Beauty of the Cross, Jeff Johnson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwkmLr_xydY)
At the Cross, Gaither Vocal Band (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BN95l8UuTQ&feature=related)
Near the Cross, the Mississippi Mass Choir (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mtD2N4gss0)
The Old Rugged Cross, Shelby State Gospel Choir (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejU3FIgwmJ8&feature=related)
Scripture: NKJV from biblegateway.com
Matthew 10:38
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Mark 8:34
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Luke 9:23
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
Luke 14:27
And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Glory Only in the Lord
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
Philippians 2:5-11
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Colossians 2:13-15
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Hebrews 12:1-2
The Race of Faith
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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The first time I heard the expression “the beauty of the cross” I had a problem – I couldn’t see any beauty in what I considered an instrument of torture, of pain, of death. But as time has passed, it seems to me that there can be a savage, terrible beauty in some things where it wouldn’t normally seem so, depending upon one’s perspective. Because of what was achieved through the events that transpired on the cross where my Savior died, I can now see a beauty in it because of Him.
“The Cross” is another subject that has come up with me lately, from hearing concerns expressed regarding the removal of crosses in Christian churches as a means to grow membership, to reading of controversy about allowing crosses on public land (http://odb.org/2011/07/04/controversy-of-the-cross/). Even as I write this, I am remembering a couple of times when I had opportunity to grow spiritually because of the cross:
• Once, I had on a pair of earrings shaped like a crosses when I went into an auto parts store. It was pretty crowded and I was preoccupied with whatever was going on with me and my car, so I just wanted to get whatever I was buying and get out. The guy who ended up waiting on me wanted to talk, but I didn’t. As my transaction was just about finished, he asked me about my earrings – what the cross meant to me. I was pretty short with him as I gave an answer; then I completed my business and left. But I was soon convicted as I felt the Lord was letting me know what the cross meant to Him - what had been accomplished at the cross and at what price. I felt really bad – not only for taking the cross (and with it my Lord’s sacrifice there) for granted, but also for the way in which I did not represent the love of God exhibited on the cross in my interaction with the guy at the auto parts store. After repenting to God, I went back to the store a few days later to apologize, but was told that the person I was looking for no longer worked there.
• Another time, I was with someone when we met up with a person they knew who had a crucifix. The person I was with started fussing, telling the other person that they shouldn’t have a crucifix because Jesus was no longer on the cross. I had never really thought about the difference in an empty cross or a crucifix, as to me they both symbolized the same thing – that Jesus did die on the cross for our sins. At the time, I was not sensing any of the love that was shown us in His sacrifice in the tirade I was hearing but was saddened as I felt judgment, legalism, separation, disunity and other negative emotions coming forth. I left them, wondering if we really “get it” … if many of us who consider ourselves Christian - indeed, if I - really understand the significance of the cross and, if we do, what difference it makes (and what difference it should make) in our lives.
So I will meditate with awe and profound gratitude on the cross of Christ - endured as part of His obedience in the fulfillment of His purpose, accepted as His path to victory, displayed as a symbol of His love for me – and what it means in my desire to follow Him.
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Ephesians 2
By Grace Through Faith
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Brought Near by His Blood
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Christ Our Peace
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Christ Our Cornerstone
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
…and my journey with Him continues…
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