In this full sermon, Bill Johnson talks about the beauty of the Cross and what it means for us in our Christian life. The Cross reminds us of the victory we have in Christ, but also the call to lay our lives down, taking up our own cross and surrendering our desires. God wants to bless us more than we can ask or imagine, but our desire for Him and His Kingdom must come first.
why would Jesus make Judas the treasurer
some would say well it’s to expose him
I’m not so sure
Jesus tends to promote us into positions
and places where we have the opportunity
to deal with our stuff
[Music]
I was I was chuckling at Christie’s
questions about
they had every every answer was Jesus
which reminds me
of a Sunday school class with a bunch of
little kids
and a Sunday school teacher asked the
question
what’s Gray
stands about this tall as a long bushy
tail kids are completely quiet
she said come on you guys know
gray but this tall long bushy tail it’s
nuts
kids are quiet
guys this tall long bushytale eats nuts
climbs trees and one kid goes
I know the answer is supposed to be
Jesus but it sure sounds like a squirrel
to me
for those of you that raised in church
that joke makes a lot of sense if if you
weren’t you missed them you missed the
blessing
I love
I saw this one recently it says
see if I can find it
says
um
I had it right here it got raptured oh
there it is
I’m so sorry it did get no there it is
thank you Lord
brain cells die
skin cells die
even hair cells die
but fat cells
apparently they have accepted Jesus
because they live forever
[Applause]
for those of you who watch what you eat
Here’s the final word on nutrition and
health
which is a relief to know after all
these conflicting nutritional studies
number one
the Japanese eat very little fat and
suffer fewer heart attacks than the
English
number two the Mexicans eat a lot of fat
and suffer fewer heart attacks than the
English
number three the Chinese drink very
little red wine and suffer fewer heart
attacks than the English
number four the Italians drink a lot of
red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks
than the English number five the Germans
drink a lot of beer eat a lot of
sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart
attacks than the English
conclusion you didn’t drink what you
like speaking English is apparently what
kills you
all right sorry no never though never
that
grab your Bibles and open to
um Matthew 26.
I have
a quite a different word than I normally
bring I’ve got several verses here that
I that I feel I have the time to look
them up I’ve got them ready
um
Jesus never invited anyone to follow him
so they would be blessed
he never used Prosperity he never used
success
you know he didn’t come to the political
Zealot that he had to follow him as a
disciple he never he didn’t come to him
and said listen I’ll make you successful
as a great politician if you follow me
it didn’t come to Peter and say I’ll
make you the Most Blessed fisherman ever
if you follow me he didn’t do anything
he didn’t entice anyone with blessing to
follow him
which is fascinating because his kingdom
carries such a boatload of blessing
it it reminds me of Jesus says
there’s a straight and narrow way
into the kingdom it’s a narrow road
Jesus himself is the door
and uh it’s a narrow road that leads
into the kingdom once you’re in the
Kingdom the kingdom is very vast and
very broad but entrance is only one way
and it’s the entrance of discipleship
it’s the entrance of the cross
it’s embracing what is foolishness
to all who are without Christ
Paul says in Corinthians that that he
preaches the cross the cross that which
is foolishness to those who are
perishing but yet it’s the wisdom of God
to those who are being saved and I love
that phrase being saved
because I was saved but I’m also being
saved and someday I’m going to be saved
and it’s this three dimensions of
Salvation that are absolutely the heart
of the Gospel I I was saved x amount of
years ago I gave my life to Christ
but there is a work that’s going on
right now where I’m I’m being saved and
someday I will see him face to face and
he will complete what was started
but here in this talk that I want to do
today
I’m going to bring up uh unusual story
that we’re familiar with and it’s the
Betrayal of Judas
the context for the Betrayal I got to be
honest with you I’ve been reading this
studying this for a lifetime you know
since I was 18.
that I’ve never seen before the context
for his betrayal so let’s take a look at
it
Matthew 26 did I tell you where
no Matthew 26. how many of you were
already there I want to see how many
prophetic people there are there are
quite a few of you that’s good
yeah you know
Matthew
Matthew 26.
