There Is No Resurrection Without The Cross
Let us be wise enough to heed the warning. There is a real message from the Creator God who loves humankind so much. It is the message of the Cross. That's right. It is about the good news – the special message - of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
This isn’t an April Fool's Joke. Although one may be considered a fool, for it is written
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1, NIV
Let us be wise enough to heed the warning. There is a real message from the Creator God who loves humankind so much. It is the message of the Cross. That's right. It is about the good news – the special message - of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. You see, Good Friday is the day we set aside to remember the day Jesus was crucified on the cross. However, there is more to it than merely putting on our memory cap to remember. It is pointing or directing people to the Cross.
It is only natural for us to tend to embrace and proclaim the victorious and glorious aspect of the Resurrection of Christ. Yet the Gospel guides us to the Cross first. There is an author who wrote a book entitled, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!” We are simply reminded that Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday. We are confronted by the Death on the Cross before the Empty Tomb. So there is really no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There is no Resurrection without the Cross. We simply cannot do without Good Friday, which is, in fact, a very Cruel Friday.
Those who had seen Christ’s power performing miracles after miracles wondered why suddenly He seemed powerless at His greatest need. He was nailed on the Cross. Those who heard the young Jesus’ teaching wondered how someone so perfect, wise, and smart could make such a bad mistake to be caught and handed over to the wicked leaders and maddening crowd and be sentenced to a criminal death. Something had gone so wrong. Something was amiss. It wasn’t just the people of Jesus’ day who had a problem with the Cross. Perhaps we too will have the same problem, won’t we? The religious people seek miracles and power. Intellectually minded people demand wisdom and truth. But what God offers us is the Cross. What is so special about the Cross?
In 1 Corinthians 1:23-24, Paul tells us that the Cross is “the wisdom of God and power of God”. However, this is rather a shocking stumbling block to all people of all times. Won’t we be truly disappointed with a seemingly helpless divine Deliverer who promised to set us free and lead us into victory in life, but ended up being captured instead and sentenced to die like a lousy low-life criminal in public? Will you be truly disappointed like the early disciples of Christ? We will if that is the end of the story. But that’s not all. Remember - It’s Friday and Sunday is coming!
If you are looking for an English-Speaking Interdenominational Church in HCMC, please come and join us
- Good Friday Service (14th April) at 7.30 PM and
- Easter Sunday Service (16th April) at 10.30 AM.
