1 Corinthians 1:18-For 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.
What do you believe about the cross? Are you merely CHARMED by it? Are you just fascinated by it? Satan doesn’t mind it at all if you are just charmed by the cross.
If Satan can’t charm people with the cross, he will CHASTISE them with it, luring people into believing that the cross is about chastisement or judgment and so they stay as far away as possible from it. Satan knows how dangerous it is when people get close to the cross of Jesus.
You see, Satan doesn’t want you to know the beautiful thing about the cross. The cross was a place of chastisement and judgment, a place where our sins were judged, but the judgement, the punishment, the chastisement for our sin was laid on Christ alone. He was judged in our place. He was judged for the sins of the ENTIRE world. You know that suffocating feeling that sin creates in our lives? He wants to lift that off of you because He already bore that suffocation entirely, He bore that punishment completely, He bore that shame fully, He bore that weight absolutely, He born that guilt totally when He hung on the cross and God the Father turned His face away from Him.
1 Peter 2:24-He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
The cross says that we are cherished-completely loved by God.
Cherished-Loved
John 15:13-Greater LOVE has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Romans 5:8-But God demonstrates his own LOVE for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
For those who have embraced God’s love and let God love you through the cross, the cross becomes something which enables us to live “in check” or to live reminded of what God has accomplished for us in and through His great love!
Checked-Reminded
We have told out kids that when they are with other people, when they are out with their friends, they need to remember who they are. We want them to remember what we have taught them, what we hope they will live for. The cross reminds us who we are, whose we are, what we have been taught, and what we are to live for.
For believers, the cross becomes an instrument by which we can check ourselves and make sure we are aligned with God’s purposes for our lives.
Challenged-Inspired
We need encouragement to run our best possible race. We need inspiration to not give up and give in to fear and doubt in the hard times. The cross becomes a symbol of inspiration to keep us from compromise as we consider what Jesus went through and how He didn’t quit until He proclaimed His job on earth was finished!
Hebrews 12:2-3-Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
The cross reminds me I am not what I was, and I have been made new.
Changed-Transformed
II Corinthians 5:17-Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Chased-Pursued
Hear the message of the cross. Hear Jesus speaking to you right now. He is calling to every doubter, every backslider, every unbeliever and the message is the same as it has been for over 2000 years. “Come, follow Me. Come by way of the cross. Let Me love you. Let Me show you your worth and value. Let me remind you who you are. Let Me inspire you and empower you to live courageously and righteously. Let Me live in you. Let Me change your life.”
Do you believe? Do you dare to believe the message of the cross?
