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The cross of Christ

Explore self-giving, lament, testimony and humility around Christ’s cross.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   1 Corinthians 1:18-25

   ¹⁸ For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

   ¹⁹ For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”

   ²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

   ²¹ For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

   ²² For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,

   ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks,

   ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;

   ²⁵ because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul challenges standards of power and prestige through Christ crucified; the paradox confronts religious and intellectual pride.

   Reflect

   • How does the message of the cross challenge common ideas about power and wisdom?

   Put it into practice

   Evaluate service by its care rather than its prestige.

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2. 2. Gethsemane - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Matthew 26:36-46

   ³⁶ Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go there and pray.”

   ³⁷ He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled.

   ³⁸ Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me.”

   ³⁹ He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

   ⁴⁰ He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?

   ⁴¹ Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

   ⁴² Again, a second time he went away and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.”

   ⁴³ He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

   ⁴⁴ He left them again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words.

   ⁴⁵ Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

   ⁴⁶ Arise, let’s be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand.”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Jesus names his distress and asks for companionship before the cross; his prayer expresses honesty and surrender, not indifference to suffering.

   Reflect

   • What does Jesus ask of the disciples as he prays?

   Put it into practice

   Offer practical companionship to someone facing a difficult night.

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3. 3. The cry from the cross - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Mark 15:33-39

   ³³ When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

   ³⁴ At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

   ³⁵ Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”

   ³⁶ One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”

   ³⁷ Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit.

   ³⁸ The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.

   ³⁹ When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Mark recounts darkness, voiced abandonment and death; the centurion’s recognition faces this self-giving rather than spectacular conquest.

   Reflect

   • What do we learn from Jesus’ suffering and the centurion’s response?

   Put it into practice

   Listen to lament without rushing to correct it.

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4. 4. Received testimony - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   1 Corinthians 15:3-8

   ³ For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

   ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

   ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

   ⁶ Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.

   ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

   ⁸ and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul passes on a tradition about death, burial, resurrection and appearances; the message is received testimony shared with others.

   Reflect

   • Why does Paul name different people who saw the risen Jesus?

   Put it into practice

   Distinguish a claim from the testimony supporting it.

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5. 5. Christ’s humility - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Philippians 2:1-11

   ¹ If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,

   ² make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

   ³ doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;

   ⁴ each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

   ⁵ Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,

   ⁶ who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,

   ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.

   ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.

   ⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name,

   ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,

   ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul confronts rivalry and conceit by pointing to Christ’s self-giving; humility cares for others without justifying imposed humiliation.

   Reflect

   • Which community problem introduces Christ’s example?

   Put it into practice

   Step back to recognize another person’s contribution.