Graham: To you sin may be a small thing; to God it is a great and awful thing.

THE POWER OF THE CROSS

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:18

We can never plumb the depths of sin, or sense how terrible human sin is, until we go to the cross and see that it was “sin” that caused the Son of God to be crucified. The ravages of war, the tragedy of suicides, the agony of the poverty-stricken, the pain and suffering of the rejected of our society, the blood of the accident victim, the terror of rape and mugging victims of our generation—these all speak as with a single voice of the degradation that besets the human race at this hour. But no sin has been committed in the world today that can compare with the full cup of the universe’s sin that brought Jesus to the cross. The question hurled toward heaven throughout the ages has been, “Who is He and why does He die?” The answer comes back, “This is my only begotten Son, dying not only for your sins but for the sins of the whole world.”

To you sin may be a small thing; to God it is a great and awful thing.

It is the second largest thing in the world; only the love of God is greater.
When we comprehend the great price God was willing to pay for the redemption of man, we then begin to see that something is horribly wrong with the human race. It must have a Savior, or it is doomed! Sin cost God His very best.

Is it any wonder that the angels veiled their faces, that they were silent in their consternation as they witnessed the outworking of God’s plan? How inconceivable it must have seemed to them, when they considered the fearful depravity of sin, that Jesus should shoulder it all. But they were soon to unveil their faces and offer their praises again. A light was kindled that day at Calvary. The cross blazed with the glory of God as the most terrible darkness was shattered by the light of salvation. Satan’s depraved legions were defeated, and they could no longer keep all men in darkness and defeat.

Prayer- Our Father and our God, forgive me for my wretched sins that separate me from You. Take away my desire for sinful things, and purify my heart as a home for You and Your Spirit. Sweep my soul clean, Lord, and put my life in order so that Jesus feels welcome to live with me. In His name. Amen.

Graham, B. (2010). Unto the hills: a daily devotional. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Comments

John Stott on the "old man" and the "body ruled by sin" in Rom 6 v 6

There are, in fact, two quite distinct ways in which the New Testament speaks of crucifixion in relation to holiness. The first is our death to sin through identification with Christ; the second is our death to self through imitation of Christ. On the one hand, we have been crucified with Christ. But on the other we have crucified (decisively repudiated) our sinful nature with all its desires, so that every day we renew this attitude by taking up our cross and following Christ to crucifixion. The first is a legal death, a death to the penalty of sin; the second is a moral death, a death to the power of sin. The first belongs to the past, and is unique and unrepeatable; the second belongs to the present, and is repeatable, even continuous. I died to sin (in Christ) once; I die to self (like Christ) daily. It is with the first of these two deaths that Romans 6 is chiefly concerned, although the first is with a view to the second, and the second cannot take place without the first. J

Boice: “... the federal way of dealing with us was actually the fairest and kindest of all the ways God could have operated. ”

Adam had been appointed by God to be the representative of the race so that if he stood, we too would stand, and if he fell, we would fall with him. Adam did fall, as we know. So death passed upon everyone. “But isn’t that terribly unfair?” someone protests. “Isn’t it cruel for God to act in this fashion?” ... the federal way of dealing with us was actually the fairest and kindest of all the ways God could have operated. Besides, it was the only way it would later be possible for God to save us once we had sinned. In other words, federalism is actually a proof of God’s grace, which is the point the passage comes to (vv. 15 ff.). It was gracious to Adam first of all. Why? Because it was a deterrent to his sin. God must have explained to Adam that he was to represent his posterity. That might have restrained him from sinning. A father who might be tempted to steal his employer’s funds (and would if only he himself were involved), might well decide not to do it if he knew that his cri

Repackaging the gospel? It's more like obscuring the gospel!

Preface : I recognize this post may make me unpopular with some, but I think it is an important issue to blog about here. I’ve had time to reflect on this video and in my opinion, I think what is in this video raises some questions. This gentleman featured below is slotted to speak at the SBC's 2020 Pastors' Conference and it prompted me to think more about this illustration. I want to note that I don't know him and I have no personal issue with him. I assume he is a brother in the LORD. Having said that, I see some significant issues here that relate to this type of preaching being clear on the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, it appears to be obscuring it in my observation. Concern: Should the SBC or churches, in general, be in the habit of holding this up as a good and healthy example? Let's think about it some together. (Watch this clip below here first.) Context: The clip was posted to stand on its own as if it were wise and sound on it

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