As we enter the Easter month, it’s a special opportunity to consider the significance of the gospel in both a universal and personal sense. Upon reflecting on Jesus’ crucifixion and his resurrection we are necessarily confronted with the very question and principle of the Christian faith. The crucifixion, undisputed in its historicity, represents more than the horrific death of an innocent man, but represents the very foundation and establishment of an upside down kingdom where a Servant became King and, in sacrificing his own life, elevated the very least of mankind to heirs on an eternal throne.
At its basest, the crucifixion and the events leading up to this pivotal moment in history exemplify a moral paradigm of selfless sacrifice: Jesus, fully man, taught and led a ministry of radical generosity and humility, defied the religious authority of the day, and was tried, sentenced, and willingly subjected to an excruciating death reserved for the worst of criminals though he had committed no crime. Beyond the surface lies the centrality of the gospel: Jesus, fully God, became fully human and lived on the Earth amongst men (John 1:14), lived a perfect life and died a merciless death, only to resurrect and ascend to heaven, accomplishing the Father’s will and establishing an extraordinary act of grace, sacrifice, and redemption that altered the course of history and millions of lives to this day.
The beauty of the cross lies in its magnificent scope, its impact extends across all spectrums of belief. Whether you regard the cross with polite indifference, doubt, bitterness, or curiosity, you cannot deny that there exists something quite remarkable, quite obscene and uncomfortable when it comes to Jesus and the crucifixion.
So what does the cross mean to you? For those to whom the cross and the gospel are truly good news, have you taken the time to think about the significance of Christ’s sacrifice on the life you lead, not just one day or one week of the year, but every moment of every day?
As we journey through the stories and thoughts that will be shared in the coming month we are incredibly excited and honored to delve into this very question. Fully do we acknowledge that the complexity of the cross is a lifetime’s journey, but any journey must start with a single step and we hope you will join us and share your own heart as to what the cross means to you.
At its core, the cross is the epitome of overwhelming, sacrificial, and unconditional love. On the final night before he was betrayed, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and gave his final and greatest commandment to love one another, as he loved us (John 13:34), and to forever abide in his love (John 15:10). As we celebrate the month of Easter we are reminded that in embodying this commandment, Christ truly was the suffering king. His suffering became the conduit upon which salvation and restoration for mankind was established for eternity. His teachings a reminder that the lives we lead are not our own, our circumstances not a matter of chance, our joys and sorrows fleeting. For to follow Christ is not to live the comfortable life, the life that craves security and happiness through the material and temporal. It is, as Christ exemplified, a call to take up your cross and die to yourself (Matthew 16:24). To anticipate a life of hardship and sorrow, sacrifice and discomfort but to be assured of the fullness of joy and pleasures at His right hand forevermore (Psalm 16:11).
‘Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.’ – C.S. Lewis
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