Clothesline 285 "The message of the cross"

“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Some of the most beautiful and poignant words Paul ever wrote! The cross—the symbol of our faith in Jesus; yet, it is the instrument of pain and disgrace upon which He died. For those who believe, the cross calls to mind three powerful truths:

1. The cross reminds us that we are sinners and we had a part in the crucifixion. It’s easy to read Scripture literally and say that the Jews crucified Jesus, but we cannot pass the buck that easily. We are all sinners, and it is sin that crucified Jesus. Taking responsibility for who we are, what we do, and the consequences thereof, is something we don’t always readily accept. And yet our adoption by baptism into the family of God and the horrible crucifixion of Jesus make us heirs of his eternal kingdom—the very kingdom we so often choose to ignore. So, the cross reminds us that we are sinners and we had a part in the crucifixion.

2. The cross reminds us that we are unworthy and helpless. That is surely another truth that we don’t like to embrace. We are indeed unworthy and weak; yet, God overlooks our unworthiness and chooses the weak to fulfill his purpose. And that truth has existed for all time. Abraham was an old man when God called him to be the father of a nation. Moses stuttered, yet God called him to preach to Pharoah. David wanted another man’s wife, so he had her husband killed in order that he might have her for himself. Yet most of our glorious psalms were written by that same David! The grace of Almighty God is more powerful and more consuming than any sin or weakness. Think of it this way: The strong have clenched fists; they have all they need, and they know it. But those of us who know the Lord—the weak and helpless—come before the Lord with open hands, waiting to receive the gift of grace. Therefore, the cross reminds us that we are unworthy and helpless.

3. The cross reminds us of the awesome, immeasurable, incomprehensible love of Almighty God. This truth needs no explanation. No greater love hath a man than to lay down his life for a friend. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish from the earth. Our God loves us that much.

And he tried to explain that love—the love that is imbedded in the power of the cross—when he walked up the mountain, sat down and spoke the Beatitudes to the crowds: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…those who mourn… the meek…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… the merciful… This is the foolishness of the cross that Paul talks about. How can this be? Because the power of the cross is stronger than any weakness, any need, or any pain. The message of the cross…is the power of God!