The Power of the Cross

“It is finished.”
God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, uttered these three last words as He voluntarily and sacrificially died on the Cross (John 19:30).
We humans tend to pay attention to and give homage to people’s last words.
We memorialize and even immortalize “famous” final words. As Christians, I believe you and I should humbly, reverently, thankfully and joyfully acknowledge the last words of Jesus which are the greatest last words of all time.
This week set apart some time to read the account of Christ’s crucifixion in all four Gospels (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19). Meditate upon the narrative of Jesus’ last moments. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew within you a fresh understanding of what really happened when the Lord declared “It is finished.”
“It is finished” meant mission accomplished. Jesus, committed to do His Father’s will, came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). That’s you, me and all who choose to believe in Him.
What was finished? Salvation. Atonement. Redemption. Forgiveness for our sins. A reconciled, restored relationship with our Father in heaven.
What happened that memorable day on the Cross on a mount named Golgotha monumentally changed human history for time and eternity
As Jesus suffered on the Cross, being in unimaginable physical, mental and emotional agony, His wounds pouring out His precious life blood, the boisterous, devil inspired, disrespectful, irreverent crowd at Calvary, led by the religious hypocrites, trash-talked, taunted and mocked Jesus.
If you are the Son of God, come down off the cross. Look, He saved others, but cannot save Himself. The spiteful, hateful, heart-piercing words of deceived, spiritually lost men and women only drove the cold metal spikes further into His wounds.
The Lord’s response to the abuse: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Forgiveness based on God’s love was the suffering Savior’s offer to those who hated Him.
 My friends, there is power in the Cross of Christ. The power of God’s love. The power of hope. The power of forgiveness. The power of salvation. The power of restoration. The power of a new beginning. The power of death to life!!!
The Apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 2:2-5 “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
Paul’s ministry was founded upon the central themes of the Cross of Christ and the Lord’s resurrection. In the Cross, Paul saw the power of God unto salvation. Paul was faithful to preach Christ and Him crucified in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus humbled Himself to the death of the Cross (Philippians 2:8). The Lord endured the Cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). Why? So you and I could be saved. His death in our place made it possible for us to be forgiven and restored to the Father.
That is power!!!! Pure power from the throne of Almighty God!
What do you think about and how do you feel when you consider the Cross of Christ? I know how I feel. I am deeply moved with a mixture of sadness and heartache for my beloved Savior and a deep, inexpressible well of undeserved gratitude for His sacrifice for a sinner like me.
Where would I be if Jesus had not stayed on that Cross? I would still be lost, headed for hell, not heaven. I would not know the power, freedom, peace and joy of the unconditional love of my heavenly Father.
The hymn says it well.
“I will praise Him, I will praise Him, praise the Lamb for sinners slain,
Give Him glory all you people, for His blood has washed away my stains.”  
Lord Jesus, my precious Savior, thank You for shedding your holy blood on the Cross for Steve Roll.
As we prepare to celebrate the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead this Sunday, remember there is no resurrection unless there is a death first. Jesus died so you and I could be forgiven and have eternal life.
He sealed salvations’ deal when He rose from the dead! The Cross and an empty tomb are God’s way of saying I love you.
Because He died and lives, we live!
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name (Jesus) under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:13
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation, to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greeks.” Romans 1:6
 A Word For Your Week: Glory to God! “It is finished”!
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