Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO Living in the shadow of the Cross Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA March 16, 2003 Main Scripture text: Mark 8:31-38. In the first part of Mark 8, things are going well for Jesus and the disciples: healings, deliverances, incredible crowds. But then Jesus speaks plainly to the 12 disciples. To paraphrase: "Fellas, we are living in the shadow of the cross." The disciples couldn't understand that. They were seeing the ministry grow. Now Jesus was talking about suffering, rejection, death. He was talking about what seemed to them to be failure. The reality is that suffering and sacrifice are inherent in the gospel. In this passage, Jesus defines that in terms of denial of self and losing our lives. In our day, many people believe that the Church will be raptured -- taken out of the world -- before the tribulation comes, so that we won't have to face the outbreak of evil that will come upon the world in the last days. Others believe that the church will stay here through the tribulation, but will be taken out before the wrath of God is poured out. I'm not sure which side is right. All I know is that if God calls me to live through times of trouble and persecution, that's His business. Jesus is Lord of my life. Whatever He calls me to go through, I'm believing He'll give me the grace to stand firm. Pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, whatever; it's just doesn't matter to me. As Colossians 3:3 says, I'm already dead and my life is hid with God in Christ. I'm living in the shadow of the cross. I'm not my own, I've been bought at a price. Can you say with a sincere heart that you are ready to live -- or to suffer and die -- for Jesus and His kingdom? If not, the time is now to make that commitment and let Jesus be Lord of your life. Supporting texts: Hebrews 2:14-15 | Romans 8:35-39 | 1 Corinthians 15:22-26 | John 15:18-20 | 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 | Colossians 3:3 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here. (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of this sermon is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 030316a: Living in the Shadow of the Cross. © 2003 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us