1 CORINTHIANS 1:18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

TO PONDER

When I stop and think about it, I am not really surprised that so many people have trouble understanding how Christianity works. When viewed objectively without the eyes of faith, the story seems to have most of the elements of a fairytale. It's almost a Cinderella story where we play the character of Cinderella, the rightful heirs who have been denied our rightful place by the stepmom and ugly step sisters. Martin Luther would probably suggest we call them sin, death and the power of the devil. Until one day Prince Charming, in our story this is Jesus, comes along and restores us to our rightful place.

That's about where the similarities end though. We are not restored by fitting a beautiful glass slipper, we are restored because the hero of the story, allows himself to be captured by his enemies, be put to death and publicly humiliated on a Roman cross. That's just not how these types of stories are supposed to go.

Victory through death is not something many people are familiar with. It just doesn't make sense based on our experiences of every day life. And I think that's the key. Jesus death and resurrection are the key to Christian faith, the key to your faith. When you talk to others about Jesus, perhaps don't start with the theology of his atoning sacrifice in the cross, start with how his death and resurrection has changed your life. Help them to see the saving power of God at work in you and they too might come to see Jesus death on the cross not as foolishness, but the power of God for salvation.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, your death on the cross makes all the difference. Help me to recognise the times and places that you have changed my life and help me to share those times with others so that they too might come to see your cross, not as foolishness, but as the power of God for their salvation. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle