The Way

The trouble with current preaching and the theology under it is that it is often empty of the cross.  The cross is at the core of the gospel message, but no one would think such is the case based on how often the cross is lifted up.  Perhaps, someone along the way decided the cross was too offensive to our senses.  After all, it is a horrible picture of painful suffering and agonizing dying.  However, the biggest hurdle for many of today's followers of Jesus is the difficulty experienced when it is presented as something necessary for a right relationship with God.

 

Our contemporary culture sometimes seems to present and preach a gospel empty of the cross.  We would rather have messages that make us feel better about ourselves and a word that tells us that being better than we were is the real goal.  To embrace the reality of the cross is to embrace the reality that we need something outside of ourselves, something beyond our control, and something we can never completely understand.  The reality that Christ accomplished something that is life saving and life changing for everyone of us is mindboggling.  But, then, an unboggled mind is not required.  Faith is required. 

 

The cross is not about what we want, what we would prefer, or about what makes us feel good, but about the plan of God to deliver us from the guilt and penalty for our sin.  And, perhaps, our final objection to the cross is that it means being honest about the presence of sin in our lives.  Sin breaks us.  It separates us.  It destines us to life without the presence of the holy in our lives.  It is more than we can handle through human effort or intellect.  What is necessary is Someone outside of ourselves and beyond our control to deliver us.  Jesus is that One.  The means by which the deliverance we need takes place is through His suffering and death on the cross.  For us, for you and me, He died.  He said, "I am the way..."  (John 14:5)  which says it all.