The power of teh cross is...

    It is getting into the stretch run for the National Hockey League (NHL) and teams are jockeying for playoff spots and positions.  The Minnesota Wild are trying to improve their playoff position.  Paul Allen (Vikings VOX and KFAN radio personality) has come up with the a slogan to help get the Wild fans on board for the playoff push and it is "does the power of the Christmas colors compel you" (the Wilds colors are read and green).  I think in essence what this statement is saying is how does this team and the team colors get you to root for a team and to help them get over the edge into the playoffs and to win Lords Stanleys Cup.  I am a Wild fan and I listen to a lot of their games, but how does cheering for a hockey team suppose affect how I live my life and the lives around me.  I think there is something greater that we should be compelled by and that is the cross.  The Apostle Paul exhorts the church in Corinth and even us today about what or who we consider wise.  I think there are several things we can learn from Paul's exhortation and the power of the cross. 

  The first one is that the cross unifies.  In Paul's day, just as it is today, there was a fraction in the church based on who people listened to.  Some People followed Paul, others Cephas and others Apollos, which created tension in the church on which one was the better preacher or even Christian.  We have the same argument today, whether it is the debate between Reformed and Arminian theology, to the preachers we love to either love and listen too or vilify.  Paul tells us that non of these ideas died and covered our transgressions, nor do they have the ability to.  The only thing that can is the cross of Christ.  The cross is not suppose to divide the people of God, but it is suppose to unify people together for a common goal.  All things should be seen through the lens of not only a crucified Savior who died on that cross, but was raised from its death.  It brings into focus what is important and not to make mole hills into mountains. 

The second idea of the cross is that it equalizes.  In essence, we are all equal at the foot of the cross.  Instead of fighting over who is greater or dehumanizing certain groups of people, the cross puts us all on equal ground.  In the Middle East, the terror group ISSIS have been terrorizing different groups of people and land marks.  We are all outraged when the Christians are being attacked and killed for their faith, but when other groups of people are facing the same problems, are we making the same amount of noise at the inhumanity of the actions of ISSIS.  As a Christian, there is no such thing as Greek or Jew, but we all are created in the image of God.  The mark of a maturing Christian is not how they care for their own, but how they treat and care and treat people who are completely different then them and who is even their enemy.  

    The third thing that the cross does for us is that it provides the way for salvation.  There is no other way to be saved and to have a right relationship with God except for the acceptance of Christ death on the cross.  We may try to find different ways to get saved, and most of them are on the basis of what we can do, or not do.  We often turn salvation into a works orientated adventure to see how good we are and to work our way into heaven.  If we could become more enlightened and work our way into heaven, there would be no point for the cross and Jesus would of died a meaningless death.  The cross is God drawing the line in the sand and providing a way for us to be saved.  This is so that we can not get confused and think that our salvation and life is all about us.

   The fourth thing that the cross does, is that it invites us to come and partake of it.  This doesn't mean that we all need to carry a physical cross around or even have a literal death on a cross, but we are crucifying our will to Gods will.  It is a realization that God knows what is best for us and has our best interest in mind.  In order for us to be apart of God's plan, we need to put ours aside or even to death.  As the popular saying goes, no one can serve to masters, because one will end up being hated and the other loved.  When we serve those two masters, ourselves and God, we end up becoming whishy washy and we become luke warm.  Becoming a mature Christian requires all of our attention, and the only way to do it is to participate in the death of Christ so that we may be raised with Him.  It is coming the idea that its not about me anymore and its about God.  A good practice to see what one we are living for, is to see which one we are feeing.  Do we feed our own selfish desires, or do we feast on the Word of God.  If you don't feed something, it will die from starvation.  So how does the power of the cross compel you.  Does it compel to lead a life lead by the Spirit and the power of God, or do we just scoff at it and call it pointless.  There is no middle ground