'The Key to Life'
The cross is the only true key to life, unlocking the doors to some of life's greatest mysteries and revealing God's nature.
Selwyn Hughes emphasizes the uniqueness of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, highlighting how it stands out in absolute uniqueness compared to other religions. He reflects on the redemptive mystery of the cross that magnetized his heart since his conversion, expressing gratitude for the key to life that the cross represents. Hughes acknowledges the cross as the only true key that unlocks life's greatest mysteries, including the profound nature of God's eternal love.
Text
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ ..." (v. 14)
For reading & meditation:
Galatians 6:1-18
Whenever I hear a person saying that all religions are the same, my mind runs immediately to the cross. If what is found here is true (and I believe it is), and represents the meaning of life, then clearly all religions are not the same. No authentic note of divine self-sacrifice comes from other faiths. The cross stands out in absolute uniqueness. As Toplady put it in his beautiful hymn: In the Cross of Christ I glory, Towering o'er the wrecks of time, All the light of sacred story Gathered round its head sublime. For weeks and months after I became a Christian I wondered why anyone should preach anything except the cross. The redemptive glowing mystery of it took hold of me in the early days of my conversion, and I think I can honestly say it has never ceased to magnetize my heart. Among the ancient inscriptions and paintings on the tombs of Egyptian kings, so I am told, one finds everywhere the symbol of the key of life. Strangely enough, it is in the form of a cross. Christ's cross is the only true key to life. This and this alone unlocks the doors to some of life's greatest mysteries. Other religions try, sometimes with great sincerity, to unlock the doors to these profound mysteries, but they are unsuccessful because they do not have the right key. They do not have a cross.
Father, how can I cease thanking You for the cross? For in it I find the key that unlocks the door of many a mystery, not least the mystery of Your nature - a nature shot through with eternal love. Help me see it even more clearly. In Christ's Name. Amen.
Sermon Outline
- The Uniqueness of the Cross
- The Cross as the Key to Life
- The Significance of the Cross
- The cross is the only true key to life
- The cross is the key to understanding God's nature
Key Quotes
“In the Cross of Christ I glory, Towering o'er the wrecks of time, All the light of sacred story Gathered round its head sublime.” — Selwyn Hughes
“Christ's cross is the only true key to life.” — Selwyn Hughes
“The cross is the only true key to life. This and this alone unlocks the doors to some of life's greatest mysteries.” — Selwyn Hughes
Application Points
- Reflect on the uniqueness of the cross and its significance in your life.
- Ponder the mysteries of life that the cross unlocks, including the mystery of God's nature.
- Give thanks for the cross and its role in your salvation and understanding of God.