Bill Johnson - The Beauty of the Cross
Why would Jesus make Judas the treasurer? Some would say it’s to expose him. I’m not so sure; Jesus tends to promote us into positions and places where we have the opportunity to deal with our issues. I was chuckling at Christie’s questions, where every answer was Jesus, which reminds me of a Sunday school class with a bunch of little kids. The Sunday school teacher asked the question, «What’s gray, stands about this tall, and has a long bushy tail?» The kids were completely quiet. She said, «Come on, you guys know. Gray, about this tall, long bushy tail. It eats nuts.» Kids are quiet. «This tall, long bushy tail climbs trees.» One kid goes, «I know the answer is supposed to be Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me.» For those of you raised in church, that joke makes a lot of sense. If you weren’t, you missed the blessing.
I saw this one recently: «I had it right here and it got raptured. Oh, there it is. I’m so sorry, it did get—no, there it is! Thank you, Lord.» Brain cells die, skin cells die, even hair cells die, but fat cells apparently have accepted Jesus because they live forever! For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health, which is a relief to know after all these conflicting nutritional studies: Number one, the Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English. Number two, the Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English. Number three, the Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English. Number four, the Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English. Number five, the Germans drink a lot of beer, eat a lot of sausages and fats, and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English. Conclusion: Your diet isn’t what kills you. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.
Alright, never mind that. Grab your Bibles and open to Matthew 26. I have quite a different word than I normally bring. I’ve got several verses here that I feel I have the time to look up. I’ve got them ready. Jesus never invited anyone to follow him so they would be blessed. He never used prosperity; he never used success. He didn’t come to the political zealot and say, «Follow me, and I’ll make you successful as a great politician.» He didn’t come to Peter and say, «I’ll make you the most blessed fisherman ever if you follow me.» He didn’t entice anyone with blessing to follow him, which is fascinating because his kingdom carries such a boatload of blessing.
It reminds me of Jesus saying there’s a straight and narrow way into the kingdom; it’s a narrow road. Jesus himself is the door, and it’s a narrow road that leads into the kingdom. Once you’re in the kingdom, the kingdom is very vast and very broad, but the entrance is only one way, and it’s the entrance of discipleship; it’s the entrance of the cross, embracing what is foolishness to all who are without Christ. Paul says in Corinthians that he preaches the cross, which is foolishness to those who are perishing, but yet it’s the wisdom of God to those who are being saved. I love that phrase, «being saved,» because I was saved, but I’m also being saved, and someday I will be saved. It’s this three-dimensional salvation that is absolutely the heart of the Gospel.
I was saved X amount of years ago when I gave my life to Christ, but there is work going on right now where I’m being saved, and someday I will see him face to face, and he will complete what was started. Now, in this talk that I want to do today, I’m going to bring up an unusual story that we’re familiar with: the betrayal of Judas. The context for the betrayal, I have to be honest with you, I’ve been reading and studying this for a lifetime—since I was 18—and I’ve never seen it before.
So let’s take a look at it. Matthew 26. Did I tell you where? No, Matthew 26. How many of you are already there? I want to see how many prophetic people are there. There are quite a few of you; that’s good! Some of you are already there—but that’s kind of frightening to me. I did say the chapter but not the verse. You guys are starting to scare me!
In the early days of the renewal, we would discuss things in private as a staff; we’d make plans, and somebody in the church would have some dream. We couldn’t do anything because the Lord would tell everybody the secrets that we had as a staff. We’d go, «Come on, can we keep a few secrets?»
Alright, Matthew 26, verse 1: «It came to pass when Jesus had finished all these sayings that he said to his disciples, 'You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.'» Take a look at verse 2 again: «You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.»
Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill him. Jump down to verse 14: «Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 'What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you? ' And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.»
Let’s take a look at the context here. What are the disciples anticipating with Jesus? We see it in their dialogues. We see it in James and John’s mother talking to Jesus, «Can my boys sit at your right hand and your left?» They are all vying for a political posture of power. They are looking for Israel to be vindicated and restored to a place of prominence, and can I say—a place of political prominence and power? They are each looking because they are disciples of Jesus; they will be brought into this empire of rule and will each have their place of influence and significance. When did Judas betray Jesus? Well, they finally realized it’s not going to happen that way, and he left his place of political prominence.
Selfish ambition undermines discipleship and actually sets us up for betrayal. The sobering part of the story, which we don’t have time to look at all of it, but the sobering part is that all of the disciples abandoned Jesus at his moment. Peter was the most vocal; the one that had no return was Judas, but they all had some measure of betrayal. I’d like to suggest that when they lost their place, their position, their prominence, they suddenly had to apply the concept of the cross differently than they had expected.
