What did Christ accomplish on the cross 2,000 years ago and how does it apply to me today?
Christ paid the sin debt, suffered our punishment, and opened heaven's windows for those who believe, though it occurred 2,000 years ago. Today the preaching of the cross is God's power to the saved; salvation is not man's work but the exercise of God's sovereign power.
Les explains that Christ has paid the sin debt, suffered our punishment, and opened the windows of heaven if we will just believe it, even though it happened 2,000 years ago. So the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish, but to those who are saved it is the power of God. Salvation has to be an exercise of the sovereign power of Almighty God; that is why man cannot work for his salvation. Man has only physical strength, but only God can bring about the salvation of the spiritual. Les also notes Paul's words that the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek wisdom, but the preaching is Christ crucified: a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. Yet unto those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.