10 Things the Cross of Jesus Tells Us

What we learn from the cross.

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The message of the cross is something the world considers foolishness – but is in reality, the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:18-19).

The message of Christ crucified is a message that is not only considered foolish by the world but it’s also seen as weakness – and yet, it is truly the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).

God did this intentionally so that no one could boast in self or glory in His presence, but that we would glory in Him (1 Corinthians 1:27-31). It’s the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2) that grounds our faith in God’s power and wisdom – and not our own (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

Here are ten things from the Scriptures that the cross of Jesus tells us.

1. The cross tells us about Love.

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

God’s great love for us is displayed in Jesus dying for us while we were still sinners, ungodly, and the enemies of God (Romans 5:10). God loved us so much that He sent Jesus - His only begotten, or unique, Son - to die for us (John 3:16-17)

The cross tells of God’s love for us.

2. The cross tells us about Justice.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:9)

Through Jesus, the Son of God who died for us, we are justified by His blood and saved from God’s wrath. God’s judicial wrath is revealed “against all ungodliness and unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18-32).

So not only does the cross tell us about God’s love - it also tells us of God’s justice.

3. The cross tells us about Suffering.

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; (1 Peter 2:21-23)

Jesus suffered tremendously leading up to and while on the cross. Psalm 22 pictures some of the things Jesus would suffer on the cross.

I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. (Psalm 22:14-15)

The cross tells us about suffering - about Jesus’ suffering for us.

4. The cross tells us about Healing.

While the cross tells us about suffering, it also tells us about healing.

…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:24-25)

The things Jesus suffered on the cross were for our healing - for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus once healed a man to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:1-12).

The cross tells of the healing we receive through the suffering of Jesus.

5. The cross tells us about Humility.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus humbled Himself by coming to earth to live alongside us as one of us (John 1:14). Even His death on the cross was a shameful, humiliating moment. But Jesus committed Himself to obeying the Father’s will in everything.

How thankful we ought to be that He was willing to humble Himself and despise the shame of the cross (Hebrews 12:1-2)!

6. The cross tells us about Exaltation.

While the cross is certainly a picture of humility, it also points us to Jesus’ exaltation.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

The Hebrews writer reminded his audience that Jesus is our High Priest “who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).

While the cross tells us of Jesus’ humility, it also speaks loudly of Jesus’ exaltation by God because of His humble obedience, even to the point of death on the cross.

7. The cross tells us about Death.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4)

The apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that they had been baptized into the death of Jesus Christ. Jesus told all those who wanted to follow Him that they would have to deny themselves and take up their cross daily (Luke 9:23-25).

The cross tells a powerful story of Jesus’ death - and how we must die to sin by being dying and being buried with Him in baptism.

8. The cross tells us about Life.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:5-11)

Just as the cross isn’t the “end of the story,” so Paul reminded Christians that they had been given new life in Christ by the power of His resurrection from the dead. This is a gracious gift offered to us by God only through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-9).

The cross tells a story of both death and life.

9. The cross tells us about Salvation.

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” This He said, signifying by what death He would die. (John 12:27-33)

Jesus went through the agony of the cross because He knew that was what was necessary for our salvation. He came, not to condemn the world, but to save the world (John 3:17). His death on the cross showed the great lengths Jesus took to “seek and save” the lost (Luke 19:10).

The cross tells a wonderful story of salvation.

10. The cross tells us about Covenant.

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

By Jesus’ blood, God made a new covenant (agreement or arrangement) with us (Hebrews 8:6-12). We cannot make any changes to this covenant. We can only accept or reject it.

God deals with us today through His Son Jesus Christ. What will we do with Him?