The Message of the Cross

SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 1:18–25 NKJV

18 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. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

INTRODUCTION

The cross of Christ is the centerpiece of human history and the turning point of our spiritual story. While the world often views it as a symbol of weakness or folly, the cross reveals the power and wisdom of God. It is through the cross that we understand the depth of God's love, the gravity of our sin, and the extraordinary lengths to which God went to redeem us. Today, as we unpack the message of the cross, we will see how it transforms our lives, from demonstrating God’s love to calling us into a life of surrender and victory. Let us embrace its message, which is foolishness to some but the power of God to those being saved.

MESSAGE

You are Loved

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The cross was part of God’s plan from the beginning (Revelation 13:8).

Jesus chose to endure the cross out of love, even knowing the cost (Hebrews 12:2).

God’s love extends to all, even the undeserving (Romans 5:6–8).

You are Forgiven

Isaiah 53:5–6 NKJV

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus became the perfect Lamb, fulfilling Old Testament sacrifices (Hebrews 10:10–12).

The cross satisfied both God’s justice and His mercy (Romans 3:25–26).

The atonement frees believers from guilt and shame (Psalm 103:12).

You are Reconciled

Ephesians 2:14–16 NKJV

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

The cross removes enmity between God and humanity (Romans 5:1).

It enables peace with others through unity in Christ (Ephesians 2:14–16).

Reconciliation is a gift, but it calls for a response of repentance and faith (2 Corinthians 5:20).

You are Victorious

Colossians 2:13–15 NKJV

13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Death no longer has the final word (1 Corinthians 15:55–57).

The cross stripped Satan of his power and authority (Hebrews 2:14).

Believers are empowered to live victoriously through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:37–39).

You are Empowered

Hebrews 2:14–15 NKJV

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

The cross turns human expectations upside down (1 Corinthians 1:27–29).

God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The cross reveals the depth of God’s wisdom in balancing justice and grace (Romans 11:33).

You are Transformed

Romans 12:1–2 NKJV

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The cross breaks the power of worldly thinking and enables believers to discern God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

The cross empowers believers to live by the Spirit, reflecting Christ’s character in their daily lives—love, joy, peace, and more (Galatians 5:22-23).

The cross marks a definitive turning point, as believers are given a new identity and purpose in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You are Called

Galatians 2:20 NKJV

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Taking up the cross involves daily surrender to God’s will (Luke 9:23).

Discipleship means identifying with Christ’s suffering and glory (Philippians 3:10).

Carrying our cross leads to true freedom and abundant life (Matthew 16:24–25).

CLOSING

The message of the cross is one of paradox: it embodies both suffering and victory, death and life, foolishness and wisdom. Through it, God demonstrated His love, forgiveness, and power, offering us a pathway to reconciliation, transformation, and eternal life. As we reflect on this divine message, let us be inspired to live lives marked by self-denial, unwavering faith, and the hope that comes through Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. The cross compels us not only to receive grace but also to extend it, pointing others to the Savior who turned the symbol of execution into a beacon of eternal hope. May we never lose sight of the cross and its transforming power in our daily walk with God.