¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.  ¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”  ²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”  (John 19:17 – 22, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Context:

During Passion Week we are using objects in Scripture to preserve our memory of some of the key lessons about love that Jesus taught His disciples during Passion Week.  So far we have focused on tears, overturned tables, perfume, and a basin of water.   Today, we focus on the cross.   

Reflection:

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross; the emblem of suffering and shame.  And I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain (from the hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross” penned by George Bennard in 1913).  The cross is clearly one of the most iconic symbols in human history.  Unfortunately, it is sometimes misappropriated by organizations and individuals who do not comprehend the love it represents.  For example, the Ku Klux Klan use a burning cross, and many people wear the cross solely as a fashion statement.

What should the cross remind us of?  We should be reminded of God’s love and justice.  We should be reminded of God’s love because according to Romans 5:8, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We should be reminded of justice because according to 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Without Jesus in the picture, the cross would have historical significance only as an instrument that was used for executions.  With Jesus in the picture, the significance of the cross is transformed.  Not only does it symbolize God’s love and justice, it also symbolizes what Jesus requires of His disciples.  In Matthew 16:24 Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”  

Response:

As a symbol, the cross is inspiring, humbling and demanding.  When we remember the cross, we remember how much Jesus loves us and how costly His love was.  When we remember the cross, we also remember how much Jesus expects of His disciples.  Good Friday is a great day to express our gratitude for God’s love.  If you have words of gratitude in the form of a prayer, song, or poem that you would like to share, please do so.