THE NAKED SPLENDOR OF THE CROSS
GLORYING IN THE CROSS! MY Sermon this Sunday will be, “THE SACRED SPLENDOR OF HIS CROSS” Of all the methods of redemption that the Father might have chosen, the cross is certainly the cruelest. This Roman method of execution was intended to exact the most unforgettable death possible. A prophet of old wrote, “cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.” (Deuteronomy 21:23 / Galatians 3:13) The providence of God established that death by public exposure from the bough of a tree was degrading and condemning. It was reserved for the worst of criminals. The Assyrians actually impaled their victims by driving the sharpened stake up the back and then planting the stake in public. Any method of hanging by a tree was ordained to be cruel and dehumanizing to the victim.
It is quite amazing to see what the death of Christ has done to this instrument of cruelty. Travel to the dark regions of heathenism and you will find crosses erected over bamboo churches calling the natives to consider Jesus. Even the most educated of cities and cathedrals of great wealth will dot the city with ornate crosses at the highest level of its towers. Crosses have been banished by the despot of terror only to outlive the dictator in the end. The cross has outlasted many reigns of unbelieving kings, armies of masquerading heathens, and horrific invasions by infidels. The cross is truly the world’s statue of liberty. Where the cross is embraced, no death is hopeless.
It was the Son of God hanging on this cruel instrument that stripped it of its venom. He did not remove the curse of the cross by His heavenly host attacking with drawn sword, but by submitting to its horrors. When they nailed the Son of God with dripping blood to His tree, the very ground where it was planted turned into an earthquake. The unbeatable Roman Army watched in terror and proclaimed, “Truly this must have been the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:54) Even as He died on this cruel tree, an invisible hand reached across the Kedron Valley and rent the veil that opened into the Shekinah of His Father’s temple. The cross had become the scene of naked splendor.
Out of that naked splendor we hear Him proclaim, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) His mother was tenderly transferred to an Apostle’s care, while a dying thief was forgiven of his sins and was promised a private reunion later in the day. He said, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) This cross could not be conquered except He bear it alone. Therefore, His Father turned His back while the only begotten Son cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) From this cross He would rob hell and populate heaven. From this dark splendor of redemption He would open the prison house of death and redeem every believing soul of sin’s power to damn. Satan and his entire host were rendered their final judgment. As He stripped the cross of its terror, He proclaimed the unforgettable proclamation, “It is finished.”
The cross of Jesus Christ divided time for eternity, united the two Testaments in redemption, stripped death of all its power, paid the total price of Adam’s transgression, guaranteed His and our resurrection, and settled the future of His saints.
The cross is where the Eternal Testator sealed the Testaments with His blood. There can be no victory against the cross and there is no victory without the cross. God has called His chosen to preach it, live by it, die by it, and He will resurrect us because of it. There is no glory without it and no gloom can continue because of it. Apostle Paul said, “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.” (Galatians 6:14) This naked splendor in the wisdom of God is a mystery. This same Apostle said “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (I Corinthians 2:8) The cross they used against Him became the cross He used for them. It is the only symbol that should ever adorn His sanctuary and to remove it is to write “Ichabod” over the House of God.
Ed Wood
If the fate suffered by Jesus doesn’t drive home the way this world reacts to the truth, I don’t know what does. What happened after that dark day also shows us that for a short time, evil appeared to win. It is very much a commentary on these times as we see evil growing and swallowing up the planet, seemingly unstoppable.
It always amazes me how Jesus could ask forgiveness for those who were killing him out of ignorance.
For those of us who have accepted the terrible price Jesus paid, we will get a reward beyond comprehension – something we don’t deserve and could never earn.
All due to God’s amazing grace.
Bill Scudder
Just the other day I asked a pastor of a so-called evangelcal church why they did not have a cross in the church building. He that they did not want to offend anyone and if a visitor came in they might ask him what the cross was for.
jaimie
Dear Pastor
How very true.
Think you wrote about this years ago, not sure…
In the tribe of Habiru from which Abraham comes, they would use a large post or tree to hold up the tent and would hang their most vaulable possesions up on a nail fastened to it. Israel nailed their most valuable possesion to one too, with the help of the Romans.
Pentecost May 15 Israel 65 years May 14 wow….
God Bless
jaimie
Keith Black
JESUS CRUCIFIXION: WOULD HE BE CRUCIFIED TODAY IN WASHINGTON DC?
