Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him."

Acts 2:36-39

Does the cross speak to you? Jesus died on the cross for us, but we do not worship a dead Savior. Our Lord’s body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb, and then on the third day He emerged in a glorified body. The cross speaks to us of the total picture – our Lord’s atoning death to pay the price for our sins, as well as His glorious resurrection to deliver us from the power of death.

If it were not for what Christ did on the cross, we would all stand guilty before God and be hopeless in the face of death. But through faith in Him, we receive the forgiveness of all our sins and the assurance that death cannot hold us. Have you looked at the cross and placed your trust in the One who died there? It is the only sure and perfect remedy for guilt and fear.

The cross of Christ

– the crossroads to heaven or hell.

Our Daily Bread – March 25, 2004