From Sunday Morning
by Pastor Nave on March 20, 2016
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God (I Corinthians 1:18, KJV).
Our Perspective
Perspective changes everything. It defines is, it molds our thinking, and isn’t easily changed. However, there are three factors that can change our perspective: need, benefit, and time. We live most of our lives changing our perspective based on these factors. But, when it comes to the cross, there are only two perspectives according to Scripture: lost and found. To the foolish, the cross is just a story. But, to those who have a relationship with Jesus, we realize the cross is more than just a symbol.
At Calvary, people parted Jesus’ raiment and cast lots (Luke 23:34), but there were some that stood beholding Him (Luke 23:35). Some understood there was a God, who had wrapped Himself in flesh, and was hanging on the cross for their sins. Their perspective had been changed.
Changing Our Perspective
Today, God wants to change our perspective—transition our eyes from the impersonal to the personal. Culture has commercialized the cross today, but the church sees the cross differently. We see one cross as the object that held our Savior, and is a source of freedom, hope, light, and salvation!
Jesus was a man on a mission to the cross. His mission was to take the disease of sin out of the world (John 12:31). Jesus faced more suffering than any man could ever know. He was beaten so badly He hardly could be recognized as a human being (Isaiah 54:14). Jesus hung on the cross for nine hours gasping for air, suffering for our mistakes.
If we can get closer to the cross, we can see everything Jesus did for us. Jesus loved us enough that He died for us in spite of everything we’ve done and everything we will do. He died to forgive us. We cannot live without the cross. The wage of sin is death (Romans 6:23); without the cross, we have nowhere left to go.
A New Life
Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…” (Galatians 2:20, KJV). Paul recognized a truth and had a perspective many of us do not have today. We are not living our life. The life we have now is the result of trusting in the Son of God who gave Himself for us. The cross has made a difference in our life and we will never be the same!
The True Cross
Jesus was on a borrowed cross—it wasn’t His; it was ours. We deserved the cross, but He died in our place. We took our wicked sins and crucified the Lord of glory (Acts 2:23). He was despised and rejected, bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, was wounded for our transgressions, but by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:3–6).
Jesus blotted out every sin and nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:13–14). When we came to Jesus and repented for our sins, He removed every sin stain that was against us. Jesus stripped away Satan’s power to accuse us of our shame and guilt. We no longer have the debt of sin. We’ve been changed forever because of the cross.
The Front Perspective
We need to ask the Lord to give us a new perspective of the cross. We cannot see it as something mundane or owed to us. We are forever in the debt of our Savior and need to get a fresh perspective on how much He loves us and what He has done for us. Lord, help us see the front side of the cross.
