Do you ever wonder why non-Christians do not understand us? We live in a world where human wisdom is elevated. We think pretty highly of ourselves.
We live in a wonderful time with great advances in science, technology and medicines. [I-Phone] Yet, with all our great knowledge, we think we know the answers to life—why we’re here, where we’re going, and so on.
So the cross doesn’t make sense. We really believe we are where we are because of our own accomplishments.
In other words, we know best, we know better, and all knowledge is wrapped up in us. And God’s way of doing things looks like foolishness. Christianity doesn’t make sense—it conflicts with the world’s way of thinking. And it’s always bee this way. Look at 1 Corinthians 1:18-24.
1 Corinthians 1:18-24. 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. . . God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Why is a crucified Christ such a stumbling block? To the world it doesn’t make sense that God would become a human, be crucified, and raised in order to provide for the forgiveness of sin and entrance into heaven. This is just too simple and foolish for non-believers to accept.
And, besides that, to think that one person, even if He is the Son of God, could die on a piece of wood on a nondescript hill in a nondescript part of the world, thereby determining the destiny of every person who has ever lived, seems stupid.
It doesn’t allow for man’s knowledge, for his advances, for his attainments, for his understandings of the natural world. It doesn’t allow for man’s pride. It doesn’t allow us to do anything to attain that salvation.
Yet, for all our intelligence, human wisdom cannot understand God’s ways. This shouldn’t surprise us. The Apostle Peter, for example, didn’t understand when he first heard Jesus speak about the crucifixion. In Matt. 6:21 Jesus told His followers that He must go to Jerusalem, He must suffer, be killed, and be raised to life three days later.
But "Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.”Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" (Mat 16:22). There was no place in Peter’s understanding for a crucified Messiah.
Like other Jews of that day, he thought the Messiah would set up an earthly kingdom and that everything would be good times for His followers. Some of the harshest words from Jesus were spoken to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men" (Mat 16:23).
Peter’s worldly wisdom was contrary to God’s wisdom. It’s the same with the unbelieving world today. They do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men. And anything that is contrary to God’s wisdom is of the devil. It wasn’t until after the resurrection and ascension that Peter understood.
He no longer relied on his own wisdom, but on Gods. And years later he wrote about Jesus: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet 2:24)
To most of the world, the cross is foolishness. But to those who are being saved, it is the power of God. It is God’s way of dealing with sin. "He was delivered over to death for our sins. . ." (Rom 4:25) "He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Heb 9:26). "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" (1 Pet 3:18).
The Lord’s supper is a reminder of Christ’s death on the cross. But it is meaningless if Christ had stayed dead and in the tomb. But the plain fact is…
The most life-changing experience for eminent British pastor, R. W. Dale, occurred when he discovered that Jesus was really alive. He was preparing a sermon for Easter when he began to think about the risen Lord. Listen to what he says:
“Christ is alive,” I said to myself; “alive! And then I paused;—alive! And then I paused again; alive! Can that really be true? Living as really as I myself am? I got up and walked about repeating ‘Christ is living!’ ‘Christ is living!’ At first it seemed strange and hardly true, but at last it came upon me as a burst of sudden glory; yes, Christ is living. It was to me a new discovery. I thought that all along I had believed it; but not until that moment did I feel sure about it. I then said, ‘My people shall know it; I shall preach about it again and again until they believe it as I do now.’” (Bert Dominy, God’s Work of Salvation, Layman’s Library of Christian Doctrine, vol. 8, p. 96)
Jesus Christ is alive! This is why we come to the Lord’s Supper. We remember His death—we celebrate His resurrection. This is why you are here. The Supper has no meaning without a resurrected Christ.
The Supper reminds us of the meaning of the cross—it shows us the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and the reason for His death. Jesus said, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).
Jesus’ earthly ministry ended with His public execution. The New Testament tells the story simply, but graphically (Read Luke 23:33-46). We react in horror as we read the crucifixion story.
In the ancient world the cross was a symbol of shame, not the jewelry it is today. It was a form of death reserved for criminals. Yet, for Christians, it became a symbol of glory. The attitude of early Christians is summed up in these words by the Apostle Paul, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. . .” (Gal 6:14)
The cross is the supreme symbol of the Christian faith. Christ, our Savior was executed on a cross. On a cross He became the sacrifice for our sins. On a cross Jesus paid the penalty we deserve. There is no other symbol that compares to it in importance.
The cross is the high point of God’s saving activity. The cross is God’s way of dealing with sin. The cross is the place of forgiveness. Jesus said His blood “. . .is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Mat 26:28). That happened on the cross.
That is the message of the cross. And this is what the Lord’s Supper reminds us of—the terrible price Jesus Christ paid for our salvation. It reminds us that because of His love for us, it cost God everything.
He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life. The only way eternal salvation is possible is because we have a living Savior—Christ is alive!
Please close your eyes and meditate on the cost of your salvation. As the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart, do not reject Him or push Him away—this is God speaking to you. (Invitation)
(1 Cor 11:23-29) For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, (24) and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." (25) In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." (26) For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.