THE CROSS
David Hutson
John 12: 27-33; Galatians 6: 12-16; Ephesians 2: 14-18; Philippians 3: 18, 20, 21
I think it would be clear that one desires to speak about the cross, something, perhaps, that we do not speak enough about. Yet, as Paul says, “the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us that are saved it is God’s power”, 1 Cor 1: 18. On considering this, one has thought of it as entering into the counsels of God. We speak of the death of Christ in that way, but the manner of His death was according to the divine counsel, “given up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2: 23). He was delivered up, but taken by the hands of lawless men and crucified, and slain; not only slain, but crucified. It is according to “the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God”. It was that manner of death, that ignominious, shameful death which was in the counsels of God in view of securing His end.
So, the Lord Jesus Himself spoke of it, “I, if I be lifted up out of the earth”. How many times it has been said that it was morally impossible that He should die on the earth where He had glorified God. He Himself could say later “I have glorified thee on the earth, I have completed the work which thou gavest me that I should do it”, John 17: 4. He was lifted up out of the earth, that He should die, lifted up as crucified. Thank God that there is the further meaning to it. He is lifted up now, ascended far above all heavens that He might fill all things, and there He is an attractive object for all our hearts. He would have us attracted to Him, and secure our affections, even as He has demonstrated His in the way that He died. So that the cross, as has been said, was where man’s heart was exposed, but where God’s heart was revealed. All that man was, all that I am, all that you are according to flesh and according to nature, was there at its very worst. But all that God is according to His nature in love was there, providing the way in which you and I, sinners away from God, at eternal distance apart from that great work which was accomplished on the cross, might be saved.
I make no apology at a time like this when addressing so many, to appeal as to whether everyone here has yet got the gain of the death of Jesus, whether everyone here has yet put their trust in the crucified Saviour, whether everyone here has yet come under the shelter of that precious blood, which those of us who are saved and have put our trust in Him, can say cleanses us from every sin. He died for you, dear friend. He died for all, “one died for all, then all have died” (2 Cor. 5:14), because you were dead and in eternal distance from God apart from that work which He has accomplished. He died to reach you where you were and to bring you from those depths of darkness into the light of God. What a Saviour! Do you trust Him? Has everyone here trusted Him? As it were, I turn aside, if it is turning aside, just to present the Saviour, lest any here should be hiding in the trees of the garden thinking that because you are in a company like this you are all right. It is a question of our individual links, and that link begins with putting your trust in the crucified Saviour, but putting your trust in Him where He is now glorified, the One who was “delivered for our offences and has been raised for our justification”, Rom 4: 25.
What a work was accomplished! He says, “now shall the prince of this world be cast out”. What a victory it was! The prince of this world is not referred to again. Paul refers to the God of this world (see 2 Cor 4: 4). The prince of this world has been cast out, and Jesus, by the way He has been, has established His rights over the world, rights that He had as Creator, but rights that He has established by redemption through His precious death, the shedding of His precious blood. The prince of this world has been cast out, but sadly men still regard him as “the god of this world”, still there is idolatry, still there is that in the world under the power of Satan which takes the place of God in men’s hearts and keeps them away from Him – “in whom the god of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine forth for them” (see 2 Cor 4: 4). The knowledge of the glory of God is in the face of Jesus Christ. What a solemn thing it is not to believe, that is to refuse the gospel. Not simply not to have heard, but to refuse it. The god of this world has an advantage over such, but the prince of this world has been cast out.
“I, if I be lifted up out of the earth, will draw all to me” – Does it attract you, that the blessed Saviour, the One who came from the heights of glory in infinite love was lifted up on the cross? If one nearest and dearest to us were to suffer, we should be moved by it, but think of the One who has come so near to meet such as you and me in our distance from God, coming in love and suffering such a death. Does it affect us? I want to speak of the effect of it upon us, the effect of the word of the cross. Is it the power of God unto salvation for you? I want to speak of all that it would bring you into. Perhaps we are afraid to face it because of the negative side of things, and sometimes that side of things we avoid. It is attractive to face the truth of the cross because of what it opens up to us. There is that which is in us, which would forever hinder us from having part in these wonderful things which God has prepared for those that love Him, and the cross is the answer to all that would hinder so that we might have free entrance and free access to the great thoughts of God.
