The danger of preaching on the cross is not that the congregation will reject it. It is that they will receive it without being moved by it. The cross becomes routine. The words become familiar. The congregation nods along without genuinely encountering what happened at Calvary.
Preaching on the cross well requires approaching it from angles that break through the familiarity and help the congregation see it as if for the first time.
The Multiple Dimensions of the Atonement
The New Testament uses multiple images to describe what happened at the cross. Each image illuminates a different dimension of the atonement. Preaching through these images gives the congregation a richer, more complete understanding of what Christ accomplished.
Substitution
Christ died in our place, bearing the punishment we deserved. Isaiah 53:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24. This is the most fundamental image of the atonement. The innocent one died for the guilty. The righteous one bore the sin of the unrighteous. Preach this with the weight it deserves.
Redemption
Christ paid the price to free us from slavery to sin. Mark 10:45, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 1:18-19. The image is of a slave market. We were enslaved. Christ paid the ransom. We are free. Preach the freedom that the cross produces.
Reconciliation
Christ restored the broken relationship between God and humanity. Romans 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Colossians 1:20-22. The image is of a broken relationship restored. We were enemies of God. Christ made peace. We are reconciled. Preach the restored relationship that the cross makes possible.
Propitiation
Christ satisfied the wrath of God against sin. Romans 3:25, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10. This is the most theologically dense image and the one most commonly avoided. But it is essential. The cross is not just about God’s love. It is about God’s justice being satisfied so that his love can be expressed. Preach this honestly.
Victory
Christ defeated the powers of sin, death, and the devil. Colossians 2:13-15, Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 John 3:8. The image is of a cosmic battle. Christ won. The powers that enslaved humanity have been defeated. Preach the victory of the cross.
substitution, redemption, reconciliation, propitiation, victory , each illuminates a different dimension
each image gives you a different sermon on the same event
the goal is for the congregation to meet the crucified Christ, not just know about him
How to Preach It
Slow down at the cross
Most sermons on the cross move too quickly. They state the facts and move on to the application. Slow down. Sit with what happened. Help the congregation feel the weight of it before you offer the hope of it. The cross is not a problem to be solved. It is a mystery to be entered.
Use concrete, specific language
The cross was a physical event. Nails. Wood. Blood. Darkness. A cry of dereliction. Preach it with the concreteness it deserves. Abstract language about atonement does not move people. Concrete language about what actually happened does.
Connect it to the congregation’s specific situation
The cross speaks to every human situation. The person who is carrying guilt needs to hear about substitution. The person who feels enslaved needs to hear about redemption. The person who feels estranged from God needs to hear about reconciliation. The person who is afraid needs to hear about victory. Connect the specific image of the atonement to the specific situation of the people in the room.
Not the congregation that knows the facts about the cross. The congregation that has genuinely encountered the crucified Christ in the preaching of the Word will be humbled, grateful, and transformed. Preach for encounter, not for information.
One sermon on substitution. One on redemption. One on reconciliation. One on propitiation. One on victory. By the end of the year, your congregation will have a richer, more complete understanding of what Christ accomplished at the cross than most Christians ever develop.