4/3/26, Melrose Community Church, Good Friday Service

This Good Friday reflection takes us deep into the paradox at the heart of our faith: what appears as defeat is actually God's greatest victory. Drawing primarily from 1 Corinthians, we're confronted with a challenging truth—the message of the cross seems like utter foolishness to human wisdom, yet it represents the very power and wisdom of God. We're reminded that while the world demands signs and seeks wisdom, we preach Christ crucified, which stumbles some and appears foolish to others, but to those being saved, it is nothing less than the power of God. The sermon beautifully explores how human wisdom has never solved our fundamental problem—sin. We can advance in technology, education, and psychology, yet we remain morally bankrupt without Christ. The thief on the cross illustrates this perfectly: salvation came not through ritual or good works, but through a simple, heartfelt cry to Jesus. The communion elements, especially the matzah bread with its unleavened nature, piercings, stripes, and bruised appearance, become powerful symbols pointing us to Christ's sinless life and sacrificial death. We're challenged repeatedly with one penetrating question: How do we look at the cross? Is it merely a religious symbol, or do we see it as the altar where God's Lamb was offered for our salvation?