The Magnetism of the Cross

The Magnetism of the Cross

"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." (John 12:32)

It is not the character of Christ, unparalleled as it is in human history that has made men willing to die four of loyalty to Him. Renan, an apostate monk speaks of Christ in this manner after he had abandoned the Christian faith: “A thousand times more alive, a thousand times more beloved since Thy death, Thou shalt become the cornerstone of humanity so entirely that to tear Thy name from this world would be to rend it to its foundations. All ages will proclaim that among the sons of men there is no one more greater than Jesus.” One of the greatest of modern historians, Lecky, a frank and bold opponent of the Christian faith said, “Through all the changes of eighteen centuries, one ideal character has filled the hearts of men with an impassioned love, and has shown itself capable of acting on all ages, nations, temperaments and conditions; has not only been the highest pattern of virtue, but the highest incentive to its practice, and has exerted so deep an influence that it may be truly said that the simple record of three short years of active life has done more to regenerate and to soften mankind than all the disquisitions of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.” These men placed a tremendous value upon the life of Jesus but yet they would not bend their will to the will of Jesus, with Peter, James and John they would not follow Jesus wherever He led.

Neither is it the teachings of Christ unrelated to His death that makes multitudes of people His willing followers. Robert Ingersoll, America’s foremost infidel, who devoted his life to the destruction of the gospel of Christ said, “I place Him with the great, the generous, the self-denying of this earth, and for the man Christ I feel only admiration and respect. Let me say once for all, to that great and serene man I gladly pay the homage of my admiration and tears.” Rousseau, the man who sowed the seed of the revolution which drenched all Europe in blood wrote, “It is impossible that the Sacred Personage whose history the Scriptures contains, should be Himself a mere man? What sweetness, what purity of manner! What presence of mind, what subtlety, what truth in His replies! Where is the man, where is the philosopher, who could so live and so die?” Such is the testimony of men concerning the man Christ Jesus and His teachings but yet such admiration does not cause them to deny themselves daily, to take up their cross and follow Him.

Men are not attracted to Jesus by His profound teaching or the purity of His character, but by the Magnetism of the Cross. It is the Cross of Christ towering over the wrecks of time that bring men to Him and cause them to present their bodies a living sacrifice in His service. Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me. This He also said, signifying what death He should die.” The Jew of Jesus’ day would have lifted Him up upon a throne set in Herod’s palace. But such was not in the immediate purposes and pans of God. Christ was to be exalted, He was to be raised above every name; He was destined to have pre-eminence in all things, to be exalted above all principalities and powers; He was to have all power in heaven and earth; at His name every knee would bow and every tongue proclaim Him Lord. But before He would become Lord of lords, He was to become the Savior. But before He was to be set upon a throne, He was to be lifted up upon a cross. This text from the lips of Jesus does not refer to the exaltation of Him in our preaching nor to His pre-eminence in our living as needful as these are, but to the death He was to die on Calvary. “This He said signifying what death He would die: “And I, if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me.” Jesus is not speaking of universal salvation. He does not teach that all men without exception will be saved, but that all men without distinction may be saved. The magnetic power of Calvary is not limited to one group or one race color or position in life, if they will come. Whosoever will may come and drink of the water of life freely.

What is there about the cross that draws men into the service of the Christ of the cross? Men are drawn to the up lifted Christ because the cross reveals the mind of God towards humanity. In these days of distrust amongst nations, of feelings that borders upon hatred for nations and groups of people it is refreshing to know that God thought humanity worth dying for. It is easy in times like these to become cynical and lose one’s faith in mankind. As we witness the destruction of priceless treasures, of the efforts of human accomplishments, of the needless destruction of human life we may well ask is man worth saving? Why try to do anything with people who in 2500 hundred years indulged themselves in 2017 wars? Why try to do anything with a generation which has seen 27 wars take place since the Armistice of 1918? Why try to do anything with men who after passing through the most destructive war ever known refuse to sit together in human love and understanding and solve mutual problems? Humanity is not worth the effort.

But God did not feel that way. The cross is an assertion that men are worth it. It is an assertion that God is mindful of man and the soul of man is of infinite value to God. We must come to see that man himself has the possibilities of great living, and that God was willing to seal His belief in that statement with the life of His only begotten Son.

The uplifted Christ draws men unto Him as the sun draws the water because the cross reveals to us that God loves men. A minister of the Southern Presbytery tells of a man who frequently came to the Church of which he was a pastor but who never made a profession of his faith in Jesus Christ. In the many conversations he had with him he met stubborn opposition on the basis that he could not believe that God was good and loved people when He permitted so much sorrow and disappointment and grief and pain to come to life. The minister tried to reveal to him the love and tender mercy of God in Christ but made little progress. They had in thier home one son who was at the draft age. When conscription became real and he recognized his son would be called to the colors he became almost frantic. He consulted politicians and lawyers and others as to means of preventing the drafting of his son. This of course was all to no avail. The boy was called and with broken heart the mother and father saw him depart. Soon after this the man came to the minister and said, “My wife and I will be at Church Sunday morning. We want to make a profession of our faith in Christ and unite with the Church.” The minister expressed his joy and asked what had brought this change. The man replied, “You know the sorrow that came to our home. We were disconsolate and grieved to the depths of our being. We turned to the bible. There in John 3:16 we read, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” We became convinced that a God who would give His only begotten Son is a God of love and we want to dedicate our lives to Him.” This is the drawing power of the Christ of Calvary:

“O love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee;

I give Thee back the life I owe, that in Thine ocean depths it flow,

May richer fuller be.”

The magnetic power of the uplifted Christ lies in the message that Calvary proclaims:

“On Calvary’s brow there was planted a cross.

Which lifted a man up to shame;

But He on the cross was the dear Son of God,

Who died for a lost world to reclaim.”

In a marvelous and mysterious way “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.” In some unexplainable manner Jesus bore our sin in His body on the tree. Calvary proclaims that the sin of man was laid on Christ and the righteousness of God’s Son is credited to the account of all who will believe. Just what this sacrifice of Christ fully means has never been fully revealed to the minds of men. Only to him who comprehends something of the exceeding sinfulness of sin can the cross of Jesus be understood. When sin is thought of as a breaking of the law, the death of Christ is spoken of as an atonement or reconciliation; when sin is thought of as a debt, the death of Christ is spoken of as a satisfaction; when sin is thought of as slavery to evil, His death is spoken of as a ransom, a redemption or buying back; when sin is thought of as impurity, His death is spoken of as purging or washing away. It is the eternal sacrifice of Christ on Calvary that has drawn and continues to draw men to Christ in humble submission of life.

“And I, if I be lifted up will draw all men unto Me.” Jesus has been lifted up: “On a hill far away stood the old rugged cross, where the dearest and the best for a world of lost sinners was slain.” He says, “Come unto me and your souls shall live.” He loves you. He believes in the worth of your soul. He died for you. Do you not feel the magnetic love of Calvary drawing you? Do not linger. Yield to the drawing of Christ and say to Him, “Jesus lover of my soul, let me hide myself in Thee.”

Dr. Robert W Kirkpatrick

First Presbyterian Church Hinton, W Va. March 4, 1953