God looked down upon a sin-sick world of people bound in prison houses of fear and despair, and he sent his own Son. Jesus came to earth, taking on the frailty of human flesh, and told all who would listen, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV).
The invitation of the cross is a call to every soul that is sick of sin. Jesus calls out to all who are burdened with binding chains, powerful habits and besetting sins, “Come to me now with all your heavy burdens. There is no other way but through my cross.”
Jesus died on the cross not only to forgive sin but also to break its wearying power over us.
You see, sin wearies the flesh. It saps away all that is good, kind and precious. It hardens the heart, destroying peace and causing guilt, sorrow and shame. It consumes the mind’s thoughts, weakening and darkening the soul. Sin brings on fear, and, worst of all, it shuts off all communion with God.
If I were to preach in many churches today about the demands of the cross with its death to all lusts and worldly pleasures, the crowds would flee, just as they did when Jesus told them of the cost of following him. Such churches never even mention the cross. Instead, they pour their energies into clever meetings full of showmanship, dramatic illustrations, and sermons on how to cope with life’s problems.
God seems to have much patience with such well-intentioned, fleshly efforts to promote the gospel. However, we cannot take God’s patience for granted. God help the ministers of these churches who refuse to warn their people to forsake their sins.
The prophet Jeremiah lamented, “…They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns back from his wickedness…But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings” (Jeremiah 23: 14, 22).
Jeremiah’s warning is for present-day ministers: “Bring back the cross, or the people’s blood will be upon your hands!”