Priscilla Joy

The cross. What does it mean to you? Lets take a look at what the cross is for us today:

The Cross is Hope

The Cross is a symbol of the hope that we have in Jesus. For years the Jews waited and hoped for a Messiah. Jesus was the promise that they had hoped for. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned the only hope we could cling to was that someone would come deliver us from the slavery and bondage of sin. When Jesus died for our sins on the cross he fulfilled that hope and came to deliver us.

The Cross is Redemption

When we see a picture of the cross, we can see it as a picture of redemption. It holds the impossible truth and idea that someone higher than us would come and put down their perfect life for us. Not only did he redeem us, he brought us up with him and gave us the chance to be sons and heirs of him. (Galatians 4:4-7)

The Cross is Love

The Cross is also a symbol of love. Not only did Christ redeem us (see above), but he did it in love. (John 15:13) Why should he die for us? Because he loves us. These lyrics from David Crowder Band’s song “How He Loves” says it all.

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us, oh,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us all

The Cross is Blood, Sweat and Tears

As Christians we do not just glory in the Cross, we take it up. We walk with it. (Matthew 10:38, Mark 8:34) We share the glory of it with others by bringing our cross to them. When you take up your cross and follow Jesus you lose your old self too. (“Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34b) Holding a cross is no easy thing as we see in Luke 23:26. When Jesus was being crucified and he was carrying his cross up the hill, Simon of Cyrene was forced to come help him! But as Christ-followers we follow Jesus everywhere, even up on to a cross. Following Christ is not always easy, but it is worth it.

The Cross is Beautiful

To the Romans, a picture of the cross was horrid. It symbolized the most horrific sort of death. They looked at it the way we look at pictures of torture machines, guillotines, gallows, etc. But why do Christians today have pictures of crosses in their houses, bumper stickers of crosses and t-shirts all proudly displaying a cross? Why do we not look at the cross the way we look at other torture machines in history? Because of one man who died on one. Because Jesus, God’s perfect holy son came down from heaven and forever made the cross a picture of hope and beauty.

The Cross Makes us Free

In Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan, Christian, a man fleeing the City of Destruction has a burden on his back. When he reaches the cross the burden (of sin) falls off. He is free of the burden which he has carried on his back for years. (Matthew 11:28) The promise of the cross can free us from all past sin and give us salvation in Christ.

Now how about some lyrics for a good end.. 😉

Hillsong United- Lead Me to the Cross

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemption’s hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

[Chorus:]
Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

Chris Tomlin- At the Cross

There’s a place where mercy reigns and never dies,
There’s a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide.
Where all the love I’ve ever found,
Comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.

[Chorus:]
At the cross
At the cross
I surrender my life.
I’m in awe of You
I’m in awe of You
Where Your love ran red
and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You
I owe all to You Jesus.

There’s a place where sin and shame are powerless.
Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness.
Where all the love I’ve ever found.
Comes like a flood,
Comes flowing down.

[Chorus]

Here my hope is found
Here on holy ground
Here I bow down
Here arms open wide
Here You save my life
Here I bow down
Here I bow down

O Lord, thank you for sending your son down to die on the lovely, beautiful cross that redeems, gives hope, freedom, blood, sweat and tears. Thank you for the cross!

Priscilla