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What does it mean? A: In ancient times a cross was an instrument of torture and death; condemned criminals would be nailed to a cross and forced to hang from it (usually in public view) until they died an excruciating death. And it was on a cross that Jesus Christ was put to death, apparently bringing an end to His life and ministry.
In Jesus’ day, a cross was a symbol of suffering, and we all have trials and afflictions that may be very hard for us to bear—even with God’s help. But Jesus meant something far deeper than this when He told His disciples to carry their cross. He said to them, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross ...
Nov 9, 2021 · The cross represents the suffering love of God, bearing the guilt of man’s sin, which alone is able to melt the sinner’s heart and bring him to repentance for salvation. The cross gives a new purpose to life and shows the immeasurable love of God. (This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)
The best way to do this is to fill our minds with Christ by feeding our souls on a daily dose of prayer and God’s Word. To take up our cross means to associate with Christ and to share His rejection (see Matthew 16). It means to take a stand for Him even though people poke fun and, yes, even persecute us.
God changes men and women—not by the symbols of the cross—but by the message of the cross of Christ. God designed the cross to defeat Satan, the deceiver, and Satan’s power was broken at the cross. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, ESV). Through the cross, God not only overpowered ...
Dec 20, 2023 · The real Christmas message goes far deeper. It heralds the entrance of God into human history. It is Heaven descending to Earth. It is as though a trumpeter had taken his stand upon the turrets of time and announced to a despairing, hopeless, and frustrated world the coming of the Prince of Peace. It answers all the great questions that plague ...
Mar 29, 2021 · 1. Width. Jesus’ arms stretched wide on the cross, displaying His love for every single human being God created. “ [God’s love] includes you, whoever you are. Whatever your religion or if you have no religion,” Graham said during the 1985 sermon. “God loves you, and He says from the cross, ‘I love you.’”. 2.
Apr 6, 2023 · It means everything! The fact that Jesus rose from the dead—as He said He would—changes the trajectory of eternity. It is interesting that Jesus regularly—across all four of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—foretold His resurrection from the dead. In fact, it was to be the sign authenticating His claims to be the Messiah.
The donkey, as a beast of burden, represents the material aspect of life, the physicality of our nature and of God’s creation. Consequently, in the stories of Abraham, Moses, and ultimately, Messiah, the Rabbis see a harnessing of the material for the service of the Divine. They see, in the word “donkey,” God’s plan for creation ...
Death by crucifixion was one of the most painful experiences imaginable, and Jesus’ suffering on the cross was far more agonizing that anything most of us will ever have to endure. But Jesus’ physical suffering was only a sign of a much deeper kind of suffering He was enduring: the suffering of His spirit.
