I remember speaking to a man who had gone through a near-death experience. He was a believer in Christ and also a very affluent and accomplished businessman. And he said something which really struck me.
He stated that being minutes away from death, being less than 10 minutes away from death made him truly understand the verse Galatians 6:14. and why the only thing Paul boasted on was the cross of Christ. This gentleman stated that during those testing moments when he did not know whether he was going to live or die, all he had to hold on to was the cross of Christ.
Galatians 6:14, "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world had been crucified to me and I to the world. " And this is true for all of us. We prioritize a lot of things.
But when we are faced with eternity, the only thing that will matter is the cross of Christ. The only thing that will matter is the Lord Jesus Christ. In this man's situation, the business meeting that he had scheduled next week became insignificant.
It became a complete and utter distant afterthought to him. And we can learn a lot from this situation. The things we prioritize in this life mean nothing when we are faced with eternity.
This man did not think about making money, nor did he think about his favorite basketball team. No, all that mattered to him at that moment was the cross of Christ. His job became insignificant.
His home that he purchased and that he was very proud of became insignificant. His 401k became insignificant. The truth is death comes to us all one by one.
And the day it comes, all the things you prioritized over the cross of Christ will become insignificant. And you know, you know this because your consciousness tells you that this is true. And yet you do not prioritize God.
What happens when we die? Is there a such thing called purgatory? Do we just go to sleep until the resurrection?
Hebrews 9 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. There is no purgatory in the word of God.
The Bible tells us after death there is a judgment. And once an individual knows there is a judgment coming, they cannot live the same. Once you know that your life will be reviewed by a holy eternal God, you cannot live the same.
Once you know that even the very words you speak will be analyzed, examined and reviewed. You cannot live the same. Judgment is coming.
It is coming. Judgment is coming. It is coming.
And on this judgment there is one thing that separates people's eternal destination. 1 Corinthians 1:18. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.
Once again, this word cross comes up. The cross separates all of mankind. First it came up in Galatians 6:14 as being the only thing that the apostle could boast on.
And now this word quote the cross has come up again. As we there is a dividing line between those who are perishing and those who are being saved. The cross of Christ is why our sins have been forgiven.
The cross. Galatians 6:14. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
The Apostle Paul begins with the statement, quote, "God forbid," meaning literally, "May it never come to be that I may boast on anything other than Christ. " What Paul is telling us here is look to Jesus. Look to the cross.
Look unto the author and finisher of our faith. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things this world wants you to look unto except the cross. This world wants you to look at yourself and your goodness.
And religion wants you to look at your righteousness. Allow me to focus on these two things. One, the world wants you to look at yourself and your goodness.
The world we live in wants you to boast in how much of a good person you are. I am a good person. I pay my bills.
I support my community. I look after my family. I obey the law.
I am nice. I am kind. I am loving.
I am a really good person. This is how most of the world and unbelievers view themselves as good people. They do not see themselves as sinners who are heading towards hell.
They only view criminals who have killed someone or committed a robbery as sinners. This is why a lot of unbelievers have a problem with the gospel message because the gospel message points the finger at you. You, you and me, and tells each and every one of us that we are all sinners.
It is not only those who are criminals who are sinners. It's not only those who have committed some hideous evil crime who are sinners. Each and every one of us are sinners who have offended a holy God.
The truth is people don't like to hear that about themselves. I am not a sinner. I'm a good person.
This is why the gospel message offends people because the gospel message is direct and very blunt and tells us all directly that we are sinners. Yet this world will want you to look at yourself and your own goodness. And they believe the devil's lie that you don't need the message of the cross.
Therefore, the message of the cross is foolishness to them. Two, people look at their own righteousness. Unfortunately, there are churchgoers who will be surprised at the day of judgment because they are focusing and boasting on themselves rather than the message of the cross.
They are so holy in their own eyes that they deserve to go to heaven. They are so holy in their own eyes that heaven is not heaven without them. They are so holy in their own eyes, they begin to boast to God about how good they are.
Religion. They are not followers of Christ, but rather followers of religion. They are not children of God, but rather they are children of religion.
Allow me to say that one more time. They are so holy in their own eyes, they begin to boast to God about how good they are. Does this not remind you of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector?
Luke 18:es 9-14. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican.
The Pharisees stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank thee that I am not as these other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I possess.
" And the publican standing a far off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smoteed upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone that exaltth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Do you see this Pharisee exalted himself? He had the audacity to boast to God about himself. But notice that Paul said the only thing I can boast of is Christ.
Yet this Pharisee in all of his pride and self-importance was giving a lecture to God about how good he is. I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week.
I give tithes of all that I possess. Can you imagine? Can you imagine stepping into the presence of the Lord and boasting about how good you are?
Do you remember in the year King Uzza died, Isaiah high and lifted up? The first thing the first thing prophet of the Lord said after seeing the Lord was Isaiah 6:5 then said I woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the king the Lord of hosts. Isaiah saw his own sinfulness.
Yet this Pharisee went ahead and boasted in himself. Remember what I stated earlier. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things this world wants you to look at except the cross.
One, this world wants you to look at yourself and your goodness. Two, and religion wants you to look at your righteousness. However, the prophet here tells us, "God forbid that we should boast in anything else.
" Galatians 6:14, "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. " Within the Galatian letters, Jesus Christ is mentioned over 40 times, which means that onethird of the verses contain some reference to him. This right here is the Christian life, and the apostle reveals it to us.
The person of Jesus Christ captivated Paul and it was Christ who made the cross glorious to him. It was who Christ is and what he did for us that made the cross glorious to Paul. Who is Christ and what did he do for us?
Christ the only begotten son of God. And what he did was live a perfect life and become the propitiation of our sins. He died the death of all deaths for our sins.
Make a commitment today not to be like the world and boast in your own goodness. Make a commitment today not to be like a religious person and boast in your own righteousness, but make a commitment today to be a child of God that boasts in the cross of Christ. Back to the man I told you about at the start of the sermon.
When death came knocking at his door and when he was only minutes minutes away from judgment, all he could hold on to is Jesus Christ and the cross of Christ. This is a sobering message. This is a humbling message.
This is a serious message. Hebrews 9 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.
It is an appointment that all men and women must keep. Who fixes the appointment? God is the one who fixes the appointment.
And you and I do not know when your appointment or my appointment will be. But one thing is for sure, the appointment is coming. God has made an appointment for each man and each woman.
An appointment for each boy and woman. And the appointment is called death. And when this appointment comes, what will really matter?
What will a person boast of? What are you boasting about? Are you boasting about how good and wonderful your life is on earth?
Are you boasting about how good and holy you are? Are you boasting about material possessions? The cold hard truth, the cold hard truth that you will not hear in most pulpits across our nation is the only thing that matters and that will matter to you when you are about to step into eternity is the cross of Christ.
Hold on to Jesus as he holds on to you. All that will matter in those minutes leading up into entering eternity is the name of Jesus. The sweet name of Jesus.
He is the only way to the father. He is the only way to the kingdom of God.
