The Radical Cross Of Christ
Throughout history, the Cross upon which Jesus died has been viewed in many different ways for many different groups. To some, it is nothing more than a symbol to be worn as an ornament; something placed upon a wall seen as a mere relic or religious symbol. To others, it rarely comes to mind, given little to no thought. Yet to others, the Cross has changed every aspect of their lives; a change that will resound into all eternity.
In whatever way the Cross is seen, it must be dealt with. It must be responded to. It can be fled from or embraced. It can be viewed as “foolishness” to some and the “power of God” for others (I Cor. 1:18). But, one thing is for certain, we must all do something about the Cross.
For the Romans…
The Cross was used as a torture devise to inflict the greatest and most excruciating pain imaginable; to anyone who would oppose their rule of law, there would be no escape, no mercy, no comprise. No doubt Jesus would have seen this instrument of death many times outside the gates of Jerusalem; He knew this would be His soon to be fate as He saw those condemned to death.
A.W. Tozer said, “The cross of Christ is the most revolutionary thing ever to appear among men. The cross of Old Roman times knew no compromise; it never made concessions. It won all its arguments by killing its opponents and silencing him for good. It spared not Christ, but slew Him the same as the rest.”
For the Messiah…
The Cross would be His chosen destiny- the divinely appointed way by which He would willingly lay down His life.
Jesus would embrace the Cross fully and “for the joy set before Him, He endured it to the end” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus alone would be and will forever be the Lamb, the Son of God, slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Not for His sin was Jesus condemned, but for us did He die. In our place and on our behalf would the Cross be set before Him.
Isaiah the Prophet would see the Messiah, at the Cross, as the One who would bear our griefs, become bruised for our iniquities, and “chastised for our sins” (Isaiah 53:5)
And when the time would come for Jesus…
Upon it He would lay.
Upon it He would die.
Upon it He would cry.
Upon it He would pray.
Upon it He would forgive.
Upon it He would offer up Himself as the ultimate sacrifice.
For the Father…
The Cross was the way in which He would express His love and justice at one moment. We see God’s love demonstrated in the giving of His only begotten Son. We see His justice revealed in the terrible cost required to pay the penalty for all sins- past, present, and future. Jesus knew the Cross would be set before Him in just a matter of hours as he prayed to His Father in that Garden, “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Mark 14:36).
In his book, “The Cross of Christ,” John Stott states, “At the Cross in holy love God through Christ paid the full penalty of our disobedience Himself. He bore the judgment we deserve in order to bring us the forgiveness we do not deserve. On the Cross divine mercy and judgment were equally expressed and eternally reconciled.”
God maintains His holiness while demonstrating His love. This was seen at Calvary in a way that couldn’t possibly be seen any place else. The Cross was the place where the Father would secure our salvation, while paying the price for our redemption. This happened while He gave and sent the greatest gift of all- His Son, Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). There is no doubt Jesus had the Cross in mind when he stated this. Right before this wonderful promise was given, Jesus said “so the Son must be lifted up” (vs.17).
And at the Cross the Father …
Satisfies His justice.
Expresses His love.
Secures our salvation.
Forgives our iniquities.
For The Sinner…
The Cross was a place where the Messiah would go on their behalf and in their stead. Jesus, the Substitute, for the sinner. The perfect, holy, innocent “Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.” In our sinful state and condition, we falsely assumed “His troubles were a punishment from God” (Isaiah 53:4, NLT). We thought it was for His sin Jesus was punished and afflicted, but it was indeed for “the sins of us all.”
Billy Graham stated, “But we can’t place the responsibility of Christ’s death on any one person or group. It was our sin—all the things we do that go against God—that made His sacrifice necessary.”
Our sin sent Him there, and…
There He was nailed.
There He was scorned.
There He was ridiculed.
There He was mocked.
There He was despised.
There we were rejected.
There He was condemned.
For The Believer…
The Cross has had a significance that goes so much deeper- beyond what could ever be understood. For the follower of Christ, its eternal change will never be measured on this side of eternity.
But now they embrace the Cross to the end. It alone has brought about a death to the old man. Paul would say to the Christians in Rome, “For we know that our old self was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be enslaved to sin” (Romans 6:6).
They have responded to the call of Christ to “take up the Cross” and…
There they were saved.
There they were forgiven.
There they were reconciled.
There they were washed.
There they were cleansed.
There they were ransomed.
There they were justified.
