Many Christians wear the Cross—some as a sign of faith, some wear that as a fashion ornament. In ancient Rome, the Cross was a dreaded instrument of crucifixion. However, after Christ’s crucifixion, it became a powerful symbol of freedom and redemption.
Paul says in the Letter to Corinth church that its considered foolish for people who don’t know the Cross, but for people who know Christ , it has the power.
[1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)] “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Today, the Cross is often used as a fashion symbol or for other worldly identities. But for believers, it represents the power of God.
What took place on the Cross through Christ that transformed it into an unstoppable symbol of power? The answer to this question lies in the book of Prophet Isaiah 53.
Jesus Christ’s - State on the Cross
Jesus – Tender shoot
[Isaiah 53:2 NIV] 2(a) He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
Isaiah describes Christ as a tender shoot and the “Root of Jesse” [Isaiah 11:10 NIV] 10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
Just as an unseen root nourishes a plant, Jesus took upon Himself all our shame, sins, and burdens, producing the fruits of the Spirit for us. Though the ground seemed dry and lifeless, He broke through the impossible, bringing life free from sin that we can inherit.
Christ work at Cross is like that of tender shoot in ground, He shattered every curse and conquered death, rising as the victorious King. His resurrection gives us the hope of light that drives out darkness.
Appearance of Christ
[Isaiah 53:2 NIV] 2 (b) He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
Isaiah tells us that Jesus had no remarkable physical beauty to attract people to Him. The Bible does not describe His appearance, nor were any portraits made of Him. Perhaps this was intentional, so that people would focus on worshiping Jesus Himself rather than an image.
Because of His words and works, Jesus attracted great crowds, but nothing about His physical appearance made Him different from any other Jewish man.
When we meet our saviour, he is filled with beauty - Revelation 1:12-16 [Revelation 1:16 NIV] “…. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. '
But in eternity when we meet him, when we enter his presence we will know for sure how he is [1 John 3:2 NIV] 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
What did Jesus do to Gain Power in the cross?
He Conquered the Emotions in the Cross
[ Isaiah 53:3 NIV] 'He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. '
All His disciples abandoned Him, leaving Him alone. Those who once stood by Him rejected Him.
He overcame human emotions and suffering:
For our Pain - He suffered pain (sorrows) ,” a man of suffering”
For our rejections - He suffered rejections, just as we sometimes face rejection from family and loved ones.– “rejected by mankind”
For the lowly – He was despised, taking the place of those treated with disrespect “'He was despised”
For those in pain – He became familiar with suffering, carrying both physical and emotional agony. “familiar with pain”
For the neglected – Just as people turn away from the needy (like how street homeless, beggars would be treated), He was treated with disregard, Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised
For the outcast – He was held in low esteem, experiencing the humiliation of the cross. we held him in low esteem. '
This is why when we bring our burdens we have victory, as he has already taken all on him to give us the victory, it’s by his experience he empathises in our weakness [Hebrews 4:15 NIV] “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
Physical things he conquered in Cross (Isaiah 53:4-6)
Pain and Suffering
[Isaiah 53:4 NIV] 'Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. '
Isaiah 53:4-6 is the core of the Gospel message—the innocent servant sacrificing Himself for our sins.
Jesus took it upon Himself—there was no substitute for Him; He was the Substitute. He willingly endured the horrors of the Cross.
He did not die for His own sins but for ours.
Yet, people of the world do not / cannot understand this suffering instead its said yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. '
Piercing and Crushing
[Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV] 'But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. '
Our griefs, sorrows, sins, and failures— when these happen we turn away from God, He took them all upon Himself.
The nails pierced Him for our transgressions—our sins, our breaking of God’s commandments given to us. 'But he was pierced for our transgressions
He was crushed in cross for our iniquities - the weight of our wickedness and unjust actions fell on Him at the Cross ‘he was crushed for our iniquities’
Just as sheep stray from their shepherd, humanity wandered away from God—like Adam, we chose our own way. Yet, Jesus took it all upon Himself to save the lost. [Isaiah 53:6 NIV] 'We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. '
Peace & Healing
The peace we receive came through His suffering—His punishment secured our peace. “The punishment that brought us peace was on Him.”
Through His sacrifice on the Cross, we receive healing—physically, mentally, and emotionally. His wounds carried our pain, and “by His wounds, we are healed.”
Silent in Suffering
[Isaiah 53:7 NIV] 'He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. '
This prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 27:12-14, where Jesus remained silent before His accusers. Even when questioned by Pilate, He chose not to defend Himself, leaving the governor in awe. [Matthew 27:12-14 NIV] 12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge--to the great amazement of the governor.
He willingly gave Himself—just like a lamb led to slaughter, He remained silent.
In obedience to the Father, He spoke no words in His defence.
Despite oppression and suffering, He endured it without complaint.
[Isaiah 53:9 NIV] 'He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. '
His grave was assigned among the wicked—Jesus was crucified between criminals, though He Himself was innocent and blameless.
Jesus, Our Intercessor in Death
[Isaiah 53:12 NIV] 'Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.'
Even in death, Jesus stood as our intercessor, taking the weight of our sins upon Himself. This is why no one can intercede like our saviour for us to anyone.
He was counted one among sinners, yet He prayed for them, carrying their burden. “For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.'”
Pitying their sins in the cross he cried to father to forgive the sins of the soldiers - [Luke 23:34 NIV] 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Jesus Conquered dominion of darkness
[1 Peter 3:18-19, 22 NIV] 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits-- ... 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Disobedient Spirits - During Noah’s time, certain spirits were disobedient, leading to God’s judgment on the earth. Through His work on the Cross, Jesus stripped them of their power and imprisoned them. - 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Jesus Conquered the curse in the Cross
[Galatians 3:13 NIV] 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole."
Jesus took our curse on Himself so we could be free.
This is why no curse or any magical power has any power over those who belong to Christ.
The curse of past generation is redeemed by Cross, so that we are free from that.
Jesus Conquered the Power of Death
[1 Corinthians 15:26 NIV] 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
The wages of sin is death. The only way to conquer is thru blood, Our saviour give his blameless blood for us once for all and his work in the cross, Through His work on the Cross and His resurrection, He conquered death forever.
He was not intimidated by death when he went to Cross, Jesus did not fear death as He went to the Cross. In complete obedience, He faced it head-on to conquer the final enemy separating us from God. [1 Corinthians 15:55 NIV] 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
Just as sin came to the world thru Adam, Jesus is our Last Adam, who has conquered this for us.
Death could not hold him in the cross, the resurrection put the gates of death in his feet. [1 Corinthians 15:27 NIV] 27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
Jesus’ resurrection gives us the hope of eternal life. One day, we will meet Him—the dead will be raised, and those alive will be transformed in an instant, changing from perishable to imperishable as we join Him. [1 Corinthians 15:50-55 NIV] 50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
Summary
The power of the Cross is not meant to be just an ornament or an idol—it is a symbol of freedom from sin and its bondage. Jesus earned this victory to rescue us from the dominion of darkness.
Through the Cross, believers have the hope that He lives and will stand to redeem us, just as it is written: [Job 19:25 NIV] 25 I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
The same resurrection power that raised Christ is given to us. If we pray with faith, we too will be set free, and the power of sin will be crushed under His feet—it will no longer have control over us. Believe and inherit this promise written in [Ephesians 1:18-22 NIV] 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
Amen