THE WORD OF THE CROSS

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

Like most pastors and ministers that I know Paul was often criticized for his preaching. No matter what you do it just doesn’t seem to be what many people are looking for. Apparently, Paul was being criticized for preaching too much about the cross. The complaint I often hear is that I preach too much about the Holy Spirit. Both claims sound strange when you think about them. You know Paul, you shouldn’t talk so much about the dying Savior. You may get more traction by speaking about something a little more practical. As for me and the Holy Spirit, last time I checked the Holy Spirit is God. I think a better criticism might be you don’t talk about Him enough. Today’s verse was Paul’s answer to the critics, the word of the cross is the very power of God. Why is the word of the cross considered the power of God? The message of the cross and the blood introduce us to a supernatural life beginning with the forgiveness of our sins.

Eph.1:7,8 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins…

All of us have sinned and our sins have separated us from the Lord. It’s only through faith in the blood of Jesus that our sins are forgiven which brings us into this new life. The power of the cross is seen in another word Paul used in this same verse, redemption. Redemption is a word associated with paying a price to release a slave from slavery. We were all slaves to sin until the price of redemption, the precious blood of Jesus was paid. As a result we have been purchased by God and now belong to Him. I am not my own, I have been bought with a price, I am now God’s purchased possession.

The word of the cross also brings God’s power on display through healing for our bodies. As Peter said in 1 Peter 2:24 – “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed”. The suffering of Christ on the cross also dealt with our sickness. The Bible clearly says He carried my sickness in His body on the cross and by His wounds I was healed.

The message of the cross also includes freedom from the curse of failure, lack, and poverty. The scriptures describe a crown of thorns being placed on the Lord during His passion. These thorns were a clear picture of the thorns in Genesis that represent the curse on all of us because of our rebellion against the Lord. His death broke that curse that the blessing of God can be our portion. So I say go ahead Paul, tell us more about the cross, I think more of us could use a good serving of this kind of preaching.