I’m reminded of what I think is a funny story. Anyway, a guy is climbing this cliff, and he gets up so far that he knows he can’t go back down, but he’s afraid he’s going to die if he tries to climb any higher. He just kind of gets stuck and cries out for help, and a voice comes back and says, «Yes, this is the Lord; I’m here to help you.» He says, «What do I do?» and the Lord says, «Let go.» First. He yells out, «Is there anyone else up there? Do I have any other options?»
Most of us, our concept of the cross is self-inflicted instead of embracing the circumstances of life that require something from us that we do not expect. Jesus did not hang himself on the cross; he did not crucify himself, nor did he raise himself from the dead. It’s important to remember that because while the life of resurrection is the Christian life, you only get there through the cross. It’s a daily expression of surrender that invites the spirit of resurrection. The spirit of resurrection is not at our disposal in the sense that I can direct it or control it at will, say, «I will now have the spirit of resurrection of my finances» or «the blessing of the Lord on my family,» or whatever. It’s not in my control. What’s in my control is surrender; creating a platform for the spirit of resurrection to come and do something in and through me that testifies of grace.
But Jesus gave himself to crucifixion, to a cross, to death, trusting he would be raised. He did not lay there for three days going, «Yeah, it should be about time to get up.» He did not raise himself; he was resurrected by the spirit of resurrection through the Father. That is perhaps the best, the ultimate illustration of the crosswalk of a disciple. Here’s the fascinating part of this journey for me.
Actually, there are two things that I want to point to. The first is found in the verses between what I read where Jesus announced the crucifixion and Judas’s betrayal. I want you to look at that part of the story. It’s in verse 6: «When Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.» When his disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, «Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.» Jump down to the last half of verse 13: «What this woman has done,» Jesus says, «will be told as a memorial to her.»
I personally think you’ll be able to review that story in heaven, and I think the Lord will throw out eternity, unveiling layer after layer of the beauty of sacrificial love that this woman offered to honor Jesus at his death and his burial. It says the disciples raised a voice in complaint about this waste. Unbelief will always evaluate extravagant giving as waste. This gift that was given was equal to a year’s income—we’ve heard this countless times. A year’s worth of income, and this woman takes it and pours it out, and the disciples begin to bicker. «Why this waste?» John chapter 12 tells us it was actually Judas who led the charge as he complained against this woman who wasted a year’s worth of income.
The illustration is to say, as everybody watches $50,000 evaporate before their eyes, there was only one person in the room that celebrated at the moment and understood. Two celebrated: the woman and Jesus. But sometimes you do things honestly for an audience of one; it’s only for Him, and only He gets it. John 12 says Judas was the one who complained against this offering, this sacrifice, and it says it’s because Judas was a thief and he wanted that to be sold, put in the treasury because he was the treasurer, and he would steal money from the treasury for himself.
It’s fascinating to me how morality demands expression. Here we have somebody with secret sin, taking money that was given to Jesus, personally holding it off for themselves, and pointing at the waste of someone else. Hidden sin invites the spirit of accusation. Why? Because there’s something in us that morality values demand expression. You’ll see it, maybe a silly example, but you’ll see it with the mafia as they contend for family; unrighteous lifestyle, righteous position. Or those who are the strongest in promoting abortion will defend the right of the baby whale or something else. It’s not to mock the animal rights thing; it’s to say there’s something broken, and oftentimes people will try to cover it with a righteous expression.
We saw it back in the '80s as different Christian leaders, the strongest who would criticize immorality, were themselves the ones practicing hidden sin. It doesn’t mean we don’t address these issues at all; it just means it needs to come out of our obedience, not our effort to silence our shame. I find it humorous, although I’ve made these mistakes myself, how some people will confess their sin. For example, if Jesus convicts you of being lazy, instead of saying to your friend, «I need you to pray for me; I’m lazy,» what we say is, «I need you to pray for me; I lack discipline.»
Jesus never convicts for lack; he convicts for something that’s wrong, and true confession owns up to the whole picture. It doesn’t try to make a soft edge so that I look better. Have you ever apologized to somebody? I remember as a young man coming to somebody apologizing, saying, «God has really convicted me, and I need to apologize to you. I said something harsh. Please forgive me.» Why did I need to say God has really convicted me? Because I want to appear spiritual, that even in my sin, I am a strong spiritual person.
Are you getting this? There is this effort to protect ourselves, and what we are actually doing is protecting ourselves from the full effect of the cross because it’s the genuine cross that leads to genuine resurrection. I’ve got this passage for you in Philippians chapter 3. If you want to turn there, you guys alright? Everybody’s still breathing? Good! It’s helpful; I hate when people stop breathing in the middle of a message—it messes everything up completely! Don’t laugh; I had it happen once; it was way overrated.
