No message but Christ crucified

The cross of Jesus Christ frightens some. In the cross, they rightly see commitment. A man on a cross is facing in only one direction. He cannot turn back. And he has no future plans of his own. To follow Christ means to deny self, to turn from ego and pride, and to surrender control of your own life.

In England, there is a chapel built over 200 years ago bearing these words over the door: “We Preach Christ Crucified.” The chapel’s early pastors did preach Christ crucified. People came with testimonies of how lives were changed, and there was vitality in the church. But time passed. Vines grew over the motto “We Preach Christ Crucified,” until it read only, “We Preach Christ.” The men who stood in the pulpit named the name of Jesus Christ, but preached a social gospel of good works and morality. The vines continued to grow until the motto read “We Preach.” And they did. They preached philosophy, ethics, politics and literature. But not Jesus Christ. Not long after that, the little chapel was emptied.

Paul told the Corinthians he had nothing to bring to them except the message of Jesus Christ crucified. It is the message of the cross that divides all of humanity, and saves all who place their faith in Him. When we preach anything less, or anything more, we lose the power of God and the blessing of God.