A short summary of yesterday’s sermon on John 19:17,18: As the ultimate demonstration of His holy love, Jesus willingly went outside the camp and bore the humiliation of His cross. True believers must now, in the power of all the blessings that are theirs because of His humiliation, take up their crosses and follow Him outside the camp (Luke 9:23,24; Hebrews 13:12-14).
Please consider these further insights from English pastor J.C. Ryle:
“The practical lesson which all true Christians should gather from the fact before us, is one that should be kept in continual remembrance. Like our Master, we must be content to go forth “outside the camp,” bearing His reproach. We must come out from the world and be separate, and be willing, if need be, to stand alone. Like our Master, we must be willing to take up our cross daily and be persecuted both for our doctrine and our practice. Well would it be for the Church if there was more of the true cross to be seen among Christians! To wear material crosses as an ornament, to place material crosses on churches and tombs, all this is cheap and easy work, and entails no trouble. But to have Christ’s cross in our hearts, to carry Christ’s cross in our daily walk, to know the fellowship of His sufferings, to be made conformable to His death, to have crucified affections, and live crucified lives–all this needs self-denial; and Christians of this stamp are few and far between. Yet, this, we may be sure, is the only cross-bearing and cross-carrying that does good in the world. The times require less of the cross outwardly and more of the cross within.” (J.C. Ryle, commentary on John 19:17)
Let’s keep praying and carrying our cross together – all for the glory of the one who gave Himself for us!
Pastor Greg