Staying Near The Cross by Pastor Rick Libby
Sermon transcript of Souls Harbor
Program 1630, Air date 03.14.2010 

I WANT US TO TURN TO THE WORD OF GOD AND TURN TO THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS. IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1, THERE IS SOME SCRIPTURE THAT I WANT US TO READ TODAY. AND I'LL CONFESS UP FRONT, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DEAL WITH ALL THAT COULD AND SHOULD BE SAID FROM OUT OF THESE VERSES THAT I'M GOING TO READ. BUT IF WE READ THEM TODAY, I'M GOING TO LEAVE THEM WITH YOU TO STUDY THEM AND TO MEDITATE ON THEM. AND I BELIEVE IF YOU'LL DO THAT, GOD WILL SHARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT THINGS WITH YOU. LET'S READ COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 20. "AND HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS, BY HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF, BY HIM I SAY, WHETHER THEY BE THINGS IN EARTH OR THINGS IN HEAVEN, AND YOU WHO WERE SOMETIME ALIENATED AND ENEMIES IN  YOUR MIND BY WICKED WORKS, YET, NOW HATH HE RECONCILED. IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH, TO PRESENT YOU HOLY AND UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVEABLE IN HIS SIGHT. IF YE CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, GROUNDED AND SETTLED, AND BE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM  THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL WHICH YE HAVE HEARD WHICH WAS PREACHED TO EVERY CREATURE, WHICH IS UNDER HEAVEN." NOW, I'M GOING TO STOP RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE THE WORDS OF PAUL HELP US TO UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS ABOUT THIS CHRISTIAN  EXPERIENCE. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOTE HOW IMPORTANT THE CROSS IS TO OUR LIFE. NOW, I'M GOING TO SPEND MOST OF MY TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT THE CROSS. I KNOW IT'S A SUBJECT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYMORE. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PASTORS AND CHURCHES AND GROUPS THAT HAVE CONSCIOUSLY MADE THE DECISION TO RELEGATE THE CROSS AS SOMETHING THAT WAS A RELIC FROM THE OLD DAYS, SOMETHING WE DON'T NEED TO MENTION ANYMORE. BUT I SUGGEST TO YOU AND I SUBMIT TO YOU, THAT IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME  WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE CROSS, IT'S TODAY. IN FACT, I CAN TELL YOU WITH A CERTAIN ASSURANCE TODAY, THAT THERE WILL NEVER BE A TIME THAT THE CROSS BECOMES UNIMPORTANT TO THE LIFE OF MANKIND. YET, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT IT NO LONGER IS.  NOW, THERE'S SOME REASONS WHY I SAY THAT. BECAUSE AS WE STAY NEAR THE CROSS, THERE IS A STORY THAT IS TOLD THAT EVERYONE OF US NEEDS TO HEAR TODAY. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CROSS WE SEE THE UNIVERSAL SYMBOL OF DEATH. MOST OF US, WHEN WE SEE A CROSS IT DRAWS OUR ATTENTION TO SOMEONE HAVING PASSED AWAY. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE OTHER DAY AND I JUST HAPPENED TO GLANCE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND UP IN SOME TREES, ALMOST HIDDEN FROM SIGHT, WAS A LITTLE, LONE, WHITE CROSS WITH SOME PLASTIC FLOWERS IN FRONT OF IT. IMMEDIATELY, I DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME TO WONDER WHAT THAT CROSS WAS TRYING TO SAY. BUT IMMEDIATELY I RECOGNIZED THAT THERE WAS A SPOT WHERE A LIFE WAS LOST, A DEATH OCCURRED. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CROSS THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE THINK OF, IS IT MARKS A DEATH. FOR US TODAY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OLD RUGGED CROSS OF CALVARY, YES, IT MARKS A DEATH. BOTH THOUGH THERE WAS A DEATH THAT OCCURRED, THERE WAS ALSO A LIFE THAT WAS GAINED. YOU SEE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CROSS TODAY YOU HAVE TO LOOK BEYOND JUST ITS SYMBOLISM OF DEATH TO RECOGNIZE THAT ITS ALSO THE SYMBOLISM OF LIFE. BECAUSE HE DIED, BECAUSE JESUS DIED ON AN OLD RUGGED CROSS, YOU AND I TODAY HAVE A LIFE WE