Some of us were reminded earlier of the great things of God, and we are measured as to what we can say about them. This word “things”, as we have often commented, sets our minds, under the power of the Spirit, questioning as to what they are; they are not defined, but to be explored, felt and experienced, rather than taught in doctrine, the great things of God; the things that God has prepared for those that love Him. They are all opened up to us because of Jesus having died on the cross. It becomes attractive. Everything contrary has been put out of sight; everything has been removed so that we might have free access and liberty into all that God has purposed in His heart for those that love Him.
In Ephesians it speaks of these differences that exist among us. What a mixed company we are, all sorts of people here today, with all our peculiarities, mine included. But the cross has ended it all, they have all been annulled. As it says, He has reconciled “both in one body to God by the cross, having slain the enmity”. Everyone was there, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, the religious man, the political man, the philosopher, whatever it might be, however man would aspire in ambition for a place in the world, it was all there, nailed to the cross. The wonder of it is that according to the counsel of God, I say carefully and reverently, and I trust affectionately, Jesus was nailed to the cross in order that all that might be annulled forever, that the enmity might be annulled – “having slain the enmity”. Then that work having been accomplished, having died, having been buried, having been raised again, having been glorified, He has come in the Spirit preaching glad tidings, to us who were afar off, us poor sinners that are Gentiles, so that we might know no distance between ourselves and God so that through Him we have “both access by one Spirit to the Father”. How wonderful that is! The work of the cross has effected it. It was the death of Jesus, He died for me, “the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me”, Gal 2: 20. But it was the cross, I want to emphasise the cross, that death. Does it not affect your heart that the One who died for you, the One who loved you so much that He was prepared to die for you, “the Son of God who has loved me and given himself for me”, died on the cross – that kind of death? Does it not move you, does it not affect you? It affects you in relation to the world, “persecuted because of the cross of Christ”. Not persecuted simply because of Christ, but because of the cross of Christ. Paul could speak to the Galatians earlier of Christ being portrayed crucified among them. What was seen in Paul, in that sense, was a crucified man. He was not afraid of the reproach of the cross, he was persecuted on account of the cross of Christ. He had no part in that order of things to which those poor Galatians were reverting, which would make something of the man who was crucified there, whose place Jesus took. He says that Jesus Christ was portrayed before them as crucified among them. What portrayal is there in me? Is there anything of that man who was judged at the cross seen in me as I move among the brethren, or as I move in the world? This truth has no place in the world. Philippians 2 shows us “the mind that was in Christ Jesus”. I believe that, as we have the truth of the cross before us, and as we hold to it and realise the import of it, that mind would be in us. We have often been reminded of the note where it speaks of the contrast with the first man, the man with his ambitions, the man seeking a place in the world. The mind that was in Christ Jesus was the mind to go down, the mind to become obedient even unto death, and that the death of the cross. That was the death that Jesus died. As I align myself with Him, there is no place for me in the world. Is there any place for you in the world? Are you popular amongst your colleagues? It is testing to us all. These things are real. We want to be practical. The word of the cross is the power of God unto salvation to those that believe, salvation from all that is in the world, because the world is crucified, as Paul says, to me. That is what the world is to me, on the cross “the world is crucified to me: and I to the world”. The world that had no place for that blessed Man on the cross, has no place for me, I am crucified to the world.
So it says, “For in Christ Jesus”. How wonderful that is! Everything secured in another Man, in another world, according to the purpose of God. It makes way for the enjoyment, the experience, of what it is to be “in Christ Jesus”. It refers to the work of God in us, according to new creation. That is where “neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision; but new creation”. This is the way to the experience of it. This is the way in which it will come into expression, as we are faithful in relation to the cross of Christ, “that the world is crucified to me, and I to the world”, as Paul could say. Is that true of me? Everyone of us should ask what is the effect of it on me. It is intensely personal. I believe, that a present voice of the Spirit is as to our personal relationships, and I believe that one matter that cannot be emphasised too much is the cross of Jesus.