some of you are already there that’s
kind of frightening to me I
I did say it
I said the chapter but not the verse
you guys are starting to scare me now
that’s
it you know in the early days of the
renewal we would discuss things in
private as a staff we’d make plans and
somebody in the church would have some
dream we couldn’t do anything because
the Lord would tell everybody the
secrets that we had as a staff we need
to do this we need to plan this and
somebody would prophesy you know and we
go come on
can we keep a few secrets you know all
right Matthew 26 verse 1. it came to
pass when Jesus had finished all these
sayings that he said to his disciples
you know after two days is the Passover
and the son of man will be delivered up
to be crucified
take a look at verse two again
you know that after two days
it’s the Passover and the son of man
will be delivered up to be crucified
then the chief priest describes the
Elders of the people assembled at the
palace the high priest was called
Caiaphas and plotted to take Jesus by
trickery and kill him jump down to verse
14 then one of the twelve called Judas
Iscariot went to the chief priests and
said what are you willing to give me if
I deliver him to you and they counted
out to him 30 pieces of silver so from
that time he sought opportunity to
betray him
let’s take a look at the context here
what are the disciples anticipating with
Jesus
we see it in their dialogues we see it
in James and John’s mother talking to
Jesus can my can my boy sit at your
right hand and your left they are all
vying for a a political posture of power
they are looking for Israel to be
Vindicated and restored to a place of
prominence and can I say a place of
political prominence and political power
they are each looking
because they are Disciples of Jesus they
will be brought into this Empire of rule
and will each have their place of
influence and significance when did
Judas betray Jesus
well they finally realized
it’s not going to happen that way and
I’ll leave my place of political
prominence
foreign
selfish ambition undermines discipleship
and actually sets us up for betrayal
the sobering part of the story which we
don’t have time to look at all of it but
the sobering part of the story is All of
the disciples abandoned Jesus at his
moment
Peter was the most vocal
the one that had no return was Judas
but they all had some measure of
betrayal
and I’d like to suggest when they lost
their place their position their
prominence
they suddenly had to apply the concept
of the cross in a way different than
they had expected
I’m reminded of what I think is a funny
story anyway of the guys climbing this
cliff
and he gets up so far that he knows he
can’t go back down but he’s afraid he’s
going to die if he tries to climb any
higher and he just kind of gets stuck
and he cries out for help
and a voice comes back
and says yes this is the Lord I’m here
to help you
and he says
what do I do and the Lord says let go
first
and he yells out is there anyone else up
there
do I have any other options
most of us our concept of the Cross is
self-inflicted
instead of embracing the circumstances
of life that requires something from us
that we are not expecting
Jesus did not hang himself on the cross
did not crucify himself nor did he raise
himself from the dead
it’s important to remember that because
while the life of Resurrection is the
Christian Life
you only get there through the cross
and it’s a daily expression of surrender
that invites the spirit of Resurrection
the spirit of Resurrection is not at our
disposal in the sense that I can direct
it or control it at will say I will now
have the spirit of resurrection of my
finances the blessing of the Lord on my
family or whatever it’s it’s not in my
control what’s in my control is
surrender
in my control is to create a platform
for the spirit of Resurrection to come
and do something in me and through me
that testifies of Grace
but Jesus gave himself to crucifixion to
a cross to death
trusting
he would be raised
he did not lay there for three days
going yeah it should be about time to
get up
he did not raise himself
it was resurrected by the spirit of
Resurrection through the father that is
perhaps the best the ultimate
illustration of the crosswalk of a
disciple
here’s the fascinating part of this
journey for me
is found in the verses actually there’s
two things that I want to point to the
first is found in the verses between
what I read where Jesus announced the
crucifixion and judas’s betrayal so I
want you to look at that part of the
story it’s in verse 6
when Jesus was in Bethany
at the house of Simon the leper a woman
came to him having an alabaster flask a
very costly fragrant oil
and she poured it at his on his head as
he sat at the table
and when his disciples saw it they were
indignant saying why this waste for this
fragrant oil might have been sold for
much and given to the poor
jump down to verse the last half of
verse 13 what this woman has done Jesus
says will be told as a memorial to her
I personally think you’ll be able to
review that story in heaven and I think
the Lord will throw out eternity unveil
a layer after layer after layer of the
beauty of Heaven the beauty of sacrifice
that this woman offered to honor Jesus
at his at his death and his burial
it says the disciples raised a voice in
complaint about this waste
unbelief will always evaluate
extravagant giving as waste
this gift that was given was equal to a
Year’s income we’ve heard this countless
times
a Year’s worth of income and this woman
takes it and pours it out and the
disciples begin to bicker why this waste
John chapter 12 tells us it was actually
Judas
who led the charge as he complained
against this woman who wasted a Year’s
worth of income for illustration is to
say
as everybody watches fifty thousand
dollars evaporate before their eyes
there was only one person in the room
that celebrated at the moment
that understood the moment
two celebrated the woman and Jesus
but sometimes you do things honestly for
an audience of one
it’s only for him and only he gets it
only he gets it
John 12 says Judas was the one who
complained against this offering the
sacrifice and it says it’s because Judas
