Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:11-14

The Cross – Speaks of Man’s Universal Depravity

Second, the cross is a sign and an emblem of the universal depravity of the human heart. If one would see what humanity is really like, look at the cross, cruel and merciless, dark and sinful. The Lord was born in Bethlehem. The gift of God in love to the world came in that little town of David. When the gift was made the angels sang and the stars were lowered like golden lamps from the sky. The shepherds worshiped and eventually the wise men came and brought their gifts. Just five miles away is Jerusalem. Thirty-three years later the human family, humankind, gave back the gift of God’s love in Christ Jesus on the point of a Roman spear. Who did that, who crucified the Lord? Who is responsible for His shameful, indescribably shameful and humiliating death? Who did that?

Well, there could be many answers. Some say it’s God’s fault, that God did it. The wife of Job said to her husband, “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). There are others who say it is His own fault. He should have been a better manager and a better planner, and He should have been shrewder. There are those who say that the Jews did it. There are those who say that the rulers did it. Some say Judas Iscariot did it. He sold Him. There are those who say Pontius Pilate did it—the weak, vacillating procurator who looked upon the miscarriage of Roman justice. There are those who say the soldiers did it. They braided the crown of thorns and they nailed Him to the tree. Who did it? Pontius Pilate washes his hands and says, “I did not do it. I am innocent of the blood of that just man” (Matthew 27:24). The Roman soldiers say, “We did not do it!” Who did it? Who slew the Son of glory? Who nailed Him to the cross? It must have been that we all had a part. The truth of it is that we all did it. Our sins nailed Him to the tree and our sins pressed upon His brow the crown of thorns. We all did it.

There’s a story often told of a man who at one time said:

“In a dream I saw the Savior. His back was bare and there was a soldier lifting up his hand and bringing down on His back that awful scorpion of nine tails, that awful cat-o-nine tails with its leather thongs and its pieces of iron woven into the leather. In the dream I rose and grasped his arm to hold it back. When I did, the soldier turned around in astonishment to look at me, and when I looked at him I recognized myself!”

Who slew the Son of glory? Again, we all did it. Our sins crucified the Prince of Heaven. Therefore, there is no doubt that the cross is a sign of universal human depravity and sin.

To Be Continued

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