The cross.

Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched on top of churches, carved
into a headstone, engraved in a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is a
recognised universal symbol. An odd choice, don't you think? Strange that a tool
of torture would come to embody a message of hope.

Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a hangman's noose
on your wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet
many do so with the cross.
Why is the cross a symbol of hope and faith? To find the answer look no farther
than the cross itself. Its design couldn't be simpler. One beam horizontal--the
other vertical. One reaches out-like God's love. The other reaches up-like God's
holiness or righteousness. One represents the width of His love; the other
reflects the height of His perfection. The cross is the intersection. The cross is
where God forgave His children without ever lowering His standards.

How could He do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on His Son and punished it
there.

You might be thinking at this point: “Hold on a moment, why are you calling me a
sinner?” And that's a natural way of thinking. Most people don’t see themselves as
necessarily bad people and yet God has already given us His standard of what good
and bad really is.

This standard we mentioned is popularly known as the 10 commandments. Let’s look

at a couple.

“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God”

Have you ever done that? Have you ever used the name of God or Jesus as a cuss or
swear word? This is called blasphemy.

“You shall not steal.”

Have you ever stolen anything before? Regardless of the objects value it’s
stealing and God has directly forbidden it.

Though we have only looked at two so far, how have you fared? Are you guilty or
innocent according to this law, not by your own opinion of yourself, but against
God’s standard of goodness?
We could look at others as well, such as, have you ever lied? Or ever dishonoured
your parents? These are also included in God’s holy and righteous law.

So when you take your last breath and your heart beats its final time you will
stand before Almighty God, how will He judge you, innocent or guilty? Seeing as He
has already outlined his standard by which He intends to judge you, what do you
think His judgement will be?

Good or bad? Innocent or guilty? Heaven or hell?

But there is good news. In fact there’s GREAT NEWS you do not have to be found
guilty on judgement day. Yes, it’s true. Though you have possibly broken these few
commandments mentioned and you may even be guilty of breaking many more, the bible
tells us that... “Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ
we could become right with God." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NCV).

This is speaking of Jesus Christ; it says that God has put the punishment of our
mistakes and mess-ups on the perfect Jesus so we can have His perfection when we
stand before almighty God.
Elsewhere in the bible it has been put like this: "Christ never sinned! But God
treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God" (CEV).

Visualize this moment. God is on His throne. You are on the earth. And between you
and God, suspended between us and heaven, is Christ on His cross. Your sins have
been placed on Jesus. God, who punishes sin, EXPLODES His punishing wrath on your
mistakes and Jesus takes the blow. Since Christ is between you and God, you don't.
The sin is punished, but you are safe and safe only by Jesus’ sacrifice on the
cross.

This is what God did, but why, why would He do it? Moral duty? Heavenly
obligation? Fatherly requirement? No. God is required to do nothing.
Besides, consider what He did. Just for you He gave His Son, His only Son. Would
you do that? Would you offer the life of your child for someone else? It almost
seems inconceivable. And it is when we think that this is no mere man offering up
His own dear child, but it’s God doing it.

And the only reason He was willing to sacrifice so much is because this is the
reach of His love. And this is the reason for the cross. God is in love with
humanity.

"God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son " (John 3:16 NCV).

As boldly as that centre beam proclaims God's holiness, the crossbeam declares His
love. And, oh, how wide His love reaches and how deep His love plunges into the
hearts of those who receive it.

Aren't you glad that verse does not read:

"For God so loved the rich..."?
Or, "For God so loved the famous..."?
Or, "For God so loved the thin..."?
It doesn't. Nor does it state, "For God so loved the Europeans or Africans..." or
even "the sober or successful..." "the young or the old..."
No, when we read John 3:16, we simply (and gladly) read, " God loved the world."

How wide is God's love? Its wide enough to accept any who would just believe in
Him. Will you believe in God and accept His free gift of forgiveness? Then you are
included in God's love. God's love is personally for you.

It's nice to be included isn’t it? We aren't always. Universities exclude you if
you aren't clever enough. Businesses exclude you if you aren't qualified enough,
and, sadly, some churches can even exclude people if they aren't good enough.

But though others may exclude you, Christ always includes you.

But isn't there a limit? Surely there has to be an end to this love. You'd think
so, wouldn't you? But historical, biblical characters like David the adulterer
never found it. Moses the murderer never found it. Peter the liar never found it.
When it came to life, they had hit rock bottom. But when it came to God's love,
there’s no such thing as ‘rock bottom’. These were all eventually described as
God’s beloved children, not because of their perfection but because of their
humble repentance (turning away from a sinful life) and glad acceptance of God’s
love and mercy.

They, just like you, found their names on God's list of love.
Because God loves you, He has invited you to enjoy eternal life with Him in
Heaven. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me" (John 14:6 NIV). Jesus provided the only way to accept
God's invitation, and He did it just for you. Accept God's invitation by believing
that Jesus received the punishment for your sins by dying on the cross. Confess
that you've sinned and ask His forgiveness. Invite Him into your life and ask for
God's help to turn from your sin. Be open and pray to God about these things you
have just read and be sure to contact us if you would like to discuss this with
someone or just receive more information about this message of hope and life.

Please check out our website www.myspace.com/thehighvoltage

• Email craig@impactcc.com.au
• Or Write to HVY Ministries PO BOX 834 Springwood QLD Australia 4127