The Cross of Christ
The Cross is central to our faith. When you stop and look at it closely, it is just a couple pieces of wood nailed together, yet this crucifixion device has become for us the most important part of our faith. For without the cross, we can no longer boast any distinction from the myriad of world religions. Paul says it this way, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Galatians 6:14. The Cross was the boarding gate through which Jesus entered as He began the mission to restore mankind to His Father. That mission was culminated with the resurrection of Jesus three days later. Christianity is the only religion that can claim they follow a living leader!
My son asked me recently, “Why did God demand blood?” I explained to him that man is so sinful, we deserve punishment. Since God is just, a price must be paid for our iniquity. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. Something must die. In the Old Testament it was a sheep or a lamb without defect or blemish. In losing a life, blood is shed. As sinners, we also deserve death. However, Jesus took our place in dying on the cross. Blood was demanded to pay the severe price of our depravity.
If we are being honest, the Cross doesn’t make any sense. Who in their right mind would allow themselves crucified or killed? If they had the power to stop it, wouldn’t they do it?! 1 Corinthians 1:18 admits, “For the message of the cross is foolishness…” However, it goes on to say, “...to those who are perishing…” It doesn’t make any sense if you don’t see the Big Picture or The Upper Story. Unless you realize there is something more going on in the crucifixion of Jesus than what you can see, you could attribute the story to insanity.
To those of us who DO believe Jesus was God’s son, the Messiah, the Christ, the Promised One to come and save us from our sins, we see the Cross as “the power of God.” We see, as it were, “behind the curtain.” Looking back, we can see what God was doing all along throughout history to redeem mankind back to Him. It’s clear to us now, that Jesus had to die the substitutionary death to meet the demands of a loving, but also just God. And that death occurred on the Cross. Thank God for the Cross!
