The Message and Meaning of Jesus on the Cross

When I was a pre-teen, it was a popular thing to wear a cross necklace. You could wear a big one, a small one, a gold one, a silver one. It just made your outfit that much more fashionable.

I was never all that fashion forward, but I sure did wear my cross necklace!

Why? Because I wanted to fit in of course! And how cool I was, wearing my cross necklace to school.

Yet there were some cross necklaces that just weren’t as popular.

The ones with that man on it didn’t seem to get the same kind of acceptance. Just a plain cross was cooler.

It was like an unspoken thing though, but you know how pre-teens are. Everyone understood.

Of course “that man” on the cross is Jesus. And regardless of what is considered a coolness factor, He died on the cross. And He did it for us.

But before we get into what it means that Jesus died on the cross, I think it's worth understanding what a cross actually was back then. Because it wasn't a piece of jewelry.

Crucifixion was one of the cruelest forms of capital punishment in the ancient world, and the Romans used it on purpose, on the worst of the worst.

Slaves. Criminals. People they wanted to make an example of.

The cross was designed to make death slow and painful. A person couldn't even breathe properly hanging on one. Their own body weight worked against them, and it could take hours. Sometimes days. And it was always done out in the open, where everyone could see.

So when people watched Jesus hanging on that cross, they weren't thinking about jewelry or fashion. They knew exactly what a cross meant.

It meant you were nothing.

Which makes what Jesus did on that cross so much more incredible.

So why did it have to be this way? Let's see what the Bible says, as Scripture tells the story better than I ever could.

I remember studying John’s Gospel in Bible study. One of the discussion questions was, how can we know what to trust? And my response to this verse was “For God…” meaning that God doesn’t mince His words. God said so, case closed.

Think back to the last time you received an unexpected gift. Didn’t it make you feel loved and appreciated? You might have even felt giddy with anticipation to see what was inside.

Then we see this passage. God gave us all His most precious gift because He wanted us to have life, rich, abundant, eternal life. The cross was motivated purely by love.

When I feel unloved or forgotten, I remember the cross. That's where God showed us His perfect love in the most sacrificial way possible.

On the cross, Jesus paid the price that I could never pay. All of my sins, failures, and shortcomings required a debt that only His perfect sacrifice could satisfy. The cross means that I'm forgiven, redeemed, and made right with God.

What a moving passage. Jesus literally carried my sins on that cross. And all of yours too.

He took what was mine…(the guilt, the shame, the penalty), and gave me what was His…(righteousness, healing, and freedom).

We don't have to carry the weight of our past anymore. It was nailed to the cross with Him. By God’s grace, we are redeemed.

The cross bridged the gap between my sinful state and God's holiness. Through Jesus' sacrifice, I have peace with God.

I'm struck by the phrase "making peace through his blood." My peace with God cost Jesus everything. He is our sacrificial Lamb.

The Fall created separation for all humanity. But I'm no longer separated. I'm brought near and welcomed home. That’s true reconciliation!

When I feel anxious about my standing with God or worry about judgment, I can trust that peace has already been made. The cross settled it forever.

For some, the cross represents defeat and death. Yet it's actually God's greatest victory!

Through the cross, Jesus defeated sin, death, and the powers of darkness. What seemed like the end was really the beginning of resurrection life.

This passage gives me such hope. Every single accusation against me has been canceled. The record of my wrongs (and there’s a lot of them) has been nailed to the cross.

Jesus publicly triumphed over every force that would condemn us. We’re on the winning side because of the cross. This, my friends, is a victory worth celebrating!

Yes, the cross is something Jesus did for me, but it's also a pattern for how I'm meant to live.

This is the invitation. This is where we are called to respond and take action. Jesus is inviting us to take up our crosses, to embrace sacrifice, to die to selfishness, and to live for Him and others.

If I've been crucified with Christ…then my old self, my selfish ambitions, my need to be in control (oof), were all nailed to the cross with Him.

Now that Christ lives in me, I am called to live by faith in the One who loved me enough to die for me.

Have I let go and let the cross shape how I live every single day? Am I really embracing sacrifice? Have I really taken up my own cross?

Looks like I have some work to do…

The cross is where my sin was dealt with most completely, and where my future was secured most certainly.

Jesus died for me. He took my place. He paid my debt. He defeated my enemies. He gave me life.

But I also need to hold up my end of the bargain. I need to live by faith in the Son of God.