“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. – For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” – 1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-25
“For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him…” – Colossians 1:19-22
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.” – Colossians 2:13-15
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
If the Gospels are the “center” of all the Scripture, the fulfillment of all that has gone before and the foundation of all that is to come, than the cross of Jesus is the “center of the center”. The purpose of Jesus coming was to go to the cross for you and I. It is the culmination of God’s plan to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him. To remove the barrier of our sinful pride and clear the pathway to a relationship to God. There was no other plan and there is no other plan…or way. The cross WAS the plan and it has provided the only way where there was no way!
It is only through the cross that we have received the forgiveness of our sins. It is only through the cross that we can draw near with confidence to the throne of grace and receive mercy (Hebrews 4:16). It is only through the cross that we find the free gift of eternal life. There is now nothing that stands in the way of you coming to the Lord. The death of Jesus on the cross has removed every obstacle that has ever stood between you and a relationship with Him. The only thing remaining is for you to come. To accept the invitation from your loving Father. You cannot make it without Him. You are lost without Him. You cannot save yourself. Let me share again with you the Good News of the Gospel…He has done all the work! This is the power of the cross!
At Easter we do not merely celebrate a great event, we celebrate the greatest event of all time! It is the “center of the center” of all of eternity when God showed us His love for us and made reconciliation possible!