THE CROSS

Dr. Thamsing Lamkang *

The Cross is the symbol of Man's Salvation. Image courtesy: freefoto.com

Today, the Cross is the symbol of Christian faith. It is the symbol of Jesus suffered for man's Salvation. Like the Trisul for the Hindus, and the crescent moon for the Muslims! Without the Cross of Jesus there will be no crown. The Cross is the power of God to humble you, to bear and wear your crown as Jesus did on the Cross. 'The power of Holy Spirit is not given to impress upon people but to give strength to Christ followers to bear the cross triumphantly' Mark 8: 34.

Jesus reveals the secret of the Cross to the Greeks John 12: 20 onwards. The message of the Cross is the power of God 1 Cor. 1: 18, 24, and the wisdom of God.

The disciples of Jesus were always looking for respect and honor, thinking their walk with Christ was a dignified job. They were more interested in their positions when the Kingdom of Christ comes. Christ predictions in Mark the Gospel:

Mark 8: 31, in first predictions, Jesus has to suffer and be crucified – Apostle Peter rebukes Christ for such thoughts. Mark 9: 31 in second predictions, Christ's impending death and the disciples argue who among them is the greatest. Mark 10: 33 in the third predictions of Christ, we can find James and John seeking the positions of power. Whenever the disciples looked for power and positions Christ spoke of the Cross!

One of Jesus disciple is Iscariot Judas; He was the only Judean, a non Galilean disciple among the twelve's. He was made the treasurer of the itinerant group. He considered Mary's anointing of Christ as waste of money, and he sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver coins. He was a thief but followed Christ to establish his own kingdom. Judas was so disappointed among others when Christ was talking of His suffering, sorrow and death. Judas lost all hopes for earthly kingdom through Jesus. His disappointment turns against his master, the wrong motives began. Jesus mission was the way of the cross, while Judas mission was wealth and power. Many of God's people are betraying Jesus everyday. Even in Christian ministry the motives of many are dangerous like of Judas!

Unto the Jews the Cross becomes a stumbling block, something they could not get over 1 Cor. 1:23. They could not understand how such a display of weakness could be a source of power. A man dying on a Cross did not look much like a world Savoir to them. The Scribes and Pharisees scornfully turned from the Cross. To them, the Cross meant failure. The Jews needed miraculous signs of power. Let Christ if He is the Son of God; come down from the cross to be believed Mark 15: 32. They demanded something they could see and grasp. The Messiah must be a world prince, a miracle worker. "Today we follow Jesus as our Savior because He did not come down from the cross".

A multitude of Christians are like this today. They worship success as much as did the Jews. They despise weakness and admire force. These people tell us that men of science are apt to stumble at the Cross because they cannot explain how the blood of one - man could wash away the stains of many men's sins!

Unto the Greeks the Cross was Foolishness! The Greeks regarded with contempt the unscientific religion first taught in an unschooled corner of the world like Nazareth, by the Son of a carpenter who never studied in Athens or Rome! The Greeks idolized brains and looks for wisdom. But God has never despised the humble things. Either the Cross is the "power of God" or it is "foolishness." If "foolishness" then you thinks it is unfit to do any good in your life. In Acts 17: 21 the Greeks always sought for wisdom. The Philosophy students know that the Greeks like the Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were the founders of the western philosophy. In the Roman's rule to kill on the cross was the highest criminal punishment. For this reason it was hard for the Jews and Greeks to accept Christ as their Savior.

But one must listen carefully! That condemns you, not the Cross. No man ever leaves the Cross in exactly the same condition as he came to it. He must receive it, he becomes a son of God John 1:12; if he rejects it he is lost John 3:36. If he neglects it he is in effect of rejecting it! Paul did not preach Christ the Conqueror or Christ the Philosopher, but Christ the Crucified, Christ the humble! Read his words in 1 Cor. 2:2 'for I decided to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified'. "To know Christ Crucified is the maximum of Knowledge."

The CROSS of JESUS is the SYMBOL of MAN'S SALVATION!

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* Dr. Thamsing Lamkang wrote this e-pao.net
The writer is Sports Ambassadors - India at Sports Resource Center, Dimapur and can be contacted at thams2000 (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk
This article was posted on March 29, 2013

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