The Cost of the Cross
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Galatians 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the
world has been crucified to me, and I to the world..
Last week, we talked about the benefits of the cross. Today I want us to look at the cost. It cost
Jesus his life. What does it cost you?
The disciples preached the cross:
1 Corinthians 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified,…
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross … it is the power of God.
They preached the cross – Christ crucified – and it changed the world.
Something has happened to the cross. We have made it into a gold necklace, decorated our
churches with it, and made its sign before our faces like some magical sign to ward off evil. We have
tried to make it a thing of beauty – a thing of honor.
But the cross is not a thing of beauty. It is a thing of sacrifice. It is an instrument of death to those
who throw themselves upon it. The cross will destroy your plans – your way of life – and establish its
own way in your life.
The cross never compromises. It always has its own way – It is never a compromise of part your way
and part its way.
It destroys completely the human, fleshly, worldly side of man and establishes the way of Christ. Paul
said:
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me …
Hear the words of Jesus:
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he
must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)
Now that doesn’t make the cross sound like something that people will crowd around to get involved
with. People will stand in line for cheese and bread; they will stand in line for clothes distribution. But
nobody is going to say, “Oh good! They’re giving out crosses at the church today. Let’s go get in
line and get one.”
The cross destroys the old life – your life – and creates a new one – the Christ life. Your life will never
honor God. Only Christ’s life in you will do that. Again, Paul said:
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be
done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
If you would come to the cross, you must come all the way. You must come ready to be nailed upon
that cross – that is, to have your life changed – the old life is destroyed and the new life imposed on
you. It will mean you have to give up your way, your plans, your rights, and take on the Christ life.
You cannot come halfway – for halfway is nowhere close to the cross. You cannot come for the
benefits without accepting the cost. You cannot modify the cross to make it more acceptable. The
cross is an “all or nothing” proposition.
The cross will cut us where it hurts the most. It will destroy everything you hold dear in order to make
God most important in your life. It will bring your selfish life to an end.
This is where Abraham came when he took his son up on the mountain as a sacrifice. He was
required to sacrifice what was most dear to him in order to put God in the proper place in his life.
Jesus had the power to avoid the cross. You also have the power to do so. But until you face the
cross, you will never know the joy of Christ. The Bible calls it:
“…filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy… (1 Peter 1:8).
The cross of Christ was a place of execution. It was not pretty. It was painful and humiliating. The
cross we have replaced it with is goldplated and expensive. But it does not have the power that
Jesus’ cross has.
Which cross will you take?
world has been crucified to me, and I to the world..
Last week, we talked about the benefits of the cross. Today I want us to look at the cost. It cost
Jesus his life. What does it cost you?
The disciples preached the cross:
1 Corinthians 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified,…
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross … it is the power of God.
They preached the cross – Christ crucified – and it changed the world.
Something has happened to the cross. We have made it into a gold necklace, decorated our
churches with it, and made its sign before our faces like some magical sign to ward off evil. We have
tried to make it a thing of beauty – a thing of honor.
But the cross is not a thing of beauty. It is a thing of sacrifice. It is an instrument of death to those
who throw themselves upon it. The cross will destroy your plans – your way of life – and establish its
own way in your life.
The cross never compromises. It always has its own way – It is never a compromise of part your way
and part its way.
It destroys completely the human, fleshly, worldly side of man and establishes the way of Christ. Paul
said:
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me …
Hear the words of Jesus:
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he
must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)
Now that doesn’t make the cross sound like something that people will crowd around to get involved
with. People will stand in line for cheese and bread; they will stand in line for clothes distribution. But
nobody is going to say, “Oh good! They’re giving out crosses at the church today. Let’s go get in
line and get one.”
The cross destroys the old life – your life – and creates a new one – the Christ life. Your life will never
honor God. Only Christ’s life in you will do that. Again, Paul said:
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be
done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
If you would come to the cross, you must come all the way. You must come ready to be nailed upon
that cross – that is, to have your life changed – the old life is destroyed and the new life imposed on
you. It will mean you have to give up your way, your plans, your rights, and take on the Christ life.
You cannot come halfway – for halfway is nowhere close to the cross. You cannot come for the
benefits without accepting the cost. You cannot modify the cross to make it more acceptable. The
cross is an “all or nothing” proposition.
The cross will cut us where it hurts the most. It will destroy everything you hold dear in order to make
God most important in your life. It will bring your selfish life to an end.
This is where Abraham came when he took his son up on the mountain as a sacrifice. He was
required to sacrifice what was most dear to him in order to put God in the proper place in his life.
Jesus had the power to avoid the cross. You also have the power to do so. But until you face the
cross, you will never know the joy of Christ. The Bible calls it:
“…filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy… (1 Peter 1:8).
The cross of Christ was a place of execution. It was not pretty. It was painful and humiliating. The
cross we have replaced it with is goldplated and expensive. But it does not have the power that
Jesus’ cross has.
Which cross will you take?