I am sorry if we haven’t explained Jesus death on the cross clearly enough. It is no small thing.
Christians everywhere know that without Jesus death on the cross we would all be done for.
Christians everywhere know that because of Jesus death on the cross we are forgiven.
Not because of our works.
Not because of being good.
Not because of going to church.
Not because of baptism.
Not because of giving to charity.
Not because of our families.
Not because of swearing a little less than the next guy.
Christians are unrighteous like everyone else.
But at the cross, Jesus died for me and for you. He took my sin and the penalty I deserved for not living God’s way, for committing wrong against God and other people; Jesus took that and made it his own and he was punished there at the cross for me. Instead of me. Because of men. In my place. As my substitute. Jesus paid the price of himself for me. Jesus died for me.
And Jesus died for you.
The cross is no small thing.
It is how God takes sinners like me and forgives me, makes me perfect and invites me into relationship with him now and in heaven forever.
I am deeply sorry if you have never understood this until now.
As Christ hung there upon the cross, he saved us from certain eternal death. He gave me what I could never have.
And he offers this exact same thing to you right now.
To anyone and everyone.
No matter what you have done, no matter what you have become, God has an invitation for you.
Come to Jesus, for his death at the cross was for you too.
Friends, there is a King on a cross, because God wants to draw you into a relationship with him. The death of this King is the very foundation-stone of the Christianity. Christ’s cross is our ticket to heaven. It is true that we have all done wrong – but it is equally true that our King has taken that wrong for us and died because of it on the cross. It is true that we deserve that death he suffered – but Jesus has died on our behalf. It is true that none of us is good enough to get into heaven – but that’s OK because the door does not open for the good, but for the forgiven.