The Cross Christ Chose

The sermon opens with the scene of Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem, welcomed by the crowd as a conquering king. However, the pastor emphasizes that both the people and the disciples fundamentally misunderstood the Messiah — they expected a political liberator, while Jesus deliberately chose the path of the cross, with its shame and death. According to Luke 9:51, Jesus resolved with firm determination to go to Jerusalem with the sole purpose of dying for humanity's sins.

The second section examines the cost of that choice through Philippians 2:6-8. Jesus, who was equal with God, emptied himself and humbled himself — from the status of King of kings down to a child born in a stable, then an ordinary carpenter, and finally a shameful death between two criminals. The pastor uses William Holman Hunt's famous painting Shadow of Death to illustrate that the shadow of the cross followed Jesus from birth. The prophecies of Isaiah (chapter 53), Zechariah (9:9), and Genesis 49:10-11 all confirm that the way of the cross was appointed by God from ancient times.

The third section examines the cross as a religious symbol. In the Roman and Jewish world of that era, crucifixion was the most horrific form of punishment and, for Jews, a sign of God's curse (Deuteronomy 21:23). Therefore, contemporaries considered belief in a crucified Savior to be utter foolishness. The pastor cites 1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 22-23 to explain that the message of the cross remains the power of God despite the world's mockery.

The final section presents the cross's threefold transformation. First, from punishment and torture to forgiveness and mercy — through John 3:16, Romans 8:1, and Colossians 3:12-14, the cross becomes the foundation for believers to practice love and forgiveness even toward enemies. Second, from hatred and violence to reconciliation — according to 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, every believer is entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, reflecting love both vertically (between humanity and God) and horizontally (between people). Third, from shameful death to hope in eternal resurrection, confirmed through 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 and the repentant thief who was promised paradise by Christ.

The sermon concludes with lyrics from the Vietnamese hymn Ngôi Hai Xuống Đời by composer Hùng Lân, calling the congregation to quietly meditate on the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The central message is: the cross was not a defeat or tragedy, but the voluntary, love-driven choice of Christ to redeem sinners and grant the hope of eternal life.