The Cost Of Avoiding The Cross Part 2

Rain forest looking to Jesus as the founder and professor Peter could not imagine his master nailed to a cross and told him so.

Matthew chapter 16 records stern rebuke from Jesus be behind me Satan.

Jesus knew that the cross was his destiny planned by God from all eternity from the Moody Church in Chicago this is running to win with Dr. Erwin Sir who is clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line where learning about Peter, a man chiseled by the Masters and Peter had to learn the cross was unavoidable, despite his well-intentioned efforts to prevent it.

You know Dave, you're absolutely right. This is a remarkable passage because after all, Peter, who love Jesus ends up speaking the words of Satan and of course Jesus when he said get behind me Satan.

He didn't mean that Peter was Satan, but what he was saying is that Peter, the words that are coming out of your mouth are in line with Satan's intention for me because the devil did not want to see Jesus Christ go to the cross, but thankfully he overruled that and today we are redeemed we hear it running to win are so excited about all of the ministries that God has given to us and it's because of people just like you that we can continue to expand this ministry, would you consider helping us and this is a very special time it special because we have those who are contributing to matching gifts. In other words, whatever you give to the ministry of running to win, it will be doubled. $50 becomes 125 becomes 50 while you can do the math. Here's what you can do. Go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 and your gift will be doubled. Now if you miss that contact info.

I'm going to be giving it again at the end of this broadcast. By the way surprised her trouble by the fact that Peter could at one moment speech is the agent of the living God speak under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit thou at the Christ the son of the living God, and a moment later speak under the inspiration and according to the wisdom of Satan troubled by that you troubled by the fact that Jesus said to Peter you are the rock and you are going to have a place in the foundation of the building of the church and then just a few verses later in our Bible Jesus Christ says in the middle of verse �23 stumbling to me and instead of being that platform that rock upon which the church should be, if not built, at least he would have a part in introducing the Gentiles to the church which is involved in the power of the keys as we noticed in a previous message and now this rock becomes a stone of the fans trying unwittingly to trip Christ surprised that well maybe but you shouldn't be because all of us can be like that at times there times when we can sing songs, we can praise God with our lips and we can say beautiful things which are right, and even save them under the inspiration and the guidance of God's blessing, Holy Spirit, and moments later the saying some very vile thing is that the devil would be very happy to hear tell you it is worse are no better than Peter.

We may be worse. But we are no better than he that's for sure. You know something is also possible for us to nullify the cross see if there's anything that Satan doesn't like it is the cross you say well yes, but Satan didn't to prevent Christ from going to the cross. It is now a historical fact that Jesus died. Yes, so you and I can't be in the position of talking Christ out of going to the cross or trying to do as Peter did. That's true, but you and I can diminish the cross to because by nature.

We don't like the cross.

The cross is if it's anything. It is the the weapon that goes to the depths of our being and runs cross grain to everything that we would naturally think about salvation. Let me give you some ways in which we tend to avoid the cross today, we can avoid the cross, even by thinking that there are some sins that are too big for God to forgive that's diminishing the cross. It's nullifying what God did this past week, you know, we received many many letters every single day here at the church because of our radio ministry. Someone handed me a letter and I didn't read it all, but the letter said that we should pray for a young woman who has been sexually abused. We get dozens of letters like that that was not the thing that made it unusual, but the Said I am one of her abusers.

It dawned on me the other day. We talk about sexual abuse, and that's why we have a sexual redemption seminar. One of the reasons is to help people with emotional and spiritual healing because of the devastation of wrong views of sexuality, but that I was thinking you were always dealing with the victims of abuse where in the world are the abusers they've got to be wandering around somewhere. We've got to have some who are listening today either in this congregation or over the radio.

They are out there because these things aren't happening in a vacuum. Is there anything we can say to them the answers yes.

When Jesus said it is finished on the cross that death even paid a sacrifice to God the father. For those who abuse children have to tell you it's hard to say that because how can people abuse children.

I don't know how this much I know they can also be forgiven because when Jesus died on the cross, he became an abuser illegally dying for that sin.

No wonder Isaac Watts Road well might the sun and darkness hide in shadow, its glories and when Christ the lighting maker died for man.

The creatures sin. Don't ever diminish the cross by saying old.

The sin is too big to be forgiven know it is not because the cross is mighty and it is complete it is finished. We can also diminish the cross by his Christians, living with guilt because we think that the guilt is partial payment for the sin that we committed that's diminishing the cross kind of Protestant penance that some people go through diminishes the cross all yes there are consequences to sin.

God will discipline us because of those consequences.

