The offensive cross

We saw yesterday that our ministry must be performed in the shadow of the cross. The problem is, of course, is that the cross, when truly understood, is offensive. That’s what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1, and it’s still true.

Shane Claiborne, in his book Irresistible Revolution, tells of interning at a megachurch. He noticed that there were no crosses in the sanctuary. When he asked, he was told that crosses aren’t “seeker friendly.”

Isn’t that why so many want to reduce Christianity to random acts of service? Let’s go build houses. Feed people. Do anything except talk to them about Jesus.

We need to be about service. But that’s only a part of our mission as Christians. In Mark 10:45, Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Serve and give his life. Our service needs the cross to make sense. Without Jesus’ sacrifice, Christian service is no different than the acts of philanthropy done by other groups.

The cross may not be seeker friendly. It may be a stumbling block and an offense. But Christianity without the cross is no longer Christianity.

10 thoughts on “The offensive cross

  1. laymond

    Here I go again, I thought we were supposed to worship at the throne not at the foot of the cross where all sins were placed upon the Son of God, “take up your cross and follow me” I believe this refers to burdens, even the burdens of your fellow man.
    I can’t see where the cross had anything to do with salvation, if it did the thief on the left and on the right should have been saved. No it was the chosen way for the death penalty to be carried out.
    If they had chosen to throw Jesus off a high building (as I believe James was) would our image of salvation be tall buildings.? I have never seen (until lately) CoC Christians who wore tiny crosses. It is an offencive way for anyone to die especially “The Son of God” no It hurts when we see representative images of our Lord pasted on the front of “T” shirts, a defeat (although it was temporary) of our Lord is not a symbol of things to come, his resurrection and ascension is what we should be remembering and teaching, not his horrible torturing at his death. How many funerals have you attended lately where the preacher said , remember how horrible the cancer was that took your loved one, no they say remember the good times, I believe we should remember the good times of Jesus, so we can, as Christians walk with a smile, instead of a frown, and tears.

  2. Jr

    laymond: Your beef is with the Scriptures, not Tim. As it is written, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). The cross is where the wrath of God was poured out upon the perfect lamb of God for the sins of many. Justice was served, as it is written, we “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:24-26).

    Now I agree that “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain,” and also, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:14,17); but this does not dismiss Golgotha and what God had predestined to take place there (Acts 4:27-28).

    I find it unnecessary and detrimental to our witness to dismiss Friday for Sunday, or Sunday for Friday.

  3. Jr

    By the way, Tim: Good post. Motivations do matter. Helping people for the sake of helping people is just another form of idolatry. Everything Jesus did was to bring glory to Himself and The Father. Let us go and do likewise.

    “For 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.”

  4. Tim Archer Post author

    Helping people for the sake of helping people is just another form of idolatry.

    That’s a good line. I may steal, err, use that sometime.

    Grace and peace,
    Tim Archer

  5. K. Rex Butts

    In light of Mark 10.45, I have this question written in my Bible next to that verse: “How is God calling me to serve and give my life as a ransom for the many?”

    No I don’t think of myself as a saviour but that question helps remind me that my calling is a redemptive ministry (service) to others.

    Grace and peace,

    Rex

  6. Greg England

    Reminds me of a story I heard of a church where a very rough-sawn cross was placed in the middle of the auditorium / sanctuary and everything done there had to be done with the inconvenience of that cross more or less “in the way” to remind them of the cost of their salvation.

    Laymond continues to puzzle me. I read his comments on various blogs and just can’t figure him out.

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  8. Wes Woodell

    “Isn’t that why so many want to reduce Christianity to random acts of service? Let’s go build houses. Feed people. Do anything except talk to them about Jesus.”

    That’s what I’m screaming.

    It’s aggravating to me that some leaders in our fellowship have taken to making fun of people who hold that view. Thank you for posting.

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