SUNDAY LESSON, 3/14/21
THE CROSS: MAKING IT PERSONAL (2)
Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:3-7; Luke 9:23-24
We are continuing the sermon series on “THE CROSS”.
Last week we saw that the Apostle Paul referred to the message of the cross (gospel) as
“first importance”(1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Although the apostle had written on a countless number of “important topics”, without the cross nothing else matters.
However, many have taken the message of the cross and made it merely a story or an event that happened 2,000 years ago, but doesn’t make much of an impact on us today. Yet, as you read the writings of Paul, you will see how he made the cross personal. He refers to himself as being “crucified with Christ”. He sees himself hanging on the cross right along with Jesus.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 6:3-7
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Luke 9:23-24
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
