It is really, really, really, REALLY, ridiculously hard for American Christians in the 21st century to understand just how revolting the cross was to Greek and Roman converts in the first century. Americans spend approximately $4.6 billion dollars each year on Christian merchandise. Items like cross earrings, cross necklaces, throw pillows, bumper stickers, wall decorations, and many more cute and fashionable items. We love the cross! And so, it is very foreign to us that the Greeks and Romans found it to be a vexing and repellant fact in the gospel message. It was so offensive to them that many rejected the Christian message because Jesus had died on a cross. The fact that Jesus dies on a cross was evidence enough for many of them that Jesus was not God. It was impossible for them to believe that God would allow himself to be defiled by death on a cross. That was a punishment reserved only for the worst criminals from the lowest classes. A Roman citizen could not legally be put to death in that manner, even if they had committed a heinous crime. Greeks and Romans loved public honor and they hated public shame and to be associated with a crucified God was inviting public ridicule.

Paul writes to the young church in Galatia who were primarily Greeks, and he tells them something that they would find so odd that it is almost unbelievable. He boasts (publicly takes pride) in only one thing! He ONLY boasts in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Galatians had decided that it was more socially acceptable to follow the law (see 6:12-13) than to accept the free grace that comes through the cross. The cross is more socially acceptable in our time. So much so that we spend billions annually on Christian merchandise, but it is still really tempting to want to look good in front of others. We want to look like we have it all together. We want to look like grace is nice to have, but we don’t really need it. We pretend that we are fine on our own. And so Paul's message is for us today too, not just the ancient Church in Galatia. We need to be reminded of just how desperately we need a savior, so that we too only boast in the Cross of Christ. 

We pray with Paul in Verse 16: Lord, help us to walk by this rule, so that peace and mercy may be upon us and upon all God’s people.