The Cross
/Jesus on the cross
The cross is the defining feature of our time and of all time. It was a singular act taking place just outside of Jerusalem during a long six hours one Friday afternoon. It was a time when the institutions of state, religion, and the Kingdom of God were all nailed together on a rough piece of timber as the most dramatic and genuine act of love was carried out. Jesus of Nazareth, betrayed, denied, and nearly abandoned by all his disciples, was executed by Rome,
Exchanged for Barabbas,
Tried in a mockery of a court.
Arrested by the very men, He by rights was the leader and king.
A paradigm shift, the great exchange, and a cosmic upset were about to take place. This singular act of obedience stands in stark contrast to the bold feats of faith that came before it. Noah’s Ark, Moses parting the sea, David conquering Goliath; all seem to outshine the humble cross in every way. They play the hero while Jesus suffered a humiliating, criminal, and excruciating death.
Jesus was known for his parables, his exhortations on truth, love, and the Kingdom of God. He instructed us on how to hear from God, how to pray, the importance of forgiving others, and the necessity of repentance. Jesus was equally known for his miracles. He healed the lame, the blind, the deaf, the withered, the diseased, the broken, and the possessed.
Demons were exercised, storms calmed, seas tamed; bread, fish, and water were blessed, transformed, and multiplied. With one command, He raised the dead back to life.
Like the twisted thorns that crowned his head, His miraculous married His ministry at the cross. The Debt that all men owe was paid in full, once and for all. The eternal aided the temporal. At the cross. Jesus offers his final message and performs his greatest miracle, the salvation of mankind through the forgiveness of sin.