God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message on the cross. The Encouraging Word We're so excited to share this message from 1 Corinthians 11 from Dr. Don Wilton, well-known author, evangelist, seminary professor, pastor. And today, let him just be your teacher as we open God's word together, God's encouraging word about this topic, meeting at the foot of the cross. Oh, there's so much joy in knowing that the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
There's not someone who is better or worse. God loves us unconditionally and the same. And today, as we study the word, we would love to pray with you and for you. Our phone number is 866-899-WORD, available 24 hours a day. Jot the number down, 866-899-9673. We would love to pray for you.
Now, Dr. Don Wilton. The Encouraging Word Just before Jesus went to the cross, I wonder how many subjects that he would have loved to have spoken to, to those he loved, to his disciples. One can only imagine the syllabi, the contents of conversation, the important issues. Jesus was about to go to the cross, and he gathered spiritual people together, and he did two things. He showed them the meaning of the cross, and then he instructed them to gather at the foot of the cross, to actually do it. Jesus loved his disciples so much. He knew them. He understood their world. He saw the conflict. I think first and foremost, he knew that each one of those disciples were sinners, and he knew that they couldn't handle the world in which they lived without Jesus of the cross.
Jesus knew that. There's somebody right now asking more questions than you could ever have answers to. There's somebody saying, is there a hope and a future for our nation? Where is America going?
What are we leaving behind for our sons and our daughters? And Jesus says, let's meet at the foot of the cross. There's so many passages of Scripture I want to share with you today, my beloved congregation.
I want to tell you where I'm going with this. This is no ordinary worship service. God has spoken to my heart, and he wants me to say this to us. And in just a moment, yes, we say at the end of the service, but I want you to be prepared for it. I'm going to ask you if you would come and totally abandon yourself at the foot of the cross.
I'm going to ask you to get up out of your seat. I'm going to ask you in Genesis as Jordan leads that worship service there in a while. I'm going to ask if you're a deacon today that you lead the way. I've already spoken to our chairman of deacons, and I know Dr. Sebesky will lead the way, as will our vice chairman, Ed Roof. Before we met this morning, I met with our deacons who are serving in this service.
We did that for years and years. I told our chairman and our deacons this morning, I said, you know, COVID has messed up so many things. Can somebody give me a holy nod? COVID has just messed up so many things.
Just can't do this and can't do that and have to change this, and it's not over. But I love meeting with the deacons before the Lord's Supper, and here's the reason why. Because Paul said, that which I have received, I pass on to you. And I asked the deacons if there was any deacon this morning. I asked the deacons as your pastor if there is any deacon this morning who believes before God that they are qualified to pass on anything from God, to say anything. There's not one of us who are qualified.
We are the least qualified. And Paul said, that's why when you meet at the foot of the cross, you have an opportunity to confess your sin before him. Start doing it now. That is the only way Jesus will bless this church. He's blessed this church for decades, and unless we come together at the foot of the cross, he will not bless your family, your business, your children, name it. The nation of Israel had a special place in God's heart. We know that, don't we?
That's why I keep going back. We have sponsored people to go to Israel for years. I've had people give money to send pastors and ministers all around the country. There are pastors, retired pastors sitting in this congregation that was sponsored by some of you to go to Israel.
Why? Oh, do you have time for me to get onto eschatology? That's where Jesus is going to set up his headquarters. But I'm going to tell you for the purpose of this meeting at the foot of the cross is because that's the place where Jesus went to the cross.
And I can tell you when I go to Israel, I'll be going again in January. When we go to Israel, it culminates in the garden tomb. Everyone who's been there, we gather at the foot of the cross. There's the empty tomb. There's Golgotha, the place of the skull.
We gather there and we bow our heads and we confess and we sing and we pray to him and you can sense the power and presence of Jesus. Do you want that? Are you serious, church?
I think you are. I know you well enough. And so here's the nation of Israel. This is what was said by the nation of Israel in Psalm 130.
This is Israel, Psalm 130. Out of the depths, out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. O Lord, hear my voice.
Apply this to your own life. I'm gonna start again because some of you are thinking about lunch. I'm gonna start again because we're all sinners. Watch this. You know why I'm gonna start again?
Because Satan does not want you to stand at the foot of the cross. He's doing everything he can. He's in your mind, your thoughts. He's disturbing you. He's pulling you.
He's distracting you. Let's start again. Out of the depths, I cry to you, O Lord. O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy. If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, if you would hold to account my sin and his sin and her sin, O Lord, who could stand but with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchman for the morning, more than watchman for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption, and he will redeem his people from all their iniquities. What's weighing you down today? What sins in your life? What wrong has been done?
What injustice? What issue are you dealing with? What sadness, grief are you battling with?
What anxiety do you have in your heart? What do we find at the foot of the cross? May I mention just a few? I think we've got to start out, what we find at the foot of the cross is the whole world. They were there.
