I love the cross I wear around my neck. It was a gift from my oldest son, and it is a treasure to me, a reminder of his love and of the relationship that should shape and define my life. When we designed our church building, our building committee chair made it his passion to ensure that the cross was central, both inside and out.
Many churches and many people use the cross as a symbol. But a symbol of what? Has the cross lost its potency in our cultural moment?
Sometimes I wonder if the meaning of the cross has been quietly emptied, both in the church and in the culture. What was once a symbol of deep significance has, for many, become something admired for its beauty but disconnected from its meaning. As we approach this holy season, there will be renewed attention on the cross. For true followers of Jesus, this is an opportunity to remember both the glory and the horror of the cross and to live in light of what it truly represents.
We will never treasure the beauty of the cross unless we first understand its terror.
The biblical cross was never meant to be comfortable. In the early church, symbols like the fish or anchor were more common. It was not until the time of Constantine that the cross became widely embraced as a public emblem of Christianity. Why? Because the cross was offensive. It represented humiliation, shame, and brutal execution.
Crucifixion was designed not merely to kill, but to torture and to inflict maximum physical and emotional suffering. It was reserved for traitors and the lowest of criminals. For those in Jesus’ day, the cross was not jewelry. It was terror.
And yet, this is the symbol we cherish.
Resurrection season calls us to remember this reality if we are to experience its full richness. The cross is central not because it is aesthetically powerful, but because it is theologically necessary. If we want our lives to be shaped by Christ, we must understand the offence of the cross.
The cross confronts us with something we are never meant to forget: the horror of our sin and the depth of God’s love.
The apostle Paul writes, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Gal. 6:14)
Why boast in something so horrific? Because the cross exposes our greatest problem.
Most people are willing to admire Jesus, as long as He makes no real demands. It is easy to appreciate His compassion, His teaching, and His care for the marginalized. But to embrace the cross is to confront something far more unsettling: We are not merely broken, we are sinful.
The cross dismantles self-righteousness. It reveals that our problem is not simply weakness, ignorance, or lack of opportunity. It is rebellion against a holy God. Sin separates us from Him and places us under His just judgment.
And yet, this is where the beauty breaks in.
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21)
At the cross, Jesus did not merely suffer physically. He bore the full weight of God’s wrath against sin. The horror of the cross is not only in the nails but in the judgment. And the beauty of the cross is that He took it willingly for us.
This is why Good Friday must first be seen as horrific before it can be treasured as glorious. Only then does the resurrection shine with its full brilliance.
The message of the cross is not that Jesus came to inspire us or simply to show us love. He came to die in our place to pay a debt we could never pay. Our sin is so serious, so offensive, that it required either eternal punishment or the sacrifice of the eternal Son.
There are only two options: judgment or forgiveness.
The cross is where forgiveness and reconciliation are made possible.
So as we approach this season, we must resist the temptation to domesticate the cross. It is not safe. It is not tame. It is offensive. And it is our only hope.
I still love wearing the cross around my neck. I love that my son gave it to me. But far more, I love that God’s Son gave Himself for me, securing forgiveness, reconciliation, eternal life, and purpose.
I love the cross I wear around my neck. It was a gift from my oldest son, and it is a treasure to me, a reminder of his love and of the relationship I have with Jesus that shapes and defines my life.
The cross reminds me of what I deserve. And it reminds me of what Christ has done.
When we truly grasp the offence of the cross, it changes us. It humbles us. It frees us. It compels us to live lives marked by holiness, gratitude, and mission.
This season, you will see crosses everywhere. My prayer is that they would no longer feel familiar but that they would awaken something deeper. That they would remind you of the cost of your sin and the magnitude of God’s grace.
The cross will always be a stumbling block to many (1 Cor. 1:23). But for those who believe, it is the power of God.
Only when we grasp the offence of the cross can we truly experience the treasure it offers.
So let us boast in the cross.
Let us rest in Christ’s love.
And let us bend our lives fully to Him.
Because when we see the cross rightly, we finally see its beauty.
Thank you, Jesus.