NEVER COULD HAVE HAD, EXCEPT HE WENT TO CALVARY'S HILL. SO TODAY AS WE TALK ABOUT THE CROSS WE HAVE TO STOP LOOKING AT IT AS A BAD THING OR AS A HORRIBLE REMINDER. WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT IT AS A SYMBOL OF LIFE. BECAUSE IN THAT CROSS THERE IS A LIFE THAT YOU AND I CAN BEGIN TO LIVE. THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED  IF JESUS HAD NOT GONE TO THE CROSS OF CALVARY. YOU SEE, AS WE READ IN OUR SCRIPTURE TODAY, IT'S THROUGH THE BLOOD THAT WAS SHED ON THAT OLD RUGGED CROSS THAT WE ARE RECONCILED UNTO GOD. WITHOUT THAT RECONCILIATION WE COULD NEVER HAVE ENTERED INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, THAT WOULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE THAT IT'S MAKING TODAY. OUR LIVES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE CROSS OF CALVARY. JUST AS OUR LIVES WOULD BE QUITE DIFFERENT WITHOUT THE CROSS OF CALVARY. THE WORLD DOESN'T KNOW IT TODAY, BUT IT REALLY OUGHT TO BE THANKFUL THAT THERE ARE CHRISTIANS HERE ON THIS EARTH TODAY. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THIS WORLD WOULD BE LIKE IF YOU TOOK THE INFLUENCE OF THE CROSS AWAY AND THERE WERE NO LONGER ANY CHRISTIANS WALKING THE FACE OF THE EARTH? IT REALLY, TRULY COULD BE SAID,  THAT IT WOULD BE HELL ON EARTH. BECAUSE WITHOUT PEOPLE REALIZING IT, THE PRESENCE OF CHRISTIANS ON THIS EARTH IS HAVING A POSITIVE INFLUENCE AND IMPACT UPON THIS EARTH. IF WE TOOK AWAY THE INFLUENCE OF GOD THAT LIVES THROUGH THE LIVES OF CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, THE DEVIL WOULD HAVE HIS WAY AND WOULD DESTROY EVERY LIFE. BUT TODAY, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN RECONCILED UNTO GOD, THEIR LIVES HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BOWED AT THE FOOT OF THE OLD RUGGED CROSS. THANK GOD THIS WORLD IS NOT WHAT IT COULD BE, BUT HANG ON, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE THIS PART, IT'S NOT WHAT IT COULD BE, BUT THERE IS COMING A DAY WHEN GOD IS GOING TO REMOVE  US FROM THIS EARTH AND THIS EARTH WILL BE GIVEN OVER TO OUR ENEMY, AND OH, ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE. FOR 7 YEARS, IN JACOB'S TIME OF TROUBLE, THE TRIBULATION AS IT COMES, EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW TODAY WILL BE CHANGED BECAUSE THE DEVIL WILL TAKE CONTROL. THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL RISE UP AND HORRIBLE THINGS WILL BEGIN TO TAKE PLACE. I'M GLAD THAT GOD HAS RECONCILED SOME PEOPLE. THAT THERE CAN BE A CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE IN THIS WORLD TODAY. AND IT HOLDS BACK OUR ENEMY. HE CAN ONLY GO SO FAR AND THEN WHEN WE BEGIN TO FEEL THE PUSHING, THE PRESSURE THAT HE APPLIES, WE GO TO OUR KNEES IN PRAYER AND AS WE CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD, THE LORD DRIVES THAT ENEMY BACK. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IF WE WILL RESIST THE DEVIL HE WILL FLEE FROM US. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN A DEVIL TODAY, BUT THERE IS A DEVIL THAT IS OUT THERE, INFLUENCING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REDEEMED, TRYING TO INFLUENCE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE REDEEMED. SADLY TODAY, WE RECOGNIZE IT, WE ACKNOWLEDGE IT, NOT EVERY CHRISTIAN LIVES A PERFECT LIFE. THERE ARE SOME OUT THERE WHO HAVE MADE SOME HORRIBLE BLUNDERS AND HAVE BECOME AWFUL EXAMPLES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE  TAKE OUR EYES OFF FROM GOD. BUT YOU SEE, I WANT TO COME BACK TO WHERE I STARTED. IF WE'LL AGAIN BOW AT THE FOOT OF THAT OLD RUGGED CROSS, GOD WILL FORGIVE US OF THOSE HORRIBLE BLUNDERS. GOD WILL FORGIVE US FOR THOSE MOMENTS OF WEAKNESS AND GOD WILL RESTORE US AS HE RECONCILES US ONCE AGAIN TO HIMSELF, THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS THAT WAS SHED ON THE OLD RUGGED CROSS. HERE'S MY ADVICE TO EVERY CHRISTIAN TODAY AND EVERY MAN AND WOMAN, BOY AND GIRL THAT'S LISTENING TO THIS MESSAGE. STAY NEAR THE CROSS. OH, YES, STAY NEAR IT. MY FEAR IS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IS, THAT