Looking at the Cross
A Sermon on Galatians 6:14
Originally preached March 30, 1956
Scripture
14But 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.
Sermon Description
The cross is a symbolic picture that has universal recognition. But what is the meaning behind the cross and what does it represent? Does Scripture instruct how to view the cross today? In this sermon on Galatians 6:14 titled “Looking at the Cross,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points to the passage as a way to test (positively or negatively) one’s understanding of the cross. Here the apostle Paul points out two aspects of the cross that are important to understand: he glories (boasts) in the cross and he glories in nothing else. The cross is his boast because of what took place on the cross as Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice. In relation to Christ’s great demonstration of love, everything else in the world fades in comparison. There is nothing left that is worthy of boasting in. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones draws out the implications for today, he confronts with the question, “Why should I glory in the cross today?” The listener is encouraged to reflect anew on the meaning of the cross, as well as consider the cross and the worthlessness of the world, the deliverance the cross provides from the law, and the beautiful, wondrous character of the cross as the manifestation of God’s love and power.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul says that he glories only in the cross of Jesus Christ. Merely believing in the cross is not enough. To truly believe is to glory in it.
- There are many wrong ways of looking at the cross, but the right way is the one that leads you to glory in it. The cross is the only thing Paul glories in.
- Paul suggests that any view of the cross that doesn't lead to glorying in it is a false view. The cross exposes the worthlessness of everything else.
- The cross shows the uselessness of things like nationality, morality, religion, abilities, and wisdom in providing salvation and a relationship with God.
- The cross proves these other things useless because it is the only way of salvation and forgiveness. If the cross was necessary, nothing else can achieve what it did.
- The cross does something for us - it separates us from the world. It crucifies us to the world and the world to us. The world is under judgment, but the cross delivers us from that.
- The cross separates us from the world's condemnation and sin. It enables us to understand sin and be delivered from its power. We are given new life and understanding.
- We are separated from the world by being united to Christ in his death and resurrection. We are crucified with Christ, dead to the law and sin. Though in the world, we are not of it.
- The cross is a wondrous spectacle - the death of God himself for our sins. It displays God's attributes - wisdom, power, love. And it was all for us in particular.
- The question is whether we can say the cross was for us. If so, we will glory in it alone. It will be our glory in life and death and for eternity.
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.