The Power of the Cross
The cross and the events that led up to it should cause us to ponder power. How is power used? What kind of power do we seek?
There is religious power. When Jesus is arrested, he is taken to Caiaphas, the high priest. These religious authorities have power, and they use it. They don’t have the power to put a man to death, but they turn him over to Pilate.
There is political power. At first, Pilate wants nothing to do with Jesus. However, Pilate is a politician. It’s not just about right and wrong. It’s about keeping your job. Pilate does not want to upset the emperor. He does not want word to reach Rome about a disturbance in Jerusalem. What is the easiest way to deal with this problem? The easiest solution is for Pilate to use his power and have Jesus put to death.
The religious authorities used their power. Pilate used his political power. They got what they wanted. Jesus was put to death. However, this is not the last word. There is the power of the cross.
What kind of power is the power of the cross?
It is unlike the power of the religious authorities or Pilate’s political power. It is described in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 when Paul speaks of his thorn in the flesh. These are the words of Jesus, “my power is made perfect in weakness.” This is the power of the cross.
What Jesus did on the cross was more powerful than anything Pilate or the religious authorities did. He overcame them by sacrificing himself. He overcame them by dying.
The power of Jesus is different from the power wielded by Pilate and the religious authorities. Theirs was a worldly power. They believed they could make Jesus bend to their will. That is what the cross was designed to do. The cross was reserved for rebels. If you refused to bow the knee to Rome, they would use their power to make you.
Jesus showed us a different kind of power, one that could overcome the world’s power. It is a power that is still alive today. It is a power that has transformed the hearts and minds of millions of people. It is a power that has forever changed the world. Amazingly, this power is available to us.
We need to consider what kind of power we seek. Is it the power of the cross? Is it the power of sacrifice and death? Is it a power that is made perfect in weakness? Or is it a power that resembles what Caiaphas and Pilate yielded? Do we want to crush our enemies? Do we want to make others bend to our will? Those are two very different kinds of power.
If we want to follow Jesus, the path that we must follow, the power we must embrace is this: “For my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) This is the power of the cross. This is the way of Jesus. Let us take up our cross and follow him.