On this day when we celebrate Palm Sunday and the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, I[m taking a very different line as we’ve already been on this journey for 6 weeks. We’re going to look at the destination of the cross. We’ve been on our journey from Gethsemane and the Garden to Golgotha where the crucifixion takes place.

The cross is central to Christianity.

Without the cross we would not have Christianity.

If anyone wants to represent that they are Christian they will often do so with a cross. A cross on the wall, on a bumper sticker, businesses use them on their marquees and logos to represent that they are led by a person of faith. I’ve even seen them on tow trucks.

Along side the road you will often find crosses where someone has tragically lost their life. Often these roadside memorials also have flowers and can often look similar to a gravesite in a cemetery.

Many of us wear crosses, our catholic brethren will often wear a crucifix. The difference is that a cross is simply a cross, a crucifix has Jesus on the cross. Why the difference? Our Roman Catholic and Orthodox friends never want to forget the sacrifice of Jesus. The Reformers looked more at the resurrection and so in the reformed tradition our cross is empty. The sacrifice is done.

Yet when it comes to the cross, it has a lot more meaning that you might think. Let’s start with the obvious:

The cross is one of the cruelest ways ever created by humankind for the execution of their fellow humans. Splayed out on its face the condemned hang by nails in their hands and feet. After a while it becomes more and more difficult to breathe as they have to push against the nails in their feet and pull down on the nails in their hands to raise them up for a breath. This of course is excruciatingly painful, adding to the agony, the fatigue, all of it is a tortuous end for those condemned. You may remember in the crucifixion narrative at one point one of the soldiers comes to break the legs of the condemned. Why?

By breaking their legs the crucified are no longer able to push themselves up to get that breath. It seems like piling on the horror of the seen, in reality it was an act of mercy shortening the length of time of suffering. Without such an act some condemned remained on their cross for days before succumbing to death.

Jesus’ legs were not broken, He had already given up His spirit and died. It is this early death that compels the soldiers to confirm his death by spearing him in the side, from which poured out blood and water.

Yet the cross represents so very much more. Throughout the New Testament we get many different images describing what the cross is and how you and I should see it.

Ransom

It’s a ransom, a payment for the debt of sin. Perhaps you’ve heard this illustration.

We read in the Gospel of Mark 10:45

Mark 10:45 ESV

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

And we read later in Paul’s first letter to a young pastor named Timothy, 1Tim 2:5-6

1 Timothy 2:5–6 ESV

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

When you look at the cross…

Remember Jesus has paid the debt of sin.

And that rolls right into the next one where on the cross Jesus is offering himself as a

Substitution

Jesus offers himself in our place. If you think back to the trial scene before Pilate, he finds Jesus to be innocent and that there is no guilt deserving of death. Yet the people cry out for Barabbas, one who’d commited murder and insurrection - two things that were deserving of death according to Roman law. 2 Cor 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This part is so important. We know we sin. Jesus did not. But he steps up in our place, he takes on the death we deserve.

When you look at the cross

Remember Jesus went there in your place.

Now for one of those big theological words. Take a deep breath…

Propitiation

Some say it “pro-pish-iae-shun” Others say it “pro-pitch-ia-shun”.

Romans 3:25 However you say it:

Romans 3:25 ESV

whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Much like the blood of the lamb on the doorframes of the Israelites as they began to flee from Egypt, a moment celebrated int he passover, Jesus becomes our lamb that makes us no longer worthy of death.

According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church Propitiation

The general meaning of the word is the appeasing of the wrath of the Deity by prayer or sacrifice when a sin or offence has been committed against Him. To say that the death of Christ is ‘propitiatory’ is, then, to say that it is effective in restoring the relationship between God and man, damaged by sin.

In other words, what had once prevented God from loving us has been removed - the relationship is restored between God an ourselves. You and I once again have direct access to God.

When you look at the cross…

Remember Jesus opens the way for God’s love to flow, and to flow to you. The way is open. Jesus makes us acceptable to God so that God can pour his love out on us which was the whole purpose of sending Jesus as we know from John 3:16

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Lifting Up Jesus

We’ve already talked about the display that the crucifixion was. There was a reason why it was done on a hillside. The Romans wanted it to be a warning to all those who might think of rebelling against the power. It was an effective deterrent putting the death penalty on full display.

For the Christian as we read through the passion narrative and we get to the cross, we don’t read a whole lot about how the cross is lifted. If you’ve seen movies you know that when the condemned is nailed to the cross, the cross is flat. Once the criminal is firmly attached to the cross they are lifted up.

In the Gospel of John the reasoning here is brought up just prior to the verse we just read, John 3:14-15

John 3:14–15 ESV

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

You may not remember this story of Moses. During the Exodus the people spoke against God and Moses complaining once again and wondering why they had been brought out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. Nu 21:6

Numbers 21:6 ESV

Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

The people beg Moses for relief and ask him to pray to the Lord. He does and the Lord commands him: Nu 21:8-9

Numbers 21:8–9 ESV

And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

As Jesus is lifted up it re-enacts that scene. Only this time Satan is overthrown. John 12:31-32

John 12:31–32 ESV

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

One of the things that I love about the fact that Jesus is lifted up, is that all of us are below Him. We are all called to quite literally look up to Him.

When you look at the cross…

Remember as Jesus is lifted up Satan is overthrown.

It means a whole lot more that we will cover after Easter.

For now let’s remember these:

When you look at the cross, remember…

Jesus paid the ransom owed for you.

Jesus offered himself in your place.

Jesus satisfied the justice of God.

Jesus was lifted up overthrowing Satan.

All of this has happened, all of this is represented in the cross. And we will talk about more following next weeks celebration of the resurrection.

The cross is a symbol of:

The worst of man’s devices for how to destroy another human being and the best of God to overcome that evil by willingly paying the ransom owed, taking our place, fulfilling the justice, and rising up over Satan.

Whatever you’re facing - God’s love is greater.

Whatever you’ve done - God’s love is greater.

Whatever sin you think separates you from God - God’s love is greater.

Yes, the cross is there. Yes, the cross represents death. But an even greater YES is the cross represents God’s love, it stands empty for us as it points to the resurrection which I invite you to join us in celebrating next Sunday on Easter.

To God be the glory! AMEN.

THE CROSS: The Crux of Christianity