Luke 23:32-46 - No greater power (The power of the cross)

The world's understanding of power is often to save oneself, to win, to achieve success and personal advantage etc. But Christ's act on the cross demonstrated a kind of power far greater than what most people perceive power to be. Yet it is contrary to people's common definitions of power.

In Luke 23, the crowd mocked Jesus 3 times (Luke 23 v35, v36, v39), to come down from the cross to save Himself. But Jesus demonstrated his power differently, by enduring through the crucifixion. Revelations 5:5-6 describes how John saw "a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain". To the world, Jesus' death on the cross is an image of weakness and helplessness. Probably the world would have associated the cross with power if Jesus had miraculously descended from the cross and avoided the pain and suffering.

Similarly oftentimes we expect God's power to manifest in our lives by saving us, removing our problems, healing us etc. And sometimes, God displays His power this way. And everytime He does so, hordes of people follow Him. But when Jesus reveals His power to us in the truest form, many will fall away because the false perception of the cross is of weakness. (1 Cor 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing") People don't see that through the cross, Jesus' power is demonstrated as He conquered death, not by escaping death, but by facing up to it and overcoming it.

God demonstrates His power in us not just by saving us out of our circumstances. God's true power demonstrated in us saves us from bitterness, enables us to forgive others who have sinned against us, enables us to be able to commit our pain and sorrow into God's hands and to endure and conquer with love. God's greatest power is demonstrated not by bringing us down from the cross but by helping us endure through our circumstances.

Luke 23:32-46 - No greater power (The power of the cross)

The world's understanding of power is often to save oneself, to win, to achieve success and personal advantage etc. But Christ's act on the cross demonstrated a kind of power far greater than what most people perceive power to be. Yet it is contrary to people's common definitions of power.

In Luke 23, the crowd mocked Jesus 3 times (Luke 23 v35, v36, v39), to come down from the cross to save Himself. But Jesus demonstrated his power differently, by enduring through the crucifixion. Revelations 5:5-6 describes how John saw "a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain". To the world, Jesus' death on the cross is an image of weakness and helplessness. Probably the world would have associated the cross with power if Jesus had miraculously descended from the cross and avoided the pain and suffering.

Similarly oftentimes we expect God's power to manifest in our lives by saving us, removing our problems, healing us etc. And sometimes, God displays His power this way. And everytime He does so, hordes of people follow Him. But when Jesus reveals His power to us in the truest form, many will fall away because the false perception of the cross is of weakness. (1 Cor 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing") People don't see that through the cross, Jesus' power is demonstrated as He conquered death, not by escaping death, but by facing up to it and overcoming it.

God demonstrates His power in us not just by saving us out of our circumstances. God's true power demonstrated in us saves us from bitterness, enables us to forgive others who have sinned against us, enables us to be able to commit our pain and sorrow into God's hands and to endure and conquer with love. God's greatest power is demonstrated not by bringing us down from the cross but by helping us endure through our circumstances.