Surveying the Wondrous Cross

. Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1-18

"This grace was given us in Christ Jesus

before the beginning of time,

but it has now been revealed

through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus,

who has destroyed death ,

and has brought life and immortality to light

through the gospel."

2 Timothy 1:9, 10

As we have entered that time of the year we call Lent, our attention is focused upon the cross of Christ and the wonderful grace of God that was demonstrated there. This great theme is taken up by countless people across the ages who have marveled at his wondrous grace..

There was Paul, in the first century, who wrote to the Galatians , " May I never boast - the King James Version says "glory"- except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me & I to the world." (Galatians 6:14)

And years later in the eighteenth century, the hymn writer Isaac Watts exclaimed ....

"When I survey the wondrous cross,

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

See from his head, his hands, his feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down !

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown ?

And John Bowering , in the nineteenth century , takes up the refrain. He writes:

"In the cross of Christ I glory,

Towering o'er the wrecks of time,

All the light of sacred story - that is sacred history-

Gathers round its head sublime.

And we , on the threshold of the twenty-first century sing the same song with different words but that same theme: the cross of Christ. What is the fascination ?

Why should the death of a man named Jesus inspire the faith of millions and steel the courage of martyrs ? We know the answer, of course, for we know that Jesus arose from the dead three days later, that he ascended in glory & power to the Father & sent his Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Those who truly believe cannot remain silent. They must tell the whole world that Christ is King, that Jesus is Lord.

Let us, then, glory in the cross, for we cannot fully appreciate the glory of the resurrection, until we have also sensed the greatness of God's love revealed in the gift of his Son.

Let's look again at Paul. He wrote : " May I never boast or "glory"- except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me & I to the world." (Galatians 6:14) He boasted about the cross because that is where God's amazing grace was demonstrated. Grace is God's riches at Christ's expense. Grace is the unmerited favour that brings us into the place of being justified before God.

Paul explains it this way to Timothy "This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death , and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."

It is "Not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose & grace." Salvation is by grace alone and is based not on human effort but on God's saving plan and the gracious gift of his Son."

" He did it - that is he died on the cross- to demonstrate his justice, so as to be just & the one who justifies those who have faith in him" (Romans 3:26)

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Did you get that ? Even the good works are not our own , we cannot take credit for them because it is God who performs those good works through us. The Greek word translated "workmanship" also gives us our English word "poem".We could say that we are God's poem. He created us & in Christ he has redeemed us. The Contemporary English Version says "God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. Once more, we cannot take the credit. Like a poem, it was all in the heart & mind of God. As Paul explains to Timothy it was grace (that) was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time but (which) has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour