1 Corinthians 2:1-5 – “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”  NKJV

I am fully aware of the directive and declaration of Hebrews 6 that we are to move beyond discussing the “elementary principles of Christ” and move on to spiritual maturity.  It is clear that believers are to “grow in grace” and move from spiritual infancy through adolescence into maturity.  I fully agree.  However, if we omit one of if not the central message of the church, “The Cross” we err. 

We cannot grow in grace until we are in grace!  The apostle Paul nor the other apostles and disciples ever forgot the central message of the gospel.  They continually returned to the preaching of the Cross.  In fact, Paul declared in Romans 10, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent…” (10:14-15). Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are saved, it is the power of God.

 I love seeing things I have not seen before, in Scripture.  I love when I am meditating on the Word of God or in prayer to have the Holy Spirit pull back the veil and allow me to see that which is beyond what I have seen.  I love it when I move beyond the “milk” into the “meat” of God’s word.  I love it when I am in a time of praise and worship and the heavens come down and glory fills the place.  I love it when I sense the divine presence of God so powerfully that I feel I could hold it in my hands.  Yet, if the angels in heaven are overcome with joy when one sinner repents how can I have less a response and desire to see people come to the foot of the Cross and receive the Lord Jesus as their personal savior?

 When I traveled in evangelistic meetings and talked about the Cross as being the central message of the Church some would say, “You evangelists are all the same.  Salvation, salvation, salvation.  That’s all you think or know.”  Thank you but the message God has burned in my heart is not a singular message of salvation, but salvation is a part of what I preach. 

If Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the significant charge He gave to the disciples was to “go into all the world and preach” should it not be our message too?  If Jesus is the Door to salvation, should we not be attempting to bring people to the door?  Of course, we should seek to equip and train believers for the work of ministry, but it is like fishing I don’t clean fish before I catch them. 

I have been in some churches multiple times and have yet to hear them present the message of the Cross.  I have been in others, and they never present anything else.  I once was lost in sin, but Jesus took me in and as Paul on the Road to Damascus, a light shined in my heart.  I knew that I knew that I knew my sins were forgiven.  I met Jesus at the foot of Calvary and thank God, he drew me to Him and when I called out to Him, He came to me in Grace, forgiving my sins and washing me whiter than snow.

Never be afraid or ashamed to share your faith.  Never be ashamed of the Cross.  You may never have a great revelation that awes people but if you have been to the Cross and met Jesus there, you have experienced the most important part of your Christian walk.  I am less concerned with impressing people on earth than I am about introducing people to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

God bless you as you go through this wonderful day in Jesus!