The Cross (presented at the Islamic Center Apr 6

THE CRUCIFIXION

            In a mysterious and inexplicable way, the cross of Jesus’ crucifixion is the key to reconciliation and peace on earth. This is not something we can explain, but something we have accepted and come to know as our experience of God. For us, this is the good news of God in Jesus, Messiah.

1.       JESUS REVEALS GOD.

Jesus reveals in real life what God is like- that is God’s nature and character.

Who has seen me has seen the Father. I am in the Father and the Father is in me ( I John 14 ) For Jesus to be both Divine and human is not illogical, just incomprehensible in terms of ordinary human experience, and this knowledge has come by revelation.

2.       JESUS DIED FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD. WHY IS SIN SUCH A BIG DEAL?

Sin is an offense that damages or destroys relationship, fragmenting our lives in every harmful way. Sin is not mere human frailty, but a persistent, deep moral flaw that is both personal and social. At the personal level, it is narcissistic and self oriented. At the social level, it is tribalistic, nationalistic, and philosophically humanistic in a way makes humanity alone the master of its own destiny.

1.       Sin as defilement

As God’s image, humanity is designed to reflect God’s character and exercise God’s authority in the world. Like mud on a mirror, sin distorts the reflection of God’s character, but for reasons no human can explain, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin (1 John 1:9). All religions have ritual cleansing ceremonies, but God requires the cleansing of the human heart, and this happens (2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 5:26, Titus 2:14, James 4:8, 1 John 1:9.) If our inner character truly reflects God’s own character, then the Father can say, “This is my child; this one looks like me.” (Matthew 3:17 & Hebrews 1:1-4.)

2.       Sin as shame for falling short of God’s expected standard (Romans 3:23)

The deep moral flaw that keeps humanity at war with itself is shameful. God expects better things from us. God rejects no one who comes to him, but shame prevents our coming, and shame is what will keep us from entering heaven. No one would dare to enter the banquet of angels, much less the presence of God, with filth on one’s clothing, and sin is filth to God. This deep reality lies beneath the superficiality of all religious cleansing ritual.

Footnote: In Asian societies quite universally, deep shame can only be removed by death. In East Asia a shamed person inevitably commits suicide, whereas, in the Middle East, the one thought to blame for bringing the shame must be killed. This is why in some places a young girl found to be pregnant must die, because she is seen to have brought shame on her family. For believers in God to be colonized by infidels is probably the worst shame imaginable for one from this culture.

According to Hebrews 12:1-3, Jesus took the shame of the entire human race upon himself.

3.       Sin as law breaking

This is the sense of sin most popular in the western church, and the crucifixion is generally explained in terms of the law court; however, this creates confusion for anyone from a shame oriented culture. It is better to say that sin offends God and pushes God away from us. In accepting death and conquering it, Jesus removed the offense that prevents reconciliation. (1 John 3:1-4)

THE CROSS CANCELS THE EFFECTS OF SIN ON HUMAN LIFE. HOW CAN THAT BE?

The Cross is God’s Judgment, not on humans, but on human sin.  Jesus said, “The pure in heart…will see God.” (Matthew 5:8) When we trust Jesus to mediate our relationship with the God from whom we have been estranged, he cleanses our hearts of everything that offends God, removes everything of which we may be ashamed and wish to hide. Then we have confidence to approach God as an intimate, as a family member.

The temptation in the Garden was the promise that humans could know (yada) both “good and evil,” but only God can lift the weight of evil (karma) and remove it.

ISN’T THIS WHOLE SCHEME COMPLETELY BENEATH GOD’S DIGNITY

Exactly! Coming to die on the cross in the Messiah, God demonstrates that love is more important to God than dignity. God does not fear indignity, and as a baby, God came in weakness, lived in humility, and died in shame in order to demonstrate his Divine power over evil through human weakness. In Jesus’ death, God lifted the weight of evil—all defilement, shame, and guilt—from the human race, giving Life to all who will trust Jesus to be their advocate in the heavenly court.

WHAT, DOES TRUST IN CHRIST LOOK LIKE?

Faith in Christ is submission to God’s way of doing things, in human frailty and trust, rather than by natural power and clever manipulation for self advancement.  “Paul wrote, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” When the Divine Father looks at each of our hearts, he wants to see the pure, humble heart of his own son, and if that is what he sees, he will say, “This one is mine. This one shares my nature and looks like me.” Welcome home!

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are (in process of) being saved, it is the power of God to salvation. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

FINALLY, WHAT DOES THE CROSS ULTIMATELY REVEAL ABOUT THE NATURE OF GOD?

It reveals who God is, what God is like, and how deeply God feels about us.