“For God did not send His Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” – John 3:17 (NKJV)
Summarize in a Word: Message of the Cross
Key Principle: Today is the day of Salvation
Key Application: Proclaim the message of the Cross
Main point of the Passage: There are two inevitable effects of the
message of the Cross – Judgment, and Salvation. Behold! Now is the time of
Salvation.
Exhortation: Would you please
proclaim the message of the Cross anyhow by
print, voice, or pictures and most importantly by your lives?
Good Friday is about the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is not the
Cross itself that matters, but the message of the Cross. Jesus was nailed to
death bearing the wrath of God upon himself, that which is supposedly ours. It
is true that God created each one of us in His image, but we (all) have become
corrupted because of sin. Even our own personal sins reveal that we (all) have
failed the standard of God. None can help us for all are in need of help. Nor
can we help each other to overcome, for none can bear his own haplessness. We
(all) need an able helper, the Savior who will take away our sins, and
reconcile us to God.
God in his exceeding love sent Jesus Christ, the very God in human
flesh, perfect and holy to save us from the wrath of God, and from our own
slavery to sins. Jesus Christ completed His mission by bearing the wrath of God
at the Cross. Moreover, He sent Holy Spirit to set us free from the penalty and
power of sins.
John 3:17 reveals to us the two inevitable effects of the message of
the Cross for everyone (no matter who, what, when, and where you are): Judgement
or Salvation. Those (and only those) who keeps clinging to the message of the
Cross will be saved from the Judgment of God and power of Sin. Those who
neglect or reject the message of the Cross will fall into the Judgment of God
when Jesus comes back as the Judge of the Universe (cf. John 5:27; Acts 17:31).
Good Friday is not to condemn sinners to hell; it is to save
sinners. However, none of us has any ability to condemn nor to save any sinner.
It is the prerogative of God. We are to proclaim the message of God – the
coming Judgment, and the presently offered Salvation. For, there is no mercy
and no salvation when the Day of Judgment comes. Behold! Now is the acceptable
time. Now is the day of Salvation. Tomorrow may be too late.
Sinners, are you delivered from the wrath of God (to come) and the
power of sins (presently enslaving you)? Would you please consider the message
of the Cross and be saved? Redeemed-Saints, do you live worthy of Salvation
(Philippians 1:27; Ephesians 4:1)? And would you please proclaim the message of the Cross
that saved you? If and since it saves sinners like us, it can save anyone who
believes. Don’t you think today is the best day for sinners to be saved? Would
you proclaim today anyhow by print, voice, or pictures and most importantly by
your lives?