For the message of the cross
is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved,
it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
Jesus was born to go to the cross. Jesus said, The Son of Man did not come to be serve, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).
You were re-born to lead other people to the cross. You are called to preach Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23, 2:2) to others.
I hope this Rest Stop encourages you in your ministry of the cross! There is no greater call, no greater ministry!
LEADING A NON-BELIEVER
TO THE SAVING POWER OF THE CROSS
Salvation means having your sins forgiven and being declared righteous by holy God. The basis for salvation by grace is Christ died for you on the cross.
You as a believer are called to lead non-believers to Christ Himself on the cross for them. The Holy Spirit will point out their sins so that they will see the need for a Savior.
Salvation is the initial personal encounter with Jesus Christ!
LEADING A BELIEVER
TO THE LIVING REALITY OF THE CROSS
Sanctification means being set apart by God for His holy purposes. The basis for sanctification by grace is you died with Christ on the cross.
A believer is sanctified completely in his identity at the moment of salvation as his old sinful identity is crucified with Christ and he is re-born a new identity in Christ!
On an ever growing basis, the believer is also sanctified in his thinking and behavior as he learns to walk according to his new identity.
The ministry of discipleship is not about equipping fellow believers to be committed to God. The ministry of discipleship is all about leading fellow believers to surrender to God all that is not part of his new identity.
God leads each of His children to a place of brokenness where he surrenders to God his former fleshly ways of thinking. As a result, the believer is edified in his thinking and subsequent behavior by the same power of the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead!
Sanctification is the on-going personal fellowship with Jesus Christ in the power of His resurrection (Philippians 3:10).
The good news of the gospel is that what you could never do for yourself, Jesus did for you at the cross in both saving you and in sanctifying you!
My friend and mentor John Best well notes, "If you only know that Christ died for you and you don't know you also died with Him, you will struggle with an identity that you will (falsely) think is repugnant to God...and you won't realize you have really been transformed."
In addition, you will not realize the intimacy you really have with Christ.
I think the precious testimony in the PS section below might be a helpful description of what I am trying to get out of my heart and into words in this Rest Stop. :)
I pray you will know the joy of the Lord in your journey this week as you fix your eyes upon Jesus who for the joy set before Him endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2).
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The Ministry of the Cross 
