The Crucified Christ!

Every doctrine of Christianity finds its center at Calvary. Remove the cross, and the gospel collapses. Remove the cross, and grace becomes sentiment, forgiveness becomes impossible, and salvation becomes a human achievement rather than a divine gift.

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32) 

Human history has witnessed many forces that draw people: power, wealth, fame, philosophy, ideology, and religion. Empires have attracted followers. Philosophers have gathered disciples. Politicians have inspired crowds. Celebrities have followers. Yet all these influences eventually fade.

Jesus speaks of a different attraction:

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."

The centre of God's redemptive plan is not a throne, a miracle, or a set system. It is the finished work on a cross.

What draws sinners to salvation, saints to worship, and nations to Hope is the crucified Christ.

The Meaning of "Lifted Up"

Jesus was speaking about His death.

John immediately explains:

"This he said, signifying what death he should die." (John 12:33)

The phrase "lifted up" carries a double meaning.

A. Lifted Up Physically

Jesus would be raised upon a Roman cross.

What appeared to be a defeat turned out to be a victory.

This is the reality reflection of what we see in the Old Testament. The serpent of bronze on a pole in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4–9) was God's provision for the Israelites after they were bitten by poisonous snakes. Whoever looked at the bronze serpent in faith was healed and lived.

This event points to Jesus Christ, who was lifted up on the cross so that everyone who believes in Him may receive salvation and eternal life (John 3:14–15). It is a powerful reminder that God's mercy and healing come through faith in His provision.

The serpent who caused the bite, was made hung on the pole. The same way, ‘Sin’ which caused man to be separated from God had to be punished.

Romans 8:3 – "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 – "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Jesus was made sin for us on the cross, though He Himself was without sin.

On the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the judgment and penalty that our sins deserved, demonstrating God's great love and mercy. Through His sacrifice, those who trust in Him receive forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and the gift of righteousness.

We believe that Jesus took upon Himself the guilt and consequences of human sin. He stood in the place of sinners, carrying what humanity could not bear for itself (Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

God's justice and mercy met together.

The cross is seen as the place where God's holiness and justice against sin were upheld, while His love and mercy were extended to humanity. Through Christ's sacrifice, forgiveness became available without compromising God's righteousness.

Atonement and reconciliation were accomplished.

Sin had created separation between God and humanity. Through His death, Jesus opened the way for people to be reconciled to God and restored to fellowship with Him (Romans 5:10–11).

The powers of evil were defeated.

Many of us understand the cross as Christ's victory over Satan, sin, and death. What appeared to be a defeat became the means of triumph. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus broke the power of these forces held over humanity (Colossians 2:15).

The curse of sin was borne by Christ.

Jesus willingly took upon Himself the curse and judgment associated with human rebellion so that believers could receive blessing, forgiveness, and new life (Galatians 3:13).

A new covenant was established.

Through His blood, Jesus inaugurated a new relationship between God and humanity, based not on human effort but on God's grace and faithfulness (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15).

In summary, spiritually, Calvary is understood as the place where Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin, reconciled humanity to God, defeated the powers of evil, and opened the way to eternal life. The cross is therefore not only an event of suffering but also an event of redemption, victory, and divine love.

The cross was not an accident. It was God's eternal plan.

B. Lifted Up to Glory (spiritually/theologically speaking)

The cross became Christ's exaltation.

When Jesus died on the cross, it appeared to the world as a moment of shame and defeat. Yet in God's purpose, it was the very moment of His glorification. Jesus said, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (John 12:23), referring to His death. On the cross, He perfectly revealed God's love, fulfilled the Father's will, defeated the power of sin, and completed the work of redemption. What looked like humiliation became exaltation, and through His sacrifice, Jesus was lifted to glory as the Saviour of the world.

Philippians 2:9-11

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledges that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The greatest revelation of God was not displayed in creation's power but in Calvary's love.

That is the reason Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:23, " but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles."

"A stumbling block to Jews"

Many Jewish people of that time were looking for a conquering, politically powerful Messiah who would overthrow the Roman Empire and establish a triumphant kingdom.