was a thief
and he wanted that to be sold put in the
treasury because he was the treasurer
because he would steal money from the
treasury for himself
it’s fascinating to me how morality
demands expression
so here we have somebody with secret sin
taking money that was given to Jesus
personal privately holding it off for
themselves
and pointing at the waist of someone
else
hidden sin invites the spirit of
accusation
why because there’s something in US that
it’s like morality values demand
expression so you’ll see it maybe a
silly example but you’ll see it with the
mafia as they contend for family
unrighteous lifestyle
righteous position
or those who are the strongest in
promoting abortion will defend the right
of the baby whale or something else
it’s not to mock the animal rights thing
is to say there’s something broken
and oftentimes people will try to cover
it with a righteous expression we saw it
back in the 80s as different Christian
leaders the strongest
who would criticize immorality
or they themselves the one practicing
hidden sin
it doesn’t mean we don’t address these
issues at all
it just means it needs to come out of
out of our obedience
not our effort to silence our own shame
it’s I find it humorous although I’ve
made these mistakes myself
but I find it humorous the way some
people will confess their sin
for example Jesus convicts you of being
lazy instead of saying to your friend I
need you to pray for me I’m lazy what we
say is I need you to pray for me I lack
discipline
Jesus never convicts for lack
he convicts for something that’s wrong
and True Confession owns up to the whole
picture
doesn’t try to make a soft a soft Edge
so that I look better
if you ever apologized to somebody I
remember during this as a young man come
to somebody apologizing saying God has
really convicted me and I need to I need
to apologize to you I said something
harsh to you and not forgive me
why did I need to say God has really
convicted me because I want to appear
spiritual
that even in my sin I am a strong
spiritual person
are you getting this
there is this effort to protect
ourselves and what we actually are doing
is protecting ourselves from the full
effect of the cross
because it’s the genuine cross that
leads to genuine Resurrection
I’ve got this passage for you in the
Philippians
chapter 3 if you want to turn there
you guys all right everybody’s still
breathing good
it’s helpful
I hate when people stop breathing
intermeding it’s a
messes everything up completely
don’t laugh I had it happen once it was
way overrated
Philippians uh verse Chapter 3 Verse 18
for many walk of whom I have told you
often and now tell you even weeping that
they are enemies of the cross
all right so what does it look like what
are the traits the characteristics of an
enemy of the Cross let me read this
verse for you out of Corinthians you
know we’ll come come back to this
the word of the Cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing but to thus
those of us who are being saved it is
the power of God so the word of the
Cross is avoided by countless numbers of
people because of its absolute
foolishness and yet it is the power of
God
can I say preaching the cross attracts
the demonstration of power
because it’s the authentic gospel
do you understand with me that
Revelation talks about the Lamb of God
sitting on the throne he’s also the lion
but the lamb the sacrificial lamb that
which went to the Cross will be the one
seen as reigning over the Throne of all
for all eternity why because we never
leave the significance and beauty of the
cross
Verse 18 again for many walk of whom I
have told you often and now tell you
even a weeping that they are enemies of
the cross
whose end is destruction
whose God is their belly whose glory is
in their shame who set their mind on
Earthly things
I want to go through these three things
God is their belly their belly is their
God
their mind is set on Earthly things and
the second one is the is that their
glory is their shame let’s talk about
these three for a moment
whose God is their belly what does that
mean it means they’re they’re controlled
and driven by natural appetite not for
Eternal appetite yes it’s very clear in
scripture the the the thought processes
of one who is being transformed by
Christ none of us have arrived we’re all
on the way but one of the the evidences
of the processes of those who are being
discipled in Christ as we more and more
begin to think of Eternity and live for
that one thing
so whose God is their belly is the the
appetite the natural appetites of Life
control that person’s life if you’re
born again then you have a different
nature
yes and then he says whose glory is in
their shame
this is interesting because you and I
were all designed to live in the actual
manifest glory of God presence of God
for all have sinned and fallen short of
the glory of God it was the design the
target every one of us are created
seamlessly to interact with the glory of
God
is the way we’re wired everything about
us personality everything
all the stuff that’s not a part of
Christ obviously that’s what gets
discipled off of us but we in our heart
of hearts are designed to live in the
glory
and this verse seems to imply there’s
only one of two options the glory or
shame
shame is why
Judas would point to waste
it’s because he’s been stealing for
three and a half years
why would Jesus make Judas the treasurer
some would say well to expose him
I’m not so sure
Jesus tends to promote us into positions
and places where we have the opportunity
to deal with our stuff
I’d like to suggest that he put Judas in
that position so that he could see in
the environment he was in he could
finally deal with what he brought to the
table when he said yes to follow Jesus
oh
not all promotions come because you earn
it
oftentimes you get a Grace promotion
because he’s giving us an opportunity to
deal with the stuff
and then the last phrase who set their
mind on Earthly things
the cross the lifestyle of the Cross is
actually seen by how a person thinks
this is not just a random reference
enemies of the cross
whose mind is not set on the things of
God that’s not just a random phrase we
find the exact same concept in Matthew
16.
