The Message of the Cross 不只是标志
Dexu Xia
The message of the cross is . . . the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18
Zhang was raised with, in his words, “no God, no religion, nothing.” In 1989, seeking democracy and freedom for his people, he helped lead students in peaceful protests. But the protests tragically led to the government’s intervention and hundreds of lives lost. For his part in the event, Zhang was placed on his country’s most-wanted list. After a short imprisonment, he fled to an outlying village where he met an elderly farmer who introduced him to Christianity. She had only a handwritten copy of the gospel of John but couldn’t read, so she asked Zhang to read it to her. As he did, she explained it to him—and a year later he became a believer in Jesus.
Through all he endured, Zhang sees that God was powerfully leading him to the cross, where he experienced firsthand what the apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians, “The message of the cross is . . . the power of God” (1:18). What many considered foolishness, a weakness, became Zhang’s strength. For some of us, this too was our thinking before we came to Christ. But through the Spirit, we felt the power and wisdom of God breaking into our lives and leading us to Christ. Today Zhang serves as a pastor spreading the truth of the cross to all who will hear.
Jesus has the power to change even the hardest of hearts. Who needs His powerful touch today?
How did you view the message of the cross before you received Christ as your Savior? Who might benefit from hearing your story?
Jesus, thank You for leading me to You through the cross. I would be lost without You!
十字架的道理，⋯⋯为上帝的大能。—哥林多前书1章18节
在 20世纪中叶，印度中部非基督徒和基督徒之间的关系非常紧张。一个年轻人被教唆爬到一栋三层楼建筑的楼顶，要把屋顶上的十字架拆下来。不过，他并没有成功，而是从三层楼高的屋顶摔下来，跌落到建筑物下方的街道上，伤势严重。他被送到医院救治时，躺在隔壁病床上的刚好是一位基督徒。
这位基督徒告诉年轻人十字架真正的意义，以及基督在十字架上所做的一切。年轻人听了深受感动，流泪喊道：“主耶稣啊！原谅我！我不是故意那样做的，是他们逼我的。”
虽然人们想尽办法要除去象征基督信仰的标志，但他们却无法阻止十字架的道理。保罗说：“十字架的道理，……为上帝的大能”（哥林多前书1章18节）。耶稣也说过，即使是阴间的门也不能胜过教会的权柄（马太福音16章18节）。
十字架是基督信仰的象征。然而，对于不了解基督为何死在十字架上的人来说，十字架的象征意义是毫无价值的。我们要知道，耶稣死在十字架上，是为了赦免人类的一切过犯（歌罗西书2章13-14节），而不是为了创造一个标志。
十字架在你的眼中只是一个标志吗？你有没有相信那死在十字架上的耶稣基督呢？如果没有，今天就这样做吧！
十字架所传达的信息对你有何意义？
耶稣的赦免会如何永远改变你的生命？
主耶稣，感谢祢藉着十字架引领我归向祢，
若是没有祢在十字架上的牺牲，我就无法得救赎！