RALLY ROUND THE CROSS

This concludes this series

Text: Psa 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

Psa 20:5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

Intro: There is a Monument on a Civil War Battlefield to a regimental color bearer. He was told to “Bring the colors back to the regiment.” His response; “Bring the regiment back to the colors!”

I Rallying points of history
A. Israel around the Ark.
B. Armies around brave soldiers.
David’s ‘mighty’ men
II Sam 23:8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
C. Memories of tragic events.
‘Remember the Alamo’; ‘Remember Pearl Harbor’ etc.
D. The national banner.
Our flag; Our national anthem; All the war memorials; etc.
Men are not so good as rallying points as are banners, because men may fall, but banners can be picked up and carried on by others!
E. Then there are the pitiful rallies commemorating failure.
The Edsel rally

II The success of our service will be determined by that around which we rally.
A. social events? The first church fuss arose around the question of who was getting the most to eat
Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

B. The financial success of the church?
Judas was more concerned with money than with the Lord and finally sold him out
C. The personality cult behind a charismatic leader?
I Cor 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
When the man is gone, what happens to the followers?
D. A denominational program or some type of promotion?
1. Help us meet our quota? Then what?
2. Help me win a contest. Then go to hell?
3. Everyone has a chance to win a prize! When the prizes are gone, what will you do for an encore?
E. Some single doctrinal position? Any single truth can become a grievous error if used to blot out other truths!

III RALLY ‘ROUND THE CROSS!
A. Here, we can renew our zeal for lost souls.
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
B. Here, we can learn the thrill of Bible Study with the cross as the center of every teaching
I Cor 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

II Tim 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
C. It will help us become enthused about the church.
1. Its purchase price --the cross
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
2. Its purpose
Lu 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Jno 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

3. Its power - the cross
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

I Cor 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

I Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
4. Its promise of victory - the cross
a. Over Satan;
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
b. Over death;
I Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The victory of identification
I Jno 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.