Living by the Cross and by Faith.
To live by the cross and by faith means to accept that everything in life is a challenge or a burden that must be borne with peace, trusting in God's secret compassion.
Francois Fenelon preaches about living by the cross and by faith, emphasizing that everything in life is a cross to bear, often filled with bitterness and challenges that must be faced with peace. He encourages trusting in God to spare us from unnecessary suffering, as He knows our needs and provides unseen support amidst our trials. Fenelon highlights the paradox of living a life of faith, which he describes as the most profound form of death.
Text
LETTER XII.
Living by the cross and by faith.
Everything is a cross; I have no joy but bitterness; but the heaviest cross must be borne in peace. At times it can neither be borne nor dragged; we can only fall down beneath it, overwhelmed and exhausted. I pray that God may spare you as much as possible in apportioning your suffering; it is our daily bread; God alone knows how much we need; and we must live in faith upon the means of death, confident, though we see it not, that God, with secret compassion, proportions our trials to the unperceived succor that He administers within. This life of faith is the most penetrating of all deaths.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Cross as a Reality in Life
- A. Everything is a cross
- B. Joy is replaced with bitterness
- C. The cross must be borne in peace
- II. The Weight of the Cross
- A. The cross can be overwhelming
- B. We must fall down beneath it
- III. God's Provision in Suffering
- A. God knows our needs
- B. God administers secret succor
- C. Trials are proportioned to our needs
Key Quotes
“Everything is a cross; I have no joy but bitterness; but the heaviest cross must be borne in peace.” — Francois Fenelon
“This life of faith is the most penetrating of all deaths.” — Francois Fenelon
Application Points
- You must learn to bear your cross in peace, trusting that God knows your needs and administers trials that are proportioned to the unperceived succor that He provides.
- The life of faith is the most penetrating of all deaths, where you live upon the means of death, confident in God's secret compassion.
- You must fall down beneath your overwhelming suffering, trusting in God's secret compassion and His provision in your life.