Tonight our church gathers for Good Friday. We will remember what Jesus did for us through His atoning death on the cross and celebrate the new life that is found through His resurrection. I’ll be preaching on Philippians 2:8, “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross,” As I meditated on Christ’s humility, I was reminded of the collision that is the cross:

The ringing of Calvary’s hammer is a collision of pride and love. The cross is necessary because of my pride, but it also necessary because of God’s love. The cross is a clumsy display of my hideous pride and a graceful display of God’s forgiving grace. On the cross, love is pierced by pride and grace is crowned by evil. On the cross pride drains the veins of love: drop by drop pride’s antidote puddles below. When His head bowed in death, pride raised his head in victory. But when the earth stood still and the tomb stood opened, it was pride that had died and love that was alive.

The antidote to pride is the cross. When I look upon the humility and love of the cross, I see the magnificence of His love for me and I have nothing left in which to boast. From the cross the purity of His righteousness shines into the corners of my heart exposing the darkness of my sin and contempt is poured on my pride. From the cross the glories of money, power, and fame lose their allure and my richest gain I count but lost. At the cross, my broken dreams, my manipulated relationships, my cold soul collide with love. When my pride surveys His love, I bow beneath the cross, my faith is transferred from me to Him, and the drops of grace cleanse me and make me fully whole. At the cross, pride dies and love comes alive.

Inspired by my favorite hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” by Sir Isaac Watts

Join us for Easter worship at 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00.  Details and directions at murphychurch.com