What is The Cross?

The Cross. Believer or non-believer, particularly here in the West, you’ve seen the Cross. Around necks, rear view mirrors, doorknobs. In windows. On walls. Tattooed on backs, arms, shoulders, legs, and chests. People see the Cross and know the message, whether they accept it or not. They know the story behind The Cross and what it essentially means to mankind. They know the name of the man who hung on that historical Cross. They know His character, His love, His sacrifice. Unfortunately, knowing all that, people still reject this message. But in reality, do we completely understand the message of the Cross? We understands its implication and the atonement of sins that comes with it, but do we really understand what it means in comparison to our own hearts and our own character?

What is The Cross?

To me, the Cross signifies everything that we are not. It stands for the very essence in which our being naturally rejects. The character of the Cross is too much for most skeptics to get a grip on because it is a standard that they know they cannot meet.

Christian Apologist Ravi Zacharias gives his thoughts on what the Cross is in comparison to our human nature:

“The cross stands as a mystery because it is foreign to everything we exalt – self over principle, power over meekness, the quick fix over the long haul, cover-up over confession, escapism over confrontation, comfort over sacrifice, feeling over commitment, legality over justice, the body over the spirit, anger over forgiveness, man over God.”

Everything that we are, The Cross Isn’t. Would we have done that? Would any of us have laid down our lives for the faults of an entire world? I do not think so. I have seen too many people tattle tale their way out of situations just to save their own skin, what makes you think they’d give their lives only so that others can live? But where does this start? Why did the Cross even happen? Aside from the issue of sin, what character causes such an event to take place?

What is The Cross?

At the Cross, we see the very character of God reflected through His Son. A character of love, sacrifice, humility, selflessness, meekness, grace, mercy, etc. The redemptive character of God is poured out into time through the man Jesus Christ to show us what the meaning of true love really is. God Himself, taking on our flesh and blood to show us how to do it right that we’ve been doing wrong the entire time. To get a better idea of what this means, take this time to picture a group of slugs. These slugs are throwing salt all over each other, messing around with each other and not acting the right way that slugs should. Picture yourself as the True God of these slugs just as you are as a human being. You are much bigger than them, much more powerful, your voice is booming and authoritative but they still are not getting it. How do you show them how to act? The best way is probably to become like a slug and show them how to do things right so they won’t throw salt on each other anymore. Isn’t this what Christ did when He came into this world as natural as the rest of us? Taking on our character but in being God, showing every one how we should truly treat each other, ourselves, and God. Jesus did this in His ministry and showed it in full to His obedience to death on a Cross. The power of the Cross and the ramifications it has on the human nature is to plainly show us that it truly is the very opposite of all that we are. The power of the Cross shows that God not only understood the issue with pain and suffering, but was Himself active in it as He allowed the sources of evil to channel unrighteous acts to create the gateway to righteousness. I’d like to close with this amazing quote by James Stewart who truly understood what the Cross and its power really meant:

“It is a glorious phrase—“He led captivity captive.” The very triumph of His foes, it means, He used for their defeat. He compelled their dark achievements to subverse His ends, not theirs. They nailed Him to the tree, not knowing that by that very act they were bringing the world to His feet. They gave Him a cross, not guessing that He would make it a throne. They flung Him outside the gates to die, not knowing that in that very moment they were lifting up all the gates of the universe, to let the King come in. They thought to root out His doctrines, not understanding that they were implanting imperishably in the hearts of men the very name they intended to destroy. They thought they had God with His back to the wall, pinned and helpless and defeated: they did not know that it was God Himself who had tracked them down. He did not conquer in spite of the dark mystery of evil. He conquered through it.”

I hope this gave you a new perspective on what the cross really is and what it means for us individually (and also communally.) Although there is so much more to be said, there is a great message in the cross and the power it can have on one’s life. It is so foreign not only to our human nature but to different religions. It is unique and captivating. Wholesome and original. It is God’s love story. Still you might ask despite all this, why should I believe in the Cross? Because Calvary is the only place that offers you mercy, grace, and forgiveness in which you neither deserve nor can earn but for the simple fact that Christ loves you, just as you are.

I know a place, a wonderful place
Where accused and condemned
Find mercy and grace
Where the wrongs we have done
And the wrongs done to us
Were nailed there with him
There on the cross

At the cross,
He died for our sin
At the cross,
He gave us life again

Lazarus Laughed (...so why fear death?)

Fear. An element of the senses that grips all men. Fear of failure. Fear of solitude. Fear of death. The latter has been very prevalent for me. Not so much the idea of death, but more in the manner of how I die. I have found fear in dying a violent death. An unreasonable, senseless death that has become very real in the days that we're living. When I lay in bed sometimes and think of someone setting the building on fire....is that a far stretch from the imagination? When I walk down the street, past anyone, is it strange for me to look over my shoulder? I think not. Read the newspaper, watch the news, find articles on the internet....my fear is reasonable. I wonder how many other people feel the same fear that I do. Gripping them to no end. Well, over the past couple weeks that fear in me has seemed to diminish. A phrase has stuck in me that has helped me deal with this fear that gives me greater hope when walking the streets and more sleep when I lay in bed at night. The phrase is "Lazarus Laughed."

