A Meditation on the Cross

The reality of a crucified Savior combines paradoxical elements: inexplicable cruelty and depravity with sublime beauty and love. The blood (which represents life in the Bible) of the Eternal One, who is the source and sustainer of life, trickled from his wounds. The one who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:7), died. The pure and righteous Son of God was tortured and executed as a criminal. The Savior of the world hung on a Roman cross, dying, while his enemies shouted, “He can’t save himself!” and “Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him!” (Matthew 27:42). The innocent and sinless one bore the punishment for the guilty. His pain was excruciating. His followers, who had experienced his perfect love, were overcome by sorrow, anguish, and despair. Darkness and death descended on the land of Judah, but also on the hopes and faith of his followers. All seemed lost.

But three days later, their agony was replaced by irrepressible joy when those heart-broken disciples met the risen Lord Jesus. Jesus was not a helpless victim, but the victorious Lord of Life. Through the cross and resurrection, he had defeated death, sin, and Satan. Light overcame the darkness. Love overcame hatred. Everyone assumed the cross was the end of the story. Instead, it joyfully transformed an ugly story of suffering and death into a joyful story of life and love. It turned everything upside down. The cross, a hideous instrument of torture and death, became the symbol of life – eternal life – life that death cannot steal. The cross was the ultimate game-changer in human history.

Paul declared, “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…” (1 Cor. 1:22-23, NIV). The cross for unbelievers is sheer nonsense, an idiotic fantasy for fools. End of discussion. For disciples, however, the cross displays the power, wisdom, and love of God. The cross is God’s most meaningful self-revelation. Consequently, this instrument of torture and death has been transformed into the most significant symbol of the Christian faith. The cross combined with the resurrection points us to life, not death. The cross is the bedrock truth upon which the Christian faith stands. Without the cross there can be  no resurrection, no gospel, and no Christian hope. The cross is a lighthouse for disciples, helping us navigate through the darkest times. The cross distinguishes and authenticates the Jesus Way as the way to life.

Cross-Training

“Cross-training” for athletes and those seeking to increase their physical fitness refers to using different exercises to strengthen different sets of muscles and parts of the body. It is a means of improving one’s overall fitness, not merely the muscles used in one sport or activity. In mixed martial arts and self-defense, cross-training refers to training in multiple martial arts or fighting systems to become proficient in all the phases of unarmed combat. The military’s use of the term describes training their personnel to become proficient in using multiple types of weapons in combat. Businesses may cross-train employees to do several different jobs or to operate multiple types of machines. 

We are using the term “cross-training” to describe the process of “character transformation” through which disciples become more “like Jesus.” The journey into spiritual maturity goes through the cross and requires us to bear our crosses. Pain and being broken is part of the transformation process. This life-long process of spiritual growth is the focus of Tier II, challenges 5-8. Spiritual growth requires sufficient self-discipline to practice the spiritual disciplines. The process is intentional but not mechanical. Spiritual growth requires the assistance and power of the Holy Spirit and a supportive community of disciples. The recipe for transformation calls for a mixture of human effort, faith, and copious amounts of God’s grace. Spiritual maturity is comprehensive, touching every area of our lives. It deals with our identity and our aspirations, what we think and what we do, our values and our character, our private lives and our public lives, our failures as well as our successes. If we have gone all-in for Jesus, Jesus gets all of us. We must continually and rigorously seek to avoid withholding any part of our lives from Jesus. After all, Jesus is Lord of ALL – all people and all of life.

Jesus is our model. He is what we strive to become. Consequently, we will continually return to the cross because it is the deepest and most profound revelation of who Jesus is. The cross supremely expresses his love, mercy, goodness, and grace. The cross also uniquely reveals the heart of God. Jesus lived his life in the shadow of the cross and so must his disciples. Instead of fleeing the cross, we embrace it. Through faith, the cross becomes a light that illuminates every part of our lives, including the dark and secret places we hide from others.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The cross defined Jesus and his mission. It also increasingly defines his followers and our mission. We consider ourselves to have been crucified with Jesus. That means our old selves died with Jesus. There is no cross-training without the cross. There are no short cuts.

Going Deeper

Jesus experienced excruciating physical pain as his life slowly ebbed from his body. But he also experienced the psychological pain of rejection while suffering the greatest injustice in history alone. The One who had no sin was bearing the consequences of our sins. He was offering himself, “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). It was the most sacred event in history unfolding before those who witnessed it. The destiny of humanity hung on the cross. Yet his opponents were clueless as to what was really happening. To mock the Savior of the world as he bore our sins was beyond sacrilegious. They considered nothing sacred, and defiled what is holy (1 Timothy 1:9). Their mockery is still offensive two thousand years later. 