Dear Joe Chambers,
Why did they CRUCIFY JESUS? God’s reason was that he was to die as the sacrifice for our sins. WHAT MOTIVATED THEM TO LYNCH JESUS? Here is the exact reason HE WAS CRUCIFIED BECAUSE HE DEFIED THE DOGMAS OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. HE WAS NOT “POLITICALLY CORRECT” (see Isaiah 5:20). The ATHEIST HIGH PRIEST ANNAS was especially angry at Jesus for raising Lazarus form the dead which mocked his atheist faith. THe Saducees are really atheists or agnostics. The POLITICALLY CORRECT LIBERALS ESPECIALLY HATED JESUS. Would Jesus be CRUCIFIED IN WASHINGTON DC POLITICALLY CORRECT LIBERALS TODAY? ABSOLUTELY!!! The people that Jesus denounced the most were not the tax collector, prostitutes, drunks, addicts, and other sinners at the bottom of society” But he DENOUNCED THE REGULATORS (then called Pharisees) the most. Here is what he would say today in Washington DC today in Matthew 23:3-4 “WOE UNTO YOU POLITICIANS, BUREAUCRATS, REGULATORS, JUDGES, LAWYERS, SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, AND OTHERS IN POWER, FOR YOU PASS IMPOSSIBLE-TO-COMPLY-WITH HARSH DRACONIAN LAWS (More than 169’301 pages in Federal Register the list of Federal laws. Thousands of times more harsh than laws passed by religious leaders in first century) THAT YOU WILL NOT APPLY TO YOURSELVES! O YOU HYPOCRITES! YOU RATTLESNAKES! YOU GENERATION OF VIPERS! WHEREFORE I WILL SEND YOU PROPHETS = AND WISE MEN, AND YOU WILL BRUTALLY BEAT THEM, AND YOU WILL KILL THEM AND EVEN LAUNCH DRONE MISSILES AT THEM. AND YOU SHALL BE HELD GUILTY OF ALL THE BLOOD OF THE RIGHTEOUS SAINTS MURDERED FROM ABEL TO THE MOST RECENT MARTYRED SAINTS. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU THAT THAT THESE THINGS (TRIBULATION) COME UPON THIS GENERATION”. (Matthew 23:37 for today)”O WASHINGTON! WASHINGTON! YOU THAT KILL THE PROPHETS, AND STONES ALL THOSE SENT UNTO YOU! I WANTED TO GATHER YOUR CHILDREN TOGETHER EVEN AS A HEN WOULD GATHER HER CHICKENS UNDER HER WINGS, BUT YOU WOULD NOT ALLOW THAT! BEHOLD! YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE!” That shows what Jesus would say in Washington DC today. Once the “POLITICALLY CORRECT” (see Isaiah 5:20) heard Jesus say that to them, they would surely be angry at them and would be shouting “CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!” Today Roman soldiers would probably use a GAS POWERED WEED EATER OR STRING TRIMMER to rip the skin off of his back. The whips they used had metal teeth on the strings and were like CHAIN SAWS. A CROWN OF BARBED WIRE OR RAZOR WIRE would be put on his head. He would be put on a CROSS MADE FROM RAILROAD TIES. RAIL SPIKES WOULD BE HAMMERED INTO HIS HANDS AND FEET. It probably would be done on Capitol Hill facing Washington Mall. Then a bis storm hits Washington DC. An earthquake hits too. # days later he rises from the dead>
Joe: What do you think of if the Liberals crucifying Jesus in Washington if the had their chance to do so?
SIncerely,
Keith Black
Mark Steiner
Glad to read Jamie’s response. Many reading these messages understand how the Spring and Fall Feasts of the Lord relate to the first (spring) and second (fall) comings of Jesus. It always occurred to me that a good time for the Church age to end (Rapture) is the same day it began, that is on a Pentecost. And the proximity of Israel’s independence day on May 14 – can’t imagine a sweeter time for the Lord to call us home.
Lawrence Prabhakar Williams
Dear Pastor, Yes the splendor of the Cross has what transformed us and much more our dearest Lord’s sacrificial atonement paid it all on the Cross so that we have that most blessed assurance of Eternity to be with Him. Lawrence
jaimie
Dear Pastor
I think the Spirit of Revival is in Keith Black, AMEN Praise the LORD JESUS.
He’s hit the nail right on the Head.
God Bless
jaimie
Travis
Thank you for the relavent information I really enjoy creating blogs as well! Keep up the great and keep updating content!
Kim A
Keith Black, the liberals in Washington already crucified Him 2000 years ago, so did the conservatives! It was the sins of us ALL that caused Him to lay down his life.
1 Timothy 2:1-6
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Thank you Pastor Chambers, for ALL that you do, to the Glory of God!!