The Lesson

• The Cross is a sign of the Power of God: The Lord’s crucifiers considered it a weakness when the Lord Jesus Christ accepted every act of hatred without resistance and with silence.
• But in His silence He was powerful, for His love was enduring and it spoke much more than words could explain. The Prophet Isaiah spoke of His silence in his prophecy saying, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth.” Is 53:7
• Surrounded by hatred, His love was powerful even on the Cross: Those who crucified our Lord Jesus Christ mocked Him saying He could save others, but couldn’t save Himself. But He was Powerful in His love, for His crucifixion on the Cross was a result of His redeeming love, for no one had the power to crucify Him, if He wasn’t willing to give up Himself for our Salvation.
• In His affliction, He was powerful for every pain He endured was redemption for all our transgressions. His hands were nailed on to pay for the hands of Adam and Eve that picked the forbidden fruit. His feet were nailed to pay for their transgression in walking to commit a sin. He put in His mouth a mixture of vinegar and gall to pay for their mouth that ate the forbidden fruit.
• With His hands nailed on the Cross, He looked weak and vulnerable, but He was powerful for those outstretched hands are calling us and drawing us to Him. “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, who walk in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.” /Isaiah 65:2/.
• The devil thought that this was a mere man, no different from any criminal who was condemned to death on a cross in the past, but learned of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ when he approached Him. Our church teaches us that the devil was seized by the power of the Lord when he approached thinking that it was just a mere man on the cross.
• The power of the Lord Jesus Christ was disguised from the devil and his crucifiers, but the criminal condemned to death on the right of the Lord Jesus Christ was able to see it and asked for forgiveness for the Lord to remember him in His kingdom. Our Lord Jesus Christ said to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” /Luke 23:43/
• The Cross is a sign of discipleship: Our Lord fulfilled the work of our redemption on the Holy Cross, but we are also called into a life of discipleship by this sign of the cross. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.” /Matthew 16:24/.

Conclusion: The Holy Cross is an integral instrument of our salvation and it is a sign a sign of the love, and power of God, and of our salvation. Therefore we bear the sign of the cross in our daily life and in our life of worship. For we are called to follow Christ bearing the cros.