The Glory of the Cross

John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son may also glorify thee.

Galatians 6:14 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 to the world.

Introduction:

As we look at crucifixion, it seems ridiculous that we would speak of glorying in the cross. Crucifixion was meant not only as a horrible method of a slow, tortuous death, but of ignominy and shame. Yet the cross brought glory to God the Father and God the Son, because through the death of Christ on the cross, God dealt decisively with sin and death, and He has provided eternal life for all who receive Christ as savior.?

Jesus commented on his hour, the hour of crucifixion and death. John 12:27. Now is my? soul troubled; and what should I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28. Father, glorify thy name…31 Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast down. 32. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. The crucifixion of Christ, the sinless son of God, will demonstrate the corruption of the world system. The crucifixion, followed by the resurrection from the dead, will result in the defeat of Satan, the prince of this world system. And through the crucifixion, Jesus Christ, as our Savior, will draw all men toward himself to be saved. Not all men will accept him, but those who do will receive eternal life.

The glory of the cross was determined by God:

In Acts 4:23-28, Peter and John were threatened by the Sanhedrin not to preach the crucifixion or face punishment. When they returned to report to the church, the response was to praise God as Creator, and to quote Psalm 2.? Acts 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hath said: Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27. 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. Then the church prayed for boldness in the face of this opposition. They recognized that the evil which had been done to Jesus was determined long ago, and that the evil men were simply carrying out what God had already decided.

The glory of the cross goes beyond the things which are seen:

Death is not final. There is a real hell after physical death, and a real heaven. Those who receive Jesus Christ as savior will receive eternal life and dwell in heaven forever. We need to look beyond this life. II Corinthians 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you. 15. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but for the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

?The glory of the cross is displayed in the mind of Christ:

?The believer has the mind of Christ. Notice what that should accomplish in our lives. Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God, 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death; even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, 11. And that ever tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. If we truly manifest the mind of Christ, we will bring glory to God.

?The glory of the cross delivers us from the fear of death:

?Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime in bondage. II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

?The glory of the cross will help us glorify him with our lives:

?In the book of Hebrews, we are led through the hall of fame of those who triumphed through faith in Christ. Then we are encouraged to follow with our own commitments to him. Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, led us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Remember that Jesus promises never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Let us take up our cross and follow Him.