Cross-Living Pulling Together Acts. A New Life: today & forever A New Life: today & forever A Relic of the Past As for me, may I never boast about anything

Cross-LivingPulling Together Acts

“The Cross”

Biblical Christianity

• A New Life: today & forever

Institutionalized Christianity

• A Relic of the Past

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. Galatians 6:14 (NLT)

“The Cross”



• Victorious Life



• A Sad, Mournful Reminder

Through him, God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. Colossians 1:20-21 (NLT)

“The Cross”



• A Victorious Life

•God’s Power Unleashed




• A Tragic Event

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT)

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

“The Cross”




• God’s Power Unleashed

•God’s Love Unleashed




• A Tragic Event

• The Guilt of “Failing” God

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)

He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:14 (NLT)

“The Cross”





• God’s Love Unleashed

•Mightier than a Sword




• A Tragic Event

• The Guilt of Failing God

• Mere Jewelry / Wall Hangings

Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? Matthew 26:52-53 (NASB)

“The Cross”






• Mightier than a Sword

• The Central Message




• A Tragic Event



• Part of a “Complex Mosaic”

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 (NASB)

“The Cross”











• A Tragic Event



• Part of a Complex Mosaic

• Honored Annually

“The Cross”








•Honored Daily




• A Tragic Event





He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. Luke 9:23 (NASB)

“The Cross”








• Honored Daily




• A Tragic Event





What Happened?

“The Cross”

Biblical ChristianityInstitutionalized Christianity

NOT

the Problem

The Problem

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:27 (NASB)

The Cross, In Short:

For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

2 Corinthians 4:11-12 (NIV)

The Choice, In Short:

Self-Protection Self-Sacrifice"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

Matthew 16:24-26

“All those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.” - JC

Sword Fighter

Stalin

Cross-Bearer

Jesus

Cross-Living:What Does It Look Like?"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Cross-Bearing: Brothers and Sisters

“And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.”

Acts 20:22-23 (NLT)


Then:After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we

sailed…and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo.

We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.

Acts 21:1-4 (NLT)


“I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem”

“Paul should not go on to Jerusalem”

Pau

l:

Oth

ers

:


From “Bad” to “Worse” (Acts 21:8ff NLT)

The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who

had been chosen to distribute food. He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took

Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of

this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’”


From “Worse” to “Catastrophic” (Acts 21:12f

NLT)

When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged

Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.


• These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.

You WILL Get Hurt By Big-Mouths

• When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem

You WILL Get Hurt By Betrayal


AppealVulnerable: “Ouch!”Patience

F. U.!Write-offShut Down

Pick U

p a

Cro

ss

Pic

k U

p a

Sw

ord

But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.”


2 Timothy 2:24-26 The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition,


2 Timothy 2:24-26 The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition,

if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

You Will Fight!

Typical Day at the Office The Dating Game Husbands & Wives

He THINKS he can ignore me just because he has all that brass…

Pick Up a

Sword

Join the carnage

Get bitter

about it

BEAT them up!

Pick Up a Cross

Speak Kindly Forgive Help


From “Catastrophic” to “Depressing” (Acts 21:17f)

When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly.

…they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow

the law of Moses very seriously.”

Cross-Bearing: Spiritual Darkness

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Cross-Bearing: Our “Flesh”

“And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.”

Acts 20:22-23 (NLT)

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Documents

Cross-Living Pulling Together Acts. A New Life: today & forever A New Life: today & forever A Relic of the Past As for me, may I never boast about anything