2020 View of the Cross: The Meaning of the Cross

Pericope: Matthew 16: 24-27 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Sermon Text: Matthew 16: 24 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Sermon Title: 2020 View of the Cross: The Meaning of the Cross

Point 1: Stop looking for signs, start looking for a symbol. Vs. 16: 1, 21 16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign… 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem… that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Vs. 2-4 2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.

Point 2: Keys come with a cross. Vs 19, 22 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[a] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Vs. 13-18 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Point 3: There is a cross between sacrifices and eternal salvation. Vs. 25, 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?   

Matthew 8: 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

Luke 9: 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

Vs. 24 - 24-26 Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

Point 4:  Cross bearing is reward sharing. Vs. 27  For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Mark 10:29, 30 - “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.

Vs. 27 - 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Philippians 3:10-11  I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

What does it mean when you live like there is no tomorrow because tomorrow is eternity?

a)  Cross bearing is worth it

b)  Cross bearing is no pain no gain

c)  Cross bearing is now and later.

Life Application:

1. Pick up your cross.

2. Put yourself down.

3. Do it Daily.