The Beauty of The The Beauty of The CrossCross

James R. DavisJames R. Davis

Galatians 6:14Galatians 6:14

But God forbid that I should boast except But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. and I to the world.

1 Corinthians 1:22-251 Corinthians 1:22-25

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. is stronger than men.

Late 2nd CenturyAnti Christian Graffiti

MURDER

NEGLECT

ABANDONMENT

Ugliness of Sin reveals the beauty of the cross

•You do not understand Christ You do not understand Christ till you understand his cross.till you understand his cross.

——P. T. Forsyth, P. T. Forsyth, The Cruciality The Cruciality of the Crossof the Cross

•The cross is a denial The cross is a denial that self-assertiveness that self-assertiveness can ever be a satisfying can ever be a satisfying way.way.

•The sad, violent, and The sad, violent, and destructive history of the destructive history of the world tells the story of world tells the story of human strength gone bad.human strength gone bad.

•Sin is the second greatest Sin is the second greatest force in the world. force in the world.

•The love of God is the only The love of God is the only force that is stronger.force that is stronger.

•The cross is designed to tear The cross is designed to tear down the dividing wall of down the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14)hostility (Ephesians 2:14)

Romans 6:23Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus our Lord.

Suffering of Cross Reveals Its Suffering of Cross Reveals Its BeautyBeauty

1 Peter 2:241 Peter 2:24

Who Himself bore our sins in His own Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for died to sins, might live for righteousness-- by whose stripes you righteousness-- by whose stripes you were healed. were healed.

Galatians 2:20Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. for me.

The beauty of the cross is The beauty of the cross is not in wearing it around our not in wearing it around our necks, using it as a necks, using it as a bookmark, or chiseling it on bookmark, or chiseling it on our tombstones. our tombstones.

The beauty of the cross is…

It opened a door