Jesus’ crucifixion is ironic because Jesus is God incarnate. He could have called upon angelic armies to rescue him. He had the power and authority to simply step down from the cross. His critics would have died of sudden heart attacks or fallen on their knees, begging for mercy. But he chose to remain on the cross, the supreme expression of both self-denial and sacrificial love.

“No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again.”
John 10:18

Jesus heroically refused to take a short cut. He deliberately stayed the course, prolonging his suffering, enduring the insults of fools in order to fulfill his mission. Jesus valued pleasing the Father and saving us as more important than his own well-being and comfort. In one sense, it wasn’t about him. He lived and died for something greater—love for the Father and for us.

This truth, embedded in the cross, is difficult for us to wrap our minds around. A lifetime is needed for us to absorb the implications of this shocking revelation. Yet that is the reason Jesus came into the world at Bethlehem. His life, death, and resurrection have been called the hinge of history, but that hinge pivots on the cross. His incarnation, teaching, and resurrection cannot be fully appreciated apart from the cross.

Fear of the Lord

In Mark’s account of the crucifixion, he includes an interesting detail about one of Jesus’ executioners. A centurion exclaimed as he stood at the foot of cross and watched Jesus die, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). The centurion had an unobstructed view of the crucifixion, but the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to see the meaning of the injustice he had witnessed that day. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit is always the One who confirms this truth to those who have receptive hearts. We don’t figure it out; it is revealed to us.

I believe the centurion experienced what the Bible calls the “fear of the Lord,” which is often associated with the reverence, respect, and awe felt in God’s presence. Eugene Peterson goes a step further, describing the “fear of the Lord” in these words:

The moment we find ourselves unexpectedly in the presence of the sacred, our first response is to stop in silence. We do nothing. We say nothing. We fear to trespass inadvertently; we are afraid of saying something inappropriate. Plunged into mystery we become still, we fall silent, all our senses alert. This is the fear-of-the-Lord.

(Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eerdmans, p. 41)

The resurrection narratives depict Mary Magdalene and the other Mary as “very frightened but also filled with great joy” (Matt 28:8). This is the fear of the Lord. Peterson describes the Fear-of-the-Lord as “fear with the scary element deleted” and “it includes all the emotions that accompany being scared – the disorientation, the not-knowing what is going to happen to me, the realization that there is far more here than I had any idea of.” (Peterson, pp. 121, 122). It is not feeling scared, but feeling bewildered and overwhelmed by awe, reverence, and in some instances, joy.

I once heard the Fear of the Lord described as the realization that “Only God is God; I am not.” The fear of the Lord is both simple and profound. That is what the centurion experienced when Jesus died, and Mary Magdalene experienced when she encountered the risen Lord in the garden.

Cross-Training: It’s not about me.

When the Holy Spirit confirms the meaning of the cross to you, you become part of the story, because you realize, “Jesus died for ME!” It’s as if the Spirit allows you to virtually stand next to the centurion and witness the crucifixion personally. You see the ugliness, the cruelty, the blood, and the gross injustice of the cross. But the deeper meaning of the cross begins to soak into your heart. He was crucified, the most painful method of killing a person ever devised. But he endured it for you, for me—for all of us. You are stunned by the depth and beauty of his love. Simultaneously, you realize it was for you, but not about you. Life is always about Jesus, not about you or me. Living for Jesus is living in the fear of the Lord. 

According to the Bible, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7, Psalm 111:10). That is why it is an indispensable component in the cross-training process for every disciple. When you accept that life is not about you, your heart is prepared to receive everything the Lord wants to teach you or give to you. You are not the center of life – Jesus is. Your job is to bring every part of your life under his authority and rule. Wisdom is growing to understand what that looks like and pursuing that goal, which means you submit to his authority and love.

THINKING IT THROUGH

Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! (Psalm 82:13)

THE TRUTH: Jesus was different: holiness characterized his life and enriched the lives of others. 

YOUR CHALLENGE: Disciples continually cultivate character and holiness. 

The Scriptures, questions, and notes are for group discussion and personal reflection. Our goal is character transformation which requires sustained effort and growing faith. The questions can help you understand this challenge at a deeper level. We encourage you to focus on those questions that you find most interesting or helpful. This is not a test, but a tool to help you work the challenges.

Related Scriptures

Proverbs 14: 27 ²⁷ Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.

Proverbs 19:23 ²³ Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.

Psalm 128:1 ¹ How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways!

Deuteronomy 10:12 ¹² “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.”

