The Beauty of the Cross.
The sermon emphasizes the importance of the cross in our lives, teaching us wisdom, spiritual growth, and the value of quiet submission to God's sovereignty.
Francois Fenelon preaches about the beauty and virtue found in suffering, emphasizing the transformative power of the cross in our lives. He reflects on the initial agony and struggle of enduring suffering, but acknowledges the wisdom and admiration gained from overcoming it. Fenelon encourages embracing the cross as a means of drawing closer to God, whether in life or death, as it signifies living or dying for the Lord.
Text
LETTER III.
The beauty of the cross.
I cannot but wonder at the virtue that lies in suffering; we are worth nothing without the cross. I tremble and am in an agony while it lasts, and all my conviction of its salutary effects vanish under the torture, but when it is over, I look back at it with admiration, and am ashamed that I bore it so ill. This experience of my folly is a deep lesson of wisdom to me.
Whatever may be the state of your sick friend, and whatever the issue of her disease, she is blessed in being so quiet under the hand of God. If she die, she dies to the Lord; if she live, she lives to Him. Either the cross or death, says St. Theresa.
Nothing is beyond the necessity of the cross but the established kingdom of God; when we bear it in love, it is his kingdom begun, with which we must remain satisfied while it is his pleasure. You have need of the cross as well as I. The faithful Giver of every good gift distributes them to each of us with his own hand, blessed be his name! Ah! how good it is to be chastened for our profit!
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The Virtue of Suffering - The Importance of the Cross
- II points: - The Value of Quiet Submission - The Lord's Sovereignty in Suffering
- III points: - The Necessity of the Cross - The Kingdom of God in Suffering
Key Quotes
“We are worth nothing without the cross.” — Francois Fenelon
“When we bear it in love, it is his kingdom begun, with which we must remain satisfied while it is his pleasure.” — Francois Fenelon
Application Points
- We must learn to submit to God's will, even in suffering, and trust in His sovereignty.
- The cross is a reminder of God's love and a means of spiritual growth and transformation.
- We must remain satisfied with God's will, even when it is difficult, and trust in His goodness.