The Message of the Cross
Pastor Tan Thai · Jul 24, 2016
This sermon explores the meaning of the cross through the context of 1 Corinthians, showing that the message of the cross is viewed as foolishness by the world but is in truth the power of God. The cross reveals Christ's love, conquers death, and places every person before two decisive choices.
The sermon opens with the historical background of 1 Corinthians, written by the apostle Paul around AD 55 to address serious problems in the young church at Corinth. The pastor traces Paul's state of mind after his visit to Athens, where he was mocked by philosophers and scholars when he preached about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. From this experience Paul concluded that the message of the cross does not rely on eloquence or human wisdom but carries its own inherent power.
Delivered on the occasion of a baptism service, the sermon clarifies that baptism does not save anyone but is a public declaration of faith, a milestone marking one's commitment to follow Christ. The pastor then explains why the world regards the cross as foolishness and shame, citing the satirical graffiti found in a Roman museum depicting a donkey-headed figure on a cross, and quoting 1 Corinthians 1:23 that Jews considered the cross a scandal and Gentiles considered it foolishness. The pastor also clarifies that faith does not mean ignorance, since Jesus himself commanded his followers to love God with all their minds.
The central section presents three meanings of the cross. First, the cross reveals the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ through John 3:16 and Romans 5:7-8, a love that transformed Paul from a persecutor into one who sacrificed everything for the Gospel. Second, the cross transforms injustice and hatred into forgiveness and reconciliation, restoring both the vertical relationship between humanity and God and horizontal relationships between people, as described in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. Third, the cross conquers death and brings hope of eternal life in heaven, as confirmed by Christ's promise to the repentant thief on the cross and Paul's declaration in 1 Corinthians 15:52-55.
The sermon concludes with the image of the two criminals crucified on either side of Jesus, representing the two choices every person must face. One mocked Christ while the other acknowledged his own guilt, affirmed the innocence of Jesus, and asked to be remembered. Jesus immediately promised that man that on that very day he would be with him in Paradise, demonstrating that salvation comes through faith and grace alone, not through merit or any other condition.