For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved - 1 Corinthians 1:18
The cross, while the very symbol of our salvation, is sometimes difficult to talk about. To think that one man endured so much pain in order to obey the will of God, yet through Him, salvation could be offered to the world. For those outside of the church, or outside of this understanding, it can sound kind of foolish. We have all been though our own trials and tribulations, but to endure trials because of the sin of someone else, and not our own? That sounds foolish. How many of us can remember a time watching someone be ridiculed, mocked, beat up and sit by just watching and not doing anything? We feel helpless for that person, but we also refuse to step in out of our fear of pain or ridicule.
This is what was happening those last hours as those who once followed Jesus. The disciples, those who followed Jesus sit, now, on the sidelines watching and doing nothing has Jesus’ life is being taken away from him. To top that some of those who once followed are now yelling and persecuting with the crowd.
It seems foolish that the Savior of the world would have to die to accomplish the world’s salvations. Most of the time when we think of saviors and heroes we think of those who ride in triumphantly, and take control of the situation beating the bad guys and doing it all with a smile on their face. But we are fools, so we need a different kind of Savior. One who would be made a fool on our behalf. In that way, through what the world would call foolish, and in no way a heroes life, we might be saved through the foolishness of the cross.
God’s might about power is found in the little things, those simple little things that make us think, that help us realize that our God is bigger than anything we may come across. We are saved by His grace; the grace that put His Son on a cross, and raised Him from the dead on the third day, that we would always be able to live in His blessed presence.
Grace & Peace,
Sam