In the shadow of the cross....

I'm the first to admit that I take the cross for granted.  It's a symbol I expect to see in church, around someone's neck, or in the occasional graveyard.  So when I am intimately reminded of what that symbol truly stands for...I am thankful.  I am changed.

Over 2000 years ago, this very week, Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death.  Why?  Because He claimed to be King of the Jews?  Because He healed a man on the Sabbath?

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.  But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.   Matthew 26:59-60

Even King Pilate's wife begged him not to shed innocent blood and he tried to persuade the chief priests to let Jesus go.  (Men...LISTEN to your wives!)  After Pilate washed his hands and said "I am innocent of this man's blood," he handed Jesus over to be flogged and crucified. 

I know we don't like to visualize what happens next, but it is the only way to truly appreciate what He did for you and me. (read Matthew 27 or watch The Passion of The Christ.)   Because truth is... we are the sinful ones that deserved to be on that cross.  (Although, I know we like to tell ourselves that we're good people.  We're not criminals.  We're kind to others, etc.)  But when we're honest with ourselves, we are sinful people.  Period.


What comes next is so amazing to me...

After being nearly beaten to death, forced to carry his own cross, crucified...all while being insulted, spit on, and taunted... what did Jesus do?  He prayed for them.  What?! 

No revenge? 
No just you wait and see? 
No preaching?

Just "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."   Luke 23:34

One of the criminals that was being crucified beside of Jesus claimed "we are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong."  He then said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."   Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (vs. 43)

Whatever wrong choices this man had made in life, with his final breaths he made the only choice that eternally matters.  He recognized that the Man hanging next to him was Messiah, King of kings.  What a picture of grace this is!  He could not undo the wrong decisions he had made in his life.  He had no time to turn his life around.  All he could do is accept this gift.  That's all.  Nothing else. 

Grace has nothing to do with fair.  It's a gift.  You can't earn it.  You can't explain it.  It's not a clean, neat, cause and effect kind of equation...it makes no sense.  You can choose to accept it or not.   Why would these men have chosen to reach out to Him at the very end of their life?  It wasn't going to change their life here on this earth-that's for sure...they simply realized who He was,  the grace He was extending, and the profound gift He was giving.  His life.

Yes!  The cross holds so much meaning.  It's more than a decoration at Easter.  More than a church symbol.  More than a prop in a production.  It. is. everything.


My brother shared something with me years ago after going on a retreat.  I will never forget it:

After being in a sanctuary, dimly lit, pondering who Christ is and what He has done.  He looked up and the only thing that He could see was the cross.  He couldn't see any of the other men in the room.  He didn't see skin that was black or white.  Rich or poor.  All he could see was the cross. 
He went on to say that when the cross becomes our focus...everything else dims in it's shadow.  For when that becomes our perspective...everything changes.

Good words, bro!  Thank you.

Happy Easter everyone!  What a glorious week this is.  I pray that we will all slow down and purposely pause at the cross this week and let it change us.  And may everything else dim in the shadows of it's radiance.