Six Reasons I Love the Cross of Christ

This is from a meme I did last year. I’ve edited it, renamed it, and I’m reposting it.

1. The cross of Christ is the solution to everything that’s not right with the universe, including what’s not right with me. No matter what the human need, it is ultimately met at the cross. All real hope is grounded there.


2. Many of God’s attributes are seen most fully in the cross. The cross is, for instance, the pinnacle of the expression of God’s grace. It was also a public display of God’s mercy, love, holiness, righteousness and justice. Do you want to know God? Look through the lens of the cross.


3. What happened on the cross is, in one sense, simple: Christ died for our sins. He bore the penalty for our sins so that we can be forgiven by God and reconciled to him. On the other hand, there are so many layers to the work of the cross! Or maybe it would be better to say that the work of the cross can be seen from many different angles and they all fit together to paint one picture that grows more and more glorious as it is viewed from additional angles. That makes it an infinitely fascinating work and an infinitely satisfying work.


4. The work of the cross is the center of everything: the gospel, God’s plan for history, our Christian faith.


5. The cross is powerful. It transforms us and gives meaning to our lives. It is because of the cross that we have become new creatures. And the cross calls us with a powerful call—a call to live out our new-creaturely lives in “the way of the cross.” Those of us who have been powerfully changed by the work of the cross are called by it to “take up our cross daily” and to find the meaning of our lives in sacrifice to God and for others.


6. For those who are redeemed by it, the cross of Christ will be an enduring passion, a passion that only increases in eternity. Christ’s work on the cross is the centerpiece of the new song:
   
   

   “Worthy are you to take the scroll
   and to open its seals,
   for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
   from every tribe and language and people and nation,
   and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God…
   
   “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
   to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
   and honor and glory and blessing!”

My Desktop Photo 52: Outside Atlin Again

Photo by Andrew Stark
(click on photo for larger view)

Okay, this isn’t my desktop photo because it has the wrong dimensions. But it’s an interesting photo and I wanted you to see it. Make sure you click to see the larger view because that’s where it shines.

How blessed I am to live where I do!

Cross Quote, April 9

Saint Paul Writing His Epistles
by Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier

Carmen Christi

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,

though he was in the form of God,
did not count equality with God
a thing to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
thaat is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

(Philippians 2:5-11 ESV)

Other Cross Quotes

• Bridge Over Death, a quote from Ephrem the Syrian at Siris.
• The Fraternity of the Cross, a quote from Walt Chantry at a rustling of leaves…
• Update: A quote from John Brown at Field Stone Cottage.

During this week in which Christians commemorate Christ’s death and resurrection, I plan to post daily quotes about Christ’s work on the cross. You are invited to join me. Just post a quote having to do with Christ’s death and/or resurrection and let me know about it in a comment here or by emailing me using the Contact link right below the header. I’ll link back to your post.

I think it’d be a wonderful thing to saturate our corner of the blogosphere and beyond with the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection.