The cross is central to our understanding of God. It was there that Jesus died so we wouldn't have to. Most people today forget that the cross was a form of capital punishment-the most brutal form ever conceived in the vengeful pit of humankind. It was agonizing beyond anything we imagine. But Jesus went willingly, taking your place in the "electric chair." By doing this Jesus took away our guilty sentence. The penalty for our sins is covered. So when we look at the cross we are reminded just how much God loves us.