… and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,
Summary: God is the master of communication. He leaves nothing to chance. Paul makes an astounding statement about God’s ability to communicate and leaves it to us to ponder how he does it.
In our last meditation, we pondered the essence of the Gospel message. In this mediation, we ponder the power of the Gospel.
In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul explains:
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
In essence, what I hear in these words is that creation itself is a kind of billboard advertising the Creator of All Things. When Paul says, “people are without excuse,” he is not joking or generalizing. Paul means that even the most hard-core atheist has enough information, without reading the Bible, to know that God exists.
In today’s passage, Paul makes a similar claim. He says, “This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven …:
How has the Gospel been “proclaimed to every creature under heaven?”
Speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14-15)
The story of the snake Jesus refers to is interesting.
While the Israelites were still wandering through the wilderness after they had escaped Egypt and before they entered the Promised Land, they often rebelled against the God who had saved them. Each time there was rebellion, there was punishment. Once, when they were complaining about everything, including the food, God sent “venomous snakes among them” (Number 21:4-8).
When people started dying from the snakebites, the people repented. They begged Moses to ask God to take the snakes away. Instead, God told Moses to “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look on it and live” (ibid).
All they had to do was look at the bronze snake Moses made, and they would live. I have to wonder if the power of the cross is similar. What if the essence of the Gospel is summed up in the cross? Who has not seen it? Who has not understood what it means? Is this a situation where God’s visible qualities— “his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse”?
If it is, that would explain Paul’s statement. Like an eternal billboard, the cross stands as a testimony to the truth about Jesus Christ.
Application: Look again at the cross. Listen to what it is saying to your heart.
Food for Thought: How does using a symbol to communicate an idea differ from using words?
Thanks for your devotional brother.
The cross is a powerful symbol that to those who follow Christ can stir up deep emotions. I know it can for me. A picture is worth a thousand words. The cross may be worth a billion words. It clearly communicates God’s love for us.
Romans 5: 8: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Colossians 2: 13 – 15: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you d alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Thank you, Rich!
Paul’s claim of God’s proclamation reaching “every creature under heaven” got my attention. I think the cross might be worth a billion words! 🙂
How does using a symbol to communicate an idea differ from using words?
Displaying an empty cross speaks volumes to all who look at it. The one sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of all mankind is sufficient. Before His leaving to return to our Father, Jesus explained He was leaving so another would come.
John 16:7-8, But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate[ will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong concerning sin and[r] righteousness and judgment.
As Rich pointed out, the empty cross is a reminder that Jesus Christ has given Himself, one time, as He paid the price for our sins forever, and is the only sacrifice God, will accept for our crimes committed against Him.
John 16:8, God has sent another who is convicting the WORLD of sin, righteousness, and judgement to come.
The empty cross, viewed by those under conviction of Gods Holy Spirit, has the power to convict save or restore all those. There remains power connected to the empty cross.
Thanks Ron!
Yes, there is power in the cross!! So amazing! 🙂