The Cross as the Way to God

 7)  The Cross as the Way to God (1 Peter 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,  19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18, 19)

17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.a The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) 

The cross is the bridge that unites God and human beings.  It is the way- the pathway to life.  Jesus is the mediator between God and human beings- and the cross is the tool of that mediation.  Christ reconciles us to God by eliminating the guilt of sin by the cross (not counting our trespasses).  
    The old true story during the civil war is of a young northern soldier who wanted to have leave to go home and plant the crops so his mother could live.  He went to the white house, knowing that all his other efforts were in vain.  He couldn't get into see Lincoln so he sat down on a bench dismayed.  A young boy asked him what was wrong, and he told him. The boy said, "That's not a problem" and took the soldier past guards, into the president's own office.  Turns out the boy was Todd Lincoln the son of Abraham.  Because he pleaded the cause of the soldier, the soldier got his leave.  Jesus the Christ is both God and human.  He helps us relate to the Father, and mediates between us.  The cross is the ultimate tool of that mediation as it stretches from God's side to our side.  The cross is how our sins are not counted against us- and how a holy God can welcome us unholy people into His presence.  Heaven is a perfect place and we are not perfect people.  If we went to heaven as we are, we would make heaven an imperfect place.  But the cross is how our sins are erased- and paid for.  
     The cross, therefore is precious to us (1 Peter 1).  It is more important than silver and gold (which cannot buy our salvation).  It has value that lasts into  eternity.  But it also redeems us from our empty way of life (1 Peter 1).  Our lives have less meaning and are more vapid if they have no meaning in the face of eternity.  If we are just atoms or molecules and there is no one out there to hold us to account or tell us what is good or bad, then it makes little difference if we do good or bad- hate people or love them- they would be just molecules.  But that God came down to us, and then redeemed us by His blood shed on the cross, this gives meaning to us whether we are rich or poor, brilliant or not-so-smart, healthy or sick.  The cross is the great equalizer in that all must stand at the foot of the cross in need of grace and help.  In that sense alone it is powerful.  But that it has power to redeem "whosoever will" come to it- means it has effectual power to anyone.  We cannot get to heaven by being good (no one is perfect).  We cannot get to heaven by being nice (how nice do you have to be?).  We cannot get to heaven without forgiveness and atonement which are found in the cross.  Christ reconciles us to God, and then wants us to spread the good news of this reconciliation to others.  

Application: Do you treat the cross as more precious than gold or silver?  How can you have more respect for the cross in your life?  In our world that easily draws up labels and lines, how can the cross reconcile you to another person?  

(Louis de Caullery 1610s National Museum Warsaw)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the cross.  Thank you that you made a way for us to get to God and God to get to us.  Help me to walk in the way of the cross- giving of myself, telling others it is possible to be reconciled to God.