The Cross: Why Did Jesus Have to Die?Sample

Where Is This Headed?

Key Question: What kind of future did the Cross actually open up, and what does it mean for me now?

The Cross wasn’t the finish line.
It was the launch point of a new creation—a new world where love gets the last word.

Jesus didn’t die just to get you into heaven. He died and rose again to get heaven into you, and through you, into the world.

This is not a “hold tight until Jesus comes” kind of faith.
This is on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven living.
The kind that dares to forgive enemies.
To heal what’s broken.
To live generously.
To carry hope where it’s grown cold.

You don’t just carry a story of what happened..
You embody what’s possible now.
You are a signpost to the world that is coming—and already begun.

The Cross invites you into a life of participation.
God’s not done. He’s just getting started. And you are part of that movement.

“When Jesus emerged on Easter morning, he was the start of the new world. God’s new creation has begun, and we are invited to be part of it.”
— N.T. Wright, The Day the Revolution Began, p. 222

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for not just saving me from something but calling me into something bigger. Show me how to be part of your renewal project. Help me see my life as a signpost of your love. Amen.

Today’s Questions

• For yourself: What would it look like to live today as a “new creation” person?
• For your group: Where have you seen glimpses of God’s renewal in your own life or community?