1 Samuel 12:24 ²⁴ But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.

1 Chronicles 19:9 ⁹ These were his instructions to them: “You must always act in the fear of the Lord, with faithfulness and an undivided heart.”

Psalm 33:8 ⁸ Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.

Psalm 103:17 ¹⁷ But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. 

Isaiah 33:6, 8
⁶ In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
⁸ The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.

Haggai 1:12 ¹² When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord.

Acts 9:31 ³¹ The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Acts 19:17 ¹⁷ The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.

Luke 9:22-24 ²² And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” ²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Matthew 10:38-39 ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

1 Corinthians 1:17 ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Galatians 6:14 ¹⁴ May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Philippians 2:8-9 ⁸ …he humbled himself  by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name….

Philippians 3:18 ¹⁸ For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

1 Peter 2:24 ²⁴ “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Colossians1:19-20 ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Colossians 2:13-15 ¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Hebrews 12:1-2 ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Questions

You are encouraged to use these questions for group discussion or personal reflection. Respond to the questions that are most relevant or interesting to you (I urge you to write your responses in a journal or notebook). 

1. Jesus was crucified. Think about the implications of that simple fact. What does it mean for you? Does that draw you closer to him or repel you? 

2. Now think about the gospel truth that Jesus died for you. Is that a foundational truth for you or something of little or no importance? Why does his death matter? 

3. What qualities did Jesus embody on the cross that draw you to him? 

4. Have you ever reflected about whether you sincerely want to become more like Jesus? If not, do so now. 

5. Identify someone you know personally who in your view has grown to become more like Jesus. In what ways are they distinctive?

6. Reflect on the role the Holy Spirit plays in the process of becoming like Jesus. What is your responsibility? Why do you need the Spirit’s help? How do you become part of God’s story?

7. The cross of Jesus is a profound example of self-denial. What are its implications for disciples who, by definition, seek to become like Jesus? Is it possible to become more like Jesus without exercising self-denial? 

8. Describe a time when someone denied themselves because they loved you.

9. Explain what cross-training means in the twelve Challenges.

10. Which passage in the list of “Related Scriptures” challenges you the most or encourages you the most? Why.

NOTES

A Personal Reflection

I did not serve in the military, but I have noticed similar patterns in how many veterans talk about their experiences in the military. Combat veterans are sometimes reluctant to discuss their experiences with those who have never experienced combat. Others just want to forget it and not talk about it with anyone. However, many veterans look back upon their years in the military as some of the hardest but best years of their lives. Oh, they complain about the food and rules, but many of them have experienced something special that they miss as civilians. They bonded with their buddies at a depth that civilian co-workers seldom experience. Those bonds were built on mutual dependence and sometimes made the difference between living and dying.

But I’ve concluded there is something more. They paid a high price to serve their country. When I was serving as a chaplain to combat veterans suffering from PTSD, I listened to their stories of what they experienced in Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan and the horror of war was practically incomprehensible to me. They had been to hell and back, and it changed them. Some of their buddies did not come back with them. Yes, they missed these relationships and loved those that had passed, but there was something further they were missing. 

After pondering this for years, I’ve concluded that in their civilian lives, these veterans missed having a purpose that was bigger and more important than themselves. They fought for freedom, or their country, or the knowledge that the lives of other people depended on them faithfully doing their duty. They had a purpose that was greater than themselves. Consequently, they were willing to sacrifice for that greater purpose. In civilian life, making money and climbing the corporate ladder, or improving their golf game seemed empty after having known what it was like to live for a purpose that transcended themselves.

I think athletes often experience something similar when they play a team sport. The team becomes more important than the individual. Each individual must contribute to the team. Like life in the military, they must make sacrifices for a greater purpose—the team. They play for each other. They sacrifice for each other. You often hear them say they love their teammates. 

When one serves in the military or plays competitive team sports, they eventually learn “It’s not about me.” Their common mission is more important than the individual getting their way or getting the credit. They sacrifice because attaining the goal is of supreme importance. Disciples of Jesus also learn to sacrifice because every disciple knows life is not about them. Their purpose and life mission require sacrifice. Living lives that embrace sacrifice is counter- cultural in a society that says the individual is king. But for disciples who believe Jesus is King, there is no greater purpose than our high calling, and no greater satisfaction than faithfully serving and pleasing our King. We live with anticipation because every day means we are one-day closer to meeting Jesus face to face and hearing him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt 25:21). A life lived for oneself is empty, a life lived for Jesus is purposeful and meaningful. There is no higher calling.

Copyright © 2024 Don Waite

All rights reserved.

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