Last night at Calvary was a truly Amazing Grace experience! It was refreshing to have experienced the Spirit in a worship service like that. I wish not to give accolades to people, but my desire is to give God the glory and honor His majesty deserves. Too many times “musicals” or “cantatas” or “dramas” showcase the talents of people and elevate our egos to new heights while God is almost completely ignored. Not last night…in fact, my experience at Calvary has always been that God’s is exalted and I have come away refreshed by a fresh breeze of the Spirit blowing upon me. The worship service focused upon the instrument of suffering and salvation—the cross! Let me pull something from that experience for us to focus on during this Passion Week…

Let our minds be riveted on the cruel instrument upon which our great and mighty Savior, Jesus Christ, died—the cross! The cross was an instrument used by the Romans to “shame” and “humiliate” its victim. But, what we often equate with “shame” and “humiliation” God turns around and uses it for “glory” and “exaltation.” Yes, the cross was a place of curse lest we forget what scripture teaches us,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)

But we must always remember that it was our curse that Jesus bore on the cross; it was us who deserved to hang on the tree. And, in taking our place on the cross (i.e., becoming a curse for us) He offers forgiveness through repentance. So, the curse becomes a blessing…a blessing for us. It is a place where the burden of our sin falls off when we believe.

When we look at the cross let’s keep in mind also that it is God’s power of salvation that was displayed through the crucifixion. Some would see the cross as weakness, but to God it was the ultimate show of power and strength. Some would see it as foolishness, but to God it was the quintessential display of wisdom.

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Cross-Centered,

Scott