I could have used that word every person, right? Please forgive me for trying to paint a picture that I cannot paint at how many times I've sat there looking at the skull, the place of the skull, which was outside of the city of Jerusalem, the marketplace. It was a busy place. It was a place of public execution. It was a place where the Romans wanted to maximize their advertising. That's why they took Jesus there, and the two criminals, they wanted all, everybody to see and to know and to understand and to fear them. This was very public and gathered there at the feet of Jesus at the foot of the cross was the whole world. I wonder who those people were. Am I looking at them?
I think so. Church, many years ago, many, many years ago, sitting in a meeting with a lot of godly men in our church, one man by the name of Kaz McCaslin, one of the most wonderful men I have ever served alongside, a godly man in that meeting, looked over at me, and he said these exact words 26 years ago, Pastor, what do you see for First Baptist Church? And I just blurted this out, just like blurted it out. I said, I see a church where everyone can invite anyone to come to First Baptist Church to encounter the living one, and that's who we are.
Can I put that in different language? The church, the living church, the church that met with Jesus in the upper room, what Jesus was saying to them was the church must be the place where everyone who knows better will invite anyone. You're listening to Dr. Don Wilton, our teacher here on The Encouraging Word.
Please don't go away. He'll be back in just a moment to complete today's message, but as we study this concept, as he talks about this church or your church, he's really referring to the Capital C Church, all of us as a body and the compulsion that we have to be able to bring together anyone to encounter the living one, Jesus Christ. And we have discovered, especially since 2020, in these last few years that God is using in a powerful way the technology resources we have to connect with each other, to pray for each other. You can start at our website, tewonline.org, with an opportunity to connect with one of us, to order resources that will help you grow in your faith, sign up for The Daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Wilton. But perhaps in this day of typing and texting, it's good to hear the voice of someone praying for you in your specific need, and we would love to do so. Our prayer line number is 866-899-WORD.
That's 866-899-9673. And we love to pray with you and for you anytime. Just know that we are here for you, whether it be on the prayer line or with great resources like this. Even though the world is becoming an increasingly challenging place to live in as a Christian, Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross remains a message of hope for everyone. Discover a deep understanding and appreciation for our Savior's death on the cross in Dr. Wilton's powerful sermon, The Cross, along with the bonus book, The Cross of Jesus by Warren W. Wiersbe, which explores the entire crucifixion in detail. These powerful resources are yours to have with your gift of support to The Encouraging Word. Thank you for listening today.
That's just one of many great resources available on our website at www.tewonline.org. Now let's dive back into today's message, Meeting at the Foot of the Cross with Dr. Don Wilton. Now let's start defining anyone. Who did Jesus tell was not permitted to come to the foot of the cross? So you are guilty of adultery. And by the way, there are people in this congregation that I know have committed adultery.
And there are many of you. I've had the privilege of praying with you. I've had the privilege of watching you and your precious family forgive one another at the foot of the cross. I've had the privilege of hearing and seeing Jesus forgiving you. Could we name a sin that has not been committed by God's people?
The church, everyone can invite anyone. You are welcome here because this is the foot of the cross. You know, there were two criminals that were crucified alongside Jesus.
One of those scoffed at him. The other one repented. And Jesus said to this man who deserved to die, Today you will be with me in paradise.
Wow! Now I'm a Baptist. I'm a little ticked off about it because he didn't get baptized before he went to heaven. I just had to slide that in for my Presbyterian friends. There they were at the foot of the cross.
How are you doing? The foot of the cross we not only find the world, but I've got to mention them if you don't mind. But at the foot of the cross we find the disciples. Now by the way, the disciples, please at least put me in that category. Me and Dr. Mickey Sebesky. Brother Mickey, come stand up here with me a second. This is our chairman of Deacons and I love him to bits. Now, if you look at these two fine gentlemen, okay? We would be in that group, we have to be, right?
Shake on that. See, we would have to be, right? However, now I'm going to make him go and sit down because I might include him in something I might regret. Could we just, I wish I could go through all the disciples. How about Peter? He was there, disciple, very loved. What had he just done?
Excuse me? What had Peter just done? What about Matthew? Well, you know, Matthew, we can get all in the background of Matthew. He was a tax collector.
He was probably one of the number one hated people on his team. I'm sure, you know, if he hadn't followed Jesus, Jesus just changed his whole life. You know, what about James and John? Love talking about James and John. But one thing that always stands up about me was that they were firsthand witnesses to the transfiguration. Jesus took them, remember, up the mountain and he was transfigured into his heavenly body. These were the men that saw Elijah and Moses. Many years after they died, he saw them, spoke to them. Listen, you wouldn't have had any question talking to them about life after death and the meaning of eternal life. Well, they were there at the foot of the cross.
You know, I've just got to say this. The third group, and I'm putting it as a hurting church. Folks, when Jesus gathered the disciples in the upper room, he was sending the church out.
