Sermon #1054 Miscellaneous Sermons

Title: CHRIST CRUCIFIED – ALL THE COUSEL OF GOD

Text: Acts 20:26-27 and I Corinthians 2:1-2

Scripture Reading:

Subject: Christ The Message of Holy Scripture

Date: Sunday Evening – November 22, 1992

Introduction:

Without question the Apostle Paul is the preacher’s pattern. He was the Apostle to the Gentiles. God called him in an amazing, miraculous way, gifted him for the work he was to do, honored him with revelations made to no other man on this earth, and used him mightily. God used this man, Paul, to write 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament. His message, his ministry and his methods ought to be carefully studied by all who preach. God blessed and used Paul as he has blessed and used no other man since. Every preacher ought to seek to follow his example.

There is no way to briefly sum up the ministry of such a man as Paul, other than by using his own words to do so. He made two statements – One to the Elders at Ephesus and one to the Church at Corinth – which give us an understanding of his message and ministry.

First, let’s read Paul’s statement to the Elders at Ephesus – (Acts 20:26:27). He declares frankly that neither the fear of man, nor covetousness, not the love of many, nor desire for approval, nor ambition had kept him from preaching the full purpose, counsel and redemptive glory of God revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

His second statement is found in I Corinthians 2:1-2. Read that passage with me). In II Corinthians 4:5 he says, “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.” Your faith must not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (I Cor. 2:3-5).

· Your faith and confidence must not be in preachers, but in the Christ we preach!

· You must not be followers of men, but of Christ!

· You must not believe my word, but his Word!

My subject tonight is Christ Crucified – All The Counsel of God.

Proposition:

This is what I want to show you from the Word of God – When we preach Christ and Him Crucified, We preach all the counsel of God, for all that God almighty has purposed, decreed, revealed and given to the sons of Adam is in Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.

Perhaps you are thinking, “How can a man preach all the counsel of God by preaching Jesus Christ and him crucified?” If you will give me your attention. I will show you how the preaching of the cross is the declaration of all the counsel of God.

I. To preach the cross of Christ is to preach the eternal purpose, counsel and will of God that obtained the death of Christ upon the cross – (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).

A. The Cross of Christ was no afterthought with God!

Christ was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). Before man fell, Christ was our Surety, our Savior, and our Substitute.

B. Christ is The Surety of The Everlasting Covenant.

He is the Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant (Heb. 13:20).

C. Known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world.

We were chosen by God in the crucified Christ before the world began (Eph. 1:3-4; II Thess. 2:12).

A man cannot preach Christ crucified without preaching him as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world in the eternal purpose of God.

II. To preach Christ crucified I must preach The Fall of Man.

If we are not fallen, depraved, helpless, spiritually dead and justly condemned sinners, there was no need for Christ to come into this world and die the horrible death of the cross. (I Tim. 1:15).

· “In Adam all died!” – By his death we died!

· “In Christ we are made alive!” – By his death we live!

· “He died, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.”

Do you see this? In the cross of Christ…Our Sinfulness is revealed…Our Inability is revealed…The certainty of Divine Judgment is revealed!

If I preach the cross of Christ, I must preach The Holiness, Righteousness and Justice of God that Demanded The Death of Christ for the Salvation of Sinners – (Rom. 3:24-26).

A. God is Holy – He must punish sin.

B. God is Righteous – His law must be honored.

C. God is Just – “The soul that sinneth, it shall die!”

D. God is Love, but He is “a Just God and a Savior” - He cannot save without propitiation (I John 4:10).

The character of God is nowhere displayed so clearly and beautifully as it is at Calvary (Ps. 85:10).

Do you see what I am saying? God cannot compromise his character. Therefore Christ must die!

IV. If I preach Christ Crucified, I must preach The Deity and Glory of Jesus Christ, which makes his work effectual and sufficient for the salvation of God’s elect.

It is not just the painful, shameful death of a good man upon the cross that has merit with God, but the worth of that man by virtue of who he is! It is not just blood shed, but whose blood was shed – (Rom. 8:34).

Jesus Christ is the Man who died, and he is God who can never die (Isa. 9:6). This God-man, this man who is God is the Representative Man, the Federal Head of a chosen race.

