The cross
Series: Like you and me | Bible text: 1 Corinthians 1:18
For some, nonsensical, unnecessary, simply a scandal; for others, the basis for their new life with God. In addition, we experience Andrew on his interesting path to faith.
Andreas sits on the floor and rolls a cigarette. For almost 3 weeks, the 18-year-old has been on a trip of self-discovery. All by himself, he rode his moped all the way to England and back, 3000 km. Now he is on his way back and takes a break on a bench; his overalls are dirty, his fingernails black and his long hair greasy; he stinks and is tired. Lost in thought, he doesn’t notice how a styled businessman of about 50 sits on the bench with him. After a few minutes, this man turns to him and asks: Do you know Jesus? Andreas, however, is a convinced and missionary atheist. He finds belief in God stupid and completely absurd! Even now he puts on a pitying smile, as he often does with his pious classmates at the grammar school.
How would people react today if you asked them: Do you know Jesus? «Sure, I know Jesus, he is in the Bible. We heard about him at school,» some would spontaneously answer. Others would perhaps immediately do a 180 and disappear. Still others would smile, doubt our sanity and suddenly have no more time. What happened on Good Friday? – would also be such a question as a conversation starter. That would be more difficult! Good Friday – a day off from work to enjoy! But the meaning behind it? No idea! Even talking about it is complete nonsense for most people. Jesus dies on the cross! That is a bloody scandal! A miscarriage of justice! Good Friday – there is no meaning behind it! Paul says in 1 Corinthians, chap 1, verse 18: «I know how nonsensical the message of the cross sounds in the ears of those who are lost. But we who are saved recognise in this message the power of God.» Opinions differ about the cross. There are also Christians who have trouble with this day! There are congregations that have taken their Good Friday service out of the programme. They concentrate on Easter. They prefer to talk about the resurrection!
Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for his passion. The first time, Peter was horrified and vehemently refused: «This must not happen, sir,» he said. «This must not happen under any circumstances!» (Matthew 16:23 LU) That would be embarrassing! A Saviour who has to suffer and die! From the second announcement we read that the disciples could not do anything with this news – and interesting: they were afraid to ask further questions! We are sometimes afraid to ask further questions because we are afraid of the «it could be!» we are afraid. Or when we don’t want to know the truth. Jesus takes a third attempt, but it’s no use: «The disciples understood nothing of all this. The meaning of these words was hidden from them; they did not understand what was meant by them.» (Luke 18:34 NGÜ). Was it easier to talk about the cross of Jesus after the resurrection. Paul had the following experience on his missionary journeys: «The Jews demand signs and the Greeks seek wisdom. When we proclaim Christ as crucified, the Jews are indignant and the Greeks declare it nonsense.» (1 Corinthians 1:22–23 NL). Why did this continue until today? Because Jesus challenged the human idea of a true, fulfilled life. crosses and put it down as a dead end, an aberration! The Jews thought they were good enough, but they would have liked to see another miracle from Jesus; and the Greeks were looking for something clever, for an intellectual «hip». And today: people don’t need Jesus to die for them. They manage without. They are responsible for their own faux pas! A God who sacrifices his Son for us and then dies on the cross covered in blood – that is no God!
