“The cross had to be carried and endured before it could be preached. Jesus came to be the sacrifice, not to clarify the concept of sacrifice. He did not come to teach about the cross, but to be nailed to it. He came that there might be a gospel to preach…
Sin dug a gulf in a relationship. The cross bridged it.
Sin resulted in estrangement. The cross reconciled it.
Sin made war. The cross made peace.
Sin broke fellowship. The cross repaired and restored it.”
–Thomas Oden