1John 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
Behind the cross the Lord turned the symbol of ‘humiliation’ into a symbol of ‘honour’. The Romans crucified their criminals for over 500 years until Constantine-I in the 4th century AD abolished crucifixion as a punishment. Crucifixion was also used as a capital punishment by the Persians and Carthaginians (Phoenician settlers who spoke the Canaanite language) wherein victims were nailed to a cross and were left hanging to die. Crucifixion was the most brutal and shameful punishment which many scholars believe would have originated by the Assyrians and Babylonians and the gruesome punishment was continued by the Romans. Political rebels, religious agitators, pirates, slaves, or those who had no civil rights were ruthlessly crucified. The victims died of suffocation by the weight of their body pulling down from the arms that made it very difficult to breathe. Loss of body fluids and multiple organ failure ultimately took the life of the victim. Hence, crucifixion was the most disgraceful and despicable form of death.
Jesus turned the symbol of shame into significance. The cross, a sign of mar is the message of Christ. He turned defeat into victory on the cross. This is why Christians use the cross as an emblem of glory. We have the cross as a pendant and on the pulpit. Cross is in the shape of a sword. It is our weapon to defeat the works of the devil.
Behind the empty cross:
1. Sign: Cross is the sign of victory. The devil trembles when we take up the cross to combat him and when we sprinkle the blood of Jesus. Demons flee at the sign of the cross. The cross that was despised by the ancient world is the pointer towards success and victory. When the devil reminds you of your messy past, point him to the message of the cross. The cross silences the voice of the devil.
2. Sword: Cross is the sword that defeats the accusations of the devil. Accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Revelation 12:10). Cross is the weapon that defeats the demeaning derisions that are constantly hurled against us. A child of God without the sword in his hands is defeated even before he walks into battle. Use the message of the cross to defeat the enemy.
3. Significance: Cross is the emblem of significance. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14a). Paul, who was a well educated Rabbi, from an affluent and elite family, says that the cross is his only badge of honour. There is nothing worth boasting except the cross that saved us from sin and curse.
The cross is the sign of success, the sword of victory and our only badge of significance.
Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.
Prayer: Jesus my Saviour and my Redeemer, thank you for turning my mar and mess into a message through the power of the cross. Amen
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