The Cross We Can Wear Because of the Cross He Bore

Do you like wearing jewelry? I’m not big on jewelry – all I regularly wear are my wedding ring and a wristwatch. (My smartphone can give me the time, but old habits die hard.) However, I know for many folks, jewelry is essential to their wardrobe.

 

People wear all kinds of jewelry, for many different reasons: To accessorize or accent an outfit. As a show of affluence. (Professional athletes and their ‘bling’ immediately come to mind.) For sentimental reasons, such as wearing mom’s prize locket or dad’s old cufflinks. Or for symbolism. These could include a heart necklace, a bracelet received as a gift, a friendship ring, or even a cross.

Speaking of crosses, someone choosing to wear one, whether on a necklace, a bracelet, a ring or on a lapel is usually making a significant statement. It’s often a declaration of faith, but not always. I’ve seen celebrities wearing ornate, obviously expensive crosses whose demeanor and lifestyles hardly reflect genuine spiritual devotion. I’ve even occasionally seen famous individuals wearing an upside-down cross, which is a different kind of statement.

 

But have you ever seriously considered what wearing a cross communicates? For a moment, let’s jump into a mental time machine and journey 2,000 years into the past. The cross had been used as a form of execution by the Persians, Carthaginians and Romans, among others. It’s highly unlikely anyone in those days would have considered wearing anything resembling a cross, a commonly recognized instrument of death. Some of them had seen firsthand someone nailed to a cross, suffering a slow, agonizing death. The last thing they’d want was to display a reminder of that.

 

Okay, back to 2024. Instead of a cross, envision this: Someone wearing a necklace with the symbol of an electric chair hanging from it. Or earrings in the shape of a hangman’s noose. Or a brooch depicting a French guillotine.

 

That would be unthinkably gruesome, right? At least to any sane person. And yet, every day countless thousands, even millions of people intentionally and proudly wear crosses without a moment’s hesitation. What’s the difference?

 

It’s not some minor detail. It’s all the difference in the world. Because while electric chairs, nooses and guillotines all are devices intended to end lives, the cross – Jesus’ cross – stands for the end of death and the beginnings of real life. Consider what the Bible tells us:

 

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). 

 

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

 

“When you were dead in your sins…God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins…He took it all away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:13-15).

 

For some, however, the cross is nothing more than a meaningless symbol, an object of fantasy and fable. The Scriptures speak to this as well: “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” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

 

As we’ve already noted, to wear any symbol representing an electric chair, a hangman’s noose or a guillotine would be reprehensible. But not the cross, despite the horrific, excruciating death Jesus Christ suffered on it. Because instead of utter defeat, it stands for the ultimate triumph over sin and death, along with the promise of forgiveness and eternal life.

 

Today we often see people wearing a crucifix that shows Jesus still on the cross. But the good news is that Jesus Christ is no longer on the cross, no longer in the grave. As the faithful have declared for centuries, “He is risen! He is risen indeed!”

 

And because of that we can declare, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Running On ‘Empty’ Promises

What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “running on empty”? If you’re driving down a highway, it’s probably not a good thing – especially if you’re miles from the nearest exit. There are also times when we feel we’re personally “running on empty,” depleted of our energy – physical, mental and emotional.

It might happen at work, when we’ve invested much time and effort and have reached the point where we feel we have nothing left to give. We try, but we’re running on empty. Maybe at home, where relationships with our spouse or kids are strained and we feel sapped, lacking resources to make necessary changes or repairs. To rid ourselves of this empty feeling might just call for something little: pausing for a short break, getting a cup of coffee or a snack to recharge, or taking a nap. Instant recharge. If we’re really feeling empty, however, it might be necessary to get away for a while to regroup. Empty – most of the time – isn’t a good place to be.

Recently, however, it came to my attention that running on “empty” isn’t always a bad thing. I must credit my friend, Len Allen, for pointing this out. Leading up to Easter, Len observed on his own blog that some of the most treasured icons of Christianity – the manger, the cross, and the tomb – are empty. Which prompted me to realize it could be said, in a sense, our faith in Jesus Christ is based on “empty” promises.

Stating it another way, we embrace the promises of the Bible because the manger, the cross and the tomb – each of which once held the person and body of Jesus – are empty. The tomb, to be specific, was vacated because it was no longer required.

We're in the midst of a raucous, rancorous, reprehensible Presidential election season. Everyone, Hillary and Bernie and Donald and Ted, are making promises. From experience we know that as with all campaigning, lots of promises being made will prove to be empty ones. They sound good at the time, but ultimately we’ll discover there was little will – or intent – to carry them out.

On the other hand, the “empty” promises of Christ can be embraced exactly because we're assured they will be fulfilled.

During the Christmas season we celebrate the birth of Jesus with the tender scene in the stable, the tiny Christ Child lying in a manger – a common feeding trough. But He didn’t remain there for long. As for the cross, some denominations use the crucifix as a symbol, showing Jesus still nailed to it. But His body was removed from it before sunset the same day. And most important of all, the tomb in which the body was placed turned out to be just borrowed. The morning of the third day, an angel addressed the grieving women who had gone to the tomb. He told them, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he is risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:5-6).

The manger. The cross. The tomb. All empty.

Because of this – and the fact that Jesus was resurrected from death, the promises He made during his earthly life continue to be kept today. He declared, “I have come that they (those who believe) may have life, and have it to the full (abundantly)” (John 10:10). He declared, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14:15).

Jesus promised, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He assured His followers, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms…. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3).

And regarding the meantime, Jesus vowed, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

During His time on earth, Jesus made many other promises, but if these were the only ones He made, wouldn’t they be enough? Think about it: A full, abundant life. A personal, first-name-basis relationship with the Shepherd. His continual presence with us spiritually. Full knowledge and understanding of the truth. And assurance of a special place for us after this life has ended.

Jesus, we could say, was kind of “old school.” Unlike today, when so many empty promises are eagerly and casually tossed out, soon to be forgotten, Jesus’ “empty promises” stand firm. His word is His bond.

The essence of Christianity amounts to “running on empty promises,” and despite growing cultural opposition, it remains running very strong.