December 3, 2023 Paul said in his letter to the church of Corinth, “I wished to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” For Paul and every believer in Jesus, the crucifixion is the apex moment that has completely altered the trajectory of the world. The cross is both offensive and beautiful at once. The cross offends mankind because it tells us that we are not good enough, and even worse, that we are broken to the core—sinners. The cross shows just how much the Triune God hates sin. Yet, the cross is also beautiful, namely because of who is on it: Jesus Christ. The cross is beautiful because it means we, the broken sinners, have a means of being made right with God, no longer having His wrath aimed at us, but now experiencing the riches of His grace and love. The cross is beautiful because now we have life; we are made righteous and have a means to live a righteous life. This Christmas, take a moment to thank God for the cross. Thank Jesus for being willing to lay down His life, even for sinners like you and me. John 18:33-19:11