Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Discipline of the Cross*

*March 2, 2003*

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*Scripture Reading:* 1Corinthians 5

 

*Introduction:*

 

Throughout history, the power of Christ and his cross have been used to quell rebellion and to advance his kingdom.

Indeed, the name of Christ and the symbol of his cross have so much power that to be rightly united with it is victory, and to be separated from it – or wrongly apply it – is defeat.

Civil War:   Constantine in 4th century Roman Empire (Christ vs. pagan)

 

North vs.

South in U.S. – "Gods and Generals" movie (righteous cause vs. unrighteous – using Bible as justification on both sides)

                  

Rebellion in the Church (holiness vs. unholiness)

 

The Name of Christ – the standard of the cross – will prevail (5:4 "when you are assembled in the Name --- )

 

The penalty of the Roman cross was death.

Agonizing death was the reason for its existence.

The Roman cross stood as the supreme symbol of the sentence it imposed.

That is, until it attempted to assume power over the Son of God.

It had its day of execution, but its black sentence was written with disappearing ink.

The power of death had to yield to the greater power of holiness.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from his death on the cross would be forever after written in the bolder red of eternal life that would flow through the veins of his believers.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from his death on the cross would forever alter the meaning of the cross.

Yes, it would still be a symbol of death – but only for those who chose death in their rebellion against the holiness of Christ that conquered death.

For those who chose him, who became convicted of sin and desired his eternal life, the cross would become a symbol of holiness – a new standard of living in this life and beyond.

The cross would forever become the standard of the church of Christ – a victorious emblem of protection and direction in all that it meant – a holiness that overcomes sin and death and demands conformity by both faith and practice.

But what remained for those who would later compromise the holiness of the cross by their behavior, or attitude, or association?

For Paul in 1Cor.

5, this discipline problem in the Corinthian church is another example of divisiveness.

Divisiveness comes not only from rival gang leaders and rival concepts of spirituality in the church, but it can also come from the infection of sin among the people and the differing opinions about how it should, or should not, be handled.

Our messages so far in 1Cor.

have centered on the cross, and this one is no different.

As we have said, much of 1Corinthians can be placed in the context of "the doctrine of the cross in its social application".

To remind you of whence we have come in 1Corinthians so far:

          The Community of the Cross – the cross brings us to unity with one another.

The Instruction of the Cross – the cross brings us to unity with the mind of Christ.

The Crucible of the Cross – the cross brings us to unity with coming judgment.

The Power of the Cross – the cross brings us to unity with real spiritual power.

And now – The Discipline of the Cross – the cross brings us to unity with holiness.

*Big Question:*

 

/How does the cross of Christ hold us accountable to its standard of holiness?/

*We are held accountable for our actions.*

Those who rebel against the cross must be removed from its protection in order to reconsider the agony of death and return to the victory of holiness in their lives.

*We are held accountable for our approvals.*

Those who are not grieved by rebels must return to a proper understanding of Christ's death on the cross in order to keep the victory of holiness in the church.

*We are held accountable for our associations.*

Those who befriend rebels must learn to make a distinction between the disciplinary purpose of the cross for those in the church versus the evangelistic purpose of the cross for those outside the church.

*I.

Cycle One*

 

*          A.