The Power of The Cross

Precious, precious Blood of Jesus, shed on Calvary, shed for Rebels, Shed for Sinners, shed for me.

A story is told of a group of scientists during the World War II, who were constructing an atomic bomb. One of the mechanics dropped a spanner into a radioactive device. Knowing that this would cause the atomic bomb to explode in seconds, a top scientist reached in and grabbed the spanner. He was able to save the lives of all the other scientists but he lost his own life because of radiation exposure. What a sacrifice he made for his colleagues! That’s like the cross where Jesus died for our sins so we wouldn’t have to die.

Mark 15:16-39 narrates the suffering and the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus died a horrible, unfair death for all to see. But something far worse happened that was not seen by anyone. Jesus, the sinless one, experienced the punishment our sin deserved so that we could be forgiven. That’s why he felt abandoned by his Father. Verses 34 says, ‘And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”-Which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”’

When he “breathed his last”, the temple curtain tore in two on its own. verses 38, the bible says, “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” What does this mean? Long before Jesus came, the Jews built a temple. God was present in it, in the Most Holy Place. No one could enter through the curtain except the high priest once a year. This reminded the people that their sins were serious and separated them from God. But when Jesus died the curtain was torn. This means that the barrier between sinners [that’s us] and the Holy One [that’s God] was destroyed by the sacrifice of Jesus! Because our sins are now forgiven, we can live close to God!

Of course this only applies if we walk through the open door by putting our faith in Jesus and the cross. Hebrews 10:19-22, the scriptures says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

Have you put your faith in Jesus’ death for your sin? Have you experienced the forgiveness of sins? What are you waiting then…come as you are, there’s power and forgiveness at the foot of the cross. The cross enable us to realize that we are no longer slaves to fear, anxiety, loneliness, anger, hatred, worthlessness, brokenness, depression, because we are Children of God.