The idea that the Messiah would be weak, arrested, and nailed to a Roman cross was entirely contradictory to their religious understanding of a victorious hero. The concept of a "cursed" dying saviour caused many to stumble over the message.

"Foolishness to Gentiles"

The Gentiles (especially the Greeks) mostly valued intellectual philosophy, logic, and rational thinking.

From a logical perspective, the idea that the death of one man could save others from death seemed like absolute unreality. To the clever thinkers of the time, the cross appeared weak, irrational, and unworthy of serious attention.

Galatians 6:14

"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The crucifixion of Christ is not merely an event in history; it is the very heart of God's eternal purpose. Before the foundations of the world were laid, God had determined that redemption would come through the suffering and sacrifice of His Son.

The cross is where eternity touches time, where divine justice meets divine mercy, where God's hatred of sin and God's love for sinners are displayed with equal brilliance.

Every doctrine of Christianity finds its centre at Calvary. Remove the cross, and the gospel collapses. Remove the cross, and grace becomes sentiment, forgiveness becomes impossible, and salvation becomes a human achievement rather than a divine gift.

The true disciples do not preach merely Christ as teacher, miracle worker, or moral example. They preach Christ crucified.

What Do We See On The Cross of Calvary?

I. The Crucified Christ Reveals the Character of God

Attributes of God- Love & Justice

"God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Jeremiah 31:3

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."

The foundation of God's drawing power is His love.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God came looking for them in the garden.

When Jonah ran away, God pursued him.

When Peter denied Christ, Jesus restored him.

When the prodigal son wandered far from home, the father waited and welcomed him back.

Every page of Scripture reveals a God who pursues His people.

Many think of God primarily as loving. Others think of Him primarily as holy. The cross reveals that He is perfectly both.

At Calvary, God's holiness is seen in His refusal to ignore sin. Sin cannot simply be overlooked. A holy God cannot compromise His righteousness.

Yet at the same moment, God's love shines with incomparable beauty. Rather than abandoning humanity to judgment, God Himself provides the sacrifice to pay the price for the redemption.

The cross tells us that God is neither soft toward sin nor indifferent toward sinners.

The crucified Christ is God's declaration that He will uphold justice while extending mercy.

The cross is therefore not merely about what happened to Jesus. It is a revelation of who God is.

When Moses asked to see God's glory, he was shown only a glimpse. At Calvary, we see the fullest manifestation of divine glory—the glory of self-giving love.

God did not love us after we became righteous. He loved us while we were sinners. At Calvary, God was not reluctantly persuaded to forgive humanity. Rather, God Himself became the perfect sacrifice. No human understanding can comprehend this amazing work of God through human wisdom. We must need a revelation from the Holy Spirit.

The wonder of the gospel is that the One offended by sin became the One who bore its penalty.

The hands that formed the universe were stretched upon a wooden cross. The Creator endured the cruelty of His creation. The Holy One suffered for the unholy. The Just One died for the unjust.

No greater declaration of love has ever been made than the one we see on the cross of Calvary!

II. The Crucified Christ Bears the Curse of Humanity

One of the most neglected truths in modern preaching is that Christ died under the curse.

The Bible says:

Galatians 3:13 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

The cross was not merely an instrument to punish the criminals; it was judicial as well.

Jesus suffered not only physically but covenantally. He stood in the place of guilt bound humanity.

Many people treat sin as a mistake, weakness, or moral failure. Scripture presents it as rebellion against a holy God. Sin is not merely what we do; it is the rebellious violation of God’s law.

The cross demonstrates that sin is so serious that it requires the death of the Son of God as a penalty. If forgiveness could have been achieved through human efforts or religious ceremonies, the death of Christ on Calvary would have been unnecessary.

When we stand before the cross, we see that our sin is not small. Every nail driven into Christ's hands testifies to humanity's guilt. Every drop of blood reminds us that the wages of sin is death.

The crucified Christ confronts us with a question: If our sin required such a sacrifice, how can we continue to treat it lightly?

