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	“OUR GOD HAS WOUNDS” The cross is widely uisunderstood today. The cross is worn as a pendant by athletes, New Agers, and rock stars. The “offense of the cross,” as Paul put it, has long since vanished asits message is reinterpreted to fit the modern mind. Many who wear the cross around their necks would be scandalized if they understood its meaning. Examples: A pastor meets a woman in her 30's on a flight to Cleveland. He sees that she is wearing a necklace with a cross. He says: “Thanks for wearing that cross... we really do have a wonderful Savior, don’t we?” Surprised, she rolled her eyes upward and responded, “Well, I don’t understand the cross like you do – look at this.” She held the small cross in her hand and showed me that beneath it was a Jewish Star of David and next to it was a trinket that symbolized the Hindu god Om. “I’m in social work. The people I work with find God in different ways. Christianity is just one of the paths to the divine.” The cross may be combined on a necklace but never in reality. To combine it with any other religion, philosophy, or human idea is to destroy its meaning. The world at large is deeply offended by the message of the cross. A sign on a vendor’s table during a festival in Brazil: Cheap Crosses for Sale. The central message of the cross: It is not just that Jesus died for us, but how He died that is important. The cross was not merely a cruel form of death, but it humiliated its victims; it was used to execute those who were most cursed. The procedure with all of its torture ended with the victim naked, with no rights, no reputation, and no recourse. Read Matthew 27:27-31. So the cross not only proves 1) the gracious love of God toward sinners but also 2) the depth of our sin and rebellion against Him. The cross opens us to grace or judgment. It has broken down all ‘partition walls’ and left a world of naked sinners trembling on the brink of hell. Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin are death.” Every effort to recover themselves is but a denial of their doom, and a denial too of the grace of God, which stoops to bring them blessing where they are and as they are.” Properly understood, the cross exalts no one whom it first does not humble; it gives life only to those whom it first “puts to death.” The cross exposes our self-righteousness; it reminds us that we are sinners, incapable of bringing about our own reconciliation with God. Before the cross we can only stand with bowed heads and a broken spirit – for it was on that cross that Jesus was wounded for you and me. But it is difficult to embrace the cross in a day when personal enjoyment is king. The message that changed the first century world was that everyone has sinned and come short of the glory of God, that everyone stands condemned because of sin and deserves the death of the cross and eternal separation from God (hell). The gospel in the first century was that the cruel, humiliating execution of Jesus was God’s most wondrous saving event. No wonder it was a stumbling block to the religious people and foolishness to those who deemed themselves wise! But the message of the cross changed their world. The central message of Christianity is that Christ died on the cross to rescue sinners from an eternal fate. The preaching of the cross is “the power of God unto salvation.” Jesus’ suffering was terrible for the simple reason that our sin is terrible. But the suffering of Jesus was not primarily physical; the spiritual suffering He endured for three hours when His fellowship with the Father was broken was the ultimate suffering. He died on the cross so that you and I would never have to experience that separation. In dying on the cross, Jesus became our sin bearer. Read Isaiah 52:14 & 53:3-6. In Africa, a fire ravaged a hut, burning quickly and intensely, killing all in the family except one. A stranger was seen running into the burning house. He snatched a small boy from the flames, carried him to safety, and then disappeared into the darkness. The next day the tribe met to decide what should be done with the lad. Perhaps superstitiously, they assumed he must be a special child because he survived the fire. A wise man insisted that he adopt the boy; a rich man thought he was better qualified. As the discussion ensued, a young, unknown man walked into the middle of the circle and insisted that he had prior claim to the child. He then showed them his hands, freshly burned in the fire of the preceding night. He was the rescuer and therefore insisted that the child was rightfully his. Just so, our scarred Savior claims us. The other gods were strong; but You were weak. They rode, but You stumbled to Your throne. But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak, and not a god has wounds but You alone. Our God is a God with wounds! HAVE A BLESSED EASTER

