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GLORYING IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST
INTRODUCTION
We live in a time when many have embraced the world’s methods, the world’s values, the world’s agenda, the world’s theology, and the world’s wisdom. Many in the realm of professing Christians no longer believe in the power of the gospel of Christ. They think it’s the sleek way we present our message, our dazzling use of technology to create an atmosphere, the tremendous musical performances that we have to stir our feelings, the smooth way in which we remove the offense of the cross, the many programs we have that is going to make us more appealing to the world. We above all things want to be contemporary and relevant. However, the preaching of the cross has never been appealing to the world. Yet, the Scriptures declare that the preaching of the cross is the wisdom of God and the power of God. Paul said “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those that believe.” The preaching of the cross is a simple message about God’s grace and love, but it is an essential message. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and yet loses his own soul? One day, if the Lord delays his return, each of us will die. Then will we know how important it was to preach the glorious gospel of how that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Then will we truly glory in the Cross of Christ. It is my prayer that something written here will cause someone to preach or teach the gospel more often, more completely, more fervently, and more lovingly, because He is worthy and the needs of sinners are great. Others have written with more beauty, more power, and more clarity than have I. How I rejoice in men like Spurgeon, Ryle, Bonar, Lloyd-Jones, Baxter, Pink, McGee, and more modern writers like Wiersbe, Piper, and Boyd. I am sure I have borrowed heavily from many who have gone before. I am grateful for the ministries of Bros. B. A. Wilson, Harace Hammond, E. R. Henderson, M. E. Wright, A. M. Overton, Norris Corley, Charles Ellis and D. C. Hartley. I am thankful for the men of the North Central and Northeast Mississippi Pastors’ conferences and Miss Ione Henderson who have been such a blessing to me by their love of the gospel, and who have encouraged me to write. I am thankful for the opportunity I had in Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary to sit in Dr. Roy Beaman’s and Dr. Jimmy Millikin’s classes among others. I also express my deep appreciation to my parents Ernest and Sarah Windham who taught me to love the gospel. I wish to express my appreciation to my wife Pat for her patient endurance and encouragement while I was writing these articles. I also wish to express my thanks to Mrs. Dianne Parker for her critique and review of “Glorying in the Cross” and a few other articles. The errors you find in this manuscript are mine, not hers. I am thankful for Dr. Charles Blair, of Clinton, Kentucky who reviewed “Glorying in the Cross”. I am also thankful for dear friends like Lloyd and Merle McCurdy who offered advice and actually keyed several of the articles. Finally, I am grateful for the people of Calvary Baptist Church who have graciously listened to me since I preached my first message to them in 1975. If you find any thing of value in these articles, feel free to use them and improve upon them as the Lord leads. The story of the cross of Christ is inexhaustible. May we always be “Glorying in the Cross of Christ”.
Larry Windham
Last revised on 02/06/2008
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