I first heard this phrase while I was listening to my favorite Christian Apologist/Philosopher Ravi Zacharias. I can not quite remember the context in which he used this phrase but I know that it has impacted me greatly. Most people, secular or Christian, have heard about the story of Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus. While Jesus was away, his friend Lazarus had died, and his sisters kept claiming that if Jesus would have been there, he would still be alive. Jesus heard word of Lazarus' death but waited a couple days to finally return home where Lazarus was laid to rest. Jesus returned to find the sisters grieving so he comforted them. Jesus actually took the time to mourn the death of his friend by weeping, even though he was totally aware of what he was going to do. Jesus told the people to roll back the stone from the tomb and Jesus said "Lazarus, come out." And here comes walking out, a smelly but very alive Lazarus. A man had went to the dead, but raised to life again by the power of Christ.

Now just imagine any conversation that someone could have with Lazarus after he had been raised from the dead. Say he got into a quarrel with someone and the other person became very angry, then he blurted out the words "I'm going to kill you." How do you think that Lazarus would respond? He would probably be on one knee holding his side from the laughter that he couldn't contain. "You're going to kill me? That's funny. Been there, done that." I mean just envision what it would be like if you were Lazarus and someone said that to you. But in reality, aren't all those who trust in Christ already like Lazarus? Don't we already have the promise of eternal life? Have we not already defeated death? So what is there to really fear? When someone has a gun at your head, I am sure there may be some fear within you but I assure you that if you're right with Christ, there is truly nothing to fear. On that last day He will stand before your grave, roll back the stone, and say "come out!"

Just remember that phrase "Lazarus Laughed" whenever you walk in fear so that by your confidence in Christ you may respond the way Lazarus does. "You're going to kill me? That's funny. Because I know the person who will bring me back." And if you are an unbeliever gripped by fear, I promise you that the power of Christ goes beyond this life, but into eternity. Where when we enter into that eternal glory, the word "fear" will no longer exist.

Have you a new day for me?

Sometimes in our lives we have bad days. Days in which nothing seems to go right. You are saying all the wrong things and hurting the wrong people. The stress builds up inside of you until the point that you feel unforgivable. You've gone past the point of fixing what it is that you've broken. You feel helpless. Hopeless. Sorrowful. Down. Out. And you think that there is nothing in this world that can take that guilt off your shoulders. May I offer you a poem that may help you with those days. The days of guilt. The days of saddness. Those unforgivable days. These words are penned by an elementary school teacher:

I went to the desk with a quivering lip.
The lesson was done.
"Have you a new sheet for me, dear teacher.
I've spoiled this one"
I took his sheet, all soiled and blotted
and gave him a new one all unspotted.
And into his tired heart I cried,
"Do better now, my child."

I went to the throne with a trembling heart,
The day was done.
"Have you a new day for me, dear Master?
I've spoiled this one."
He took my day, all soiled and blotted
and gave me a new one all unspotted.
And into my tired heart he cried,
"Do better now, my child."

When you think that there is nothing to take the guilt off your shoulders. From all those hurtful things that you have ever done. When you think that your sorrow is too big to lift, you have to realize that only something as big or bigger than it can lift it. And only God is big enough to do that.

Matthew 11:28-30

What is the cause....

One moment we are walking through this life, feeding off the environment around us. All in a state of nature where we are the number one priority and nothing else matters in this life except what it is we want. We will do anything it takes to get it. We will move those who stand in our way. Because it is the survival of the fittest, and only the strong survive.... Yet at the same time, something is quite different, a bit unusual, causually out of place..... People are reaching out to one another, they are buying groceries, giving out money, lending a helping hand. What is this? Why is this? I thought we were only supposed to look out for number one? What causes people to change?

I remember at one point in my life I was drinking, partying, having multiple partners, watching dirty movies, listening to awful music, swearing life a sailor, prideful, deceitful, greedy, lustful, envious, malice (keep thinking of bad things, and that was me) But now....I don't do those things anymore. Why? What has happened to me? I remember how great it was to do all those things. the pleasure it brought to me. The joy I felt giving into all the desires of my heart. I mean, that is why I exist right? What is the cause?

There is a dear friend close to me. He and I have had many a great conversations. About life, about love, about God. One day when we were talking, he told me about his sexual struggles with his girlfriend. (First off all, it is ever so surprising when someone admits that something is a "struggle") They are not married but they live together. It was eating him inside to tell me this "awful" thing, probably because he feared I would judge him for it. The fact is, he told me plainly that he was having sex with her, but he really did not want to do it......Does anyone see something wrong with this picture???? A man....a species thats hormones are driven like a V8 engine flexing its power on the Autoban....says that he does not want to have sex. WHO DOES THAT?!? What is the cause?

My question plainly in this first blog of mine is to ask: What causes change in people? Some people claim that people never change, maybe to some degree that is correct but not quite the same in the examples I've given. How can people go from thieves to givers, drunkards to sobers, lustful to pure? This is a great question. What is the answer? What is the cause?