Is the message of the cross only relevant to unbelievers? As those who believe in Jesus, and what He did on calvary, is the cross now a moment in our Christian walk that we have “graduated” from?

Many people certainly live like this is true. Many pastors and church leaders only speak on the cross during communion and the Holy week. It has become an elementary part of our faith. We seem to have moved on to the “deeper” things of God.

I realize this is untrue for everyone but it was certainly true for me. The cross was a nice introduction to Jesus and what He did for me but as a mature believer I needed meat not milk. I needed the important things of God.

Boy was I wrong.

It wasn’t until recently I reread this verse and realized how foolish I really was.

1 Corinthians 1.18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

A few important things to note here in this verse.

1. Those who have rejected Jesus cannot make sense of the cross so clearly it is not for them.

2. Paul writes in the second half of the verse “but to us” which clearly sets up who the message of the cross is for and to who it will impact. Paul is speaking here to Believers not unbelievers.

3. So the cross is FOR the church, and with the message of the cross comes power. Paul clearly states that the message of the cross “is the power of God.”

So with that being said let us answer some of the questions asked at the beginining of this post.

As Christians, we NEVER graduate from the cross onto something else. What Jesus did on the cross is God’s crowning accomplishment. It is the center piece to His master rescue plan. It is how God communicates His love toward us (see Rom 5.8). The message of Christ’s crucifixion is the reminder of the crushing of satan’s head and authority (see Gen 3.15). And every time we declare His death we are reminding the enemy of his ultimate defeat and humiliation. Paul said it best when he said that the cross is the power of God in a believers life.

If you have moved on from the cross, sadly you have moved on from the power of God as well. Oh how we need the power of God back in our churches! BRING THE CROSS BACK!

Matthew 16.24

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Not only have we moved on from the cross of Christ, but we have moved on from our own cross as well. I believe it is for this reason many Christians are broken and in bondage today. When we keep the cross of Christ in our view, and pick up our own cross, the power of God is made manifest in our lives to break the yoke of bondage and the back of sin.

The cross means death to our flesh. In walking out our own death we come alive to God in Christ. It is this process by which we are freed from the disease of sin. This sanctifying cross is not punishment, nor something to run away from. Although it is hard, it is Gods gift to us. It is His power at work in us to remove the stench of sin and prepare us as a glorious bride for His Son.

I will conclude with this.

Never move on from the cross. It is the power of God for us who are being saved.

Thank you Lord for the cross!