Welcome from Victory Church podcast; statement of mission: reaching the lost, restoring the broken, reviving believers.

Call to open Bibles to Galatians 6; affirmation of the power, authority, and reliability of God’s Word.

Sermon title and theme introduced: “The ultimate boast” – centering on the cross of Jesus Christ.

Brief overview of Paul as an apostle and missionary: sent by Christ, three missionary journeys, final journey to Rome, thousands of miles traveled.

Paul’s work: establishing churches, appointing leaders, testifying before rulers, writing about half the New Testament (13 letters).

Emphasis that Paul had an extraordinary “resume” of accomplishments.

Key verse: “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Point: Despite having much he could boast in, Paul chose to glory only in the cross.

Contrast with culture (ancient and modern) where people seek worth in achievements, wealth, status, and credentials.

Clarification that net worth does not equal self-worth; many wealthy, accomplished people still lack true value and identity.

Jeremiah’s warning:

Let not the wise glory in wisdom.

Let not the mighty glory in might.

Let not the rich glory in riches.

True glory: understanding and knowing the Lord who practices lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness.

Humanity’s tendency to boast in intellect, strength, and possessions contrasted with God’s values.

Paul lists his qualifications:

Circumcised the eighth day, of Israel, tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of Hebrews.

A Pharisee regarding the law, zealous (persecuting the church), outwardly blameless in legal righteousness.

Paul’s conclusion: what was gain he now counts as loss for Christ; all is “rubbish” compared to knowing Christ.

Illustration of “trophies” being swept into the garbage compared to the surpassing worth of Christ.

Story of James Dobson winning a state tennis championship, proudly displaying his trophy in school.

Years later the trophy is found in the trash; a janitor calls to ask if he wants it.

Lesson: what once seemed highly valuable becomes garbage; earthly honors are fleeting.

Application: anything not attached to Jesus Christ fades and loses significance.

Personal example: pastor’s brief media prominence during Israel war coverage—interviews, trending stories.

After a few days, the coverage disappears and must be searched for.

Broader examples:

Money sprouts wings and flies away.

Beauty, strength, popularity, trends, and influencer status all fade.

Even Christian trends, names, and songs move from top to bottom of the list.

Warning: if identity is tied to these things, life will be unstable—“up and then down.”

Reaffirmation of Paul’s statement: God forbid that I should boast in anything but the cross.

Scholar’s quote: the cross as the hinge of history, the hub of God’s purposes; OT prophets pointed to it, NT disciples proclaimed it.

Hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” cited to underline the cross as emblem of suffering, shame, salvation, and ultimate exchange for a crown.

Concern that contemporary church culture often downplays the cross, the blood, and Christ’s supremacy, exalting human philosophy and benefits instead.

Clarification of “mystery” in the biblical sense: a truth once hidden but now revealed.

The cross’ relevance to today:

Every good thing and spiritual blessing comes through the cross.

Apart from Christ’s death there is only judgment and condemnation.

Repeated call-and-response: “Because of the cross” applied to:

Every sin forgiven.

Every healing.

Every ministry, song, offering, and destiny fulfilled.

Reading 1 Corinthians 1:18–25:

The message of the cross is foolishness to those perishing but God’s power to those being saved.

God destroys worldly wisdom; through “foolish” preaching He saves believers.

Jews seek signs, Greeks seek wisdom, but the church preaches Christ crucified—stumbling block to Jews, foolishness to Greeks, but the power and wisdom of God to the called.

Warning against famine of hearing God’s Word in the last days; insistence that the church must keep proclaiming Scripture, not just short, story-only messages.

Paul’s approach in Corinth: not with excellence of speech or human wisdom.

Determination “to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Emphasis on weakness, fear, trembling; preaching in demonstration of the Spirit and power, so faith rests on God’s power, not human wisdom.

Critique of modern church gimmicks, sensationalism, and entertainment used to attract people.

Principle: what you win people with, you must keep supplying to keep them; only the cross and Christ are stable foundations.

Teaching: the value of something depends on who owns it and what someone will pay for it.

Illustration:

Ordinary sneakers vs. Michael Jordan’s sneakers valued much higher because of the owner.

Believers’ value because they are owned by Christ, bought with a price.

Baseball card story: selling sports cards to buy his wife’s engagement ring, showing how value is determined by what someone is willing to pay.

Scriptural basis: believers redeemed not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ; life is in the blood; without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Conclusion: our worth, significance, and purpose come from the cross and the blood of Jesus, not from worldly systems.

Warning against grounding identity in titles (even “pastor”), roles, or what people say.

People are fickle: they can shout “Hosanna” one day and “Crucify him” the next.

Admission that the pastor still struggles with this but must continually return to the cross and the Father’s love.

Call for the congregation to avoid judging quickly, recognizing everyone has issues.

Exhortation: find identity in Christ and His work on the cross when all external things are stripped away.

Contrast of Christianity with other religions (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, Buddhism, Islam):

Other systems focus on what adherents must do and become.

The gospel centers on what Christ has done.

Example from Acts 16: jailer asks, “What must I do to be saved?” Answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” not a list of works.

The cross as the only ground of boasting because we contributed nothing to it; all glory goes to God.

Statement that the cross’ power to deliver, heal, and set free never diminishes.

Reference to Philippians 3: Paul has not arrived but presses on by grace.

Encouragement: no believer has “arrived”; we all press on because of the cross’ power.

Allusion to hymn: the blood reaches the highest mountain, flows to the lowest valley, and gives strength day by day.

Appeal to those who have never fully accepted Jesus or the work of the cross.

Explanation: salvation is by faith—repenting, believing in what Jesus did on our behalf.

Assertion: there is real power in the cross and the blood to change lives.

Quotation: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not…the wrath of God abides on him.”

The cross shows both God’s wrath against sin (someone had to die) and His love for us (Christ taking our place).

Call for a response: raising hands to indicate need for grace, then coming forward publicly to seal the decision.

Assurance: they are only being asked to believe and receive, not perform.

Closing with worship focused on the cross and thanksgiving for Christ’s sacrifice, plus practical church information (Victory Church address).