Message Seven
The Cross—the Center of the Universe
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
For I did not determine to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified.- 1 Cor. 2:2.
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.- Gal. 6:14.
Word of Appetizer
Why “The Cross—the Center of the Universe’’?
The altar is the center of the temple compound; the temple compound is the center of Jerusalem; the city of Jerusalem is the center of the good land; the good land is the center of the inhabited earth; and, as far as the relationship of God and man is concerned, the earth is the center of the universe; thus, ultimately the altar is the center of the universe.
Spiritual Burden
Although we meet the cross everywhere in our Christianlife, we experience the cross in a particular way when we come to the altar at the center of God’s building；To come to the altar at the center is to realize that all that we are and all that we have, have been terminated at the cross；As we pass through the cross, our flesh, our old creation, our self, and our natural man with the natural life will all be dealt with；This is the experience of the cross—the center of the universe.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
According to the record in Ezekiel, the altar is the center of the compound, the center of the premises of the temple.
The principle of the cross is that by the cross everything of the old creation and all things related to us have been terminated, put to death.
The crucified Christ was the unique subject, the center, the content, and the substance of the apostle’s ministry; In His economy God gives us one person—Christ—and one way—the cross.
In Matthew 27:51-53 we see the effect of Christ’s crucifixion; In the Gospel of John we see the life-releasing aspect of Christ’s crucifixion; The cross leads us to the Body of Christ.
The Experience of Life
When we experience the crucified Christ, all that we are, all that we have, and all that we can do are completely terminated, and His resurrection life is imparted through us into others.
Practice and Application
In the church life Christ must be all and in all; everything that is not Christ must go to the cross; Through the cross we need to become nothing, to have nothing, and to be able to do nothing.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
………that through death He might destroy him who has the might of death, that is, the devil,- Heb. 2:14.
For I did not determine to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified.- 1 Cor. 2:2.
The Cross—the Center of the Univers
The principle of the cross
The crucified Christ was the unique subject, the center, the content, and the substance of the apostle’s ministry
I. According to the record in Ezekiel, the altar is the center of the compound, the center of the premises of the temple; Since the altar signifies the cross, the cross is the center of the universe.
II. The principle of the cross is that by the cross everything of the old creation and all things related to us have been terminated, put to death.
III. The crucified Christ was the unique subject, the center, the content, and the substance of the apostle’s ministry.
• The death of Christ has become God’s power to eliminate all the problems in the universe; thus, Christ crucified is God’s power to abolish all negative things and carry out His plan.
Key Verses (2)
For I did not determine to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified.- 1 Cor. 2:2.
And behold, the veil of the temple was split in two from top to bottom, and the earth was shaken and the rocks were split, And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.-Matt.27:51-52.
Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.-John12:24.
one person—Christ—and one way—the cross
the effect of Christ’s crucifixion
the life-releasing aspect of Christ’s crucifixion
IV.In His economy God gives us one person—Christ—and one way—the cross:
• The one person—Christ—is the center of God’s economy, and the one way—the cross—is the center of God’s government.
V. In Matthew 27:51-53 we see the effect of Christ’s crucifixion:
• the separation between God and man had been abolished, that the base of Satan’s rebellion was shaken, the strongholds of Satan’s earthly kingdom were broken. the power of death and Hades was conquered and subdued.
VI.In the Gospel of John we see the life-releasing aspect of Christ’s crucifixion:
Key Verses (3)
For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.- 1 Cor. 1:18.
Now you are the Body of Christ, and members individually.- 1 Cor.12:27.
Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be annulled, that we should no longer serve sin as slaves;- Rom. 6:6.
The cross leads us to the Body of Christ
experience the cross in a particular way
VII. The cross leads us to the Body of Christ :
• The cross operates in the sphere of the Body .
• In the Body of Christ we cannot go on without the cross.
VIII. Although we meet the cross everywhere in our Christian life, we experience the cross in a particular way when we come to the altar at the center of God’s building :
• To come to the altar at the center is to realize that all that we are and all that we have, have been terminated at the cross .
•As we pass through the cross, our flesh, our old creation, our self , and our natural man with the natural life will all be dealt with.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The altar, which signifies the cross, is actually the center of the universe（Ezek. 43:13-18）
(Please illustrate that the significance of the cross)
T2 The all-inclusive death(Col.1:20; 2:14-15;Rom.6:6)
(Please illustrate that the principle of the cross is that by the cross everything
of the old creation and all things related to us have been terminated, put to death)
D2
T1 The death of Christ has become God’s power to eliminate all the problems in the universe(1Cor.1:23-24)
(Please illustrate according to the experience that the cross solves all the entanglements we face in the church life and especially in our married life.)
T2 The more we enjoy Christ, the more we are terminated.(Cal.2:20)
(Please illustrate according to the experience that when the cross works to terminate us, what should we do? )
D3
T1 In His economy God gives us one person—Christ—and one way—the cross(1 Cor. 2:2; Phil. 2:5-11; Gal. 6:14)
(Please illustrate that the one person—Christ—is the center of God’s economy, and the one way—the cross—is the center of God’s government)
T2 In the church life Christ must be all and in all(Col.3:11)
(Please illustrate that the only way for us to take is the way of the cross. The cross is both a narrow way and a highway.)
D4
T1 The effect of Christ’s crucifixion(Matthew 27:51-53)
(Please illustrate that in Matthew 27:51-53 we see the five points of the effect of Christ’s crucifixion)
T2 The Lord’s death was not merely for the accomplishment of redemption but also for the release of life(John 19:34; 36; 12:24)
(Please illustrate that in the Gospel of John we see the life-releasing aspect of
Christ’s crucifixion)
D5
T1 The cross leads us to the Body of Christ(1 Cor. 1:18; 12:12-13, 27)
(Please illustrate that the cross operates in the sphere of the Body)
T2 All of God’s dealings with us have been with a view to prepare us for the Body(Rom. 8:13; 12:4-8)
(Please illustrate that in the Body of Christ we cannot go on without the cross)
D6
T1 The experience of the cross as the center.(Matt.16:24)
(Please illustrate according to the experience that what will they react when they are attacked or criticized those who live a crucified life.)
T2 We experience the cross again and again.(Rom.6:6)
(Please illustrate according to the experience that the reason that the cross is everywhere is that we must go through the cross in order to contact God.)
