Enemies of The Cross – PART TWO
Posted on August 16, 2016 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters
“Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.” ~Philippians 3:17-19 (The Message)
I remember the night I took my son, Kevin, to his first ever Philadelphia Eagles football game. I was all revved up (even though it was pre-season) for a good game and was hoping my son would pick up on the excitement. As we were walking towards “The Linc” (Lincoln Finical Field) he noticed someone wearing a t-shirt that had some nasty saying about the Dallas Cowboys. I explained to my son the on-going rivalry that had been such since I was a kid. When we got into the stadium he again noticed that someone wearing a Cowboys jersey was receiving a lot of lip-service. He asked why are the Cowboys enemies of the Eagles…too embarrassed to say it might be because Dallas has Super Bowl victories and we don’t, my answer was kinda plain,” They just are”. He let it go after that. For the record, it was a Philadelphia vs. Carolina game.
On October 26 1884, from the pulpit of Metropolitan Tabernacle, C.H. Spurgeon asked the congregation this question, “Why are men enemies of this Cross of Christ?” His first part to the answer was this…” Frankly, I think that some do not know why they are.” But then he put it into this nutshell, “Nicodemus wisely asked, “Does our Law judge any man before it hears him?” Our lawless ones do! And there are multitudes of men who ought to think themselves as mean as dirt because they never gave Christ a hearing—yet they thrust Him from them. “Oh!” says one, “I should never go inside any of those canting Methodist places.” No, you are such a wonderful man that you think you can see through a stone wall and judge of what goes on inside—you do not need to be taught because you imagine you already know everything!” (OUCH)
Now we can look at world today and see the obvious reason why so many can be counted as enemies. So many people live on the tangible that it’s all about what can be touched, seen and owned. So many people prefer to-eat-drink-and-be-merry that it’s all about life style. But in any case, these two scenario’s offer nothing but a path that is destined for eternal hopelessness, devoid of love, joy or anything truly good. I even dare to say that we Christians have our moments when the Cross is an enemy. It’s those prideful moments where we tell ourselves that we’re good, maybe even better than those around us. After all Jesus paid it all…All to Him I owe…Sin left a crimson
stain…He washed it white as snow. We tend to forget that it was Jesus who was looking towards the Throne of Grace, looking for mercy to be bestowed only to finally yell out, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?)
The sermon Spurgeon gave that day in 1884 really sums up those who are enemies of the Cross. His hope was that The Holy Spirit used his sermon to bring people to Christ even though he knew this unfortunate truth, “But, alas, multitudes of men do not want holiness—they want their harlots, they want their wine, they want their carnivals of vice, they want their selfishness and they want everything that Christ does not give, so they cry, “Not this Man, but Barabbas,” and they make the awful choice of sin as they neglect their Lord! These are “the enemies of the Cross of Christ.”
But this shouldn’t end on a sour note. We have been given the promises of The Kingdom and the Apostle Paul wants to understand that, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control.” (Phil 3:20-21) Brothers (and sisters) this day, walk in the victory that Christ obtained for you and share it. It ain’t yours anyway so ya might as well give some of it away. Who knows…it might win a Super Bowl or two. (yeah I’m stretching it, but I have hope)
Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) is married (Kathy) with two adult children (Kevin and Karen) and has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.
The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 77; Proverbs 16
Daily Quote: “Now the point of this analysis is not to judge or condemn the lost or to leave some kind of impression that Christians are better than non-Christians. Rather, it is to help us remember why God has placed us among them. Our mission is to reach out to them! To win them. To help them realize that there is so much more to life than they have ever known.” — Charles Swindoll
This Week’s Verse to Memorize:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ~Romans 8:18
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