But guilt is only designed to lead us to the cross and once we have been there, staring at the wonder of somebody who died for us and being the blood that was shed on our behalf and receiving tour of Buddhism is the forgiveness that was purchased. Once that has happened. We no longer need to think that our guilt is partial payment for sin because Jesus paid it all by nature. We want to diminish the cross we say it can't be that great. Yes it is that great. We can diminish the cross as Christians by thinking to ourselves that we can avoid the implications of living a cross bearing life.

Look at what Jesus said in verse 24 then Jesus said to his disciples. If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me say what is the cross is the cross and illness.

Sometimes people say you know I had to bear my cross will talk about some kind of sickness or some kind of tragedy may be related but you know what the real bearing of the cross is Jesus talks about following Christ and losing your life in 25.

The cross is to die to self will see all of us have a protective coating, not a one of us walks with God as well is we want people to think we do, including myself, and so what we do is we, in case ourselves in this life hiding from others. Our true selves so that we might live and be able to grasp all the things of this world has to offer. When Jesus says that taking up your cross means a willingness in humility to actually let God and maybe others find out who you are and saying no to all of the self-will that wants to rule our lives the way we want to have them rule Jesus that except the corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone. See the reason that so many of us have not borne fruit yet is because I had room we have not let God self. We have absolutely not let them do it no matter how well we sing. Sometimes we still hold back.

Why because there's something within us that says I do not want to face the full implications of what it is like to yield and to bow to the authority of that cross and is Jesus carried his own cross for me to carry my own and to simply say Lord I'm yours for whatever and all the pain that other people give me all the grief that other people give me all of the difficulties that circumstances give me I will accept as part of the way in which you are breaking me down to show me in a greater way. My need of you crosses. We don't like that doing so let's hurry on. Another way that we can diminish the cross and that is by thinking that there are other ways of salvation you think of this, their ministers and pulpits in America today were standing up and telling their people that they can save themselves or that they don't need Christ or that all they need is good teaching and the minister is doing that because of the love he doesn't want to offend people because of the cross.

He doesn't perhaps believe in the cross quite himself. And he certainly doesn't like to talk about such things as a blood sacrifice in its sole love, just like Peter all you don't need to do that because there's another way, what does Jesus say you're setting your mind on the interests of men, not the interests of God. I want you to know today. There is no other way.

You know how some of you are diminishing the cross.

Can you can you believe this and I know this to be true because whenever I have the opportunity, I like to talk to people about Jesus's afternoon. God willing, I'll be flying to Akron. Speaking of service there and then be with pastors old tomorrow morning for three hours at least. After speaking at a breakfast you can pray for me but if I'm sitting on the plane and of God gives me the opportunity to talk to the person next to me about Jesus.

But you know what I find there some people who think Jesus honestly they actually think that they're gonna save themselves from the coming wrath of God. They don't need a Savior. They don't need the cross because there is good as their neighbor or the next person. You think Jesus would say if Peter here in this suggestion was speaking is the word of Satan. Think of all those who had so given themselves over to self-righteousness that they think that they do not need that cross yet we diminish the cross to don't wait note the differences between Christianity and all the other religions of the world. Most of the other religions have blood sacrifices they sacrifice animals. Sometimes they even sacrifice themselves and they offer blood to God. Difference between all that in Christianity is that in Christianity God himself offers the blood that's the difference.

Yes see from his head, his hands, his speed, sorrow and love flow mingled down there such a love and sorrows need to and forms composed so rich a crown. I love the cross to get that impression. I hope so you know what I do, it's because I am a sinner and I need the cross I needed the cross.

Yesterday, I needed the cross. This morning I'm good and needed this afternoon, and God knows it but I needed tomorrow morning. Yet we want to avoid the cross. You've heard the story, the man who had the responsibility of taking care of the switches of the bridge and as the train was coming. He gave the signal that the bridge would be down and so that you draw. She began to go down for the coming train than the man realized his own son was caught in the gears there was nothing he could do to reverse the movement meant that the train would smash and hundreds would be killed so he just let that bridge grinding down and then kill his boy, and as the train sped across the bridge everybody was waving at the man that responsibility and having no idea that he just gave his son for them. That's why people are just moseying along forgetting my friend, God gave his son for you. Jesus must go to Jerusalem. The text says to suffer to die, to offer himself so that we could be cleansed, forgiven, welcomed by God and received by him.

Have you received and as your Savior, have you honestly thought that you could get to heaven without the cross. Without belief in the Christ who died there in the sacrifice that was made for sinners.

