The Message of the Cross: Power, Not Shame
“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.”
— 1 Corinthians 1:18
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, for
it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...”
— Romans 1:16
I
Am Not Ashamed
Let it be said loud and clear: I
am not ashamed of the Cross.
What the world mocks, I magnify. What the proud reject, I embrace.
What they call foolish, I call the wisdom of God.
What they say is weakness, I declare is power—resurrection power.
Because at the center of our
faith is not a philosophy—but a Person. Not a self-help method—but a
blood-stained Cross.
It was there—on a hill outside Jerusalem—that the blood of Jesus stained a
wooden cross. And in that moment, all of history turned, all hell trembled, and
all heaven opened wide. The place was real. But the power of what happened
there reaches you today—wherever you are.
The
Real Problem: Not Just Mistakes, But a Sinful Nature
We must begin with truth: we are
not good people who occasionally mess up.
We are sinful people in need of rescue.
The Bible doesn't say we were mostly okay and needed a spiritual
upgrade.
It says:
“Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
— Psalm 51:5
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” —
Jeremiah 17:9
Sin is not just what we do—it’s what
we are without Christ.
We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners.
And no amount of effort, good works, charity, or religion can erase the
stain of sin.
You cannot rescue yourself. Your
morality will not save you. Your spirituality is not enough.
Only the blood of Jesus is enough.
Why
the Cross?
If you want to know how serious sin
is—look at the Cross.
If sin could be excused, God would have excused it.
If it could be overlooked, He would have overlooked it.
But sin required a payment—and Jesus became that payment.
“He was pierced for our
transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities… and the punishment that
brought us peace was upon Him.”
— Isaiah 53:5
“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might
become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21
Why did Jesus have to die?
Because God is just. And justice demands that wrongdoing be punished.
But God is also rich in mercy—and mercy desires to save the guilty.
So at the Cross, justice and
mercy collided.
“The Cross is where divine justice
and divine mercy met.”
He took the punishment Himself, so we could be forgiven.
What kind of love does that?
Only divine love—love strong enough to be nailed, love fierce enough to
stay.
He
Could Have Come Down… But He Chose to Stay
Some say, “If He was God, why didn’t
He come down from that Cross?”
Let me answer plainly:
He could have come down.
But He chose to stay.
He wasn’t nailed by Roman soldiers—He
was held there by love.
He stayed until it was finished.
Until the debt was paid. Until hell lost its claim. Until sin lost its grip.
“No one takes My life from Me. I lay
it down of My own accord.” — John
10:18
Let the mockers mock. Let the proud
scoff.
But as for me, I will say: That Cross is my hope, my anchor, my salvation,
my victory.
The
Gospel Is Power
This is not just a message. It is
a miracle.
It doesn’t just inform—it transforms.
It doesn’t just touch emotions—it raises the dead.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” — Romans 1:16
Not power to improve your life.
Power to rescue it. Rebuild it. Redeem it.
Not power to make bad people good—
Power to make dead people live.
Jesus
Did Not Stay Dead
The Cross was brutal. But it wasn’t
the end.
“He was delivered over to death for
our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” — Romans 4:25
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here—He has risen!”
— Luke 24:5–6
On the third day, the tomb cracked
open. The stone rolled back.
Death lost. Jesus won. And the same power that raised Him from the grave is now
available to all who believe.
This gospel is not just about
escaping hell. It’s about living now with resurrection power.
Power to break chains. Power to forgive enemies. Power to overcome addiction.
Power to live for Christ. Power to die for Him, if necessary.
The
Cross and You — Right Now
This is not just a historical truth.
This is a personal confrontation.
The Cross demands a decision.
You can’t ignore it. You can’t
admire it from a distance. You must respond.
- Will you continue in your own strength? Or will you bow
in surrender?
- Will you carry your sin and shame? Or will you lay it
down at the foot of the Cross?
- Will you be proud in your self-righteousness? Or broken
in repentance?
There is no neutral ground.
“Whoever believes in Him will not
perish but have everlasting life.”
— John 3:16
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” — Romans
10:13
Come
to the Cross — Not Just with Questions, but with Faith
If you’re lost, come home.
If you’re tired, come rest.
If you’re guilty, come be forgiven.
If you’re proud, come and be humbled.
If you’re broken, come and be healed.
Come—not to admire the Cross, but
to be crucified with Christ.
Come—not just to receive forgiveness, but to surrender your whole life.
Come—not just to believe in a symbol, but to be filled with resurrection
power.
Prayer
of Surrender
Jesus, I come.
Not with excuses—but with repentance.
Not with good deeds—but with empty hands.
I believe You died for my sins.
I believe You rose from the grave.
I believe You are the only way to God.
I surrender everything. My pride. My past. My plans.
Wash me with Your blood. Fill me with Your Spirit.
Make me new. Make me Yours.
Let the power of the Cross be the power that defines my life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Closing
Whisper
The Cross stood high, the world
mocked low,
Yet love refused to let me go.
The nails held pain, but grace held more—
The sinless King whom heaven bore.
He died my death, and now I live—
Forgiven, free—His blood still gives.
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