BECAUSE THEY GET AWAY FROM THE CROSS, THEY FORGET ABOUT THE CROSS. THAT CROSS REMINDS US THAT SOMEBODY HAD TO DIE. THAT CROSS REMINDS US THAT THERE WAS A DEBT OF SIN THAT WAS OWED THAT WE, IN OUR HUMANITY, COULD NOT PAY FOR, OURSELVES. WE COULD NOT CANCEL THE DEBT OF SIN THAT WE OWED. NO MAN WILL EVER WORK LONG ENOUGH OR WORK HARD ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO UNDO THE SIN OF HIS LIFE. NOW, I KIND OF GOT A FEELING THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME FOLK SITTING THERE SAYING, "BUT PREACHER, I'M NOT THE SINNER YOU THINK I AM." I DON'T MEAN TO OFFEND YOU, BUT THIS IS GOING TO OFFEND SOME. YOU MAY BE A PERSON OF STRONG MORALS. YOU MAY BE A PERSON OF GREAT PRINCIPLE. AND YOU MAY NOT BE OUT THERE DOING A LOT OF THINGS THAT OTHERS ARE DOING. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOD, YOU'RE A SINNER. SIMPLE AS THAT, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE COMPLICATED. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THIS, IF YOU'VE NEVER ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE YOU, IF YOU'VE NEVER ASKED GOD TO COME INTO YOUR LIFE, I'M SORRY TO TELL YOU THIS, YOU'RE A SINNER. BUT I'VE GOT SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY A SINNER TODAY. THE ONLY THING YOU'VE GOT LACKING IN YOUR LIFE IS, CHRIST. AND IT'S A SIMPLE THING, IF YOU'LL BOW AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND ASK HIM TO COME, HE WILL COME AND HE WILL TOUCH YOUR LIFE. HE'LL FORGIVE YOU OF YOUR SINFULNESS AND HE'LL RECONCILE YOU UNTO HIMSELF. OH, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TODAY. YOU SEE, IF YOU GO BACK A FEW VERSES IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1, TO VERSE 14, YOU'LL HEAR SOMETHING ELSE THAT PAUL IS WRITING HERE AND I NEED TO SAY THIS VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME. BUT IN VERSE 14 IT SAYS, "IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD EVEN THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS." OH, THERE'S A VERSE YOU OUGHT TO MEMORIZE. YOU OUGHT TO TUCK IT DEEP INTO THE RECESSES OF YOUR HEART. IT'S IN HIM THAT WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS SHED BLOOD. WHERE WAS THAT BLOOD SPILT, IT WAS SPILT ON GOLGOTHA'S HILL. IT CAME ABOUT AS THE RESULT OF HIS DEATH ON THE OLD RUGGED CROSS OF CALVARY. NO FRIEND, THERE IS NEVER A TIME WHERE MANKIND CAN FORGET THE CROSS. AND BE WELL OFF BECAUSE OF IT. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE PRESENCE OF THE CROSS IN OUR LIFE IS WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE. AND THANK GOD, IT'S A WELL WORN PATH TO THE FOOT OF THAT OLD RUGGED CROSS. YOU MAY HAVE BEEN THERE A THOUSAND TIMES, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO GO BACK A THOUSAND AND ONE TIMES IF GOD TARRIES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THIS DAY. THERE'S NEVER A LIMIT PUT ON HOW MANY TIMES WE CAN VISIT THAT OLD RUGGED CROSS. AS OFTEN AS WE ARE WEAK, WE CAN GO BACK AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE US ONE MORE TIME. YOU SEE, IT'S THROUGH THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST THAT WE ARE RECONCILED UNTO GOD. THAT WORD, RECONCILIATION, THAT I DON'T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, IT DEALS WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD. IT DEALS WITH OUR ABILITY TO COME TO GOD FOR ALL THE NEEDS OF OUR LIFE. TODAY, ONCE AGAIN, I ASK YOU TO MAKE THE CHOICE OF THE CROSS. BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO BE CHANGED AND CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. DON'T LET DEATH CATCH YOU UNPREPARED. BUT BE PREPARED, BY COMING TO THE LORD, THROUGH THE OLD RUGGED CROSS TODAY. LET ME CLOSE IN A QUICK WORD OF PRAYER. HEAVENLY FATHER, WITHOUT A DOUBT YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO SOMEBODY'S LIFE TODAY. MAYBE THEY'RE HOVERING BETWEEN EARTH AND HEAVEN. I PRAY TODAY THAT YOU'LL HELP THEM TO MAKE THAT CONSCIOUS CHOICE OF ASKING YOU TO RECONCILE THEIR LIVES. LORD SAVE THEM TODAY I PRAY, IN JESUS' NAME WE ASK IT, AMEN.