As we are now into the Lenten season, the focus will be on Jesus and the cross. The Cross has been a symbol in the Christian church that has stood for years, and properly understood, reminds us of: God’s love, our sin, the wages of sin, amazing grace, victory in Jesus, the defeat of Satan, sin and death, heaven and eternal life. Yet, for all the glory and hope that the cross represents, it still is misunderstood and seen in ignorance and unbelief.
Consider the following account of a priest at a North Carolina Catholic church. The priest placed his usual array of Lenten crosses, draped all in black for Good Friday, out in front of his little church. Soon Father Ed received a call from the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce:
“Look Father, we’ve been getting complaints about those crosses out in your churchyard. Now inside the church, who cares? But out front, where everybody can see them, they are offensive. The retired people here don’t like them – find them depressing. The tourists will not like it either. It will be bad for business. People come down here to get happy not depressed.”
Remember, the Christian views the cross not as a depressing and offensive symbol but as the “power of God” (Romans 1:16). The cross tells us that victory was achieved and grace offered. People who take offense in the cross have no idea of what Jesus offered there.
Another misunderstanding of the cross seems to be when the cross is seen as a symbol of self-denial and that through self-denial comes salvation. During Lent, we know that many make a practice of denying themselves certain foods or habits to remind themselves of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. I see this as a good practice. Yet, without a proper Biblical understanding of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, these actions of self-denial could be misunderstood to be our way of pleasing God. In the Philippines, on Maundy Thursday (the day before Jesus died on the cross) Filipino’s re-enact the agony of Jesus by walking barefoot over the hot stone streets in scorching sun as they drag heavy wooden crosses. As they take this journey, their backs are whipped with glass-studded whips, at least a dozen people will be nailed to crosses. Why? They most certainly cannot take the place of Jesus! The fact is, God is not “well pleased” with anything we do but only in His Son (Luke 3:22). It was Jesus whom the Father accepted … Jesus paid it all! For “we all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all ” (Isaiah 53:6)
Join us in this Lenten season both for our Midweek service at 6:30 (5:30 begins the serving of a Lenten Supper – free will offering to support our Youth – all are invited) as well as our Sunday morning services. This will be a season to remember again the Old Rugged Cross upon which Jesus died to save us from our sins.
Pastor Mark
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