The Cross

                What was the cross, but the method chosen to remove a human being, convicted of a crime worthy of death, from life on earth? It would seem that the focus on this method of permanent punishment is to ignore the unalterable fact that in this one instance, the criminal did not stay permanently punished, HE lives today, over 2000 years after being tried, convicted and nailed to a cross for permanent removal from the human race. So then, if we focus on the event of the cross, the death of Jesus, are we not missing the true point of that killing HIM on the cross did not permanently remove HIM? Is it not true that HIS rise from the burial tomb was then and is now the GOOD NEWS?

                 The fact is that, even though HE was tortured and hung on the method of permanent punishment to die, even though HIS mortal body died on that method of permanent punishment, even though HE was taken down from the method of permanent punishment, wrapped in a burial shroud and placed in the burial tomb which was then secured with a large and heavy stone covering the entrance and even though HIS burial tomb was guarded by soldiers to ensure that no one or nothing occurred that would allow HIS removal from that tomb – ever, even though all this, on the third morning the stone was rolled away and HE was not found to be inside!

                Why is this then not what we preach and educate others about? Why must we spend the vast amount of our time discussing and preaching the death of Christ and not HIS being alive and welcoming everyone into HIS loving arms? Is this not what we should be shouting from the rooftops and teaching from the pulpits? Isn’t the fact that HE rose from the grave, that HE overcame death and lives still today, isn’t that the GOOD NEWS? Isn’t this what really inspires us to focus on and follow HIM?

                If we focus on HIS death on that method of permanent punishment, on HIS shed blood and the many other diverse extrusions related to death on a cross, we miss the simple, unalterable, wonderful, unexplainable, glorious fact of Jesus overcoming death and that, with our faith and belief in that overarching fact, we will overcome death as well!