April 16th

Choose Your Glue

For I determined to not know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

You know, the message of the cross just doesn't fly with the world. It doesn't fly with the world because it flies in the face of everything the world loves.

For those of us who believe in Jesus, however, we have no other choice but to embrace the message of the cross, no matter what the world thinks about it. Wherever we go in the world, if we mention Christ and the cross, there will be a knee-jerk reaction, but we should just expect it because the message of the cross is offensive to the world.

They don't understand it, not one part of it. They're all out there, trying to cram their message of self down our throats. Cars, houses, wealth, money, beauty, youth, sex, power, intelligence, fame, fun-these are the things the world says will fix the pain, solve the problems, and fill the void in our hearts.

All of these things point to pleasure and entertainment that can only temporarily distract us from the internal mess of our hearts, but none of them have the power to heal us. Only the cross, that terrible symbol of death and pain and suffering-everything the world hates-holds the secret key to our salvation. Only the cross held Jesus Christ, where He carried our sins, hurts, and failures upon Himself.

Jesus taught that the way of destruction would be wide, that it would be pretty and paved and easy to follow. But He also taught that the way to salvation would be narrow, rough, difficult, and ugly.

The world is preaching a gospel that's really easy to follow. It's pretty. It's appealing. It entices and seduces and promises pleasure. But one thing it doesn't do is deliver on its promises, because it leads to destruction.

The gospel of Christ crucified is an ugly door that makes the world wretch to look at it. It's a blood-stained, gruesome picture of torture and death. But for those who embrace it and walk through it, the cross is healing, wholeness, and life everlasting in Jesus Christ.

The world might not understand, but we have no other message. We preach Christ, and Him crucified.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for hanging and dying on the cross for me! No matter what the world thinks about You, or about me for believing in You, You are my only hope and I trust in You. I give You all the problems of my heart; please give me everything You purchased on the cross!

Amen