How can we see God's power in the message of the cross daily? The Heart of the Verse “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) Why the Cross Is Power, Not Foolishness • The cross shows God’s decisive victory over sin and death (Colossians 2:13-15). • It fulfils every prophecy with precise, historical accuracy (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22). • It reveals God’s righteousness while justifying sinners (Romans 3:25-26). • It stands as the one message that saves everyone who believes, Jew or Gentile (Romans 1:16). Living in the Tension: Perishing vs. Being Saved • Two groups hear the same message; their hearts determine the result (John 3:18-19). • Ongoing salvation (“are being saved”) reminds us that the cross is not a past event only—its power continues to shape present sanctification (Philippians 2:12-13). • The world calls sacrificial love weakness; God calls it omnipotence revealed (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). Seeing the Power Daily: Practical Pathways 1. Begin each day by remembering your crucifixion with Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). 2. Preach the gospel to yourself. Rehearse these truths aloud: – My sin is paid in full (John 19:30). – I am clothed in Christ’s righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). – The same power that raised Jesus lives in me (Romans 8:11). 3. Face temptation with cross-grounded authority. Sin’s dominion was broken at Calvary (Romans 6:6-14). 4. Serve others sacrificially. Each act of humble love reenacts the cross’s pattern (Philippians 2:5-8). 5. Respond to suffering by tracing it to resurrection hope. “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed” (2 Corinthians 4:10). 6. Celebrate the Lord’s Supper often. Tangible bread and cup anchor your heart in the objective, literal work of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Strength in Weakness: The Cross-Shaped Life • God intentionally uses apparent weakness to nullify human pride (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). • When we boast only in the cross, we experience divine power with no competition from self-reliance (Jeremiah 9:23-24; Galatians 6:14). • Trials become platforms for God’s strength: “My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Scripture Connections That Keep the Cross Before Us • Isaiah 53:5 — The wounds that heal. • John 12:32 — The cross draws people to Christ. • Hebrews 12:2 — Fix your eyes on Jesus, despising the shame. • Revelation 5:9-10 — Heaven’s song centers on the Lamb who was slain. Closing Reflection Every sunrise is another invitation to stand at Calvary, marvel at the unchanging fact of Jesus’ substitutionary death, and walk into the day armed with its unstoppable power. |
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