The Ultimate Boast

I. Introduction and Focus

• Welcome from Victory Church podcast; statement of mission: reaching the lost, restoring the broken, reviving believers.

• Call to open Bibles to Galatians 6; affirmation of the power, authority, and reliability of God’s Word.

• Sermon title and theme introduced: “The ultimate boast” – centering on the cross of Jesus Christ.

II. Paul’s Life and Credentials

• Brief overview of Paul as an apostle and missionary: sent by Christ, three missionary journeys, final journey to Rome, thousands of miles traveled.

• Paul’s work: establishing churches, appointing leaders, testifying before rulers, writing about half the New Testament (13 letters).

• Emphasis that Paul had an extraordinary “resume” of accomplishments.

III. The Only Legitimate Boast: The Cross (Galatians 6:14)

• Key verse: “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

• Point: Despite having much he could boast in, Paul chose to glory only in the cross.

• Contrast with culture (ancient and modern) where people seek worth in achievements, wealth, status, and credentials.

• Clarification that net worth does not equal self-worth; many wealthy, accomplished people still lack true value and identity.

IV. Biblical Rebuke of Worldly Boasting (Jeremiah 9:23–24)

• Jeremiah’s warning:

  • Let not the wise glory in wisdom.

  • Let not the mighty glory in might.

  • Let not the rich glory in riches.

• True glory: understanding and knowing the Lord who practices lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness.

• Humanity’s tendency to boast in intellect, strength, and possessions contrasted with God’s values.

V. Paul’s Resume Re-evaluated (Philippians 3)

• Paul lists his qualifications:

  • Circumcised the eighth day, of Israel, tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of Hebrews.

  • A Pharisee regarding the law, zealous (persecuting the church), outwardly blameless in legal righteousness.

• Paul’s conclusion: what was gain he now counts as loss for Christ; all is “rubbish” compared to knowing Christ.

• Illustration of “trophies” being swept into the garbage compared to the surpassing worth of Christ.

VI. Illustration: James Dobson’s Trophy

• Story of James Dobson winning a state tennis championship, proudly displaying his trophy in school.

• Years later the trophy is found in the trash; a janitor calls to ask if he wants it.

• Lesson: what once seemed highly valuable becomes garbage; earthly honors are fleeting.

• Application: anything not attached to Jesus Christ fades and loses significance.

VII. The Fleeting Nature of Earthly Glory

• Personal example: pastor’s brief media prominence during Israel war coverage—interviews, trending stories.

• After a few days, the coverage disappears and must be searched for.

• Broader examples:

  • Money sprouts wings and flies away.

  • Beauty, strength, popularity, trends, and influencer status all fade.

  • Even Christian trends, names, and songs move from top to bottom of the list.

• Warning: if identity is tied to these things, life will be unstable—“up and then down.”

VIII. The Cross as Central and Supreme

• Reaffirmation of Paul’s statement: God forbid that I should boast in anything but the cross.

• Scholar’s quote: the cross as the hinge of history, the hub of God’s purposes; OT prophets pointed to it, NT disciples proclaimed it.

• Hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” cited to underline the cross as emblem of suffering, shame, salvation, and ultimate exchange for a crown.

• Concern that contemporary church culture often downplays the cross, the blood, and Christ’s supremacy, exalting human philosophy and benefits instead.

• Clarification of “mystery” in the biblical sense: a truth once hidden but now revealed.

IX. Everything Flows From the Cross

• The cross’ relevance to today:

  • Every good thing and spiritual blessing comes through the cross.

  • Apart from Christ’s death there is only judgment and condemnation.

• Repeated call-and-response: “Because of the cross” applied to:

  • Every sin forgiven.

  • Every healing.

  • Every ministry, song, offering, and destiny fulfilled.

X. The Message of the Cross in 1 Corinthians

• Reading 1 Corinthians 1:18–25:

  • The message of the cross is foolishness to those perishing but God’s power to those being saved.

  • God destroys worldly wisdom; through “foolish” preaching He saves believers.

  • Jews seek signs, Greeks seek wisdom, but the church preaches Christ crucified—stumbling block to Jews, foolishness to Greeks, but the power and wisdom of God to the called.

• Warning against famine of hearing God’s Word in the last days; insistence that the church must keep proclaiming Scripture, not just short, story-only messages.

XI. Paul’s Resolve: Christ and Him Crucified (1 Corinthians 2)

• Paul’s approach in Corinth: not with excellence of speech or human wisdom.

• Determination “to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

• Emphasis on weakness, fear, trembling; preaching in demonstration of the Spirit and power, so faith rests on God’s power, not human wisdom.

• Critique of modern church gimmicks, sensationalism, and entertainment used to attract people.

• Principle: what you win people with, you must keep supplying to keep them; only the cross and Christ are stable foundations.

XII. True Value and Identity: Who Owns You and What Was Paid

• Teaching: the value of something depends on who owns it and what someone will pay for it.

• Illustration:

  • Ordinary sneakers vs. Michael Jordan’s sneakers valued much higher because of the owner.

  • Believers’ value because they are owned by Christ, bought with a price.

• Baseball card story: selling sports cards to buy his wife’s engagement ring, showing how value is determined by what someone is willing to pay.

• Scriptural basis: believers redeemed not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ; life is in the blood; without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

• Conclusion: our worth, significance, and purpose come from the cross and the blood of Jesus, not from worldly systems.

XIII. Identity Rooted in Christ, Not Titles or Opinions

• Warning against grounding identity in titles (even “pastor”), roles, or what people say.

• People are fickle: they can shout “Hosanna” one day and “Crucify him” the next.

• Admission that the pastor still struggles with this but must continually return to the cross and the Father’s love.

• Call for the congregation to avoid judging quickly, recognizing everyone has issues.

• Exhortation: find identity in Christ and His work on the cross when all external things are stripped away.

XIV. The Uniqueness of the Gospel and How We Are Saved

• Contrast of Christianity with other religions (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, Buddhism, Islam):

  • Other systems focus on what adherents must do and become.

  • The gospel centers on what Christ has done.

• Example from Acts 16: jailer asks, “What must I do to be saved?” Answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” not a list of works.

• The cross as the only ground of boasting because we contributed nothing to it; all glory goes to God.

XV. Ongoing Power of the Cross and Call to Persevere

• Statement that the cross’ power to deliver, heal, and set free never diminishes.

• Reference to Philippians 3: Paul has not arrived but presses on by grace.

• Encouragement: no believer has “arrived”; we all press on because of the cross’ power.

• Allusion to hymn: the blood reaches the highest mountain, flows to the lowest valley, and gives strength day by day.

XVI. Invitation to Salvation and Response

• Appeal to those who have never fully accepted Jesus or the work of the cross.

• Explanation: salvation is by faith—repenting, believing in what Jesus did on our behalf.

• Assertion: there is real power in the cross and the blood to change lives.

• Quotation: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not…the wrath of God abides on him.”

• The cross shows both God’s wrath against sin (someone had to die) and His love for us (Christ taking our place).

• Call for a response: raising hands to indicate need for grace, then coming forward publicly to seal the decision.

• Assurance: they are only being asked to believe and receive, not perform.

• Closing with worship focused on the cross and thanksgiving for Christ’s sacrifice, plus practical church information (Victory Church address).