The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The Bible tells us Jesus Christ died on a wooden cross. It was on a Friday.
Two groups of people watched him die. One group was glad to see the end of him because he had disrupted their corrupted belief system. The other group was overcome with grief, disappointment and despair. Jesus was the one man they believed could lead them to freedom and a better life, now was dead. They were lost and afraid and leaderless.
But that was Friday, Sunday was still to come, then everything would change. On Sunday, those who were disappointed on Friday were filled with joy. And those who were joyful on Friday were confused and disappointed on Sunday.
What’s the meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus?
It’s answered in the resurrection and assent ion of Jesus: Through Jesus, God will reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col 1:20)
We must have been enemies of God for him to make peace with us.
Four things to consider
1. The crucifixion of Jesus wasn’t an accident––God was involved. According to Scripture it was: determined by God's set knowledge and purpose. (Acts 2:23) (Isa 53:4, 6).…We consider him stricken by God, and afflicted……..the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
2. Peace with God can only be secured through trust in the crucified and risen Jesus. Peter said: Salvation is found in no one else. (Acts 4:12)
3. The Cross is God's way to reconcile people to himself. (Col 1:20)
To be reconciled to God means everything that keeps us away from relating to God has been removed. In the mystery of Jesus’ death on the cross all our past and future failures (sins) are forgiven.
The reconciling death of Jesus means people can become friends with God.
The tricky thing about this is that many people don’t see themselves as God’s enemies. However, when we take a look at how we live compared to God’s standards (Ten commandments) we see how far we are from God. Incidentally, we must have been enemies if we needed to be reconciled.
And because reconciliation brings peace with God we have also have peace within ourselves. God’s offer of reconciliation through Jesus is for everyone.
The cross is central to Christianity, without it there is no true Christianity
4. How do people respond to the Cross? Some people think the story of Jesus dying on a cross for them is just a strange myth. Others see it as the message with the stamp of the authority of God. 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. (1 Cor 1:18)
For many people the Easter Bunny story makes more sense than the Easter Saviour story––it’s foolishness to them. Then, there are those who say “I believe the Easter Saviour story”––it’s life changing power from God to them.
How should we respond to the message of the cross?
1. We should respond intellectually and emotionally. The New Testament talks about being crucified with Jesus. Our relationship to him means we, in some way experience his death. We also experience his life now and forever.
2. Our response to Jesus affects us physically––We begin to change.
We begin to deal properly with problems like futility, ignorance, loneliness, selfishness, sickness and death. And we become involved in helping people who are affected by those problems.
The Easter story tells us that through the events of the cross Jesus did everything that’s needed for people to become friends with God. The death of Jesus is heaven’s invitation to every person to join God’s everlasting family.
The message of the cross is God is simple: Our creator loves us and invites his straying children to come home,
The heavenly Father says “All's forgiven, come home, the kettles on the boil"
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