
Vine’s defines Glory as: the honor resulting from a good opinion.
1. Some glory in the praise of men.
John 12: 42 – 43 John writes;
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
2. Some glory in their possessions.
Matt. 19: 21 – 22 A young man ask what lack I?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
2. Some would even glory in their sins.
Phil. 3: 17 – 19
Phil, 3: 17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
3. Why should we even glory in the cross?
I. THE CROSS GIVES VICTORY OVER SIN.
A. Rom. 3: 23 the universal reality of sin.
Paul writes all have sinned, no exception but Christ.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The cross is our victory through Jesus Christ. The glory of God is in Christ Jesus.

1. John 1: 14 God’s Glory seen in Christ.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
2. Rom. 1: 3 Christ the brightness of God’s glory.
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
B. Rom. 8: 1 Sin condemns man.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Those faithfully in Christ are protected by God’s grace.
C. Eph. 1: 6 – 7 Paul writes to the redeemed.
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
We obeyed him and he made us clean, acceptable to God. No one else could do that and only with his blood shed on the cross could he do it.

II. THE CROSS OF CHRIST GIVES VICTORY OVER SELF.
One said: “I am in the middle of every S “I” N.
A. Luke 15: 11 – 13 Sin is basically selfishness. Our will over God’s will.
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
He did not know what he had at home and was selfish and wanted what was his. When he had wasted it, he remembered what he once had at home. God’s people always wanted something they did not need and when they got it they did’t want it and repented and came back to God.

B. Gal. 5: 16 - 17 We must make a choice.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
If we give in to the lust of the flesh we will die and be lost eternally. If we walk in the Spirit God is with us and the blood of Christ continues to forgive our sins. Some times we have to be brought to our knees to see the truth.
C. Matt. 16: 24 The Christian must deny self.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
III. THE CROSS GIVES VICTORY OVER SATAN.
A. 2 Cor. 4: 4 Paul tells us Satan is the “god of this world.”
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Satan can blind the unbeliever. Don’t let Satan blind you. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1. James 4: 7 Submit to God.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
2. Rev. 2: 8 – 9 Some good people are evil.
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
B. Gal. 6: 14 Delivered by the blood of Christ.
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

1. Eph. 2: 1 – 3 delivered from the prince of the air.
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
2. 2 Cor. 11: 3 Paul’s fear was.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Glory in the Cross.
# 866 “There’s a Crown for your Cross”.
The greatest victory of the cross is heaven as our home.
1 Peter 5: 4 Peter’s beautiful words are:
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Rom. 6: 3 – 4 Paul says know ye not?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Have ye been cleansed by the blood of Christ?
Have you been baptized for the remission of your sins?
Are you in Christ tonight?
Are you glorying in the Cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
To God be the glory.
Do you need to come to Christ tonight? He calls you home.
Will you come as we stand and sing?