Jesus and the Cross

 I don't think we spend enough time meditating on the Cross. I believe it is so powerful in many ways. It is the centerpiece of God's plan of redemption for all mankind. It shows us the love of God for us in a way that nothing else can. Yes, it reeks of death, but it shouts life at the same time. Jesus came into this world knowing that His ultimate destination was an old, rugged cross at the place of the skull. He gave Himself for all people on that cross out of His great love.

The interesting thing to me about the cross is what Jesus said He was going to do when He was lifted up on the cross. He said it to Nicodemus in John 3, and He says it here in John 12:32. "And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Myself." I believe we need to consider just how Jesus draws everyone to Himself through the Cross. It could help us personally, and it could help us as we share Jesus with others.

Being lifted up by being crucified was the most horrible way to die that people have every devised. It was torture carried to the extreme. In some cases people could hang on the cross for more than a day while dying. It was public execution for all to see. It was to be a deterrent to crime. Jesus submitted to this death, even though He never sinned, never committed any crime. He did it to pay His blood for the sins of the whole world. When we stop to think about those facts, it gives us a compelling reason to see Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Jesus draws everyone to Himself by being crucified because it gives the Holy Spirit ammunition to convict people of their sins. It shows the love of God in an undeniable way. It brings everyone to the point that we have to decide if we are going to believe in Jesus or not. The Spirit draws us to Jesus when we hear about this event in history because it is either the ultimate act of love or it is not, God coming down to die for us in this cruel way. I pray that all of us will look at the Cross and trust Jesus once and for all as Lord and Savior.

Tomorrow, I intend to read John 13-15.