5.  Scorning its shame. The cross of Christ isn't a popular subject. However, it is a vital issue. But, Jews and Gentiles (those who aren't Jews) both have real problems with it.

1 Cor 1:23 (NIV) but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

The cross that Jesus carried was the ultimate in persecution. When we are persecuted, talked about, made fun of, rejected, or attacked, we can feel shame. People can think we are crazy when we talk to them about Jesus. People can accuse us of being a fanatic, when we talk to them about spiritual growth. This can be a hard cross to bear. We want to be liked and accepted. We want people to be our friends and maintain a relationship with us. When we start presenting the fact that Jesus died on a cross for their sins, we can see and feel their rejection and doubts about us. When we talk to new or immature Christians about their need to keep moving forward in their spiritual growth, we can see them struggle with making time for meeting with us. However, Jesus moved passed this shame, persecution, and complete rejection. He went ahead and took up His cross and died in our place. How did Jesus handle this? He scorned the shame. In other words, He took issue with it. Was the cross a defeat or a victory? Satan thought he had defeated Jesus on the cross. The cross didn't defeat Jesus. It gave Him the victory over the one who controlled death.

Heb 2:14 (NIV) Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--

Scorning the shame of the cross isn't just a different way of looking at it. It is the difference between Truth and a lie. When Jesus scorned the shame of the cross, He looked at the cross in Truth. He didn't feel ashamed of what He was doing. He didn't accept the shame that was associated with it. He was dying in our place. He hadn't committed any crimes. We did. He was doing an awesome, Godly thing.

Even though the cross was extremely painful, it wasn't for His shame. We have to do that when we are persecuted. We have to scorn the shame of the persecution. We aren't losing. We are winning. People are being set free from the control of sin and the devil. The only people who matter are those who will come to Jesus. Those who are resisting because they don't want to accept Him AND they don't want anyone else too either, don't matter. We can see what those who are resisting think. We can feel the shame they are trying to put on us. Scorning the shame they are trying to put on us is a process where we see Truth rather than a lie. They are the ones who should be ashamed. We are bringing eternal salvation to the lost. We don't feel shame for doing that. We are teaching people how to live in victory and power. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

1 Cor 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.

Those who are perishing are the ones who are having a problem with the message of the cross. We who are being or are going to be saved see it from a very different perspective. Where we sometimes suffer is at the point where we allow other people's opinions to influence our emotions. We can see they are extremely opposed to what we are saying. We don't change our mind about what we are saying. We just feel pressure to stop saying it. The more we watch TV and movies, listen to the radio, and read worldly literature; is when Satan informs us of how THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING feel about our message. This satanic concept is being expressed constantly. These forms of media are all telling us how much they dislike, disdain, hate, despise, and consider stupid all things related to Christianity. The more we expose our self to the flood of these attitudes, the more we fail to scorn the shame. The message of the cross is the power of God. Let's scorn the shame of the attitudes of the world. If we do, the mighty power of Jesus' ministry will flow through us. When that happens, we will discover that all the suffering we do in this world is well worth it.