The Message of the Cross

The cross is not for perfect people. It is where the best of God came and met the worst of mankind. God on a cross. Humanity at its worst. Divinity at its best. God's message of love. The cross is God's message that He would give anything; pay any price to save His children.

The cross was intentional. It was never a surprise for Jesus. Jesus said, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." (John 10:17-18 from The Holy Bible: NIV). God intentionally planted the seed that became the tree that was used to make the cross. God willingly placed the ore into the earth that was used to fashion the spikes. God voluntarily formed Judas in his mother's womb. The cross was not an accident. The cross means God is for you!

Many say that they have a cross to bear. Often they are referring to a particular difficulty. Yes, the way of the cross can be difficult. But, the cross is always a sacrifice that brings redemption. To take up your cross means you are for God. It is to be identified with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. To take up the cross is to take up His message. The cross meant death. To take up your cross means that you are going to the place of death. Not necessarily, physical death. But the death of a dream, the death of our reputation, or rights. The cross is the place of ultimate vulnerability and exposure. You cannot defend or protect yourself on the cross. It is the ultimate form of self-denial. It means you have no more rights -- dead men have no rights. The cross is the only way to a resurrection (John 21:18).

Some Quotes about the Cross

"Then He called the crowd to Him along with his disciples and said:
"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the gospel will save it."
(Jesus -- Mark 8:34, 35 Holy Bible: NIV)

"And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple."
(Jesus -- Luke 14:27 Holy Bible: NIV)

"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."
(Paul -- 1 Corinthians 1:18 Holy Bible: NIV)

"For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
(Paul -- 1 Corinthians 2:2 Holy Bible: NIV)

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
(Paul -- Galatians 6:14 Holy Bible: NIV)

"I simply argue that the cross should be raised at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the Church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town's garbage heap; at a crossroads so cosmopolitan they had to write His title in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek...at the kind of place where cynics talk smut and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died, and that is what He died for, and that is what He died about...that is where churchmen ought to be and what churchmen ought to be about." -- George MacLeod of Scotland

"We know Jesus became fruitful, not by bearing His cross only,
but by dying on it. Fruit bearing involves cross bearing." -- Hudson Taylor

"We must carry the cross as a treasure.
It is through the cross that we are made worthy of God and conformed to the likeness of His Son" -- Francois Fenelon

"Is not the cross Christ's message of love? ... Yes, the cross is the first letter of God's alphabet.
... Take up the cross and carry it as a message of love and forgiveness..."
-- Pope John Paul II to a group of young people

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