Opinions differ on the cross of Jesus
Every person comes to the crossroads of Good Friday at some point in their life’s journey. The cross of Jesus places people at a crossroads – where they have to decide. Two paths are offered to you, like the two arms of a cross: the path with God or the path without God! It is a decision about life and death – about being lost or being saved! What is crazy is that in the course of time people have converted the crossroads at the cross into a giant roundabout with hundreds of exits and possibilities. There are exits to esotericism, healthy living, yoga, astrology, Buddhism, growing self-confidence, Islam, cosmetic surgery, chi gong, Hinduism, banks, fitness temples, sleeping better, tai chi, fit in old age, etc. There are undoubtedly good offers there too. And people go round in this roundabout and help themselves to the buffet for a fulfilled and happy life – and yet remain empty. Are these unlimited possibilities now supposed to be better, more sensible, more ingenious and easier to understand than the fact that God loves us and wants to give us a life with a future and hope? Paul turns the tables two verses after our sermon text: «Where are the wise men, the scribes, the brilliant orators? God has made fools of them and exposed their wisdom as useless nonsense.» (1 Corinthians 1:20 NL). Here is an intermediate remark: When we talk about the foolishness of the cross on this day, we must remain aware that even then not a few priests, Pharisees and scribes came to faith. Just as numerous super-smart people share the faith with us today! Is the good news of the Bible so difficult to understand? An eye-opener:
God loves people
First things first: God loves all people! He has demonstrated this love to us with his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus took the punishment for our guilt upon himself by going the way to the cross, for you and me, for all of us. He did this voluntarily! Jesus says it himself: «No one takes it (life) from me; I give it freely. I have the power to give it away and I have the power to receive it back. This is the mission I have received from my Father». (John 10:18 NGÜ).
The board in front of the head
It is sad that between most people and God is like a wall. Unfortunately, many people never experience anything of God’s love because they ignore him. They are God to themselves. When the Bible speaks of sin, it does not mean our moral failure first, but the arrogant going over God’s head. For me, the current Corona crisis is like God shaking the comfortable chairs where people are stuck and inviting them to come to him: «So, get up, come to me already!»
The crossing at the crossroads
Sometimes people need several «shakes» before they make the right decision. Like Andreas, whom we met on the bench. He tried to make the man next to him understand that religion is nonsense. But he himself becomes suspicious because he realises that he doesn’t really know anything about the Christian faith. The man wants to give him another New Testament. Andreas, who does not agree at first, thinks: «Ok, I can read it»… At home he starts to read, but it is total crap for him. «It’s about Jesus, who forms a group with a few complete idiots, fails grandly in the end and is crucified», is how he sums up what he has read. But it pisses him off that there is something that so fulfils others, but he can’t find access to this material. His next step is to get in touch with his funny, pious classmates from school. They immediately invite him to the youth Bible circle, where they talk to each other, read the Bible, sing and pray. He attends several times, but still feels nothing of God’s closeness. After graduating from high school, he does his community service in an old people’s home – there he is confronted with faith again. He is amazed at the many old, bitter people who look back on their lives and say: «I have lived off the mark. I have built my life on things that don’t work.
Isn’t it bad when a person has to make such a confession at the end of his life? This touches the young man and he asks himself: What really wears in this world? In this old people’s home there was also an old woman who was devout. She was in a bad way. She could no longer get up, at most she could sit up in bed. But this was one of the happiest and kindest women he had met. She always said, «When the Lord Jesus comes for me someday, it will be good!» When one entered her room, the sun would rise! The young man felt: there is a God after all. This woman has something that carries her. There is something worth living for. And he experiences how unbelief has to cede more and more space to faith. One day, Andreas came across a page in his testament where the reader had the opportunity to document his decision for faith in the God of the Bible in writing, with date and signature.At that moment, he decided for Jesus. Even today he sticks to it and says: «I want to believe, even if doubts arise from time to time!» (from: Susanne Hochmeyer-Lichtblau, Von Gott berührt, Gerth-Medien, ISBN 978–3‑95734–625‑4)
Good Friday
That’s how God is! Our misbehaviour towards God and our ego trips cannot stop Him from showing His love to people even in the 21st century. He still knocks on people’s doors and draws them to Himself – like Andrew! That is why we go through life with open eyes and ears, because perhaps Jesus wants to use you as a «nudge» for others, as he did through the man on the bench, through the young people in the Bible study group or through the radiant woman in the old people’s home. We are blessed to bless others! «I know how nonsensical the message of the cross sounds in the ears of those who are lost. But we who are saved recognise in this message the power of God.» (1 Cor 1:18 NL). What a privilege to be at home with God in this Corona-shaken world!
