How to Get Wrecked

The Cross

Every lash of the whip - that was mine and yours.

Every thorn pressed into His skull - I earned that.

The nails, the spear, the suffocation - your bill, His payment.

We want a God who waves a magic wand. Instead we got one who entered our pain rather than erasing it.

The cross confronts our deepest delusions that we’re basically good people who need a little help.

NO!

You’re not drowning, you’re already at the bottom of the ocean.

You don’t need swimming lessons. You need someone to dive down and breath life back into your corpse like it says in

Genesis 2:7 “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

Job 32:8 “But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.”

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The cross offends everyone equally:

Religious people hate it - their goodness isn’t good enough.

Non religious people hate it - their badness is worse than they think.

Powerful people hate it - makes them weak.

Weak people hate it - makes them dependent.

It strips us naked then clothes us with grace.

The thief on the cross got it. No time for religious clean up. No opportunity for self-improvement.

Luke 23:39–43

39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Just, “Remember me”

Jesus said “Today”

Not after you get your act together. Not after you’ve proven yourself.

TODAY.

Because the cross isn’t about what you do. It’s about what He did.

John 14:6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Ephesians 1:7

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

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You know what’s truly offensive about the cross?

It says your best isn’t good enough.

Every other religion gives you a ladder. Do this. Avoid that. Maybe you’ll make it.

The cross kicks the ladder out from under you.

Your sin requires a death sentence and He took it for you.

Yes, we worship a failed criminal. One who failed on purpose.

Who became a criminal to free criminals. Who let Himself be murdered to defeat murder.

The cross demands complete surrender. Not partial buy-in. Not intellectual agreement.

Death.

Your death to thinking you can fix yourself.

Ephesians 2:8–9

8 God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. 9 It’s not the result of anything you’ve done, so no one can brag about it.

A Roman cross became Gods throne.

A torture device became the cure.

A failed criminal became the Savior.

The only question: Will he become yours?

Revelation 3:20

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

The Bible

Everyone treats their Bible like a spiritual self-help guide, flipping to random pages for comfort.

I did that for years.

But what hit me recently will destroy your comfortable Christianity forever.

This book isn’t here to make you feel better.

I used to be a verse cherry picker.

Bad day? Flip Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Worried? Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

Broke? Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Treat the Bible like a spiritual vending machine, insert problem, get comfort verse.

But while reading Isaiah something shattered my cozy theology.

Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”

I realized I wasn’t reading the Bible.

I was editing it.

Highlighting the parts that made me feel good. Skipping the parts that made me squirm.

Here’d what wrecked me:

The Bible isn’t a manual for a better life. It’s a wrecking ball for your comfortable one.

Its not here to validate your choices.

Its here to obliterate your excuses.

It’s not asking if you “get it”.

It’s asking if you are ready to be UNDONE.

Jesus didn’t say “Follow me and life gets easier”

He said “Take up your cross and follow me”

He said “Narrow is the way”

He said “In this world you will have troubles”

The Gospel isn’t a life improvement plan it’s a death certificate.

Want to know why so many Christians are weak, entitled, and ineffective?

Because they’ve turned the Word of God into self-help fluff.

The same book that toppled empires and transformed savages has been reduced to inspirational quotes for your coffee mug.

“All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training” - 2 Timothy 3:16.

Notice what comes before “training” ? REBUKING. CORRECTING.

The Bible’s job isn’t to affirm you, it’s to TRANSFORM you.

Translation: I was scared of truth that required change.

The parts of Scripture that make you squirm are the parts you need most.

The verses that offend you are the ones targeting your sin.

The passages that seem “too harsh” are the ones your flesh is fighting.

The chapters you skip are where your breakthrough lives.

A comfortable Christian is a compromised Christian.

If your Bible reading never convicts you, you’re not reading, you’re browsing.

If Scripture never makes you uncomfortable, you’re not submitting, you’re selecting.

The Bible isn’t asking for your opinion.

It’s not requesting your approval.

It’s not seeking your comfort level.

It’s COMMANDING your surrender.

The question isn’t “Do I like what this says?”

The question is “Will I submit to what this demands?”

Stop treating Gods Word like a buffet where you pick what you like and leave the rest.

Start treating like MEDICINE.

Take the whole dose, even if it taste bitter. Especially if it taste bitter.

Don’t skip the hard parts.

Don’t spiritualize away the clear commands.

Let it wreck you if necessary.