LEARNING DAILY

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.

I can still hear the message I heard many years ago about Friday – “It’s Friday but Sunday is coming”! Yes, it’s Friday, and on that particular day Jesus Christ, the Son of God became the sacrificial Lamb for all who would believe and place their faith in Him. My neighbor across the street has shown to me that instead of Friday the crucifixion took place on Wednesday according to the Jewish calendar. In our discussion, we finally agreed that the significance of the crucifixion did not depend on the day but on Jesus taking our place on a cross that we each deserved!

There are two groups according to the verse above. There are those who consider the cross foolishness. They consider those who are “saved” to be idiots, believing this to be foolishness. They are those people who walk a broad way; they are walking to destruction. They are perishing. The cross was the Roman method of public execution, a symbol of shame for terrible crimes and to show the power of the Romans. It was a long, horrible death for those who were placed on it. The cross of Christ was foolishness to the unbelieving world because Jesus Christ was rejected by the Jewish people, His own people. He was crucified like every common criminal of the day; He was looked at just like the two who were crucified on either side of Him.

“But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” Jesus Christ never lost sight of the mission the Father had sent His Son to accomplish. No, the Romans, with all their strength and power, did not overpower Him; He had more than enough power and authority to prevent what was happening to Him. Instead, He used that power and authority to cover the sins of all who would believe in Him. Without this cross, without this act of sacrifice, you and I would have no hope; we would be lost.

What do you think of when you look at the cross? Too many wear it as some sort of decoration that has no meaning. At least the meaning does not lift up Jesus Christ. These people have spoken of, sung about, and live lifestyles that are far opposite of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I almost want to throw up at what these people represent but still wear a cross. To these people the message of the cross is foolishness, and they are perishing.

Christianity is all about what Jesus Christ did at the cross! It is not about helping your business grow or making yourself look good before others! No! It is about the forgiveness of your sins and my sins that we might walk a narrow way in order to be cleansed and made ready to enter eternity and live with our Savior and Lord forever! There is simply no Christianity without the cross. Take out the message of the cross from Christianity and all that is left is “theological mush” (I read that somewhere!).

Without the cross there is no salvation! There is no one who can live their life in such a way that they can walk into heaven because they were good enough! Again, Jesus died to take away every sin that every Believer has or will ever commit. Removing that sin is the only way He can come to live in your heart! Here is the thing: Every Believer ought to be thankful each day, all day, for what Jesus did on the cross. Gratitude for this ought to bring us to bow at His feet each day, in thanksgiving, declaring Him as God. Then, we seek to live for Him as He desires, walking on a narrow way!

Yes, its Friday and Jesus Christ hung on a cross. He is taking your place and my place, dying for the sins we have committed. But Sunday is coming!