The Cross

I Corinthians 2:1-2 (Message Bible)
You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple; first Jesus and who his is; then Jesus and what he did----Jesus crucified.

As many of you know, if you heard me teach, my theology is straight from the verses above.
I don't get into end-time events....
I don't concern myself with the latest church fad or movement.....
I don't get wrapped around the axle with the different denominations and what is going on with them....
I am all about the cross.

Now I know the cross wasn't the last thing Jesus did. I know that come every spring, we will celebrate Easter. The day of His Resurrection. More than the fact that Jesus rose from the dead is what this event signifies. His resurrection opened the door for all of us to come to God the Father. No longer would animal sacrifices be needed. Jesus had become the perfect "Lamb without blemish" who was sacrificed on the cross for to pay our sin debt. He poured out His blood......all of it.....every drop of it....as payment that I should have made. He died for my sin. 

Because of the call God placed on my life....
And the people He has allowed me to serve....
The cross is the entry point that no one can by pass....
Oh we all want the resurrection experience in our lives....
We want to be born again.....
But you can't be born again until you die first...
Die to that old stinking nature that has dictated your every move.
That old flesh we call sin that is found in every heart of every person.
You see, sin isn't so much the act or deed you carried out, as it is the state and condition of the human heart.

We can't have the tomb/resurrection experience until we crawl upon that cross and die a spiritual death to the god of self we have served for a long time.
The apostle Paul writes in Galatians 6:14- "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

I pray that we never lose sight of the cross of Christ.
I want no part of a cross-less religion that removes the work of Christ in order to dispense cheap grace to people.
Recovery isn't a mental act that a person suddenly decides to do.....
Recovery from drugs and/or alcohol isn't a self-help program...
It's a no-help program....We can't be the problem and the solution at the same time.
We've looked inward and determined that we are powerless.
So now we look outward for the answer to our dilemma. 
Our outward gaze should take us to the cross where we find the ultimate power to change in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the POWER of His might.

God on you....
Don't forget-
VRC tomorrow night/  meeting starts at 7 p.m.