Into what? It was a hurting church. They were gathered there saying, what? All these believers were standing there at the foot of the cross saying, we're bewildered, we're hurt. What's going on? How are we going to survive?
There's no future. Everybody, I mean, they had every question in mind. Jesus gathered them at the foot of the cross. So that brings me to the fourth one, ourselves. You know, we sing a song, were you there when they crucified my Lord?
I was there, ourselves. My father always used to tell me, be very careful about pointing when you preach. You might all say, hmm, that's true. You know, I may do this every now and again, or this every now and again, or some other kind of gesture, but I really try and discipline myself.
But I do. I mean, you can find a lot of footage of me pointing, and I wish I didn't. And you all know the reason, don't you?
Because many of you are school teachers. So every time you point, hello. There but by the grace of God go we, ourselves. I'm praying for believers, for myself, for our church, for you, for your family, for what our children are growing up into, what they're facing, this fast-moving world. All these things going, it's just like, what's going on?
It's like a big perfect storm. If I had another three years, I'd love to get back into eschatology and show you how this fits in God's economy, ourselves. And so it is, my beloved friends, meeting at the foot of the cross in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. God's word says this as we begin to prepare ourselves for the invitation and for the participation in the Lord's Supper together. This is what he said in verse 27. Therefore, whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus.
Wow. Let a person therefore examine himself and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup for anyone who drinks and eats without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. Be careful what you say and how you talk and how you behave as a believer.
That is why many of you are weak and ill. And this one I've never been able to figure out. And this is why some of you have died. God's word says directly related to the foot of the cross that believers who violate the Jesus syndrome could possibly die. Jesus said that.
God will take them out. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. There's the unity of the church. Everything Jesus said is about being one in Christ. It is the imperative of the body of Christ.
It is the unattainable goal because we cannot do it in and of ourselves. But at the foot of the cross, Jesus can. I cannot fix this world, but Jesus can. I cannot fix my marriage, but Jesus can. I cannot get rid of this pain and anxiety and fear, but Jesus can. Indeed, Jesus is the master fixer.
He can repair and restore anything. You've been listening to Dr. Don Wilton as he's been teaching and preaching from the pulpit. But now as he steps into the studio, would you open your heart to what he wants to share next? Well, hello again, my friends. Are you ready to give your life to Christ? I know you've been listening like this, and God has been speaking like this, hasn't he?
And he's speaking to your heart. I'd love to help you give your life to Christ right now. Why don't you pray this prayer? Make this your prayer because you know that God not only hears our prayer, but he answers our prayer too. Pray this prayer with me. Dear God, I know that you love me very much.
I believe Jesus came and died on a cross just for me and that he gave his life for me. Right now I confess my sin to you, and by faith I receive you into my heart and into my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Well, if you've prayed that prayer right now, in just a moment we're going to send you some information.
I want you to listen real carefully because you can take note of that. We've got the means by which we can connect together, and I want to connect with you because you're part of my family. You're part of the family of God. You are my brother, my sister in Christ.
God bless you today. If you just prayed along with Dr. Wilton moments ago, perhaps for the very first time, or to rededicate your life to Christ, we are excited for you. Dr. Wilton wants to pray for you, and he wants us to send you some free material that will help you grow in your faith.
And of course, he wants us to send it to you, and we will, absolutely free, if you'll call and let us know about your decision for Jesus. Our phone number is 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673, and we'd love to put these resources in your hands. And in particular, if there's something going on in your life you'd like for us to pray for, we would like to pray for you.
Dr. Don would like to pray for you. Know that we are here to connect. Our number again is 866-899-9673, or you can meet us on our website as well at www.tewonline.org.
That's www.tewonline.org. And before we get away, we have some closing thoughts from our pastor and chief encourager, Dr. Don Wilton. Well, here I am again.
What a day this has been. You know, one of the things I want to say to you is let's stay connected. You know, we've got so many means to be able to do that. You can write to us, email us. We stay connected in so many ways, and your life is very important to me. I see you there, and God shows me, and I want to be able to pray with you and connect with you and be a vital part of your relationship, your growth.
Your needs are maintained. I'm walking in your shoes, and I want to pray for you. Please don't stop. Call us.
Write us. Keep praying. Keep giving. Keep connecting. Keep rejoicing. Keep celebrating.
Keep striving. God is on his throne. This is the encouraging word, and now you know why. What a great day of Bible teaching, of encouragement, of prayer. We continue this 24 hours a day on our website, www.tewonline.org. As a matter of fact, you can both hear and watch the video version of today's message on our website, www.tewonline.org. And while you're there, take a moment and sign up for the daily encouraging word email from Dr. Don. It is our number one most requested resource. It's absolutely free, and every single day, Dr. Don gives us some insight to a specific passage of Scripture and an opportunity to apply that to our life in a very practical way. I think it'll bless you tremendously online at www.tewonline.org.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-03-04 22:56:18 / 2023-03-04 23:05:44 / 9