Philippians 3:18: «For many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross.» Alright, so what does it look like? What are the traits, the characteristics of an enemy of the cross? Let me read this verse for you out of Corinthians. «The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.» The word of the cross is avoided by countless numbers of people because of its absolute foolishness, and yet it is the power of God.
Can I say that preaching the cross attracts the demonstration of power because it’s the authentic Gospel? Do you understand with me that Revelation talks about the Lamb of God sitting on the throne? He’s also the lion, but the lamb, the sacrificial lamb that went to the cross, will be the one seen as reigning over the throne of all for all eternity. Why? Because we never leave the significance and beauty of the cross. Verse 18 again: «For many walk, of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things.»
I want to go through these three things: God is their belly; their belly is their God; their mind is set on earthly things. The second one is that their glory is their shame. Let’s talk about these three for a moment. Whose God is their belly? What does that mean? It means they are controlled and driven by natural appetite, not for eternal appetite. Yes, it’s very clear in Scripture. The thought processes of one who is being transformed by Christ, none of us have arrived; we’re all on the way. But one of the evidences of the process of those who are being discipled in Christ is that we more and more begin to think of eternity and live for that one thing.
So whose God is their belly? It’s the appetite, the natural appetites of life controlling that person’s life. If you’re born again, then you have a different nature.
Yes, and then he says, «Whose glory is in their shame?» This is interesting because you and I were all designed to live in the actual manifest glory of God, the presence of God. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It was the design, the target. Every one of us is created seamlessly to interact with the glory of God; it’s the way we’re wired. Everything about our personality, all the stuff that’s not a part of Christ—obviously—that’s what gets discipled off of us. But we, in our heart of hearts, are designed to live in the glory. This verse seems to imply there’s only one of two options: the glory or shame.
Shame is why Judas would point to waste. It’s because he’s been stealing for three and a half years. Why would Jesus make Judas the treasurer? Some would say, «Well, to expose him.» I’m not so sure; Jesus tends to promote us into positions and places where we have the opportunity to deal with our stuff. I’d like to suggest that he put Judas in that position so that he could see what he brought to the table when he said yes to follow Jesus. Not all promotions come because you earn them; oftentimes you get a grace promotion because he gives us an opportunity to deal with the stuff.
And then the last phrase: «who set their mind on earthly things.» The cross, the lifestyle of the cross, is actually seen by how a person thinks. This is not just a random reference—enemies of the cross, whose mind is not set on the things of God; that’s not just a random phrase. We find the exact same concept in Matthew 16 when Jesus again previously mentioned the cross to his disciples. When he was talking to them about what he would suffer, Peter took him aside and rebuked him. Not a good plan; not a good idea to rebuke God.
He takes Jesus aside and rebukes him. Why? Because the cross made no sense for their appetite. The cross interrupted what they were hungering for. Anytime the cross interrupts what you’re hungry for, you have the wrong appetite. And the Lord, in his mercy, shifts and changes those moments so that we take the passion that we had for this and are able to redirect it towards something that’s eternal.
So Peter rebukes Jesus, and Jesus says to him, «Get behind me, Satan.» Jesus was so affirming, «Get behind me, Satan.» No fluff talk in that conversation! «Get behind me, Satan.» And then he says this: «because your mind is not set on the things of God; your mind is set on the things of man.»
So follow this reasoning: «Get behind me, Satan, because your mind is not set on the things of God.» What’s the issue of the cross here? Jesus brought up the cross, and Peter rebuked because it upset their plan. And then Jesus goes right towards the mind. He goes right to the way of thinking, saying, «Your mind is set on the things of man, not the things of God.»
Get behind me, Satan. Your mind is set on the things of man. Humanity, without Christ at the center, is demonic in nature. It’s not a gray area; it’s black and white. That’s the challenge of the cross, as the cross makes everything black and white.
So in Matthew 16, he says, «Get behind me, Satan; your mind is set on the things of man, not the things of God.» And here he describes those who are enemies of the cross as people who do not have their mind set on the things of God.
Let me put it this way: the cross is an endurance thing, right? I mean, day after day, you make decisions that are painful to make. What enables a person to endure the tough choices is a mindset on eternity, on the things of God. It keeps things in perspective. It’s what Jesus used for the joy set before him, he endured the cross. He kept something in front of him that made this impossibility doable.
This renewing of the mind is actually the expression of the effect of the cross on a person’s heart. The effect of the cross on a person’s mind is that somehow, I’m thinking differently than everyone else, unreasonably so compared to how they evaluate it, but actually it’s the mind of Christ because it keeps eternity in perspective.
