Watchman & Friends, Saturday’s 7 PM-9:30 PM MST
WF-020410-Cross Examination
“Examination of the Cross of Jesus Christ!”
Therefore, Be ye Ready and
W. A. T. C. H.
W-atch
A-ttentively
T-oward
C-hrist Jesus’
H-omecoming to Earth
by the Watchman Dana G Smith
“Take heed how you hear”
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Intro: WF-020610-Cross Examination
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1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified
1 Corinthians 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
-Jesus Christ is not divided, yet we have tens of thousands of denominations.
-Jesus Christ is not divided, yet theology and beliefs in interpretive scripture has divided multitudes.
-Jesus Christ is not divided, yet his teachings divided saint and sinner, nations, peoples, and families!
-Jesus Christ is not divided, yet in the end of it all, God will divide the sheep from the goats, the believers from unbelievers, the righteous from the wicked!
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Before we go on let us look at the message of the cross first!
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1. Preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
WF-020610-Cross Examination
This Show on BLIP TV!
2. Preaching of Christ crucified is divisive!
1 Corinthians 1:23
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
3. Although divisive to those who are called, it is the Power and Wisdom of God!
1 Corinthians 1:24
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
4. Although seen as foolishness, it is wiser than men!
1 Corinthians 1:25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
5. Not many wise, might, or noble after the flesh are called, for these are spiritually discerned [known]!
1 Corinthians 1:26
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1 Corinthians 1:27
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1 Corinthians 1:28
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1 Corinthians 1:29
That no flesh should glory in his presence.
6. In Christ are made unto our God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption!
1 Corinthians 1:30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1 Corinthians 1:31
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
7. The Message of the Cross preached!
-remember what is preached for it is truth
-Christ died for our sins according to scriptures-fulfilling law and prophets
-Christ was buried, having died
-Christ although dead, rose from death the third day according to scripture
-Christ’s resurrection was verified by witness’s of whom was the one writing this [Paul]
-Through this we have redemption, sanctification, righteousness, wisdom
-Christ is the first fruits, and we are the following fruits, who will be resurrected as Christ
1 Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
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Taking up the Cross, is it a command or an offer?
The Apostle Paul!
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Paul was literally knocked off his ‘high horse’ of which we have discussed and read many times. His was a calling, to the office of an ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’!
His heart on the matter of the Cross is known!
1.By whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Paul saw many who were in fact as he said that:
2. They are the enemies of the cross of Christ
Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Paul saw it and declared it for these did not mark the prize of the ‘high calling of God in Christ Jesus as paramount in their walk!
For these were those who ‘minded earthly way’s and things’!
It was his goal and the goal of all he taught, that is, to Press toward the mark, which was:
3.The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
4. They were to press, that is, be thus minded, let God reveal this to them, minding the same thing, and he was even so bold to say be,
Followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample
Phillippians 3:15 ¶Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 ¶Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
5. The enemies of the cross of Christ were those who:
Whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things
-This was not people who were overweight here! The belly was a symbol of riotus living, and carnality, living according to the time schedule of the flesh and the stomache. These were those who minded, looked too, and enjoyed earthly things! They had developed a ‘friendship with the world’, they did not hold to a ‘conversation in heaven’! Nor did they develop the ‘look for the Savior, the LORD Jesus Christ to return from! They did not have hope a new body, nor see theirs as vile, nor see him subduing all enemies of God on earth! They were not heavenly minded, nor cross centered!
Phillippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
The Apostle Paul had already described what ‘having the world crucified unto himself was’, carrying his cross for the LORD, Paul said entailed:
He counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of his LORD, Jesus Christ! It was for Him who called Paul that this Apostle suffered the loss of all things and counted them as dung so he may win Christ!
Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Paul further wanted to be found in Christ, not because of his own righteousness which was ‘filthy rags’, but in Christ through Faith! This is the righteousness which is of God by faith!
9 ¶And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
In this path of the cross, Paul although weak, faced many perils, in the end he was martyred! But in his walk, amidst temptation and trials, weak flesh, buffettings, persecutions, he found that he could know him, he put it this way, That:
I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Phillippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Paul following Christ, wanted to apprehend Christ, his purpose, his goal, his sufferings, his fellowship by walking as Christ walked! Because of this, he became apprended of the thing, that goal which he had!
