Colossians 1:20, “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

  • Colossians 2:13-14, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
  • 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
  • 1 Peter 2:24, “(Jesus) his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

You take away the cross, you’ve taken away Christianity.  Without the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, there would be no salvation for anyone.  We would all still be in our sins.  Ephesians 5:2 tells us that, “…Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”  On the cross, the Lord Jesus offered Himself to God as payment of the sin debt that we all owe.  In Romans 6:23 we read, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  This gift of eternal life that is offered to everyone, is based on the truth of the death of the Lord Jesus as payment of our sins, thus life comes ‘through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus was prophesied many times in the Old Testament.  For one example, let’s read Psalm 22:16-17, “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.”  This speaks prophetically of the death of the savior.  He was surrounded by dogs (unsaved people).  His hands and feet were pierced as the nails were driven through Him to nail Him to the cross.  He could see all His bones because of the fierce beating He had endured before going to the cross.  Of that, we read in Isaiah 52:14, “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”  The Lord was beaten so badly that He wasn’t even recognizable as a man.  I encourage you to read Isaiah 53 to read another prophetic account of the crucifixion of the Lord and the tremendous amount of suffering that He endured to bring us salvation.

Let’s also look at Psalm 88:15-18 which is prophetic of the fierce sufferings of the Lord Jesus while on the cross.  That says, “I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.”  It was the wrath of God that was poured down upon the head of His dear Son as He punished His Son in our place.  Yes, God judged His own dear Son for the sins that WE have committed, so that through faith in Him, we might be saved and have eternal life.  Romans 8:32 says that God, “…spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all…”  It was on the cross of Calvary that the Son of God died for the sons of men.  Without the sacrifice of Christ for us, we would still be in our sins and awaiting the harsh, harsh judgment of a sin hating God.

It is amazing how that God has loved us so much that He would send His only begotten Son to die on the cross for us.  Can you imagine punishing your own child for those who hated you and wanted nothing to do with you?  I doubt you can.  But, that is what God did for us.  Through His Son’s death on the cross, He can offer forgives of sins to us.  Christ died as an offering and sacrifice to God on the cross for our sins.  Will you put your faith in Him, take Him as your savior, and allow His death on the cross to pay for your sins and give you eternal life?  We read of the Lord Jesus in Philippians 2:8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”  He died on that cross so that we might live together with Him in glory for all eternity.  This short meditation only begins to help us understand the meaning and importance of the cross.  (224.6)