The interesting part of this journey we have is that our life is filled with blessing; however, I can’t put myself in God’s position, but I try for a moment to just be thankful I’m not. Half—I was going to say some of you would be in trouble! Yes, I’m teasing, I’m trying to play.
So think for a minute. You want so much to bless, but you know for some, the greater the blessing, the more they are trained to have their belly as their God. Did that make any sense to anybody? It’s like, I want favor and blessing increase, but I can’t do it beyond what they have their mindset on eternity, for I can’t go beyond that because it will recalibrate their value system to pursue natural things above spiritual things.
That’s the challenge; it’s the challenge of blessing! It’s why Jesus, that cornerstone passage in Matthew 6:33, clarifies the entire storyline for me. He says, «Seek first the kingdom, and all these things will be added.» This supreme value as number one—I’ll take care of the other stuff. But as soon as I shift my appetite from the kingdom to its benefits, I lose both.
I believe so much that the Lord wants to demonstrate his heart, his nature as a perfect Father. Most of the time, nine times out of ten, maybe 99 times out of 100, when I talk about the subject, I emphasize what God wants to do in and through us to reveal the nature of the Father to a community. I believe in that; I preach it, and I’ll probably do that next time. But right now, this is what gets you there.
It’s the yes to God, no matter what. Let me put it this way: Jesus gives himself to die on a cross knowing he can’t raise himself. What is obedience? Obedience is putting myself in a position where I cannot fix the problem. I am so deep into it that only God can deliver; only God can rescue; only He can save me in this situation.
It’s not an invitation for foolishness; it’s an invitation for obedience. It’s the cross! I love the hard verses of the Bible. I love the ones that just get in your face and growl at you. I’m not going to skip over them; I refuse to skip over them. I don’t want no angel showing up in my room and reading the verses that I refuse to read during the day.
So I’m reading this: Jesus put it this way. This was his invitation to eternal life: «If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.»
«What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul?» That’s what I like the most: «What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul?» What will a man give in exchange for his soul?
«For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then repay every man according to his deeds.» That’s the words of Jesus! Remember, the one that everyone says is a good teacher, that guy—the one who is gracious to the poor, to the sick, to the dying—was also very clear about what it meant to follow.
And that’s it! The crosswalk goes through the brain; it goes to the mind; it goes through the value system we have as people considering eternity. The moment where I stand before him… forgive me; my example is just fresh on my mind. My wife, of course, died here six plus months ago. One day she was the owner of all the clothes in her closet; the next day they didn’t belong to anyone.
It’s stuff like that. You see, Dave, today—oh here’s the computer! Yeah, couldn’t go with her! None of the stuff that helped reinforce her quality of life was transferable. None of it! It all ended. Our life is made up of so much stuff, and I’m thankful when that stuff is from the Lord because he said, «The blessing of the Lord comes to a person, and there’s no sorrow attached.»
There’s no balloon payment; there’s no «You’re going to regret this later.» It’s none of that stuff! But the stuff that gets added to our life that has attachments just drains on the soul, and it’s the cross that keeps us healthy. The cross keeps us in a place where every additional thing he adds stirs up my affection for him. Every additional bit of favor or challenge or difficulty draws me close to the one who ensures that the cross is followed by the only one who can bring resurrection.
It’s the life of the believer. Please stand.
The Passion Translation version: «Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place; it’s a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.»
The cross displays the beauty of perfect love. That’s what makes it so effective. Perfect love. Jesus didn’t hang himself on a cross. What we do is we hold high the standard of love. How can I love this person best? The cross.
So, Father, help, please. Now we do pray; we pray once again for the grace for what you’ve declared in your word about the beauty of this crosswalk. I thank you; I thank you for the privilege.
I need to ask a question. I know there is a high chance there could be people in the room that do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s the most important thing that can happen all day long. Jesus invites disciples the same way today as he did two thousand years ago. It’s those who choose not to fight to protect their life but to actually give it and follow it.
If there’s anybody in this room that would say, «I don’t know what it is to be forgiven of sin. I don’t know what it is to be brought into God’s family. I don’t know what it is to be born again, but I want to.» If that’s you, put a hand up right where you are, and we’re just going to pray for you and make this the best day of your life. Real quickly, put your hand up.
We have people—let’s welcome our online family; bless you guys! We have numerous people that receive Christ constantly online. I encourage you just to put in the chat. «I want to follow Jesus.»
Is there anyone at all? Was there somebody over here? I’m going to ask you and anyone else that would join. We’ve got some folks up here that we know and trust that I want to be able to talk with you and pray with you. So if you brought this gentleman as a friend, walk him down there.
I want to ask the ministry team to come to the front. Jonathan wants to come and wrap this up. Hold your places; that really helps us out. But ministry team, come and get ready to pray for people.