The Depth of What Happened at the Cross

The Call to Believe

In the desert, the Israelites turned bitter and impatient. Though God had delivered them from Egypt, fed them with manna, and led them by fire and cloud, they lost faith and complained. As judgment came through venomous snakes, their only hope was to look upon a bronze serpent lifted high on a pole. Those who looked lived. Jesus later drew this image to Himself, saying, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” The cross is our invitation to look with eyes of belief - to lift our gaze from the dust of our own striving and see that salvation is found in the One who was lifted for us.

What are we believing in when we look to the cross? It’s more than acknowledging that Jesus lived and died. It’s believing that His death accomplished what no one else could. The law of sacrifice once required a spotless lamb to be slain for every sin, over and over again. Blood was shed daily to cover guilt that never truly went away. But when Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, was crucified, He didn’t just cover our sin - He removed it. His blood didn’t hide our shame; it made us clean. As Isaiah declares, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” The price has been paid, and what was stained beyond repair has been made pure again.

The Exchange That Changes Everything

At the cross, God didn’t just forgive us - He gave us something in return. Jesus took our sin and, in its place, gave us His righteousness. Our spiritual account isn’t just brought back to zero - it’s filled with the riches of grace. We now stand before God as His own children, fully accepted. This changes the way we live and pray. We no longer strive for approval or work to earn what’s already been given. We walk in the confidence of those who have already been made right with God.

Living from the Cross

The resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead now empowers us to live differently. When temptation or fear rises, we don’t rely on our own strength - we look again to the cross. It reminds us that grace is not a one-time gift but a continual source of life. Jesus’ invitation still stands: lift your eyes, believe, and live. The same God who raised His Son from the grave can raise you from despair, restore what was lost, and fill you with His Spirit.