Alistair Begg, in his sermon “The Power and Message of the Cross,” on one of the most moving stories in history.
This clip is only three minutes, but infinitely beautiful.
Begg imagines a scenario whereby the thief on the cross is grilled by an angel upon entry into paradise.
The gist:
Angel: Did you believe in this particular doctrine, or that one, or that one, or that one?
The Thief: (Clueless) What?
Angel: Well, on what basis are you here?
The Thief: The Man on the Middle Cross said I can come.
Begg continues: “That is the only answer, and if I don’t preach the Gospel to myself all day and every day, then I will find myself beginning to trust myself, trust my experience.
… If I take my eyes off the cross, I can then give only lip service to its efficacy, while at the same time living as if my salvation depends on me.
And as soon as you go there, it will lead you either to abject despair or a horrible kind of arrogance.
And it is only the cross of Christ that deals with the depths of despair and the pretentious arrogance of the pride of man that says, ‘I can figure this out’.”
Beautiful.
Now please note.
When Begg speaks of the “depths of despair,” that’s a spiritual kind of despair over our salvation.
It’s quite different from the despair that originates from clinical depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.
So I will add the postscript that I always add because too many churches out there want to make any despair you experience all about your spirituality.
When, in fact, it most often originates outside of it.
So…
Find a psychiatrist here.
Find a therapist here.
But yes, you can only find salvation through the man on the middle cross.