when Jesus again
previous mentioned the cross to his
disciples
and when he was talking to them about
what he would suffer Peter took him
aside and rebuked him
not a good plan
not a good idea to rebuke God
he takes Jesus aside and rebukes him
why
because the cross made no sense
for their appetite
the cross interrupted what they were
hungering for
and anytime the cross interrupts what
you’re hungry for
you have the wrong appetite
and the Lord in his Mercy shifts and
changes those moments so that we take
the passion that we had for this and
we’re able to redirect it towards
something that’s eternal
so Peter rebukes Jesus and Jesus says to
him get behind me
Satan
Jesus was so affirming and
get behind me Satan
no fluff talk in that conversation get
behind me Satan and then he says this
because your mind is not set on the
things of God your mind is set on the
things of man so follow this follow this
reasoning
get behind me Satan because your mind is
not set on the things of God what what’s
the issue of the Cross here
Jesus brought up the cross and Peter
rebuked because it upset their plan and
then Jesus goes right towards the mind
he goes right to the way of thinking he
says your mind is set on the things of
man not the things of God get behind me
Satan your mind is set on the things of
man
Humanity without Christ at the center is
demonic in nature
it’s not a gray area
it’s black it’s white
and that’s the challenge of the Cross is
the cross makes everything black and
white
so in Matthew 16 he says Get Behind Me
Satan your mind is set on the things of
man not the things of God and here he
describes those who are enemies of the
Cross as being people who do not have
their mind set on the things of God
let me let me put it this way
the cross is an endurance thing right I
mean you make day after day you make
decisions that are painful to make
what enables a person to endure the
tough choices
is a Mind Set On eternity on the things
of God
it keeps things in perspective it’s what
Jesus used
for the joy set before him he endured
the cross
it was he kept something in front of him
that made this impossibility doable
and this renewing of the mind is
actually the expression of the effect of
the cross on a person’s heart the effect
of the cross on a person’s mind is that
somehow I’m thinking
different than everyone else
unreasonably so compared uh
as evaluated by them
but actually it’s the mind of Christ
because it keeps eternity in perspective
interesting part of this journey that we
have
is that our life is filled with blessing
but here’s I don’t know I I can’t put
myself in God’s position but I try for a
moment
just be thankful I’m not
because half no I was gonna say
some of you’d be in trouble yes I’m
teasing trying to play
so think for a minute
you want so much to bless
but you know for some the greater the
blessing the more they are trained to
have their belly as their God
did that make any sense to anybody
it’s like I want to favor and blessing
increase but I can’t do it beyond what
they have their mindset on Eternity for
I can’t go beyond that because it will
recalibrate their value system to pursue
natural things above spiritual things
that’s the challenge it’s a challenge of
blessing
it’s why Jesus that Cornerstone passage
in Matthew 6 33.
