The power of the cross

Luke chapter 9 verse 20

Jesus said to them all if anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

 

I always thought that taking up your cross meant that you had to have some kind of hardship and that hardship was like a burden you had to carry.

I have started to think this Easter that we get to carry Jesus's cross as a privilege and we carry it as a signpost for others to find their way to Jesus.

The cross that people wear around their necks are usually very beautiful golden crosses but actually the cross wasn’t beautiful at all it was brutal.

The cross that Jesus died on and took all our sin and shame was a hard cross, but it was a cross that brought so much more than something we get to wear around our necks.

 

This Easter I want to assure you that the cross is an empty cross. Jesus died on the cross to take away the barrier that was between us and God. Our sin blocked us from having a beautiful relationship with our creator. Jesus took our sin and shame on himself so that we can have bold access to God.

After three days buried in a tomb, the tomb opened and Jesus walked out! Jesus is alive, seated in the heavenly places interceding for us, praying for us, cheering us on.

Just like on the cross Jesus's arms are open wide ready for us to come to him and accept all that he has done for us and he says "Come follow me, learn to live your life with me" "lets walk this life I have given you together, you do not have to earn my love. Just accept it. Learn to talk to me not with flowery prayers but talk to me as you would a friend"

So when we read the verse we started with again, we can realise we’re taking up a cross to show the world that the cross is

An empty cross

A victory cross

A freedom cross

A hopeful cross

A healing cross

A fresh revelation cross

A providing cross

A welcoming cross

A deliverance cross

An encountering across

 

Jesus is alive.