· In the beginning was The Word – The Word was made flesh!

· The Word was with God – and dwelt among men!

· The Word was God – We beheld his glory!

· “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself!”

No man has preached Christ crucified until he has declared who Christ is, until he has declared that which is declared in all the counsel of God – Jesus Christ is God!

V. If I preach Christ and Him crucified I must Preach Christ As The Fulfilment of Every Promise, Prophecy, Picture and Law in The Old Testament Scriptures (Luke 24:44-46).

The Old Testament has no message or meaning apart from the death of Christ as the sinner’s Substitute upon the cross. How do you explain…

· The Seed of the Woman bruising the serpent’s head?

· Abel’s Sacrifice?

· Noah’s Ark?

· The Law of God given by Moses?

· The Passover Lamb?

· The Tabernacle, the Priesthood, the Mercy-Seat, the Atonement?

· The Smitten Rock?

· The Manna from Heaven?

· The Serpent Lifted Up?

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures!”

VI. If we preach the cross of Christ, we preach The Love of God for Sinners (I John 4:10).

“Propitiation” – Mercy-Seat – Covering – Atonement!

Romans 5:8!

Romans 8:39!

I John 3:16!

“Could we with ink the oceans fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above

Would drain the oceans dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky!”

VII. To preach the cross of Christ a man must preach Free and Full Justification by Faith and Not by Works!

If the Lord Jesus Christ represents me before the law and justice of God and fully honored and satisfied both as my Substitute, then my salvation is finished and complete (Col. 2:9-10). Believing on him, I am freely justified and fully justified by what he has done (Acts 13:38-39).

A. Salvation is the gift of God (Rom. 6:23).

B. Salvation is by the grace of God (Eph. 2:8-9).

C. Salvation is free and eternal (Rom. 5:1; 8:1).

D. Salvation is unconditional, that is to say, it is without the works of the law – (II Tim. 1:9).

· My works do not earn it!

· My works do not prepare me for it!

· My works do not improve it!

· My works do not maintain it!

· My works do not complete it!

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28).

VIII. To preach Christ crucified, I must preach The Sure Preservation and Final Perseverance of All For Whom He Died.

A. They must be saved (John 6:37-40).

B. They must be kept (John 10:26-30).

C. “He shall not fail!” (Isa. 42:2).

E. They must come into glory (Eph. 5:25-27).

IX. If I preach the cross of Christ, I preach His Glorious Resurrection and Ours!

A. Christ had to die in order to be raised (John 12:24).

B. When God raised him from the dead, he accepted him and accepted us in him (Acts 17:31).

C. Because he lives we shall live also! – The Firstfruits!

· Spiritually!

· Eternally!

X. To preach Christ Crucified is to proclaim The Work of The Holy Spirit (John 16:7-14).

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the crucified Savior in the hearts of chosen sinners.

A. He shows us our need of Christ – Sin!

B. He shows us the righteousness of Christ – Righteousness!

C. He shows us the efficacy of Christ’s atonement – Judgment!

D. He gives us into the truth of Christ by constantly showing us the things of Christ!

XI. To preach Christ Crucified is to truly preach what men like to call Practical Christianity.

A. When I preach the cross of Christ I am calling for holiness of life (I Cor. 6:19-20; II Cor. 5:14).

B. Every practical exhortation in the New Testament arises from, finds its basis in, and is motivated by the death of Christ upon the cross!

1. Baptism (Rom. 6:4-5).

2. The Lord’s Supper (I Cor. 11:23-26).

3. Brotherly Love (I John 3:16-17).

4. Christian Giving (II Cor. 8:9).

5. Christian Kindness and Forgiveness (Eph. 4:32-5:1).

6. Employer – Employee Relationships (Tit. 2:9-10).

7. Family Relationships (Eph. 5:22-6:1).

XII. To preach Christ Crucified is to preach His Glorious Second Advent (Rev. 1:5-7).

· He loved us!

· He washed us!

· He made us kings and preists unto God!

· “Behold, he comth!”

This is my message – “I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God!” And I am “determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified!” (Gal. 6:14).