Freedom of the Cross
(Morning Service)
Text: 1 John 5:13-21
What are you especially proud of? Maybe an academic degree you hold, or your well- earned career, a shiny new car, your friend- group or your family. As we come to the end of Galatians, we will see that Paul takes pride in the most humiliating act in history - the crucifixion of Jesus. What is it about the weakness of the Cross that Paul finds so utterly powerful? Come and hear how the crucifixion reshapes everything in our life - or how it ought to reshape everything, and how it often times fades into the background as nothing more than a religious symbol.
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
(1 John 5:13–21 ESV)”