The Cross

The past, the present and the future of the South Penn Church of Christ is nothing more and nothing less than the cross of Jesus Christ.

It is at the cross where we find meaning in life. It is at the cross where we find purpose in life. It is at the cross where all mysteries are solved. It is at the cross where all wrongs are made right. It is at the cross where evil is punished. It is at the cross where perfect righteousness can be found. It is only and ever at the cross.

Why the cross? Why this icon? I’m glad you asked.

Over the years, Christianity has evolved to include many icons. Some are very simple. Items such as the rosary or small pictures of the saints of antiquity come to mind. Some are very extravagant. Michelangelo’s painting in the Sistine chapel or Rio de Janeiro’s famous statue of Christ the Redeemer are very celebrated.

The Bible however offers only one icon for Christians to recognize. It is a symbol of state-imposed death. Not unlike the hangman’s noose, the firing squad, the electric chair, the lethal injection needle, the cross in its day was feared and considered a sign of shame.

Odd, isn’t it? That a symbol of imposed death, and a particularly gruesome one at that, would be called out by the creator of the universe as the one thing we would call to mind in the practice of our faith?

It is because the creator of the universe in the person of Jesus the Christ came to live on earth as a man, perfectly, die on a cross, unjustly, yet three days later come forth from deaths cold grip victoriously. And now, for those that are people of the cross, God looks upon us and sees the righteousness of Christ because at one time, he looked upon the Christ as he hung on the cross and saw our sin.

Without the cross, there is no Christianity. That is why it is used in scripture as our one icon. And that is why the future of the South Penn Church of Christ is inextricably connected, indeed nailed to the cross.

When we lose our way, we will look to passages such as Matt 10:38, Matt 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23 and Luke 14:27 where Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

When we think we have no power to go on, we will look to passages such as 1 Cor 1:17-18 that says, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

When we are overcome with human pride, we will look to passages such as Gal 6:14 that says, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

When we find ourselves at odds with one another we will look to passages such as Eph 2:16 that says, “…that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.” … teaching us that peace with each other begins with making peace with God.

When we find it hard to obey, we will look to passages such as Phil 3:18 that says, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

When we become discouraged at those that would call themselves our enemy, we will remember passages such as Phil 3:18 that says, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” When they are our enemy, they are making themselves the enemy of almighty God.

When we get down on ourselves because of our own struggles with living righteously we will remember passages such as Col 2:14 that says, “…by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

When we think we just can’t go on anymore we will remember how our Lord endured the cross as explained in Hebrews 12:2 where it says, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

It is no accident that as you approach our place of worship, the first thing you may see is a cross embedded in the brick on the front of the building. As you get out of the car, you will notice the lightning rod on the roof is fashioned in the form of a cross. As you approach the front the door, in clear sight will be a cross embedded in the brick over the entry. In the foyer, prominently displayed and first in view is a cross above the drinking fountain. Crafted with subtlety in the front face of the speaker’s podium is a cross, reminding those that teach here to hind behind the cross. Woven into the fabric of the chair on which you sit are crosses, reminding us that we rest on the confidence of the cross. Finally, clearly seen above the baptistery is a beautiful symbol of that which the world considers shameful, a cross, reminding us that it is in the waters of baptism where the blood of Christ begins its efficacy of forgiveness, the true power of the cross.