The Centrality of the Cross

In the Garden of Eden the first man and the first woman are found clinging to a beautiful tree they thought would bring life. They looked upon a beautiful creature they thought would make them like God. They wanted the fruit they thought would bring them much joy. It is not wrong to have such hopes. We must have hope or we will surely die. The great problem that Adam had and every other human has ever had is that we spend our lives looking to the wrong tree.

Certainly a beautiful tree with its beautiful fruit in a beautiful garden can offer us more than an ugly tree stained with blood in a barren place called skull hill. The first proposed to offer wisdom and knowledge and the answer to life and joy. The second appeared to offer nothing but sorrow and death. But it is just the opposite. The beautiful tree brought death and separation from God, the despised tree brought life and reconciliation.

And so it is that everything else to which we may cling in hope of finding that for which we long for will bring us only sorrow and misery if it is not grounded in the cross. The old tree may seem the most lifeless place on earth. Though others may mock you and laugh at your utter foolishness. Though death seems the only logical outcome. Will you cling to that tree, knowing that your Father will meet you there? The first Adam brought us death in a garden of life. The second Adam brought us life in a garden of death.

There are many ways in which we might consider the centrality of the cross for all the world, but I want to bring it down to this one point and it is a very personal matter ~ It is the centrality of the cross in forgiving those who have sinned against us.

When 5 Amish school children were killed and 5 others injured in October 2006 when a mad gunman entered the Amish schoolhouse where they were studying, the response of the Amish Community resounded loudly in the national media. WE FORGIVE! One of the Amish even said, “Perhaps it is better that this tragedy happened in our community, as opposed to the outside world, because our people are ready to meet God.”

What these gentle people have shown us in their sorrow is that there is a process for healing that is available to all. IT BEGINS WITH FORGIVENESS. Why do we drop out of church? Why do we hold grudges, why do find our lives spiraling down in bitterness and despair? Is it not because of an unforgiving heart.

But if the cross is truly the central reality of our lives we must forgive. AND YET it is not so much a demand ~ as it is the only logical response. THINK ABOUT IT FOR YOUR OWN LIFE. I KNOW IN MY LIFE. There is no one who has offended me more than I have personally offended Jesus. When you come to that reality you realize that unforgiveness in your own heart is the very rule by which you will be judged.

Some may say, "Oh but I have a right Brother Kenneth. You don’t know how others have hurt me. EVEN GOD HAS LET ME DOWN! IF God loved me he wouldn’t allow the things that have happened in my life." We may even feel justified in blaming God for our troubles. Remember man’s first impulse in the garden. Adam blamed the woman then God for giving her to him.

Jesus cried from the cross “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” You may argue, “oh but those who have hurt me knew exactly what they were doing. AND THEY DID IT JUST THE SAME. Therefore I am excused”. NO NO NO. For the flip side is this. IF we fail to forgive we do not know what we are doing. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

If we continue to hold on to unforgiveness in our hearts then we must be forewarned. We have not yet fully understood our greatest need and that is to be forgiven ourselves. We have committed treason against the king of glory. There is none righteous no not one. We all stand guilty before the Supreme Court of Heaven.

At the age of 28 I had finished seminary. I was praying for God to give me greater wisdom. But every time I prayed I felt that my prayers were not going past the ceiling. Every time I prayed a name came to my mind. "David". I knew who David was. I knew what God wanted. I wrestled with God for several weeks. "Oh you must mean the David of scripture." But God’s voice to my spirit spoke louder "DAVID". "Oh but God he doesn’t even know it was me." "DAVID", "But God that was 10 years ago. I am not the same person I was back then." "DAVID". "But God I have a reputation to maintain." "DAVID". "I wouldn’t even know where to find him." "DAVID". "But God that was another town and another time." "DAVID". I looked in the phone book and to my surprise David now lived only 2 short miles from my home. I knew what I had to do. I called David. He recognized my name immediately. I said, "David I need to come see you." He said, "well Ken you will need to come today. My bags are packed I am moving to Florida in the morning."

I got in my car and made the agonizing drive to his home. We chatted briefly and then I went straight to the point. "David do you remember when we were seniors in high school and your car was vandalized one night." He said, "yea I never found out who did that." I said, "David I know who did it. It was me. I am the one who did it. I have come to make things right." Then I pulled out my checkbook preparing to write him a check for the damages. He said, "hold on Ken. You don’t need to do that. I forgive you."

My hands began to tremble and tears began to flow. "But I was wrong. It was me I must make things right." He said, "Ken you just did." I couldn’t speak anymore. I quickly left got in my car and for 20 minutes I just sat there and cried.

The greatest gift I have ever received is forgiveness. Dallas Holmes sang a song 30 years ago. "I’m the one who spat upon the Savior. I’m the one who cursed his Holy name. I’m the one who said with all the rest crucify him. I’m the one. I’m the one to blame."

The only way you and I can properly show our great appreciation for what Christ has done for us is by living a life of forgiveness. And the greatest thing you can ever do for yourself is cling to that old tree and receive the forgiveness that God freely gives to all who call upon his name.