The Word of the Day is “glory.” Today, in our scripture study of 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2, Paul writes, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (NKJV 1 Cor. 1: 18). By this declaration, the apostle proclaims that the Cross contradicts everything that this world stands for. It is symbol of the world’s hatred, yet the sign of God’s infinite love. It is an image of defeat, yet an emblem of victory. It is a horrible sight of shame, yet a vision of glory.
The Cross judges all the values and aspirations of
worldliness--its power, pleasures, riches, and prestige. It shows them to be empty and meaningless,
for God did not use any of them to free us from our bondage to sin. He chose to employ the seeming dishonor and
disgrace of the Cross.
THE CROSS IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION
From the viewpoint of our key verse, we realize today that whatever we seek in
this world, cannot save us. The wisdom
of this world cannot make us wise. The
signs of fortune cannot deliver us. But
the Cross? It is the “power of God unto
salvation to those who believe” (NKJV vs. 18). Therefore, Christ has become “for us wisdom from God – and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption” (NKJV vs. 30).
THE GLORY OF THE CROSS
After His betrayer had left the Last Supper, Jesus gave His
Farewell Address to His Church. In His
last teaching before His arrest, he said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and
God is glorified in Him” (John 17:1). Throughout this solemn day, we should keep this thought in mind. In the Passion of Christ is the Lord’s
glory. What seems to be an ignoble end
is a glorious beginning. What appears
to be utter defeat is victory. What
seems to bring death gives the promise of eternal life. The Very Reverend Paul Lazor sums up this
thought: “Beyond the scene of the human suffering of Christ is the reality of
His work of redemption of all men” (Lazor 1980, 17).
PLACED IN A TOMB BUT OPENING THE GATES OF LIFE
We realize the depths of the Glory of the Cross this evening
when we will carry the body of the Beloved Lord Jesus and place the Lord of
Life in the tomb of death. Accordingly,
the Aposticha before the Procession with the Shroud chants: “In the tomb Thou
wast willingly enclosed in the tomb who are boundless and infinite in
divinity. Thou didst close the chambers
of death, O Christ. Thou hast opened all
the palaces of hell” (Lazor, “Vespers of Holy Friday,” 44). Thus, the unbounded Lord of Heaven and Earth
could not be contained in any tomb. When
He rose from the sepulcher, He closed the doors of death behind Him. And He opened up the gates of eternal life
ahead of Him. Death is now entombed, and
its captives are set free.
FOR REFLECTION
When Martha objected to the opening of the tomb of Lazarus,
Jesus replied, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see
the glory of God?” (OSB John 11:40). And
then He called Lazarus out of the tomb. Thus, for this day and evening, we have the Lord’s promise that we will
see the glory of God. Let us believe in
that promise that it might be fulfilled for us
No comments:
Post a Comment