What's So Wonderful About the Cross?

Would you wear a miniature hangman’s noose around your neck? But of course many followers of Christ wear crosses.

The cross is a common symbol for Christians. We wear crosses and display crosses on our buildings. In some traditions, Christians make the sign of the cross. At our church we often sing “The Wonderful Cross.” But what’s wonderful about a brutal instrument of capital punishment?

Of course it’s not the cross as a means of execution that we revere. It’s the cross of Jesus and all it means to us. We admire Christ so much, love Him and worship Him, because He went to the cross.

The other night I jotted down what the cross means to me.

• The cross is where my Savior died in my place.
• The cross is where my sins were placed upon Him.
• The cross is where my debts toward God were nailed (Colossians 2:14).
• The cross is where God’s wrath was poured out and where God’s justice was satisfied (Romans 3:21-26).
• The cross is the low door through which the one true King stooped in order to rise in conquering power in the resurrection.
• The cross is the great subject of our preaching (1 Corinthians 1:23).
• The cross is offensive to prideful people, but beloved to humble ones.
• The cross is foolish and weak to those who don’t believe in Jesus, but wise and powerful for those who do.
• The cross is the only reason I should boast (Galatians 6:14).
• The cross is the way we are reconciled to God and to others (Ephesians 2:16).
• The cross is how much God hates my pride, my selfishness, my rebellion.
• The cross is how much God loves His people, including me.
• The cross is weakness, failure, shame and rejection.
• The cross is power, success, honor, and acceptance.
• The cross is the end of everything.
• The cross is the beginning of everything.

The cross is far more important in the New Testament than it is to the average church or the average Christian. Paul said, But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world  (Galatians 6:14).

So I’ve been thinking, how can I live a more cross-centered life? Here are a few steps I’m trying to take. Maybe you’d be interested, too.

1. Memorize Galatians 6:14.
2. Pray that God would help me learn the meaning of the cross and the meaning of a cross-centered life.
3. Study “cross” and “crucified” in the New Testament. (Use your concordance.)
4. Read C. J. Mahaney’s wonderful little book, The Cross-Centered Life. It’s tiny, only 85 pages, but packs a huge blessing.

And in case you’d like to sing or listen to “The Wonderful Cross,” click here. (I'm having trouble embedding videos, so for now I'm stuck with giving you the link.)