The testimony of the cross

I do much more than read these scriptures, but will you read with me, please, in 1 Corinthians 1. Verse 17 of 1 Corinthians 1, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. Verse 23 sums up a great deal that is said in this epistle about the cross.

We preach Christ crucified. I think you know that there are three great themes in 1 Corinthians. The cross is the first great theme.

The coming of the Lord, of course, is the last great theme. And this is very especially the epistle of the church. That is, the church locally, an assembly.

And the truth of the local assembly is connected to the fact that it is the place where Christ is Lord. And it is the gathering together of his people. And the Lord, the Spirit, is in control.

But I've enjoyed, I'm going to read some verses with you. I have enjoyed what 1 Corinthians says about the cross. It tells us that the cross is the object of the world's contempt.

So don't be surprised if because you are linked to the cross that you too receive the contempt of a godless world. Look in chapter 2, first of all. Verse 2 of chapter 2. I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of men's wisdom. I love this expression and how we long to see it.

But in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. So in chapter 1, the cross is linked to salvation. And it is the object of the world's contempt.

In chapter 2, the cross is linked to testimony. And it is the theme of gospel preaching. Thank God for those who preach Christ and him crucified.

Who preach the cross of Christ. Chapter 8. 1 Corinthians 8. Verse 10. For if any man see thee which has knowledge to meet in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols? And this is the verse I'd like you to notice.

Through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom or for whose sake Christ died. So here in chapter 8, the cross is our attitude. Our attitude toward fellow believers.

Our attitude toward the unsaved. So it is the motive of Christian conduct. The cross is the object of the world's contempt.

It is the theme of gospel testimony. It is the motive for Christian conduct. If I looked at every brother and sister in this way, I would never be guilty of harming them in any way at all.

Because that is one for whom Christ died. Look in chapter 10 with me, if you will, please. Chapter 10.

Verse 16 of chapter 10. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? That's his actual blood. The blood that he shed.

The precious blood of Christ shed on the cross. The bread or the loaf which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Now those two expressions tell us of his actual blood. And his actual body in which he suffered that was nailed to the cross.

But then when we get down to verse 17. For we being many are one bread and one body. We are all partakers of that one bread.

I believe this is a spiritual body. So you have the physical blood of Christ. The physical body of Christ.

And then linked to it, a spiritual body. Now I have always had the thought in my mind that verse 17 referred to the body of Christ in its large aspect. Taking in all believers of this age from Pentecost to the rapture.

I must confess that in looking very carefully at 1 Corinthians 10, 11 and 12, I've changed my thinking. I believe that this is exactly what we have in chapter 12. That a local assembly is body like in character.

And of course that chapter 12 tells us if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. That's very obvious to us when you hear the prayers of God's people. And you hear the request for prayer.

When one member suffers, all the members suffer as well. And this is very precious to us. I think this is so simple that I hardly hesitate to say it.

There's only one loaf. There's only one cup. I know there are places where they have soda crackers broken up.

And they say they're remembering the Lord in the breaking of bread. Well, it was one loaf. An actual loaf.

And the loaf was broken. And the breaking of the loaf was actually his body. I don't mean it's his body at the table there.

I mean it's emblematic of his body. It's a beautiful, beautiful emblem of the body the Lord Jesus suffered in on the cross. It is his actual blood.

The taking of the cup is the actual blood that he shed. And why is the cup mentioned before the bread here? Because the subject is communion. The subject is fellowship with God.

And the basis of that fellowship must always be the blood of the Lord Jesus that was shed on Calvary. Look with me in chapter 11 just very quickly because the time is running out. Chapter 11, verse 23.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat, this is my body, which is for you. This do in remembrance of me.

The verse 25 says, After the same manner also he took the cup when he had stopped saying, This cup is the new testament, the new covenant in my blood. This do you as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show the Lord's death till it come.

So chapter 1 tells us that the cross is salvation. Chapter 2 tells us that the cross is our testimony. Chapter 8 tells us the cross is our attitude.

Chapter 10 tells us the cross is our separation. If you look down further in this chapter, you'll see very clearly that this was truly the separation of these believers. In fact, at verse 32 of chapter 10, you have one of those great statements of the Bible.

You have the world divided, the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God. And you have the statement in chapter 10, Can we provoke the Lord's jealousy or do we provoke the Lord's jealousy? So there must be distinct separation connected with those who bear the testimony of the cross. And it is our remembrance of the Lord's day.

I think it's most significant. There are seven things of the Lord that are in this section of 1 Corinthians. I know the Lord's day is not mentioned as the Lord's day.

But the day is mentioned. And it is the Lord's day. There is the Lord's death.

It isn't the death of Jesus. It's the Lord's death. It is the Lord's table.

It is the Lord's supper. It is actually the blood of our Lord. And it is the body of the Lord Jesus.

That's most significant. That he is Lord. And that we gather unto the one who is the Lord in the midst.

And what a privilege to be separated unto him. Because this separation is positive. It's to a person.

And he is the attraction. So we gather in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now I know the time has run out.

But let me just read a verse with you, if you will, please. In chapter 15. So the cross is the truth proclaimed at the supper.

In chapter 15, the cross is the basis of our hope. Verse 3 is very familiar to us. For I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received.

How that Christ died for our sins. According to the scriptures. And that he was buried.

And that he rose again the third day. According to the scriptures. And of course what follows is that this is the basis of our hope.

For life with him. Resurrection. So the cross is our salvation.

The cross is our testimony. The cross gives our attitude. The cross causes our separation.

The cross is the theme of our worship. And the cross is our hope for eternity. The very last verse of 1 Corinthians has been speaking to me.

Let me read it with you. And then I'll sit down. Verse 23.

Verse 22 is one of the most solemn verses in the Bible. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Maranatha, our Lord cometh.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. So the cross was the expression. I think this is beautiful.

Of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.