The Absurd Victory of the Cross
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction. But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. It is foolish to the Jews who seek for signs. And it is foolish to the Greeks who seek for wisdom. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in the cross.
-The Apostle Paul
1 Corinthians & Colossians
Who is the greatest conqueror in history?
Alexander the Great?
Julius Caesar?
Genghis Khan?
Robert E. Lee?
George Patton?
Hannibal?
Rommel?
Napoleon?
It’s Jesus Christ.
I insist this is so. I do so because I am a Christian and this is what Christians believe: That at the cross Jesus Christ conquered all the powers of evil and ushered in the reign of God and the rule of the kingdom of heaven.
Yes, the government which Jesus brought to power through the cross eventually conquered the Roman Empire and in the end will rule the nations. At the cross Jesus won the world as his own possession. This is in the process of becoming a fully visible reality. The Kingdom of Christ has now stood for 2,000 years. It has changed and is changing the world. Those who have pledged personal allegiance to Jesus Christ and confess that he is King number in the billions. This far surpasses the conquests of Alexander the great, Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Robert E. Lee, George Patton, Hannibal, Rommel, Napoleon or anyone else you care to name.
And how did Jesus Christ win his great victory and become history’s greatest conqueror?
Not by the conventional means of amassing an army and killing enemies…but by dying on a Roman cross.
It’s absurd.
absurd: ridiculously unreasonable or incongruous
The cross is absurd…but an absurd victory.
Here is the conventional wisdom of the world by a conventional conqueror:
No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. -General George C. Patton
But the Scriptures say…
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
And discard the intelligence of the intelligent
-1 Corinthians 1:19
Jesus did win the war by dying.
He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
All authority in heaven and earth has been given unto him.
This is our gospel.
The Russians have a saying: Kill one man and you are a murderer. Kill a multitude and you are a conqueror.
But Jesus is more than a conqueror. He won his great battle, not by killing anyone, but by hanging naked on a cross and dying the shameful death of a failed revolutionary. Except that he didn’t fail. And Easter proved it. Ring them bells!
Jesus saved the world from the dominion of evil by dying on a cross.
Absurd. Ridiculous. Unreasonable. Foolish. Crazy. I know.
And also the wisdom and power of God.
There’s a Lone Soldier on the cross, smoke pourin’ out of a boxcar door
You didn’t know it, you didn’t think it could be done, but in the final end he won the war
After losing every battle
-Bob Dylan, Idiot Wind
Yes, I believe it.
I have to.
It’s the non-negotiable point of faith for every Christian–
To believe that Jesus won the victory of God by dying on a cross.
Absurd! Bizarre! Scandalous! Offensive!
And True!
The Absurd Victory of the Cross
by Blindman at the GateWho’s the greatest conqueror in history?
Christ Jesus it is he
Consider the testimonyNot by sword and shield
Not by nukes and napalm
But by a cross and a crown of thorns
Christ conquered a world of evilNot by an F-16
But by John 3:16
Jesus won his victoryNot with an aircraft carrier
But as a cross carrier
Christ gained his kingdomThis message is the hope for the world
Call me crazy, call me deluded, call me naive
But also call me a Christian
Because this is what Christians believeIt’s absurd
It’s a scandal
It’s an offence
And it’s the gospel
The gospel of the crossSo raise the cross above every flag
In the end every flag will fall
But the cross of Christ cannot fall
Because the cross
Takes the blow
Absorbs the hate
Bears the sin
Ends revenge
Shames the tyrants
Disarms the devil
Wins the victory!Christ has become King
By the absurd victory
Of the cross!
My faith is in the cross. And in nothing else. The message of the cross is the means. And I mean it.
I don’t trust the means of technological, therapeutic, militaristic, consumerism.
Even if you cover it with Christian veneer and a plastic cross.
Those are the means of those who don’t mean it when they say, “I believe.”
Those who cling to the failed means of the fallen world order will do what they do.
So be it.
But the hope for this world is found in the outlandish message of the absurd victory of the cross.
I BELIEVE!!
This is my political statement:
Jesus Christ died on the cross to defeat evil and save the world.
On the third day God raised him to life again.
Right now Jesus Christ is Lord and he is the rightful ruler of this world.
Believe this good news and live accordingly and you will be saved.
CHRIST HAS BECOME KING THROUGH THE ABSURD VICTORY OF THE CROSS!
BZ