The darkness that covered Calvary was more than a natural phenomenon. It symbolized the judgment being borne by the Lamb of God.

The cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46) reveals a mystery too deep for human comprehension. The sinless Son carried the sins of the world upon His shoulder and became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) so that every sinner might be brought into fellowship with God. 

At the cross, Christ descended into the farthest reaches of human lostness to rescue those who could never rescue themselves otherwise.

Testimony Example: John Newton

John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace, spent years involved in the slave trade. Yet God's grace pursued him. Over time, Christ transformed his heart completely. The man who once enjoyed the pleasures of sin and participated in human mockery became a passionate preacher of God's mercy.

His famous words still testify to God's drawing power:

"Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,

that saved a wretch like me."

God's grace can reach anyone.

III. The Crucified Christ Is the Hope of the World

Our world is filled with violence, injustice, suffering, and despair.

Human invented solutions repeatedly fail because they address symptoms while ignoring the deeper problem of sin.

Christ is the hope of the world because He brings light into darkness, peace into troubled hearts, and life where there was death. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus opened the way for forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and the promise of eternal life.

In a world filled with uncertainty and brokenness, Christ remains the unchanging source of hope for all who trust in Him. As the Scripture declares, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

The cross addresses the root problem of man.

At Calvary, God begins the renewal of all things.

You see the cross over the Church buildings all over the world where christians come together to worship the Lord. What does that cross declare to the world in silence?

The cross declares to the world that suffering can be redeemed, sin can be forgiven, and death can be defeated.

God Draws Us Through Circumstances

Sometimes God uses life's circumstances to awaken us spiritually.

Romans 8:28

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him."

Not every circumstance comes from God, but God can use every circumstance.

The Crucified One became the Risen One.

Therefore, every believer can endure with hope.

For the deepest truth in the universe is not that humanity loves God.

It is that God loved humanity enough to give His Son.

And nowhere is that love seen more clearly than in the face of the Crucified Christ.

Therefore, let every sermon, every ministry, every act of worship, and every Christian life be anchored in this one glorious reality:

Our Responsibility: Lift Up Christ

The Church is not called primarily to promote itself.

We are called to exalt Christ.

We often forget the main thing in the Church. We give importance to so many other things. We value programmes, activities and try to make a name for ourselves.

Why do we send our children to school? In school there are many activities. They have sports, curricular activities, dramas, games, etc

Think of a child who is only interested in these activities not in ‘studies’, what will happen to it in the end?

The primary purpose of the school is encouraging the children to ‘study’. All others are secondary. 

Same is with Church- the primary purpose of the Church is to lead people to Christ. Following Christ in His life and commandments, growing in holiness to honour the Father God and becoming an instrument in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. All other activities in the Church are secondary.

When Christ is exalted, He fulfils His promise to draw people to Himself.

In summary, spiritually speaking, the Church exists to know Christ, make Him known, and express His life on earth. It is God's redeemed community, empowered by the Holy Spirit, called to worship God, build up believers, and serve as a witness of His kingdom until Christ returns. 

By Pastor Renji George

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 1:27, Colossians 2:15, Galatians 3:13, Galatians 6:14, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:15-17, Isaiah 53:5, Isaiah 53:5-7, Jeremiah 31:3, John 12:23, John 12:32, John 12:33, John 12:32-33, John 3:14, John 3:14-16, Luke 22:20, Matthew 27:46, Numbers 21:4, Numbers 21:4-9, Philippians 2:9-11, Romans 5:10, Romans 5:8, Romans 5:10-11, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:3

Sermon Topics: Messiah, Grace, Love, Crucifixion, Salvation, Discipleship, Hope, Cross, Redemption, John Newton, Justice, Propitiation, Calvary, Amazing Grace, Christ Crucified, Hope Of Glory, Death On The Cross, Attributes Of God, My God, Christ Sacrifice, Hope Of The World, Calvary Cross, Atonment, Lift Up Christ, Drawing To Christ, Curse Of Humanity, Mystery Cross, Mystery Christ