Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that we might be redeemed from the power of sin and death. I greet you, dear brothers and sisters, in the name of Him who is our hope, our righteousness, and our eternal joy. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light through the cross of His Son.
I write to you, beloved, not as one who stands above you, but as a fellow servant of the Gospel, compelled by the Spirit to remind you of the foundation on which we stand: the Cross of Christ. For it is no mere symbol, no empty sign, but the very power of God unto salvation for all who believe. As it is written, “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Let us, then, fix our eyes upon this sacred mystery, lest we drift from the anchor of our souls.
The Cross: The Revelation of God’s Love and Justice
Consider, dear ones, what the cross declares. There, upon that rugged beam, the Son of God, the spotless Lamb, bore the weight of our transgressions. He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). What greater love could be shown than this—that the eternal Word, through whom all things were made, should lay down His life for sinners such as we? The cross is the throne of grace, where mercy triumphs over judgment, where the wrath of God against sin is satisfied, and where the gates of reconciliation are flung wide.
Yet let us not imagine that this grace is cheap, nor that the cross diminishes the holiness of God. Far from it! The cross reveals both His love and His justice in perfect harmony. For sin, that wretched rebellion in our hearts, could not be overlooked; its penalty demanded payment. And so Christ, our High Priest and sacrifice, offered Himself once for all, that the demands of the law might be fulfilled and we might be set free. This is the gospel we proclaim: not by works of our own, but by His blood alone are we justified before the Father.
The Cross: Our Call to Faith and Obedience
Now, beloved, what does the cross require of us? It is not a call to earn what has been freely given, for salvation is by grace through faith, and this not of yourselves—it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet the cross bids us come and die. As our Lord Himself declared, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). The cross is not only our redemption but our pattern. Through it, we are crucified to the world, and the world to us (Galatians 6:14). The old self, with its lusts and pride, is put to death, that we might live unto Him who died and rose again.
Do not be deceived, dear ones, by those who would preach a gospel without cost. The cross demands our all—not to purchase salvation, but to walk worthy of it. By faith we cling to Christ, and by the Spirit’s power we are transformed into His likeness. Let no one boast in their own strength, for apart from Him we can do nothing; yet let no one shrink back from the race, for He who began a good work in us will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
The Cross: Our Unity and Hope
Finally, my brothers and sisters, let the cross be the bond that unites us. In a world divided by strife and opinion, we who are baptized into Christ’s death are one body, purchased by one blood, called to one hope. The cross humbles us, stripping away all pretense, for none can stand before it and claim merit of their own. Whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, learned or simple, we are all sinners saved by grace, clinging to the same Savior. Let us then love one another as He has loved us, bearing one another’s burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ.
And as we await His return, let the cross be our comfort and our courage. For though we face trials, though the enemy prowls, the victory is already won. Christ has triumphed through the tree of shame, turning it into the tree of life. He who was lifted up has drawn all people to Himself, and He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Until that day, stand firm in the faith, proclaim His death until He comes, and let the cross be ever before your eyes.
Benediction
Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I commend you to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray that the power of His cross may sustain you all. Farewell, beloved, until we meet at the feet of Him who died for us.