The Point
The cross stands as the pivotal point in history, the point in our history, where the past can not come any further. Where sin hits the point of forgiveness and can no longer define us. A point that brings love into focus. Where true love is seen in contrast to our sin. As the sunlight breaks blindingly in contrast to the dark storm clouds, so a contrast is seen between a choice of separation and connection, a choice of selfishness and selflessness, a choice of sin and righteousness. The cross brings contrast between the orphan and the adopted, death and life, hell and heaven, lost and found.
The cross is the point that we must not turn from, but must look, or fail to be saved, healed, and delivered. A point that if not crossed, will keep us on the wrong side of forgiveness, healing, salvation, resurrection, Holy Spirit power and presence. At the cross, we find the Door, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The resurrection comes into view. We find ourselves confessing with those who watched Him die, “Surely this was the Son of God” – not only was, but is, and is to come.
The Focal Point
At the cross, we find perfect theology, because we see Jesus. Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. No one comes to the Father except through Him. We can’t come to Him without facing the cross. A Christ without a cross is a christ made in our own image, an anti-christ. What kind of Jesus are we beholding? To shade our eyes from the cross and look only to the images we like is to miss Him completely. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. Without forgiveness, the penalty of sin is death. Yet look to the cross of Christ and hope is born and heart is transformed. The cross is the point that connects us to our Savior.
The cross is not beauty but it produces beauty. It is not gold covered, but blood covered. Rugged, splintered, and weighty is the cross of Christ. It comes with nails and hammer. A crown of thorns and ridicule are prominently displayed. A innocent substitute, beaten and whipped, made to carry the cross on which He now hangs. Then words spoken from parched lips, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” As we look, it becomes clear that it was us who brought Him to this. It was our sin for which He bleed and died. We nailed the nails. Yet, it was His choosing us that steadied His hand and feet as the spikes were driven. It was His love that being reviled, He reviled not in return. His life for ours. The cross is a choice. He choose us. It’s in looking at the uncomfortable, beholding the unthinkable, and seeing the incomprehensible that we truly choose Him and His great love wherewith He loved us.
The Intersection Point
The cross is the pathway to life. It’s where death gives way to resurrection. The resurrected Christ is resurrecting us. At the cross He died in our place. We take His death as our own. This leads us to sharing in His resurrection as well. Therefore the cross is the point where we leave death behind. We walk into the future alive as a new creature never to die. We literally ‘cross’ over from death to life. We are never alone because He chose us at the cross.
The cross is a place of shame. Not God’s but mine. It’s hard to face, but on the cross is Mercy. It’s God on that cross. God at the mercy of man? No! God having mercy on man. God taking our shame, covering our shame, burying our shame. He took our place and clothes us in His righteousness.
The Defining Point
The cross is the point of repentance. It’s the turning point. There our eyes no longer cling to self preservation but rather behold One who laid His life on the altar not to preserve our life but give us new life – His life. The cross is our repentance point where we lay down our thinking and and take on His. No longer hiding, no longer running, no longer striving. We are loved. He loves us this much. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by His cross and resurrection.
The cross is the point of redemption. It’s where the ransom for our freedom from bondage is paid. Death is the price, for the soul that sins will die. Death brought freedom, not our death but Christ’s. For you see, He died in our place and set us free. His death became ours and yet that is not all. For though we would have died in sin never to rise. He died for all and robbed the grave. For death could not hold Him. He arose and declared, “because I live, you shall live also.” Therefore, if we boast, we boast in Christ.
The Inflection Point
The cross brings true freedom. A spiritual rebirth – through Christ we die in sin and are reborn in righteousness. Spiritual freedom is life and peace. Fleshly freedom is death and bondage. The laws and commandments of God are not bondage, our spirit desires the path of life. Sin is lawlessness. Lawlessness is regarding the lack of self-control or self government. External laws are only necessary where self government fails or sin reigns. True freedom is the ability to self govern by the power of a higher power – Christ in Me. Freedom is liberating ourselves from the whims of the flesh and into the obedience of the spirit which desires to please God. The cross is our example of being led by the Spirit and not by my flesh. The Law of Love in action at Calvary. It encapsulates the whole law into one word – Love. God is Love. Love is now our inward law, that frees us from every external one. Love rescued us and now we follow the law of Love out of a heart that was won by Love Himself.
The cross is the point. Without the cross there is no Christianity. Without the cross there is no Savior. We must meet Christ at the cross and allow Him to impart His grace and resurrection life. The cross is for all. It stands between Heaven and hell and reaches wide to receive all who will come. The cross is an invitation written in Christ’s blood that calls us to “Come unto Him.”
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