Sunday, May 31, 2015 pm
KNEEL AT THE CROSS
#49 Sacred Selections
Tonight we examine another song we sing from time to time.
This particular song was written in the mid 1920s by Charles
Ernest Moody (1891-1977). We
have no background as to what prompted this song to be written (and that
doesn’t matter provided the message is true to God’s word).
This song calls is an admonition for us to turn to God through Jesus at
the cross. It is a call for
conversion. As written in
our hymnal (arrangement by Ellis J Crum), it is associated with
Christians and our prayers to God.
a.
Kneel at the cross
– when we speak of the cross, obviously, it is not the item of torture
that concerns us, but the sacrifice of Jesus on that cross.
We must make that distinction.
The expression to kneel at the cross – which is repeated throughout this
song – means to surrender before Jesus.
In involves us doing our part to make the purpose of His cross
have meaning in our lives.
That means we need to turn to Christ.
It means to obey the gospel.
Act 22:16 in which our sins are washed away.
Paul in 1 Cor. 1:18 spoke of how preaching the cross is foolishness to
those perishing, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
The idea of “kneeling” also implies humility.
We need to humble ourselves before Him. 1 Peter 5:5-6.
b.
Christ will meet you there – the cross is where our salvation is found.
It is found because this is where
Jesus provided the sacrifice necessary.
But on the cross, we find that Jesus died for our sins.
Phil. 2:8 reminds that He became obedient to the point of death, even
the death on the cross.
1 Peter 2:24 tells us that He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.
Colossians 1:19-20 reminds us that in Him He reconciled all things
having made peace by His blood on His cross.
Through the cross we have access
to God – Rom. 5:1, Eph. 2:18, 3:12
c.
He intercedes for you
– Jesus is our intercessor.
He is described as our Mediator – 1 Tim. 2:5, Hebrews 9:11-15 describes
how He is Mediator of a new and better covenant, through His blood.
He entered heaven with that which would appease God.
1 John 2:1 tells us when we sin, “We have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Romans 8:34, “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and
furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also makes intercession for us.”
Hebrews 7:25, “Therefore He is
also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him,
since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
As we approach our
heavenly Father, it is through His name that we do so.
Colossians 3:17, Eph. 5:20, etc.
We must remind ourselves of this.
(Incidentally, so does the Spirit make intercession for us in our
prayers –Romans 8:26-27)
NOTE: The original song said, “Come while He waits for you…”
another true statement which changes the direction of the song from
addressing prayer to a simple call to submit to His will, which does
accord with the rest of the song.
In Rev. 3:20 He said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and
dine with him, and he with Me.”
d.
Lift up your voice – in our prayers we certainly lift up our voices to Him.
We also lift up our voices in praise (Heb. 13:15).
We also lift up our voices in confessing Him – Rom. 10:9-10, Matt.
10:32-33
e.
Leave with Him your care – casting all your cares on Him.
The great invitation of our Lord - Matt. 11:28-30
f.
And begin life anew
– at the cross we find the opportunity to start over spiritually.
Our sins are washed away.
2 Cor. 5:17, -we are a new creation in Christ.
Rom. 6:3-4 – in baptism, as we come in contact with His blood we are
“raised to walk in newness of life.”
As Christians, when we sin, to take care of sins we need to kneel at the
cross as well. 1 John 1:9
speaks of our prayers to Him.
It is based upon our repentance (cf. Acts 8:22, 1 John 1:7.
a.
There is room for all
– salvation is available to all mankind.
John 3:16, Gal. 3:27-28.
b.
Who would His glory share –While salvation is available to all, not all will be saved.
Because not all are willing to receive His glory – that is obey
the gospel. Acts 10:34-35
speaks of God showing no partiality, but “in every nation whoever fears
Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”
c.
Bliss there awaits, harm
can ne’er befall, those who are anchored there – those who belong to Him have hope.
Jesus promised that if you belong to Him, none can snatch you
away (John 10:27-28) This
does not mean you cannot abandon Him, but neither Satan nor man is
powerful enough to defeat God and His plan.
Is our hope anchored in heaven? Hebrews 6:19-20, “This hope we
have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters
the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us,
even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek.”
Is your hope anchored in heaven?
a.
Give your idols up
– an idol is anything that stands in the way of God.
We may not be worshipping a carved image or a graven image, but
we can still be guilty of idolatry.
It can be covetousness or anything, either attitudes or actions.
Far too many want to serve God with their own terms.
They do not want to fully surrender to Him.
God will accept nothing less than complete obedience.
Jesus taught we cannot serve 2 masters – Matthew 6:24.
Matt. 10:37-38 describes how we must be committed to him.
1 John 5:21, he concluded the letter with the simple admonition, “Keep
yourselves from idols”
You CANNOT kneel at the cross with a double mind.
b.
Look unto realms above – Col. 3:1-2.
Where is your mind set?
Again, we ask where is your anchor?
c.
Turn not again to life’s
sparkling cup
– Jesus in Luke 9:62 said we could not look back and be fit for the
kingdom of God.
2 Peter 2:20-22 is pretty strong in warning against returning to the
world.
The “sparkling cup” of this world is illusion.
At best it give temporary pleasure.
That is why John told us not to love the world or the things in
the world – they are passing away (1 John 2:15-17).
Hebrews 11:25 speaks of “the passing pleasures of sin” which Moses
walked away from.
d.
Trust always in His love –
The love of God is why Jesus died – Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:8-10.
We need to believe in Him and let that be our motivation.
1 John 4:15-16, 19 – may our service be motivated by love.
HOW do we show our love for Him?
Through obedience – 1 John 5:2-3,
John 14:15, Jesus said to His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My
commandments.”
1 John 2:3-6 emphasizes that we know Him by keeping His commandments
a.
Kneel at the cross, our
continued reminder.
b.
Leave every care – again
see verse 1. The reminder is
in ALL things to trust in Him.
c.
Jesus will met your
there – whether it be prayer, or His interceding on our behalf for our
sins, His strength, He is there for us.
We
have so much hope because Jesus died on that cross for our sins.
May we as we sing this song remind ourselves of just exactly what
He means to us and why we ought to humbly submit before Him.
The godly will submit to Him by obeying the gospel and continued
faithfulness. The rest WILL
still bow before Him, but then it will be too late (Phil. 2:10-11).
Where do you stand?
Will you kneel at the cross?