Instead of taking up the cross, it took him, to the very end and into glory! All by faith
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Thus, this became his mark, that which he aimed for As Paul said of himself:
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
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Taking up the Cross, is it a command or an offer?
What Jesus Christ said:
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Taking up the cross, is it a command or an offer! Can you decide or choose? This is what our LORD Said:
1. To be worthy of Christ, take up his cross and follow
2. To take up the cross, deny yourself, and follow Christ!
3. Take up your cross daily and follow Christ!
4. Whoever does not bear his cross, and come after Christ cannot be Christ’s disciple!
5. To have true treasure in heaven, sell, give to the poor, then take up cross and follow Christ!
Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Matthew 16:24 ¶Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
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The Cross: in the way, it can be unbearable, on the way to the cross, Christ bore the cross, the shame, and more, yet, in his going, he was unable to bear the cross he carried, while at the same time he headed to death. He found help! Simon, A Gentile, bore the cross for him. By doing so, Jesus headed to death and the very instrument, of which, someone helped him, actually was used to crucify him!
Matthew 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
Mark 15:21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
Luke 23:26 ¶And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
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On the cross, Jesus Was dying, even amidst this despair and death scene, their were those who mocked the Son of God! The cross, the death of the cross, even to your own death, brings mockery, contempt both for you and God!
Matthew 27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Matthew 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
Mark 15:30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
Mark 15:32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
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But in all this, let us take a portion of contextual scripture of what Jesus Christ said and understand it clearly!
When speaking of Jesus, just like in his own time, he drew big crowds! In many nations, especially America, great multitudes hear various messages and portrayals of Jesus Christ.
Luke 14:25
¶And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
They hear and follow! But in America the LORD is turning and saying to the ‘Americanized gospel of glitz and the Sugar plum church’:
If you follow Jesus Christ, you must hate your father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters, and even your own life, if you do not do this, then you are not a disciple of Jesus Christ! If you do not bear your cross and follow after Christ Jesus, you cannot be his disciple!
Luke 14:26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
In other words, all who follow Christ Jesus and say they are his disciples, must ‘count the cost’!
Know the cost, know what is expected, know what you will face!
Luke 14:28
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Luke 14:29
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Luke 14:30
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Luke 14:31
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Luke 14:32
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
Now the word ‘hate’! In this context it brings us to the whole point of what Jesus Christ is saying: If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must forsake all that you have for his sake!
Luke 14:33
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
The Apostle John said this:
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Salt is good, but as Salt, you cannot lose your savour or saltiness! For you are the Salt of the earth, and if that which God gives you through Christ Jesus has lost its savour and first love, then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out!
Luke 14:34
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
Luke 14:35
It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
In Revelation our LORD tells such a church this!
Revelation 3:14 ¶And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
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Revelation a Summary of the Churches and the Cross
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Ephesus- commended for rejecting evil, perservering, has patience, but no love for Christ, it is no longer fervent, do the first works you did at first- reward “tree of life”
Smyrna- commended for gracefully bearing suffering, no criticism, be faithful to death, reward is “crown of life”
Pergamos- commended for keeping faith of Christ but tolerates immorality, idoaltry, and heresies, told to repent period, reward of “hidden manna and a stone with a new name”.
Thyatira- commended for love, service, faith, patience is greater than first, but tolerates culf of idolatry and immorality, warned that judgment is coming, keep the faith, reward “rule over nations, and receive morning star”
Sardis- commended that some have kept the faith, but it is a dead church, repent and strengthen what remains, reward “faithful honored and clothed in white”
Philadelphia- commended for perservering in faith, no criticism, told to keep the faith, reward “a place in God’s presence, a new name and the New Jerusalem”
Laodacia- no commendation, they are indifferent, told to be zealous and repent, reward “share Christ’s throne”.
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The Cross: Voices of the Cross
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Because the church, having been taught for commandments the doctrines of men, they are not ready. Scripture says of this time, that the ‘sorrows’ will come! In Verse 8 of Matt 24, it is known as the ‘beginning of sorrows’!
Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
After the ‘beginning of the sorrows’, there will be more ‘sorrows’! At this time, those who follow Jesus Christ will be delivered up, afflicted, be killed, and hated of all nations for his name’s sake!
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Because of this, a people, those who call themselves christians, believers, disciples, will be offended, betray one another, and hate one another!
Not all will do this, but those who do not will themselves be betrayed by friends, and others, even family!
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
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