clarifies the entire storyline for me he
says seek first the kingdom
all these things will be added
this supreme value as number one I’ll
take care of the other stuff
but as soon as I shift my appetite from
the kingdom to its benefits I lose both
I believe so much that the Lord wants to
demonstrate his heart his nature is a
perfect father
most of the time nine times out of ten
maybe 99 times out of 100 when I talk
about the subject I emphasize that that
God wants to do in and through us to
reveal the nature of the father to a
community I believe in that I preach it
and I’ll probably do that next time but
right now this is what gets you there
this is what gets us there it’s the it’s
the Yes to God no matter what let me put
it this way Jesus gives himself to die
on a cross knowing he can’t raise
himself
what is obedience obedience is putting
myself in a position where I cannot fix
the problem I am so deep into it that
only God can deliver Only God Can rescue
only he can save me in this situation
it’s not an invitation for foolishness
it’s an invitation for obedience
it’s the cross
I love the hard verses of the Bible
I love the ones that just get in your
face and growl at you you know
I’m not going to skip over them I refuse
to skip over them
I don’t want no angel showing up in my
room and reading the verses that I
refuse to read during the day so I’m I’m
I’m reading I’m reading it
he has a Ways and Means Committee
I don’t want to face them
so Jesus put it this way
this was his
invitation
to eternal life
if anyone wishes to come after me he
must deny himself
take up his cross and follow me
whoever wishes to save his life will
lose it
whoever wishes to save his life
whoever wishes to save his life will
lose it
but whoever loses his life for my sake
will find it
what will it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and forfeits his own
soul
that’s what I like the most
what will a prophet a man
if he gains the whole world and forfeits
his own soul
what will a man give in exchange for his
soul
for the son of man is going to come in
the glory of his father with his angels
and then repay every man according to
his deeds that’s the words of Jesus
remember the one that everyone says is a
good teacher
that guy
the one who is gracious to the poor to
the sick to the dying
was also very clear about what it meant
to follow
and that’s it
[Applause]
so there
the crosswalk goes through the brain
goes to the Mind goes through the value
system that we have as people
considering
eternity
the moment
where I stand before him
forgive uh
my example is just fresh on my mind my
wife of course died here
six plus months ago
one day
she was the owner of all the clothes in
her closet the next day they didn’t
belong to anyone
it’s it’s stuff like that you see Dave
today oh here’s the computer
yeah couldn’t go with her
none of the stuff
that helped to reinforce her quality of
life
was transferable
none of it
it all ended
and our life is made up of so much stuff
and I’m thankful
when that stuff is from the Lord because
he said the blessing of the Lord comes
to a person and there’s no sorrow
attached there’s no balloon payment
there’s no you’re going to regret this
later it’s none of that stuff
but the stuff that gets added to our
life that has attachments just drain on
the soul and it’s the cross that keeps
us healthy
the cross Keeps Us in a place where
every additional thing he adds all it
does is it stirs up my affection for him
every additional bit of favor or
challenge or difficulty all it does is
draw me close to the one who makes sure
the cross is followed by the only one
who can bring Resurrection
it’s the life of the believer please
stand
foreign
passion translation version
love is large
and Incredibly patient
love is gentle and consistently kind to
all
it refuses to be jealous when blessing
comes to someone else
love does not brag about one’s
achievements nor inflate its own
importance
love does not traffic and shame and
disrespect nor selfishly seek its own
honor
love is not easily irritated or quick to
take offense
love joyfully celebrates honesty and
finds no Delight in what is wrong
love is a safe place
it’s a safe place of shelter for it
never stops believing the best for
others
love never takes failure as defeat for
it never gives up
the cross
displays the beauty of perfect love
that’s what makes it so effective
perfect love
Jesus didn’t hang himself on a cross
we don’t go out there and mutilate
ourselves instead what we do is we hold
High the standard of love
how can I love this person best
the cross
so father
help please
now we do pray we pray uh once again for
the grace
for what you’ve declared in your word
about the beauty of this crosswalk
I thank you I thank you for the
privilege
I need to ask a question no I know that
there is a high chance there could be
people in the room
that do not have a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ
it’s the most important thing that can
happen all day long
Jesus invites disciples the same way
today as he did two thousand years ago
it’s those who choose
not to fight to protect their life but
to actually give it and follow it and if
there’s anybody in this room that would
say I don’t know what it is to be
forgiven of sin I don’t know what it is
to be brought into God’s family I don’t
know what it is to be born again but I
want to
if that’s you put a hand up right where
you are and we’re just going to pray for
you and make this uh the best day of
your life
real quickly put your hand up if we have
people forgot to welcome our online
family bless you guys we have numbers of
people that receive Christ constantly
online I encourage you just put in the
chat while I’m a pastor to join you
is there anyone at all was there
somebody over here
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
I’m going to ask you and anyone else
that would join we’ve got some folks up
here that we know and trust that I want
to be able to talk with you and pray
with you and so if you brought this
gentleman as a friend walk him down
there I want to ask the ministry team
come to the front Jonathan wants to come
and wrap this up hold your places that
really helps us out but Ministry team
come and and get ready to pray for
people yeah I’m so glad that you watched
this video I do pray that it’s a great
great strength and encouragement to you
and I’ve got a verse that it really is
My Cry for all of us and it’s Psalms 20
it’s verse 4. may he grant you your
heart’s desire and fulfill all your
plans
that’s my prayer that’s my prayers that
this would be the season of rich rich
fulfillment
thanks for joining us