Return to the Cross

Sunday is going to an awesome day of worship at Gages Lake. We’re going to have a baptism and communion service. And our text in the Gospel of John fits so perfectly with communion. My sermon is "Return to the Cross."

 
Here is a little snippet of the sermon: 
 
As a Christian, we return to the cross, because that is where life makes sense again. Nothing God asks us to do makes sense without the cross:
 

He asks us to take up our cross, because He took up His. Its only our reasonable service.
He asks us to forgive our deepest hurts, only because He forgave us our most heinous sins. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He asks us to deny ourselves, because He denied Himself, his rights and went to the cross.
He asks us to give sacrificially, because He gave all.
He asks us to serve others, because He served us.

Christian, return to the cross. If you try to live your Christian life without the cross, you’ll end up practicing religion. You’re faith will be dry and routine.
But if you return periodically to the cross of your Savior, where he hung and bled and died for yours sins, you’ll willingly follow Him.

I’m closing with this quote from the late pastor, Ray Stedman, from his sermon, “The Breakthrough Point”
 
It is very good for us often to remember the story of the cross. It is good to remember all the detail that is given in the Gospels about how in the upper room he was "exceeding sorrowful unto death"; the shadows of Gethsemane; the deep darkness of his loneliness; his prayers; his disappointment with his disciples; the bloody sweat that fell from his brow; the traitor’s kiss; the binding; the blow in the face; the scourging, the smiting, the spitting, the buffeting, the mocking; the crown of thorns; the sorrowful way through the city streets; the burden of the cross; the exhaustion that he endured; the collapse; the stripping; the impaling upon the cross; the nails through his hands; the jeers of his foes; the flight of his friends; the hours on the cross; the darkness; the terrible cry that came from his lips, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?"; the thirst; and the triumphant cry at the end, "It is finished."