The Center

November 23, 2018

“the powerful action at the center—Christ on the Cross”

—1 Corinthians 1:17 MSG

This phrase from Eugene Peterson’s New Testament paraphrase came in quite handy today. St. Paul is careful to remind us that Christianity is more than the mere moralizing we often make it to be. I’ve heard (and preached) too many sermons that amount to little more than “principles for the good life.” The Gospel is not a principle, and won’t necessarily give anyone the “good life,” at least how we usually define it. 

Christ crucified is the powerful action at the center. Sometimes it doesn’t seem very powerful. The world doesn’t listen, and we still struggle against sin. But we’re still in the fight, which consists mainly of keeping Christ at the center—that’s where the power is.

As I said, this came in handy today. Linda and I were quite angry with each other earlier, on my part, so much that I knew if I said anything at all, I would later regret it. So while I inwardly fumed, this verse kept coming to mind and I had to ask myself, “Is Christ crucified at the center of my life or not?” I had a choice; let go of my right to be angry or to let the Christ of the Cross powerfully act at the center of my being. When it really matters, it’s rarely an easy choice. Like Jesus praying in Gethsemane, it is a spiritual battle to get to the place where I say, “Not my will, but Thine be done,” because God’s will always leads to a cross. It took some time, but thankfully, I got there, and tonight we lay side by side not only in body, but also in heart, for which I am very thankful.