Friday: Further Thought – The Message of the Cross
Daily Lesson for Friday 10th of July 2026
Further Thought:
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
Read Ellen G. White, “Calvary,” Pages 741–757, in The Desire of Ages.
“To the minds of multitudes living at the present time, the cross of Calvary is surrounded by sacred memories. Hallowed associations are connected with the scenes of the crucifixion. But in Paul’s day the cross was regarded with feelings of repulsion and horror. To uphold as the Saviour of mankind one who had met death on the cross, would naturally call forth ridicule and opposition.
“Paul well knew how his message would be regarded by both the Jews and the Greeks of Corinth. . . . Among his Jewish hearers there were many who would be angered by the message he was about to proclaim. In the estimation of the Greeks his words would be absurd folly. He would be looked upon as weak-minded for attempting to show how the cross could have any connection with the elevation of the race or the salvation of mankind.
“But to Paul the cross was the one object of supreme interest. Ever since he had been arrested in his career of persecution against the followers of the crucified Nazarene he had never ceased to glory in the cross. At that time there had been given him a revelation of the infinite love of God, as revealed in the death of Christ; and a marvelous transformation had been wrought in his life, bringing all his plans and purposes into harmony with heaven. . . . He knew by personal experience that when a sinner once beholds the love of the Father, as seen in the sacrifice of His Son, and yields to the divine influence, a change of heart takes place, and henceforth Christ is all and in all.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, Pages 245, 246.
Discussion Questions
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Go to just about any public park and you will find statues and sculptures representing important people or events. Some are memorials of people who have died in war. Mostly, we walk past them, taking little time to consider what they memorialise. They often suffer the ravages of time, acid rain, bird poop, and lichen, etching their way into the stone.
The most recognisable symbol of Christianity is the cross. It adorns our churches, our literature, and frequently our jewellery too. We are in danger of stopping at the symbol, rather than living the experience.
Paul recognises the importance of living beyond the symbolism:
The most potent witness for the cross of Jesus is not the symbol, but Christians loving and supporting one another who reach out to others in love. That is how the cross should be remembered. It will survive the ravages of time>
“By this shall all men know …”
Ever since the gospel began to be preached, the message of the cross has been rejected by many as foolish or unbelievable, with some taking offense at the very mention of it. As 1 Corinthians 1:18 declares, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The cross of Jesus Christ confronts us with truths we may not naturally want to hear. It declares that sin carries a price that must be paid, for Romans 6:23 reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death.” The cross exposes the seriousness of sin while revealing God’s perfect justice and immeasurable love. Paul further explains in 1 Corinthians 1:22–24, *”Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, the Christ.
Question and thought provoker.
“Paul says that “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV). So, how can we speak about Jesus to these people in a way that could touch their hearts? Or maybe our actions alone will reach them.”
Have you read the book How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie? The salient point I got out of it is that we have to prove ourselves friendly first. Then I am sure you can think of an opener. Before using an opener, get to know your contact a little. One time I did all three and then hit with an opener. The friend kindly said not going there. Then all you can do is put them in your prayers. Whatever the Holy Spirit guides you to say, because you have asked in your devotions for His direction say it. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lead not unto thine own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5, 6.
Ray Comfort has a good method of using the law of God to awaken the conscience of a person’s need for forgiveness. Everyone thinks they aren’t that bad to deserve hell. It is done with compassion, although he doesn’t have a correct unnderstanding of hell. He does push hard the gospel aspect of salvation from sin. I think that Adventists can adapt his method with the greater understanding of God, sin, hell, and salvation that we have. First we connect with them, then help them to realize their need of a Savior in a logical way. If we lead with the cross most people will shrug it off as irrelevant. They need to first realize their need.
Ya good advice. Atfter I wrote this I listened to Shawn Boonstra talking with Johnathan Walter. They had a lot of good advice also. It was the latest of unScripted on YouTube. Posted July 3,2026.
Is this what you listened to?
What Bible Prophecy Really Says About America
Yes, there are 2 billion sectarians that need reaching yet.
