How the Truth of the Cross Is Filled with Wisdom, Strength, & Power

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What is the truth of the cross?

The world says: Man is inherently good.
The cross says: Man is a sinner in need of saving.

The world says: You can be good enough to save yourself.
The cross says: Only Jesus saves.

The cross says:

God’s love is so perfect and complete that He gave His only Son, Jesus.

This is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.

John 3:16–17

But it doesn’t make sense, does it?

Good works, obedience, self-righteousness … they make sense.

But a self-sacrificing God seems like a “too good to be true” foolish idea.

Paul wrote to the people in Corinth:

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

It is the truth of the message of the cross.

Is it any wonder the message of the cross sounds foolish to us?

The Life Application Bible Notes say:

Our society worships power, influence, and wealth. Jesus came as a humble, poor servant, and He offers His Kingdom to those who have faith, not to those who do all kinds of good deeds to try to earn salvation. This looks foolish to the world, but Christ Jesus is the mighty power of God, the only way we can be saved. Knowing Christ personally is the greatest wisdom anyone can have.

So…

• Without faith, the message of the cross will seem foolish but with faith, the message of the cross is truth and life-giving wisdom.
• Without faith, the world demands miracles, signs, and wonders but with faith, miracles, signs, and wonders are found in Christ Jesus.

The wisdom of the cross gives a power that goes beyond, well beyond, our human understanding. It is the power that changes lives today in ways that last eternally. It is the grace that changes selfish people into loving people . . . people who want to live each day for His glory.

So, let’s take some time today at the foot of the cross.

Let’s invite the Lord to make the power of the cross personal…

Look around – what do you see?

Listen – what do you hear?

What do you smell?

Are you afraid? Are you appalled? Are you ashamed? Self-righteous? Devastated? Confused? Satisfied?

What do you think?

Who is this man? Who is Jesus to you?

Can you feel the power of the cross?

A Prayer to Experience the
Wisdom, Strength, and Power
of the Cross

Father, You knew we needed help. You knew we couldn’t save ourselves. You knew how prone we are to sin. How can I begin to thank you for Your love . . . for providing the Savior You knew I needed, for sacrificing Him to suffer my punishment, for making my forgiveness possible.

The world offers solutions that You call foolish. Help me SEEK the wisdom of the cross. Help me KNOW the TRUTH that is found in Jesus. Help me experience the wisdom that comes through faith. Help me join the heavenly choir as it sings, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12)

Please lead me to the foot of the cross when my life is in turmoil and I need the peace that passes understanding. Jesus said that He came “to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Thank you, Jesus, for loving me and for suffering my punishment. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for coming to seek and save me. Thank you for Your Spirit who leads me to the truth and gives me wisdom, strength, and power of the cross to live each day through faith. Amen.

When we trust something or someone we place our confidence and hope in them.

Trusting Jesus is putting our confidence in His death as the payment for our sins, and
our hope in His resurrection that by God’s grace our relationship with God is restored eternally. That is the power of the cross and the wisdom and strength we need each day.

We can trust the power of the cross. We can trust the truth of God’s love . . . all because of Jesus.

Learn to know Christ and him crucified. Learn to sing to him, and say, “Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and given me what is yours. You have become what you were not so that I might become what I was not.” –Martin Luther

May He give you everything you need to live by faith, through the power of the cross, today, tomorrow, and all the days ahead.

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