God’s ways are not our ways
The cross was once an emblem of Roman tyranny and terror, but has now become the symbol of the Christian life. On the surface that doesn’t make a lot of sense. It seems dark and foreboding, like choosing an electric chair or noose as a symbol for a movement. The fact that God took the most horrific instrument of human execution and reclaimed it for His purposes shows that His ways are not our ways. While some see the cross as foolish, the Scripture says the cross “is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). This is the divine paradox of the Gospel – death is the door to life.
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
The Son of God died on a Roman cross and then called His students to carry their own cross. Jesus challenged His followers to live a cruciform life – a cross-shaped life. A person molded by the cross surrenders complete ownership to divine purposes. Taking up our cross means continually toppling the kingdom of self and crowning Jesus as Lord. The Apostle Paul writes, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31, NASB). That perpetual dying is the only way to the newness of life that Jesus promises. It is the only way to peace with God. The cross is the only way to find meaning and purpose in our lives.
Sometimes people will use the phrase, “That’s my cross to bear.” In some ways they are right. The cross is a model for how to suffer well. Even though Christ is God’s beloved son, Hebrews says, “He learned obedience through what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). Christ was not exempt from God’s school of suffering. Like Jesus, we learn greater dependance and obedience to the Father as we take up our cross. We can joyfully embrace whatever cross we have to carry, because we are confident in Christ’s proven, resurrection power!
Joining Jesus in death means we will also join Him in victory. The gruesome death of Jesus was followed with His triumphant resurrection from the dead. That is God’s way: first trials then triumph – death and then resurrection.
God loves us
Imagine a timeline of human history stretching from the beginning until now. The cross of Christ stands at the very center. It is there that through Christ, God was providing “salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The visual in my mind is seeing Jesus’ arms stretched out on the cross. One arm is reaching back into history and saving those who looked forward in faith to a coming Savior. The other arm is reaching through time to you, me, and even into the future to those of faith who will look back in time at the cross for salvation.
When we repent and believe in Jesus, we are welcomed by the love of God into a community. That community is the family of God. The saints of the Old Testament looked forward to the coming of the promised Messiah. The New Testament believers and those after them, look back to Christ. What unites us is the work of Christ on the cross. God’s love brings this super-eclectic group together across time and space. His love leaps through history and across cultural, racial, national boundaries, and language barriers. His love makes a family out of us and them. John records in Revelation 7:9-10 the great family reunion in Heaven. He writes:
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
All four truths culminate in Christ. From the very beginning God has been in complete control, writing the story of His glory in a way that is unique, only to Him. Yet, God is not distant, but near. He is not aloof, but aware. He knows us and loves us. Christ is the proof that God is in control, working out all things for His glory and our good, and accomplishing His loving purposes in a mysterious, unexpected way.
Prayer of confession and belief –
God, when I reflect on the ministry and mission of Christ, I am in greater awe of who you are. That you would, from before the foundation of the world, have this plan in your heart leaves me speechless. I praise you for your sovereign, glorious, mysterious, and loving way.
Amen.
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
1 Peter 2:21-25
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 5:10-11
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.