The Success of the Cross

The success of the Cross

Close your eyes and picture the cross. Now picture Jesus on the cross, nailed to it bleeding and beaten, hanging for all to see. Picture the crowds mocking and scoffing, hear Jesus as He says “it is finished” and gives up His spirit. See the Roman solder pierce His side with a spear, watch as they take Him down from the cross and what few friends He had left wrap His broken body and lay Him in a borrowed tomb. Imagine what those who followed Jesus while He was alive must have thought seeing all this. Jesus the promised Messiah, the one who would rule with Justice and be the King of Israel is dead, killed like a common thief. Where was the power people claimed He had, this man claimed to be God’s son and now it’s over with out even a fight. If that was the end of the story then what a tragedy the cross would have been, but we know that’s not the end and the cross is the greatest victory the world has ever known. A wise man once said “never let a fool see a job half done” and that’s it. So many times we judge success by worldly standards and we fail to see God’s plan and His perfect timing, we fail to see that many times when we seem to lose its then that God’s greatest work is done. When we come to the end of ourselves and pour out all we have that’s when God has room to do His work, work that only He can take credit for and work that only He can do. Jesus wasn’t defeated not for one second. He was, is and always will be God almighty the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the cross was His great moment of triumph, triumph over death hell and the grave and He won this victory by His obedience to the will of the Father
Luke 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." I can’t begin to explain the mystery of all that Jesus did on the cross, but I know it was all anyone could ever need to be forgiven and I know that the cross despite it’s horror is beautiful and wonderful and victorious and it is the single most amazing picture of true love the world has ever known or ever will know. (John 3:16) And through faith I see the success of the cross.