THE CROSS AND FORGIVENESS (1 OF 4)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: Colossians 1:19-23
This content is part of a series.
The Cross and Forgiveness (1 of 4)
Series: At The Cross
Jeff Strite
Colossians 1:19-1:23
Several years ago, I was driving through downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was a 4 lane, one way street that I had traveled several times before. I was going the speed limit (maybe a little faster) when I saw the light up ahead turn yellow. I thought to myself, "I can make that light if I just speed up a little…" and I proceeded to up my speed - just a tad.
Then I saw THEM. Stopped on either side of the lane I intended to "shoot through" were two police cars. Immediately, I put on the brakes and literally slid to a stop between them. Turning slowly to look at the police car on my right, I grinned sheepishly. He smiled back and then made the universal baseball sign of waving one hand over another: "Safe."
APPLICATION: There was something about those police cars that spoke to me of the improperness of my going thru the intersection, and of the questionableness of my stop. If it hadn't been for those policemen I would cruised on through the light on the tail end of yellow warning signal. But these police cars... they declared something to me.
The cross of Jesus Christ declares certain things as well… and it isn't always what we want to hear.
The cross of Christ confronts us with certain truths that we may find difficult to face. In I Cor. 1:22-24 we're told:
"Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
Why does the world find the cross to be a stumbling block or dismiss it as foolishness? Because it declares things that the world doesn't want to hear or accept.
I. The Cross declares that we are sinners (Colossians 2:21-22)
Romans tells us: "ALL HAVE SINNED..."
I don't like to hear that I'm a sinner. I like to think of myself as a "nice person." If it w ...
Series: At The Cross
Jeff Strite
Colossians 1:19-1:23
Several years ago, I was driving through downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was a 4 lane, one way street that I had traveled several times before. I was going the speed limit (maybe a little faster) when I saw the light up ahead turn yellow. I thought to myself, "I can make that light if I just speed up a little…" and I proceeded to up my speed - just a tad.
Then I saw THEM. Stopped on either side of the lane I intended to "shoot through" were two police cars. Immediately, I put on the brakes and literally slid to a stop between them. Turning slowly to look at the police car on my right, I grinned sheepishly. He smiled back and then made the universal baseball sign of waving one hand over another: "Safe."
APPLICATION: There was something about those police cars that spoke to me of the improperness of my going thru the intersection, and of the questionableness of my stop. If it hadn't been for those policemen I would cruised on through the light on the tail end of yellow warning signal. But these police cars... they declared something to me.
The cross of Jesus Christ declares certain things as well… and it isn't always what we want to hear.
The cross of Christ confronts us with certain truths that we may find difficult to face. In I Cor. 1:22-24 we're told:
"Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
Why does the world find the cross to be a stumbling block or dismiss it as foolishness? Because it declares things that the world doesn't want to hear or accept.
I. The Cross declares that we are sinners (Colossians 2:21-22)
Romans tells us: "ALL HAVE SINNED..."
I don't like to hear that I'm a sinner. I like to think of myself as a "nice person." If it w ...
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