“O

UR GOD HAS WOUNDS” The cross is widely uisunderstood today. The cross is worn as a pendant by athletes, New Agers, and rock stars. The “offense of the cross,” as Paul put it, has long since vanished asits message is reinterpreted to fit the modern mind. Many who wear the cross around their necks would be scandalized if they understood its meaning. Examples: A pastor meets a woman in her 30's on a flight to Cleveland. He sees that she is wearing a necklace with a cross. He says: “Thanks for wearing that cross... we really do have a wonderful Savior, don’t we?” Surprised, she rolled her eyes upward and responded, “Well, I don’t understand the cross like you do – look at this.” She held the small cross in her hand and showed me that beneath it was a Jewish Star of David and next to it was a trinket that symbolized the Hindu god Om. “I’m in social work. The people I work with find God in different ways. Christianity is just one of the paths to the divine.” The cross may be combined on a necklace but never in reality. To combine it with any other religion, philosophy, or human idea is to destroy its meaning. The world at large is deeply offended by the message of the cross.

A sign on a vendor’s table during a festival in Brazil: Cheap Crosses for Sale.

The central message of the cross: It is not just that Jesus died for us, but how He died that is important. The cross was not merely a cruel form of death, but it humiliated its victims; it was used to execute those who were most cursed. The procedure with all of its torture ended with the victim naked, with no rights, no reputation, and no recourse. Read Matthew 27:27-31. So the cross not only proves 1) the gracious love of God toward sinners but also 2) the depth of our sin and rebellion against Him. The cross opens us to grace or judgment. It has broken down all ‘partition walls’ and left a world of naked sinners trembling on the brink of hell. Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin are death.” Every effort to recover themselves is but a denial of their doom, and a denial too of the grace of God, which stoops to bring them blessing where they are and as they are.”

Properly understood, the cross exalts no one whom it first does not humble; it gives life only to those whom it first “puts to death.” The cross exposes our self-righteousness; it reminds us that we are sinners, incapable of bringing about our own reconciliation with God. Before the cross we can only stand with bowed heads and a broken spirit – for it was on that cross that Jesus was wounded for you and me. But it is difficult to embrace the cross in a day when personal enjoyment is king.

The message that changed the first century world was that everyone has sinned and come short of the glory of God, that everyone stands condemned because of sin and deserves the death of the cross and eternal separation from God (hell). The gospel in the first century was that the cruel, humiliating execution of Jesus was God’s most wondrous saving event. No wonder it was a stumbling block to the religious people and foolishness to those who deemed themselves wise! But the message of the cross changed their world. The central message of Christianity is that Christ died on the cross to rescue sinners from an eternal fate. The preaching of the cross is “the power of God unto salvation.” Jesus’ suffering was terrible for the simple reason that our sin is terrible. But the suffering of Jesus was not primarily physical; the spiritual suffering He endured for three hours when His fellowship with the Father was broken was the ultimate suffering. He died on the cross so that you and I would never have to experience that separation. In dying on the cross, Jesus became our sin bearer. Read Isaiah 52:14 & 53:3-6. In Africa, a fire ravaged a hut, burning quickly and intensely, killing all in the family except one. A stranger was seen running into the burning house. He snatched a small boy from the flames, carried him to safety, and then disappeared into the darkness. The next day the tribe met to decide what should be done with the lad. Perhaps superstitiously, they assumed he must be a special child because he survived the fire. A wise man insisted that he adopt the boy; a rich man thought he was better qualified. As the discussion ensued, a young, unknown man walked into the middle of the circle and insisted that he had prior claim to the child. He then showed them his hands, freshly burned in the fire of the preceding night. He was the rescuer and therefore insisted that the child was rightfully his. Just so, our scarred Savior claims us. The other gods were strong; but You were weak. They rode, but You stumbled to Your throne. But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak, and not a god has wounds but You alone. Our God is a God with wounds! HAVE A BLESSED EASTER