Over two billion involved in secularism. Listen to the video Jonathan explains it.
James 2:14-18
[14]What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
[15]If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
[16]and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
[17]Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
[18]But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Etc Loving and visiting the sick/ poor/ needy, Feeding them, clothing them, orphans, widows etc as you explain to them the need of Christ in their lives than you explaining, reasoning &winning arguments
Interestingly, one of the most effective ways of minimising the cross is to focus on the cross! Largely, Christianity has done a great job of highlighting the cross. Indeed, in some circles the object itself has become a mystic talisman with magical powers that we can manipulate by performing certain rituals. Oddly enough, doing so has made it appear foolishness to those who look on.
It is not the cross that is important so much as what happened on the cross, and even more significantly the “why” of the cross… Why this way? Why did the eternal Creator God do THAT!!!
John the Baptist declared of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Why didn’t he simply say, “Behold, Jesus of Nazareth, who takes away the sin of the world”? Where was the Holy Spirit trying to direct our attention? Is there something deeper that needs to be understood, described, experienced, and lived? If there is, what difference will that make, what influence will that provide, what picture of God is yet to be discovered?
Jesus has always been the Lamb, and His attitude reflects the attitude of the Godhead. It is within the intersection of all these concepts that human foolishness can be steered toward the overwhelming, and selfless wisdom of God.
I agree that it’s what happened on the cross that is important: the complete victory over selfishness which infects all of us, including myself. Looking back at my life I can see where even good things I did were tinged with self interest. Jesus exhibited none of that. He wasn’t even focused on getting himself into heaven. His energies were totally focused on serving others and getting them into the heavenly country.
The wisdom of God and that of humans are disparate in the sense that while God’s wisdom is founded on sacrifice,righteousness, and love ;human wisdom is born of sin and greed.
In addition to preaching the wisdom of God,living and practicing the wisdom of God is potentially an effective tool to communicate the gospel as people’s minds and hearts are deeply touched by our practice of love,kindness,justice, compassion etc .
The cross is the epicenter where Divine love and Satanic hatred meet.
My beloved brethren , even if Lucifer disagreed with God on certain issues; and he did. Even if he wanted to be like God in terms of position and power; and he did. What kind of mind after scourging the Lord of glory; after having spit jetisoned into his face; a crown of thorns placed on his head; and if that was not enough, having him nailed to a cross, that was after hurled into the ground and cemented into an upright position ?
Conversely what kind of mind that belonged to God the Creator of all things ? What kind of mind would stoop to accept such abuse in order to save a mixture of “dust and breath” ? To stoop to accept such abuse from one, whom ages gone by, before His Presence was cast down to the Earth with the speed of lightening ?
Behold Oh watching world and universe : the unambiguous distinction between amazing love and unreasonable, covetous hate.
Christianity is far more than accepting doctrines or belonging to a church—it is knowing Jesus personally.
No one can live on another person’s faith. Each of us must have our own personal encounter with Christ. Then we can joyfully say, “For to me, to live is Christ.” When Christ becomes “all and in all,” obedience is no longer a burden but the joyful response of a heart captured by His love.
Praise God for such an experience! Yet it is sustained only through a daily surrender to Him, allowing His grace to keep our relationship with Christ fresh, vibrant, and enduring.
At first, Jesus has to be in the heart. Besides having a relationship with Him, no preaching will be convincing without the gift of the Holy Spirit. Self-experience has no substitute.
That God is the Creator of all things is basic to understanding his sovereignty. Creation demonstrates God’s wisdom, power, and the efficacy of His word (Prov 8:22-31; Jer 10:11-13; Gen 1:3,6,9; Jn 1:1-3).
“In the New Testament these themes have new force. Christ is the creating Word in the beginning (John 1:1–3; Col. 1:15–20). The creative power, wisdom, and word are exhibited in the gospel and bring about the new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Paul thus likens the creation of a Christian to the creation of the world (2 Cor. 4:6,7). Both bring something out of nothing. Both are a miracle of divine initiative. For both, we praise God.”