Grace Bible Church – Winchester, Kentucky

John 19:17 And He, bearing His Cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, Just suppose that you have done something very wrong and you have been caught. You know what you did, that you are guilty, and the judge gets ready to pronounce judgment. He tells you that because of your crime you will be executed by injection. All of sudden your father who has loved you since you came into the world, and you love Him, you know he has been a good father, steps forward and asks the judge if someone could take your place, and the judge says yes. Your loving father takes your place. How would you feel for the rest of your life? My friend, as crazy as this made-up example is, that is exactly what Jesus did for me and you. The verse before us says “He bearing His Cross went out to a place called the Place of the skull”. But you see that is not exactly right for My Lord was not bearing His Cross, He was bearing my Cross. Every time I see a Cross, I am reminded that Jesus went to the Cross in my place. The pain and suffering that He endured was meant for me. If there was ever anyone who understood and had a love for what Jesus accomplished on the Cross it was the Apostle Paul. He said this in 1 Corinthians 1:7 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” Paul said in Galatians 6:4 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.” Paul said in I Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I wonder today if the Apostles Paul and Peter were to walk into many churches today who didn’t want to offend anyone so they took down their Crosses in their churches, what would the Apostles say? We wear the Cross today as a piece of Jewelry and that is good, but in the day of our Lord the Cross was repulsive. Today when we realize what the Cross stands for, and we realize that it not only stands for when our Lord sacrificed Himself on the Cross, but He also admonished each one of us to “take up our Cross and follow Him.” To follow His example of dying to self. The opportunities come to take up our Cross for each one of us. When we are with our friends and the conversation open’s up and the Holy spirit says say something, do you at that time take up your Cross, or do you walk away defeated because you know you should have said something? Pastor Lee Cruse as we live in these last days, I believe that the Cross is more important than ever before. So, what does your Cross look like? On one side it may look pretty ugly but on the other side our Lord is there telling you “Well done my good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord”.

What Does The Cross Mean To You?

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by

Brandon Pence
in

John 19:17: “And He, bearing His Cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,“

Just suppose that you have done something very wrong and you have been caught. You know what you did, that you are guilty, and the judge gets ready to pronounce judgment. He tells you that because of your crime you will be executed by injection. All of sudden your father who has loved you since you came into the world, and you love Him, you know he has been a good father, steps forward and asks the judge if someone could take your place, and the judge says yes. Your loving father takes your place. How would you feel for the rest of your life? 

My friend, as crazy as this made-up example is, that is exactly what Jesus did for me and you. The verse before us says “He bearing His Cross went out to a place called the Place of the skull”. But you see that is not exactly right for My Lord was not bearing His Cross, He was bearing my Cross. Every time I see a Cross, I am reminded that Jesus went to the Cross in my place. The pain and suffering that He endured was meant for me. 

If there was ever anyone who understood and had a love for what Jesus accomplished on the Cross it was the Apostle Paul. He said this in 1 Corinthians 1:7: “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”  Paul said in Galatians 6:4: “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.” 

Paul said in I Corinthians 2:2: “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.“

I wonder today if the Apostles Paul and Peter were to walk into many churches today who didn’t want to offend anyone so they took down their Crosses in their churches, what would the Apostles say? 

We wear the Cross today as a piece of Jewelry and that is good, but in the day of our Lord the Cross was repulsive. 

Today when we realize what the Cross stands for, and we realize that it not only stands for when our Lord sacrificed Himself on the Cross, but He also admonished each one of us to “take up our Cross and follow Him.”  To follow His example of dying to self. The opportunities come to take up our Cross for each one of us.  When we are with our friends and the conversation open’s up and the Holy spirit says say something, do you at that time take up your Cross, or do you walk away defeated because you know you should have said something?   

Pastor Lee Cruse. As we live in these last days, I believe that the Cross is more important than ever before. So, what does your Cross look like? On one side it may look pretty ugly but on the other side our Lord is there telling you “Well done my good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord”.   

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