One Side Or The Other

Luke 23:32-33; 39-40

Introduction:

            Here we find two guilty parties crucified on either side of Christ at Calvary . Both were guilty. Both were deserving of death. They were separated by Christ in their death and separated by Christ after their death. One of them railed on Christ, or blasphemed Christ in his mocking statement. The other gave confession of man’s sinful state and his own sin in particular, Christ’s sinlessness and ability to save, and his faith in Christ as his Savior. I don’t believe it is much different with every person today than it was with these two thieves. We are all on one side or the other. There is no straddling of the fence on this issue. You can be a politician here, no ambiguous answer will work. You are either on one side or the other and I intend to show the dividing line. There are three basic areas in which we will be able to see how people are on one side or the other when we see the Biblical portrayal and the Biblical values of the cross.

I.      The Cross Offends: (I Cor. 1:18; 2:14)

A.     The world denies the need of the cross

1.      They stumble at this offense – I Peter 2:8

2.      They don’t need it because they see themselves as sinless and Christ as guilty or that everyone else is just as guilty as I am so to be fair…

B.     The world dodges the significance of the cross

1.        They want to come up with new ways to save

2.        The only way of salvation is through Christ – but the world???

C.     The world dilutes the message of the cross

1.        By adding something else

2.        The cross plus something – the cross plus anything dilutes the purity of the sacrifice

D.     The Christian admits to the need of the cross

E.      The Christian accepts the significance of the cross

F.      The Christian amplifies the message of the cross

II.   The Cross Divides:

A.     Two classes of people

1.        The saved - the justified -           the living - a believer - Children of light

2.        The lost - the condemned -the dead - an unbeliever - Children of darkness

B.     Two places of destination

1.        Heaven

2.        Hell – the lake of fire

III.           The Cross Portrays:

A.     Man’s wickedness (Romans 3:10-18)

B.     God’s love – for sinners (Romans 5:8)

C.     God’s purpose – Luke 19:16

IV.            Conclusion:

A.     You are either on side of Christ or the other. This is the dividing ground

B.      You either accept, admit and then amplify the cross or you deny, dodge and dilute it.

C.     Which side are you on?