The message of the cross – the power of God

STUDIES ON THE CROSS SERIES

The message of the cross – the power of God

SCRIPTURE:

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. 1 Corinthians 1:18

OBSERVATION:

In the eyes of the world, the message of the cross is foolishness. They cannot understand how the powerful Creator God would stoop so low as to sacrifice Himself in such a cruel fashion to bring salvation to tiny creatures made out of the dust. It would be like a man sacrificing himself for a colony of ants or a great elephant sacrificing itself for little grasshoppers. Humanly speaking, it just does not make sense. It is beyond our comprehension how God could do such a thing for us, who are like mere worms in comparison to the infinitely great and awesome God of the whole Universe.

Without God, man is without hope. Man is always perishing, decaying, dying. Death is the destiny that awaits every man, and without God, there is nothing that can prevent this morbid process. In a legendary tale, a powerful wizard was cursed with hourglass eyes so that whoever and whatever he saw would be seen as decaying before his very eyes. Day by day, as man grows older, he withers like a flower, until he finally passes away.

Even then, if physical death was the end, man would still be comforted, for he would think “At least I ate, drank and was merry during my few days on earth”. However, deep down inside, every soul knows that one’s existence does not end with death, no matter how much one seeks to deny it. Every major religion through the ages has been sure of one thing, the existence of hell and its terrible and horrible torment of the departed.

On earth, we easily grumble and complain at the littlest things. We do not understand that the very basic comforts and enjoyments we have in life is because of the grace and mercy of God. Every easy breath of air, every morsel of food, every drop of water, every ray of warm sunshine, every gust of cool wind are all part of God’s gift to His creation. Many of us complain about work but we fail to realize that even work is a great and precious gift from God. To not work is to cease to be useful. Uselessness is a tragic thing indeed.

In Hell, there is nothing of value at all. There is no sunshine, no comfort, no food, no water, no work. In the darkness, where the worm does not die, the unsaved departed scream endlessly, suffering from unspeakable horrors. Even a single minute in hell would convince anyone on earth that every second on earth was a precious gift, and would do all they can to avoid and warn others from going to that horrible, accursed place.

The world thinks little about the afterlife. They are always concerned with the here and now, and all the pleasures they are able to get in this life. And so they are perishing and continue to perish, destined for the grave and the eternity of darkness, shut off forever from the presence of God.   

In contrast, to those who are being saved, the message of the cross is not foolishness at all, but the power of God. From God’s perspective, it is important to realize it’s not so much what we are saved from but what we are saved to. For those of us who turn to God to love Him and follow Him, He is able to save us to the uttermost. Through the Lord’s death on the cross, God is able to lift up useless pieces of garbage and refine it into something of great value in His eyes. Through the cross of Jesus, God is able to transform and change us more and more into the likeness of His Son which is His ultimate, good and perfect purpose.

It is at the cross that we exchange our old, perishing nature for a new, regenerative one. It is at the cross that we receive the washing away of our sins and the gift of new robes of righteousness. It is at the cross that we do away with the old self and its sinful habits, and take on the new self with its desires set on pleasing God. God does away with the old, so that the new can come and bring forth precious fruit.

It is when we understand and behold the work and message of the cross before us more and more that we can truly begin to change more and more into who God wants us to be. Paul speaks about us as being saved. We are not yet completely saved. We are going through a process. When we first responded to God and believed in His Son for salvation through the cross, we began this process, but we must press on and continue this process till the very end of our lives. We need to finish the race, to finish the fight, to press on till we overcome. Let the cross be ever before us, our past behind us.

APPLICATION:

The foot of His cross is holy ground. The cross of Jesus connects fallen men on the earth below to God Almighty in Heaven above. By faith, we are able to come to the very cross of Jesus where He died, and lay our burdens and our sins at His feet. At the foot of His cross, we are able to receive His precious flow of grace and mercy. At the foot of His cross, as we wait, God’s power comes and transforms more and more into Christ’s likeness. As we learn to meditate at the foot of the cross of Jesus, and behold the wondrous and marvelous provision the Lord supplied for us there, we cannot help but be changed.

Let us endeavor to learn to meditate at the cross of Jesus in our spirit. Thank Him, adore Him, praise Him, for His precious cross. Reflect and appreciate with wonder God’s marvelous and perfect work there. By faith, picture the precious blood of the Lamb flowing down upon us from the cross of Calvary, washing us, cleansing us, making us white as snow. Picture the Lord’s great power emanating from Heaven through His cross, basking us in God’s presence, melting away our sinful tendencies and giving us new life in His name.

Once, the Lord spoke to the great Bible teacher, the late Derek Prince, “Consider the work of the cross, a perfect work, perfect in every aspect, perfect in every respect.” We would certainly do well to constantly behold and meditate on the perfect work of the cross of our Lord!

PRAYER:

We thank You for Your precious cross, Father God, for on the cross, You gave Your Son that we might have hope. Through the cross, we have forgiveness of sins. Through the cross You enable us to change and be transformed. Through the cross You enable us to receive Your eternal life. We bless You and thank You, precious Lord. Help us appropriate and appreciate and behold with awe Your marvelous work more and more. Help us to meditate on Your cross so that it may anchor us, and change us, and strengthen our faith in You all the more. May Your name be praised and glorified forevermore precious Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.