Sermon #1587[1] Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: Christ
Crucified
Text: Acts
Subject: Christ the message of Holy Scripture
Date:
Introduction:
Without question, the Apostle Paul is the preachers’ 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 and imitated 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
First, let’s read Paul’s
statement to the Elders at
(Acts 20:26-27)
"Wherefore I take you to record this day, that
I am pure from the blood of all men. (27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."
Paul declares frankly
that neither the fear of man, nor covetousness, nor the love of money, 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 1 Corinthians 2:1-2. (Read that passage with me.)
(1 Corinthians 2:1-2)
"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the
testimony of God. (2) For I determined not to know any thing among you,
save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
In 2 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 (1 Cor. 2:3-5).
(1 Corinthians 2:3-5)
"And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much
trembling. (4) And my speech and my preaching was not with
enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power: (5) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in
the power of God."
· 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 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.
This blessed Book that
you hold in your lap is a Him Book — It’s all about Him.
(John 5:39)
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
and they are they which testify of me."
(Luke 24:25-32)
"Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all
that the prophets have spoken: (26) Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things, and to enter into his glory? (27) And beginning at Moses
and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things
concerning himself. (28) And they drew nigh unto the village, whither
they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. (29) But
they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the
day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. (30) And it came to
pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and
brake, and gave to them. (31) And their eyes were opened, and they knew
him; and he vanished out of their sight. (32) And they said one to
another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way,
and while he opened to us the scriptures?"
The key that unlocks
this Treasure Chest is Christ. You will never understand the Word of God until
you understand that it is all about Christ.
· O.T. — “Someone is
coming.”
· The Four Gospels — “He
is here.”
· Acts — “He has ascended
on High!”
· Epistles — “His work is
finished, effectual, and accepted.”
· Revelation — “He is
coming again.”
We preach Christ
crucified. God forbid that we should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 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. This is exactly what Peter, by divine inspiration,
declares in 1 Peter 1:23-25.
(1 Peter 1:23-25)
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (24) For all
flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The
grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (25) But the word
of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is
preached unto you."
I.
To preach the cross of
Christ to preach the eternal purpose, counsel and will of God that ordained the
death of Christ upon the cross (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).
(Acts 2:23)
"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge
of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"
(Acts 4:27-28)
"For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast
anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of
Israel, were gathered together, (28) For to do whatsoever thy hand and
thy counsel determined before to be done."
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, raised up from the dead 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; 2 Thess. 2:13).
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 (1 Tim. 1:15).
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
(1 Tim. 1:15). If we are lost not sinners, he died for nothing!
(1 Timothy 1:15)
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am
chief."
· “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!
III. 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).
(Romans 3:24-26)
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (26) To
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,
and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
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 (1 John 4:10).
(1 John 4:10)
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
The character of God is
nowhere displayed so clearly and beautifully as it is at Calvary (Psa. 85:10).
— “Mercy
and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” —
Do you see what I am saying? God cannot compromise his character.
Therefore, Christ must die!
IV.
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).
(Romans 8:31-34)
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us,
who can be against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but
delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things? (33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It
is God that justifieth. (34) Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
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 fulfillment of every promise, prophecy, picture, and law
in the Old Testament Scriptures (Lk. 24:27, 44-46).
(Luke 24:27)
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto
them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."
(Luke 24:44-46)
"And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake
unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which
were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the
psalms, concerning me. (45) Then opened he their understanding, that
they might understand the scriptures, (46) And said unto them, Thus it
is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the
third day:"
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?
· Sarah and Hagar and
their sons? — (Rom. 10:4).
· 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 (1
John 4:10).
(1 John 4:10)
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
· “Propitiation” —
Mercy-Seat — Covering — Atonement!
(Romans 5:8)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
(Romans 8:39)
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(1 John 3:16)
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down
his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren."
“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).
(Colossians 2:9-10)
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (10)
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and
power:"
(Acts 13:38-39)
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that
through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (39) And
by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not
be justified by the law of Moses."
A. Salvation is the gift of
God (Rom. 6:23).
B. Salvation is by the will
of God (Rom. 9:16).
C. Salvation is by the
grace of God (Eph. 2:8-9).
D. Salvation is free and
eternal (Rom. 5:1; 8:1).
E. Salvation is
unconditional. That is to say, it is without the works of the law (2 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).
(John 6:37-40)
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (38) For I came down from
heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (39) And
this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given
me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (40)
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up
at the last day."
B. They must be kept (John
10:26-30). — “He shall not fail!”
(Isa. 42:2).
C. 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). — “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if
it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
B. When God raised him from the dead, he accepted him and
accepted us in him (Acts
17:31). — “Risen together with him!”
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).
(John 16:7-14)
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I
go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I
depart, I will send him unto you. (8) And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of
sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go
to my Father, and ye see me no more; (11) Of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged. (12) I have yet many things to say unto
you, but ye cannot bear them now. (13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will
show you things to come. (14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive
of mine, and shall show it unto you."
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 guides 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”.
When I preach the cross of Christ, I am calling for holiness of life (1
Cor. 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 5:14). Every practical exhortation in the New Testament
arises from, finds its basis in, and is motivated by the death of Christ upon
the cross!
· Baptism (Rom. 6:4-5).
· The Lord’s Supper (1
Cor. 11:23-26).
· Brotherly love (1 John
3:16-17).
· Christian giving (2 Cor.
8:9).
· Christian kindness and
forgiveness (Eph. 4:32 — 5:1).
· Employer — Employee
relationships (Tit. 2:9-10).
· Family relationships
(Eph. 5:22 — 6:1).
XII.
To preach Christ
crucified is to preach his glorious second advent (Rev.
1:5-7).
(Revelation 1:5-7)
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the
first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (6) And
hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (7) Behold, he cometh with clouds;
and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all
kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."
· He loved us!
· He washed us!
· He made us kings and
priests unto God!
· “Behold, he cometh!”
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.
6:14-16).
(Galatians 6:14-16)
"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.
(15) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature. (16) And as many as walk according to this rule,
peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."
I have declared to you,
to the best of my ability, I trust by the power of God’s Spirit, “the doctrine of Christ”. Now, I want to
send you home with one final Word from God regarding “the doctrine of Christ” (2 John 9).
(2 John 1:9)
"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son."
AMEN.