The Real Reason For The Cross - Pt 4

The Real Reason For The Cross - Pt 4

In the book of James, we see that James came to realize that His half-brother was different. After the resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, the disciples began to put things together about who Jesus was.

He came to change the world but that could only happen on the cross. No earthly king or religious figure could do what needed to be done. There had to be an atonement to reconcile mankind to God. God Himself had to become a man, live among His creation and pay the penalty for their rebellion. He had to die, and then live, to change them. An exchange took place and He now lives in the hearts of His people.

That’s why the church is different. Jesus lives in us and we live for Him, not for anyone else. But, there is a problem. There are churches that are holding on to the world. The church is supposed to be different - unlike the world. People are supposed to walk into the church and think, “Hey! This place is different. Why is that?” That leads them to seek God.

If people come into your church and they don’t think that, your church has failed. Jesus went to the cross to make sure that that would never happen. But we have churches all around us that are consumers of the world. They strive to be like the world. They love the world so much that you can’t tell the difference.

You see, the world is broken and it doesn’t understand Jesus, so how can a church embrace the world and even follow it? The world is deceived. It doesn’t understand Truth and we see the consequences of that every single day.

We live in a world where doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, the press destroys information, religion destroys morals and banks destroy the economy.

Is that who your church is following? That worldview wants to tell the church what to do, how to act and how to think. Do we not see the problem with this?

It is time for Christians to make sure that their houses are in order. Know what you believe and why. The difference between right and wrong is the cross. You can’t see the Truth without looking at it through the cross. Don't let anyone confuse you about that.

Jesus died to make you different. That’s what being holy means. It’s what the cross is all about.

1 Peter 1:15-16

“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’”