The Cross

Jesus died on a cross.

The cross is the main symbol of Christianity.

"If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." - Jesus (from Mark 8:34b)

"For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - Paul (from 1 Corinthians 1:18)

The cross is at the crossroads of life in the flesh and life in the spirit. On the one hand the cross represents death. It represents everything that we fear as humans: betrayal, punishment, disgrace, mortality, the end of existence. Those that hold worldly power use it as a weapon to hold on to their power. To survive in the world the cross must be feared and ignored. Stay away from the cross as long as you can. Like the grim reaper, when the cross appears at your door. It's all over.

But the cross stands at the crossroads and points our way to a reality the world fights against: life in the Spirit. By dying on the cross Jesus, who is the living Word made flesh, enters fully into the reality of the world and claims lordship over it.  He opens the door to life in the Spirit and proclaims to us that we need not live in fear ever again. We are free.

When we Christians wear a cross... or place a cross in the heart of our assembly... we are saying that we stand in the crossroads as well with Christ. We are children of the flesh and live in the world, but the presence of the cross reminds us that we are born of the Spirit as well.  We are free from fear and free to serve our neighbor in love. 

To pick up this cross is this follow Jesus. To pick up this cross and give our life to this cross... well that's the meaning of discipleship. We are not slaves to the selfish ambitions and priorities of the world. We "deny ourselves" and instead live in the freedom of the cross. We are free from fear and free to serve our neighbor in love.

Of course all of this is foolishness, according to the world.  Paul's observation of the truth, is also our experience of the world's contempt for the cross.  Just plug into the noise the media makes. While we may be a society of tolerance it still is expected and quite acceptable to belittle, criticize, and laugh at those who would "carry their cross and follow" Christ.  This is to be expected., though.  We were warned. Our call from Jesus continues to be to live the radical love of the cross. Love one another. Love your neighbor. Love your enemies. Love. Love. Love.

The cross is the power of God giving us the freedom to live Christ's love. At the foot of the cross let go of the hate, the anger, the bitterness, our insecurities. Exchange the world's lies for the Lord's truth. May it define you. May it be what your bring to all of your relationships. We are free from fear and free to serve our neighbor in love.