Why the Cross?
Pastor Tan Thai · Mar 1, 2024
This sermon explores the profound meaning of Christ's crucifixion through three central questions: why human sin demands proportionate recompense, why transformative love necessarily requires sacrifice, and why the cross alone can bring forgiveness and salvation. The pastor emphasizes that the cross is not a sign of shame but rather overwhelming evidence of God's love and justice.
The sermon begins with the infinite love of God expressed in John 3:16 but focuses on the central question: why is the cross necessary? The pastor notes that the ancient world viewed crucifixion as foolish, shameful, and contemptible, since it was Rome's most brutal form of execution for serious criminals. Moreover, according to ancient Jewish law, anyone hanged on a tree was cursed by God. Therefore, when Christ suffered death on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse of God for the sin of all humanity, as recorded in Galatians 3:13.
The first answer presented is: every violation must bear a proportionate penalty. The pastor explains that God is both loving and just. Justice means that every violation, whether great or small, must be measured according to its nature and consequences. The pastor uses many practical examples: borrowing an umbrella requires replacement, losing a car requires compensation, and importantly, the severity of punishment depends on the social standing of the person wronged. When humans sin against God, the Most High and utterly Holy One, that sin is infinitely serious. The pastor reminds us that if every word spoken and secret thought of ours were recorded and judged by our own standard, who could stand? Therefore, the cross shows that human sin is so horrifying and grave that only the death of the Son of God can pay its price.
The second answer is: no transformative love exists that does not demand sacrifice. Romans 5:6-8 affirms that Christ died for sinners while we were weak, while we were hostile to God. The pastor illustrates this through parental love for children, which requires countless sacrifices of time, money, and strength. Forgiveness too is a form of sacrifice, because it requires us to release our anger to achieve reconciliation. Christ demonstrates His transformative love through sacrifice on the cross: He died so we might live, He bore our sins so we might be forgiven, He suffered shame so our sins might be erased.
The third answer is: to receive forgiveness and salvation. According to 2 Corinthians 5:21, God made Christ, who knew no sin, to become sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Romans 5:8-9 affirms that now we are declared righteous through Christ's blood, so we shall be saved from God's wrath through Him. The pastor concludes with an illustration from Harry Potter, where the mother's sacrifice creates a protective power throughout life. Similarly, Christ's sacrifice on the cross creates redemptive power for all who receive Him.