Jeremy Utley - Despising the Shame of the Cross

Jeremy UtleyDecember 15, 202111mWatch on YouTube

In this collectionJeremy Utley130 messages

Speaker: Jeremy Utley Title: Despising the Shame of the Cross Date: 12/14/21 Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29) We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3) We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Summary

The sermon explores what it means to 'despise the shame of the cross,' drawing parallels from Jesus' suffering to teach believers to prioritize God's pleasure above all else. Jesus despised the shame associated with physical discomfort, loss of self-respect, and injustice, ultimately enduring the greatest shame—the displeasure of the Father. The central message is that true discipleship involves training oneself to value God's pleasure so highly that earthly comforts, rights, and self-regard become insignificant.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

Fixing our eyes on Jesus in Hebrews 12Hebrews 12 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before him endured the cross and despised its shame.

1. Physical comfortJesus endured being scourged, crowned with thorns, beaten on the head, and crucified, considering his physical comfort as nothing.

2. Self-respectJesus was stripped of his garments and mocked by passersby and chief priests, yet he regarded his self-respect as nothing.

3. Rightful justiceThough Pilate acknowledged he had done nothing wrong, Jesus suffered wrongful punishment without demanding his rights, despising that shame.

Why did Jesus despise the shame?Jesus regarded external punishments as nothing because his greatest focus was on the true punishment: the displeasure of his Father.

Learning through life's hidden years and trialsJesus learned to treasure his Father's pleasure during his hidden years, overcoming temptations regarding physical comfort, respect, and rights long before the cross.

Our temptations as trainingEvery denial of our flesh, such as sickness or the temptation to indulge in self-pity, is an opportunity to learn to despise the shame just as Jesus did.

Making the Father's pleasure our realityJust as Jesus learned to value his Father's pleasure above comfort and rights, we should desire that our Father's happiness be the predominant reality of our lives.

Why Jesus endured the ultimate punishmentChrist died once for all, the just for the unjust, specifically to bring us to God.1 Peter 3:18

No longer living for ourselvesBeing brought to God means we stop living for our own comfort, respect, and rights, and instead live entirely for him.

Sitting down at the right hand of GodBy the power of the same Holy Spirit, we can follow Jesus as our forerunner, despising the shame to sit down and enjoy our Father's approval and love.

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Jeremy Utley - Despising the Shame of the Cross

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