The Power of God

We have to find some way to get the cross back in the church.  Some might quickly respond by offering a reminder that their church has one hanging on the wall behind the choir area.  Others might point to the number of people who wear Sunday t-shirts on which there is a cross and, of course, there are likely to be plenty of cross necklaces showing up at worship.  Long years ago a woman whom I thought was listening to me preach told me she counted all the crosses she could find in the sanctuary.  Maybe, some would say, there are more crosses than I am seeing.  

Still, I affirm we have to find some way to get the cross back in the church.  It no longer seems to be portrayed or preached about in a convicting way.  When I was growing into faith as a teenager, there were many sermons which did more than just mention the cross upon which Jesus died.  Those sermons carried me to its foot, enabled me to see why Jesus was dying, for whom He was dying, and what difference it made.  The cross of that church was not something which gave lip service to the agony of Golgotha, but one that penetrated hearts and brought forth tears of repentance.    

There is much talk these days about the need for Spirit filled churches and I would never deny the importance of the Holy Spirit empowering the church, but I sometimes wonder if revival might not be more likely to come through a church that models its ministry after Paul the Apostle who said, "...we proclaim Christ crucified."  Maybe modern preaching might fear it might get emotionally messy, but the Word of God says that it is "...the power of God."