The Cross SHOULD change everything

The Cross should change everything, but sometimes we American Christians find surprising little changed in our lives and it we stop long enough to think about it, the most astute among us will even wonder why.

Jesus is not broken. The Gospel does work. It is just that our reception is sometimes off. Like an antenna that is broken or a satellite dish that is pointed in the wrong direction. We can’t get the signals God is sending out.

I think of the Mary’s at the foot of the cross. They had to have been crying, weeping, wailing. And for good reason. Jesus was killed at the cross. The only time we even allow ourselves to grieve, even a little bit, is when someone dies – have you noticed? It is OK to cry then. But if you are not at a funeral better wipe those tears away and be strong.

The cross should spell the end of the world as we know it. It should shake us to the core. It should remake us. It should…it could…so why is it not showing in our lives? Could it be because we are so afraid to be seen as weak, to cry, to grieve, to be silent, to stop and contemplate, meditate on truth that we don't allow it to sink into our hearts so that it can affect our lives? We rush from here to there and everywhere medicating ourselves with something other than the balm from Gilead. We run to the well of empty cisterns when the well of living waters in spilling over and we run right past it. Could it be that we have bought an untrue version of the Gospel we've picked up somewhere that costs little and demands even less?

This Easter I want to know Jesus and Him crucified. I want to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. I want to stand by His grace and be used of Him for earth-shattering, life-changing, bigger-than-me kinds of things. I want to want Jesus more than I want to watch the Lakers game, more than I want to eat a good dinner, more than I want to be known for doing something great. I want to know Jesus in the way that those who really know Him know Him. Like Paul, like John, like Mary, like Martha. Martha was busy and distracted but Jesus redirected her. He is merciful not punitive. He refocused her attention on what is truly important. I think she learned.

So the cross spells death to us and life to Christ. The cross changes everything. It will change your living and forgiving. Really come to the cross and you will stop beating people up; including you. Really know the power of the cross and you will be willing to forgive and you will stop withholding good from those to whom it is due – do good to all, especially those who are of the household of faith. Really come to the cross and get a vision of Jesus and yield to Him and you will stop living stoically like there is nothing to celebrate or even truly grieve about. The tears will flow and so will the joy.