Why Does the Cross Matter?

Why Does the Cross Matter?

Introduction

Many years ago I was out visiting the neighborhood with some people from my church. There was one lady who had never done anything like this before, and so she was understandably nervous.

Matters only go worse as we knocked on one door. A great big guy came to the door. He as a bout 6’3” and weighed probably 270 pounds. It wasn’t fat.

I could tell because—when he came to the door—he was wearing shorts and no shirt. The dude was jacked.

He looked like he was part of a motorcycle gang. I don’t mean the kind that rides their Honda Goldwings to around the lake on a Saturday to get a hamburger. I mean the kind of motorcycle gang that has four colors on their vest. One-percenters.

I try to introduce the two other people who are with me but—when I turn around—they are half-way across the yard.

I look for something that I can use to connect with him because I want to talk to him about God. I notice that on his left arm there is a tattoo. A tattoo of the Cross.

Most people who have tattoos of crosses have usually done so for some deeply personal reason. I ask him what the cross means to him.

He explains that it is a reminder of a brother he had that had been killed. We talked about that for a little while. When the opportunity presented itself, I asked him if I could tell him what the Cross means to me.

By this point we had become friends and he agreed. I used the time to explain what the Cross means and how that related to Jesus.

I wished I could say that He gave His life to God that night. But he didn’t. But he thought. He considered. He heard.

Today, I want to talk to you about what the Cross means to me. I want to do so by asking the question: Why does the Cross matter?

That I am asking the question “why” implies that it has been concluded that the Cross indeed does matter. We are asking “why” does it matter.

I want to give you three reasons.

Read 1 Peter.

The Cross is an Example (21-23)

Most people don’t suffer well. They don’t struggle well.

This is even more true when there are those who may be insulting us or attacking our character.

We are tempted to retaliate. We want revenge.

But the Cross of Jesus teaches us a different way.

The Cross is an Exchange (24)

The Cross is an Invitation (25)