Cross Equals Love 

By Pastor Jeffrey Smith 

 

There are only three options of the Gospel. Preaching Christ crucified, as Paul tells us to do in 1 Corinthians 1, will bring about one of three options: either people will consider you crazy preaching grace not having anything to do with self-effort, they will consider you moronic for having faith in what they consider foolish, or they will receive the power and the wisdom of God. It’s kind of like that quote about football: there are three things that can happen when you throw the ball and only one of them is good. But consider how good it is when someone is convinced of the power and wisdom of God! 

 

What does Cross Equals Love really mean? Cross Equals Love is what we should all take away if we’re in that third group convinced of the power and wisdom of God. If that’s not enough, consider what Jesus declares in John 15.  “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He tells us clearly what the pinnacle of love is. The best kind of love you could ever possibly offer is laying your life down for a friend. It’s absolutely incredibly that Jesus would follow this statement with what He says next. Jesus, after having given us this perfect model of love, goes on to say that He doesn’t consider us servants any longer, but friends. Romans 5:8 tells us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He calls us, humanity oppressed by sin, friends. He died to save His friends. In dying on the cross for all of sinful, broken humanity, He showed the greatest possible love. Anytime we look upon that cross, we should see love.

Stay in the Loop

Stay up to date with everything happening at City of Life!