Beyond the Celebration

What Happens After the Cross?

Beloved Friend,

So, last week, we celebrated the greatest sacrifice ever made: the cross of Jesus Christ. It’s such a profound thing to reflect on, right? The cross changed everything. It’s not just a story from the past; it’s the foundation of our faith.

We often hear beautiful proclamations like, “Christ has done it all!” And, yes, He really has. He paid a price we could never pay. He fought a battle we couldn’t have won on our own. But here’s the thing; if we stop right there at the celebration, it’s like we’re missing the full picture of why He did it.

After the excitement fades, after the songs end, and after we put the palm fronds away, what do we do with that remembrance? What does it stir in us beyond the moment?

The cross was never meant to be a one-time celebration. It was a call to action. Christ did it all; but He didn’t die so we could live a life of comfort or simply enjoy a peaceful existence. No, He died to empower us, to equip us, to send us out on a mission.

Think about the Holy Spirit. Yes, He brings peace and comfort, but He also empowers us to live out our calling. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in John 14:16-17, saying, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth…” The Holy Spirit isn’t just here to make us feel better; He’s here to guide us into all truth, to equip us to do the work Christ has called us to.

Jesus didn’t leave us with the Holy Spirit so we could live a life of ease. He didn’t leave us with power so we could sit back and relax. No, He left us with purpose. In Acts 1:4-5, He told His disciples to wait for the promise of the Father; the Holy Spirit. Why wait for power if the point was for everything to be easy? No. He told them to wait for the power they needed to fulfill their mission. And that’s the same power we need today.

If the cross was all about comfort, the disciples would have just sat back, enjoyed life, and waited until heaven came. But instead, they were called to a life of mission, of sacrifice, of carrying the message of the gospel to the ends of the earth. They were sent to labor, not to lounge.

Jesus knew that life would be tough, but He also promised us His presence in the middle of it. In John 16:33, He said, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” He didn’t sugarcoat the journey. He prepared His disciples, and by extension, us, for what was to come.

So, as we remember the cross, let’s not stop at just celebrating it. Let’s live it out. The cross was meant to stir something in us; a passion to work for the gospel, to serve, to carry the message of Jesus everywhere we go. Yes, Christ has done it all. But He also handed us the baton and said, “Go, make disciples, live for the Kingdom.”

The race is still on, and with that baton in our hands, we’ve got work to do. But don’t worry, through the Holy Spirit, we’ve got everything we need to run this race with perseverance.

With thoughts of kindness,

ABBA’s Shofar