Galatians 6
Crucifixion is a terrible way to
die. It was extremely painful. The victim had to pull himself up with nail-pierced
hands and push up on punctured feet in order to get a proper breath, otherwise
his own weight would slowly cause asphyxiation.
Not only was it painful, though, it was also embarrassing. This form of capital punishment was designed
to add insult to injury. The victim was
usually stripped and hung in a place that people could see, laugh, jeer, and taunt
them.
The idea that the early Christians made
up the stories about Jesus being crucified and raised is ludicrous. No one of that time would have their hero and
God go through such a shameful death. No
Jew would come up with the idea that the Christ, the promised savior, would
have to suffer and die to save His people.
That is, however, exactly what Jesus
did. Falsely accused, shamefully
scorned, unjustly convicted, Jesus was crucified, and in being crucified paid
for our sins and won our salvation. And
it is because of this that Paul writes these words that should seem paradoxical. “But far be it from me to boast except in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.” (v. 14)
There are many things that we would want
to claim about Jesus before we thought to boast of His cross. We could boast he was a great teacher, brag
that He did miracles, go on and on about how He flouted cultural conventions,
and crow about His care for the castoffs of society. To do so, however, would miss the point.
Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man,
came specifically to die for us. In
baptism we were connected to Jesus’ death.
(Romans
6:3-4) We received His death as if
it were our own and were thereby set free from sin and given a new life; a life
that is rooted in Jesus’ resurrection.
This is something to boast about!
But wait! Doesn’t this mean that I must admit that I
was unable to save myself? Am I
confessing that I’m a sinner who needed a savior and that I fail and still need
forgiveness? Yes! And, thanks be to God, there He is! Look to the crucified and risen one, and
boast in Him!
Lord, help me to boast in Your cross as the
place of my salvation. Let me point
other to it too so they may believe in You and be saved. Amen.
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