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 The power of the Cross Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA April 2, 2006 Main Scripture text: 1 Corinthians 1:18 The cross is the symbol of the total and complete loss of everything -- including life itself. And yet, in the Cross of Christ, there is a mysterious power, a power than can transform human life. What kind of power is this? Where does it come from? First, the power of the Cross is magnetic power -- a power to attract. Jesus said that when He was "lifted up from the earth," he would draw all people to Himself. There is an unusual power attached to sacrifice. The power of sacrifice is one of, if not the, most powerful forces on this earth. Secondly, the power of the Cross is healing power. Sin always produces death -- and, yet, God did not create us to die. Death came because of sin. This is true physically and spiritually. It is sin that brought both physical death and spiritual death into the world. There is only one antidote -- look to the One hanging on the Cross. As we look to the Cross, the deadly poison of sin will be drained from our bodies. We will be healed and given new life. The crucifixion happened 2,000 years ago. So how does the world see Jesus lifted up today? The world sees Jesus lifted up through you and me, living sacrificially. People are drawn to Jesus by the sacrificial living of those who have experienced the life-transforming power of the Cross. Supporting texts: John 3:14-15 | John 12:32-33 | Numbers 21:4-9 | Luke 9:23 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (32 min.). (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 the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 060402a: The Power of the Cross. © 2006 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us