A Wooden Cross

Scriptures: Galatians 6:14 (ESV) – “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

John 19:1-37 (ESV Extract 1-20) – “Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him.  And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe.  They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.  Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.’  When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’  As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify!  Crucify!’  But Pilate answered, ‘You take him and crucify him.  As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.’  The Jewish leaders insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.’  When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace.  ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.  ‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said.   ‘Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’  Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.  Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’  From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, ‘If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar.  Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.’  When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha).  It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.  ‘Here is your king,’ Pilate said to the Jews.  But they shouted, ‘Take him away!  Take him away!  Crucify him!’  ‘Shall I crucify your king?’  Pilate asked.  ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the chief priests answered.  Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.”

“So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.  Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).  There they crucified him, and with him two others – one on each side and Jesus in the middle.  Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross.  It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.  The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, ‘Do not write “The King of the Jews,” but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.’  Pilate answered, ‘What I have written, I have written.’” (please read the entire text in your Bible – extract limited to 500 words due to copyright permission limitation) 

Message: Years ago, my car needed some work done.  Because of the nature of the repairs, the shop kept it for several days.  When I picked it up, I noticed the tiny wooden cross that hung on the cigarette lighter was broken.

At first, I was upset.  I’d had that tiny cross riding around with me practically as long as I’d been driving.  Friends who saw it hanging there would laugh and ask me, “Is this your way of saying you don’t want people smoking in your car?”

I don’t recall how the cross came to me, but it always held a place of importance.  I kept it as a steady and constant reminder of who I belong to and the price He paid to claim me.

One afternoon while waiting at a red light, I found myself lamenting over its loss as I ran the broken edge through my fingers.  In that moment, I was struck again by the impact of the cross.

This tiny, broken cross represented another cross that stood on a hill called Golgotha.  The Man who hung on that cross was broken and beaten so we wouldn’t be.  He took the blows that were meant for us, carrying upon His shoulders our sins.  We read of His sufferings in John 19:1-37.

Because of His sacrifice, we can have a relationship with God and know the power of His great love.  We have the privilege of sharing His love with others.  The knowledge of His glory covering the earth comes through each of us as we tell others of His sacrificial love and of His power to redeem. 

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus for the cross.  Help us to remain faithful to share Your love with others.  May the knowledge of Your glory come as we speak Your words of grace and love to others.  Amen.

Brenda Fink
Glory Fire Church in Lake Mary, Florida

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