: There is no other message but the message of the cross.
A couple of months ago, our EM group headed out to Church Without Walls, a homeless service out in Balboa Park, like we usually do on Saturday mornings. But this one was a little different. A lady came up to our pastor and one of our guys to receive prayer for healing from cancer. They decided to…
throughout history up to present day, human beings have always strived to find meaning and identity within themselves, in this world.
as i was sitting in my ethnic studies lecture, listening to the professor talk about the process of creating meaning and representation, i realized something: there is absolutely no way we can create meaning for ourselves.
nothing that has been manufactured in this world to create knowledge, meaning, and identity is relevant. no relationship, career, degree, political view, or even religious ideology is necessary.
all we desperately need is the Cross,
and nothing else.
ever since the beginning, Satan has been seducing mankind into believing that we can attain knowledge and all-truth. in Genesis 3:5, the serpent tells Eve that when she eats of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, her “eyes will be opened, and [she] will be like God, knowing good and evil”. and then what does Eve end up doing? she took some of the fruit, seeing that it “was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom,” and ate it (Genesis 3:6). she shared her sin with Adam, causing sin and death to enter all of mankind (Romans 5:12-14).
throughout different points in history from world wars to 1960s emergence of rock and roll to advocation of human rights, society has always been in pursuit of finding their own definition of meaning and “truth”. it’s disturbing to think about the millions of lives that have been killed in wars; the various revolutions and movements that emerged and died out; the numerous protests and rebellions that spewed hate and discord among groups of individuals; etc. it’s disturbing to think about humanity’s obsessive quest to find their own identities and meanings, failing to realize that the only thing that is worth living and dying for is the message of the Cross. every other claim or argument is so trivial.
as “christians”, we think we know what truth is. we all know and have sung along to the VBS song, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. we all know that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and we know that through Him, we can have eternal life. although we can all say that we know, i think only a few live their lives in accordance with those words.
Jesus did not get flogged, torn apart, broken and mangled, and then crucified so that we can lead an easier life. with his crucifixion and death, our sinful selves must have been crucified and must have died as well. He was not the only one that suffered and died on that Cross. we did as well.
and just as death entered through one man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man, “for as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). because our old selves were crucified on that cross with Jesus, our new selves have also been resurrected, free of sin.
without this message of the Cross,
our lives are pointless and rendered as useless.
through Jesus and his death and resurrection, we are made perfect. yes, this flesh is evil and wicked, always struggling with sin, but when we live by the Spirit and keep in the step with the Spirit, our sinful nature with its passion and desires have also been crucified (Galatians 5:16-26). only then can we proclaim, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).
there is nothing beyond Christ crucified.
i don’t think i can say that enough.
and because the enemy knows that this is the all-truth, he has been trying his very best to deceive this place that we think is our home. however, our citizenship does not belong to this world, but rather a most glorious place that is not even close to this dump.
there are only a few more days until the crucifixion and death of Christ. and then a couple more days until His resurrection. how will we live our days when we begin to understand the hard but rewarding message of the Cross?
will we walk around with our eyes to the ground, focused on the little cracks and details of our lives? Or will we have our eyes set upward, focused on the Son who was hung on the tree?
Jesus, forgive me for always consuming myself with the petty things of this world. help me to live out my days with the eternal perspective, always focusing on the only One who can truly create meaning within us, for us. You are all this world needs.
purify, clean, wash us and send us out to bring back fish for Your kingdom.
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:1-11