Paul took it up personally, “far be it from me to boast save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world”. But then it goes on to “in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision; but new creation. And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace upon them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God”. Think of the walk of the Christian, the Spirit being the instrument and power, “if we live by the Spirit, let us walk by the Spirit”. So new creation is coming into expression and what we are as before God, the other having been removed forever, and he says “peace upon them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God”. Israel was a chosen people, a people for a possession. I believe it would link with what it says in that dark day in the end of Malachi, “they that feared Jehovah spoke often one to another … And they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure … in the day that I prepare”, Mal 3: 16, 17. Think of the peculiar treasure it is to Christ, and to God to see persons who are walking according to this rule, according to the rule of new creation, “peace upon them and mercy”, and the way to it is by the word of the cross.
I read in Philippians because this may be more testing to us. The world is one thing. It encroaches in one way and another, and makes it’s appeal, but then what about the earth He was lifted up out of the earth. “Enemies of the cross of Christ … who mind earthly things”. What is the bent of our minds? This has been raised recently, more than once, What is the bent of our minds? We have to touch earthly things: you have to go to work, you have to earn a living, you have to have a house, and you almost have to have a car; but where is your mind? You may have to have something in the bank in order to fulfil righteousness, but where is your mind? Is your mind in the bank, is your mind on your car, on your house – or on your garden, perhaps more testing still? And yet it has to be kept in order. It speaks about going “by the field of a sluggard”, Prov 24: 30. We would not like to be a sluggard publicly; it is part of the testimony. We have to regard these things rightly, but where is the mind? What is the bent of the mind? Jesus was lifted up out of the earth, signifying by what death He was about to die. Can your mind be on the earth, out of which Jesus was lifted up to be crucified? “Enemies of the cross of Christ”, it says, not enemies of Christ. Paul would no doubt be speaking of believers, for he says, “I tell you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ”. Let us guard these things. Not to be unbalanced, if I can use that word, for we have to be here in the world, but we have, let us remind ourselves, the service of our great High Priest above, so that we might be helped in these things. We have the presence of the Holy Spirit here, and we have the word of God in its living and operative character. How much there is to help us! We are not cast upon our own resources. We have infinite resource in Christ and in the Spirit, so that we might be walking so as to please Him, so that we might be in these days before our translation like Enoch, who had the testimony that he pleased God.
Then it says (for there is something far greater to have your mind on), “for our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens, from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour”. How soon is He coming? Do we realise? How often it has been said? Oh that one felt it more, the reality of it, the actuality of it, that it could be that we do not get home today, because He comes! He is coming for us, “we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour”. I often reflect on Mr Parker’s reference in this city to the last act of His Saviourhood. We shall not need a Saviour in heaven. We shall have the Saviour, we shall be able to say eternally “we have Thee Jesus still”, but there is nothing to be saved from in heaven. The last act of His Saviourhood will be to save us out of these mortal conditions, out of these bodies of humiliation and to transform them into conformity to His body of glory. What a prospect! What a thing to set your mind on – “set your mind on things above where the Christ is”. Our commonwealth is there, it has its existence in the heavens. This is one of the things above, where the Christ is, “sitting at the right hand of God”, and the power that He has. It is not the power that He is going to acquire or to be given, it is the power that He has to subdue all things to Himself. He has power to come today, just waiting the word that He might come with that assembling shout, the voice of archangel, and the trump of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first. Our brother who has died may yet not be buried.
A brother told me once that he was following a coffin to a grave, and the husband of the sister who was being buried was muttering to himself as they walked along, and he drew near to him to see what he was saying. He was saying, ‘They may not bury her yet’. So much on his heart was the imminence of the Lord’s return, that he thought she might not even get into the grave. There will be such (it could be our brother), being carried to the grave, but they do not get there, caught up, “the dead in Christ”. Some in the grave, some on the way to their graves, and “we the living”. That was said nearly two thousand years ago, “we the living who remain to the coming of the Lord”. What a prospect! Our commonwealth is there now. It is not going to heaven when we die, “our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens”.
I trust that saying these things might have set our minds on these things that are above. It might have taken your mind off some of the things that might be occupying you, some of these mundane things down here, so that you might have your mind on things above, and you might be looking more actively, more lovingly, more affectionately, for the Saviour who is coming so soon, “according to the working of the power which he has even to subdue all things to himself”. May the prospect of it quicken our affections toward Him and may it help us not to shun facing what is involved in the cross of Jesus. For His name’s sake, Amen.
LONDON
15 May 1999