“…Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30).
The cry from the cross was a cry/shout of victory: against sin and against death. The cross is central to our salvation. The term “the cross” that I am using means the cross event, not just the wooden structure.
The most important part of the cross event is the death of Jesus – the man upon the cross and everything that has been accomplished by it.
Paul was keen to preach “Christ and Him crucified” (1Corinthians 2:2).
He did not present Jesus as the great Healer, Miracle worker, Signs and Wonders worker. He preached an arrested Jesus; mocked and flogged and lifted up on a cross to die.
Paul preached Christ crucified, in other words he preached Christ at His lowest. And that was considered foolishness…for the learned – Greeks; a stumbling block – Jews.
Even more…the cross was not only the central part of Paul’s preaching, but it was the only thing he wanted to “boast” about (Galatians 6:14).
Paul’s heart cared nothing for the glory that came from fame. He cared nothing for the glory that came from riches. He cared nothing for the glory that came from status and power among men. He only cared about the glory of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In what way then, is the cross event central to our salvation?
The cross is central to our salvation as a powerful event (1Cor. 1:17). The cross is a power loaded event…loaded with God’s power.
God’s power that works everything out of nothing by His Word.
God’s power that works big things out of little things by His Spirit.
God’s power that works a glorious way of saving people by means of a scandal – the scandal of the cross (Galatians 5:11).
Our salvation required a powerful intervention…a divine intervention…a Holy Spirit intervention. Through the cross (event) God intervened to provide a way (the only way) for our salvation…for our redemption.