Did you honestly think that get the behind me Satan because you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but on man's that is humanistic thinking that will lead you to eternal separation from old mighty God. Nobody is saved without the cross. Let's pray now father. What more can be said except the fact that we do love you and we do desire to serve you and we pray for those who are present this morning who have never trusted in the cross we pray for Christians who think that they have sinned too greatly to be forgiven. Help them to understand the wonder and the completeness of what Jesus did. We pray for those Lord who are unsaved today. May they receive you as Savior at this very moment we ask Lord Jesus that in a wondrous way, your Holy Spirit would lead them to saving faith.

Lord, I've said enough. Just do whatever you have to do on my friend today have you saving really believed on Jesus.

Have you believed in the cross, that is to say the work that Jesus did on the cross, shedding his blood for our sin. It's the only way to the father.

I urge you today to trust Christ as Savior. And if you've already done that. Would you consider helping us in this ministry were so thankful for the expanding ministry of running to win and you can become a part of it and this is a very special time because we have some matching gift friends who say that they are willing to match whatever is given to the ministry of running to win up to $90,000 what you can become a part of that your $10 becomes 20 and then all the way up here is what you can do. Go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com you can do that right now or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 it's time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor lutes or a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

Some of the great leaders of the past have skeletons in their closets.

This is come to light for a listener named Dean who says I'm thankful for Moody radio and listen to it all the time especially running to win. I do have one concern, however, in some of your sermons.

You quote Martin Luther and seem to hold him in high regard. I read Luther's book the Jews and their lives have to say that his suggestions are dealing with. Jews were parallel to Hitler's and the Nazi party's methods.

It's very hate filled, and anti-Christian on the basis of what I read. I don't think I could attend a Lutheran Church again. I've been told by my friends that this is a knee-jerk reaction isn't relevant today.

Although I'm not a Lutheran, my mother and mother-in-law are and I occasionally attend church with them. I feel it necessary to tell them about Luther's writings and opinions must they follow false teachers matter how well intended, they seem before I make a final decision. I thought I should contact you and see what you had to say is this is very important to me what my friend first of all let me thank you so much for your question. And that's exactly why we exist here on running to win is to respond to your needs. Through the preaching of the word in the answering of questions to the best of our ability. So thanks so much.

I am acquainted with Martin Luther I'm acquainted with these terrible things that he says about the Jews I've written a book entitled Hitler's cross and in the Hitler's Cross I also deal with some of the things that Martin Luther said about the Jews and they are very awful things and they are totally unjustified. That said, let me make a couple of comments.

First of all Scheier in his rise and fall of the Third Reich said that there could've never been a Hitler, unless there had first been a Luther and then he quotes Luther's words but that actually is unfair. Hitler believed that the Jews should be exterminated and said some awful things because he believed that they were an inferior race. It was a racial issue.

Luther made these terrible comments based on theological issues. The Jews were the Christ killers so there is that difference. The other thing you need to understand is that before he wrote that terrible tract. Luther said some very nice things about the Jews as a matter of fact he said how can we expect them to be converted unless we are kind to them.

But here's what happened.

Martin Luther, as he became an old man became a very bitter old man he believed that because he had uncovered the gospel that the Jews would believe on Christ when they didn't. He turned against them, and that's when he wrote those awful words of condemnation.

Now I do quote Luther and I do admire Luther but not because of those terrible things but because of other things he's written because of his courage because he did uncover the doctrine of justification by faith alone which had been lost in many respects he was a very remarkable man. Now the question is, should you attend a Lutheran Church.

I need to tell you that many Lutherans have publicly apologized to the Jews for the things that Luther said so my response would be, yes of course you can attend because we must recognize that human beings have a great deal of flaws and weaknesses and is certainly Luther had his and he had others to besides what you have simply uncovered and yet at the same time we can learn from these people.

We can admire these people for their strengths, reject them for their weaknesses and we can move on from there and I know one thing is certain that all the Lutherans who are alive today. I'm sure I hope all of them would totally repudiate what Luther had to say about the Jews. So to give a specific answer to your question, there is much in Lutheranism with which we disagree. But if your mother invites you to go with her to church. I would say go and just remember, we must always keep our eyes on Jesus and not on man. Thank you Dean for your question.

Thank you Dr. Lidster for taking the time to give him that detailed answer if you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor lutes or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us that's running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life. Jesus knows full well all races of life. He knows our weaknesses, and he knows what we need these aware of the demands each day. Bring in so next time I'm running to win will join Peter in learning a lesson from a coin in a fish's mouth.

Thanks for listening for Dr. Erwin lutes or this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored Moody Church