Emblem of Suffering

Deadra L Moody

Being a Servant of Christ • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Introduction:

That’s one of my favorite hymns that my family has always cherished The old rugged cross.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross the emblem of suffering and shame.

I loved that phrase, Emblem of Suffering it was at one time i thought would be a cool name for a Chrisitan Contemporary band.

This hymn has it right. The emblem of suffering and shame.

Old rugged cross, for a world of lost sinners was slain.

The cross that we collect today and put on our walls was not a beautiful thing in ancient biblical times.

It was an extreme mode of torture. The people who wear them around their neck today had they done it back then they might of well been wearing a electric chair around their neck. because being crucified was the most painful death in the Roman culture. Assigned to thieves and murders.

Death from a cross was from exhaustion or asphyxiation not being able to breathe.

The execution of a person by nailing of binding them to a cross.

Main Scripture:

Matthew 16:24–28 NKJV

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

If anyone desires to come after me

To have in mind- if anyone desires- if anyone will have the mind to come after me which means to follow Jesus

We all have the conscious decision whether we are going to follow behind jesus. Come on come after me. Follow me.

Follow the leader everyone is in the back of the one who is leading and you go where ever they go and try not to fall off.

School single file line. copy cat.

Matthew 19:16–22 NKJV

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The man desired to be be saved and had to give up all his possession. to follow Jesus what do we have to give up or leave behind to follow Jesus

What sin? What habit? What hurt? What expectation? What dream?

let him deny himself

2 Corinthians 5:15 NKJV

and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Luke 16:13 NKJV

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

John 3:30 NKJV

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John the Baptist knew his place and it’s our place.

Take up his cross and follow me.

Galatians 5:24 NKJV

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV

But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

The biblical audience wouldn’t of associated the cross with death and execution. So they heard Jesus say If anyone comes after me let him deny him self and give up his life and follow me.

Jesus took up his cross out of obedience he did it humbly and gladly putting God’s will and his love for God’s people above himself.

Jesus cross literally was the will of the father. It was a huge the burden he was to bear was to kill him. Are their any burdens in our life like that that we are supposed to die for the whole world? But we are supposed to give our lives in service to those around us showing them the love of Jesus Christ.

Take up whatever is in your way

Take up whatever hinders you and do it anyway.

Bring your burdens

Your hurts habits and hang ups.

Drug Addiction, Alcholism, Pornography, Overeating, Prescription Drugs,

Social dysfunction, Autism, Dyslexica, Adhd,

Blindness, lameness, arthritus, diabeties,

bring your riches, bring you poor, bring your mom your dad, bring your children, your house, your pets,

Bring your gifts talents, bring what God has given you, bring your hopes and dreams.

Bring your Life- put it all on your shoulders and follow me.

Matthew 10:38 NKJV

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Conclusion: The cross is a beautiful thing we wear jewelry around our necks but key chains put it on t shirts and rings. We love the old rugged cross that emblem of suffering and shame. It wasn’t Jesus shame it was ours. It was his suffering.

When Jesus says bring your cross and follow me he says take up that emblem of suffering and shame. Bring your brokeness and your mistakes, bring your screw ups and your success, bring all of you the good the bad and the ugly.

If you truly give Jesus your life all of it. He will take it and he will use it for his glory but you have to take up your life and follow him. How many times do people say in the word that they want to follow jesus and he says come on let’s go and doesn’t give them a chance to settle a thing. He doesn’t want you to fix your life, square your life away he wants you to Come and take up your cross your life and follow him. Next week we will talk about Following Him and look at how urgent it is. He wasn’t immediatley to come when he offers.