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I am reminded of the old musical “The Sound of Music.” Whenever I think of this movie, I can’t help but hear the voice of Julie Andrews belting out “My Favorite Things.” As I listen to this song, I can’t help but make my own list of Favorites, and would like to share with you one of them. The Cross of Calvary.
No, it’s not as pretty as raindrops on roses, or cuddly as whiskers on kittens. Not as exciting as brown paper packages tied up with strings - but it is truly one of my favorite things! Why, you may ask? Because it reminds of some very important truths and characteristics about God.
One cannot help but look at the cross and think of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross; and how He bore my sin, paid my debt of sin, and offers forgiveness and everlasting life. This alone causes the cross to be cherished by many.
Yet, there’s more. The cross reminds me of God’s Love. In fact, the Cross is a symbol of love. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The cross reminds me that God loved me so much, He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, so my sins could be forgiven! Moreover, the cross reminds be of another truth about God’s Love.
Consider for a moment how you draw a cross. What do you draw first? Most people begin by drawing with a vertical line down, from top to bottom. This line, or beam, reminds me that God loved me first before I ever loved Him. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”
God loved us first. Before we were even born, He loved us. He loved us even while we didn’t deserve to be loved, while we were sinners; His enemy. He loved us and sent Jesus for us, to pay for our sins and offer us eternal life! It is because of His love that we are able to love.
The vertical beam also reminds me that it is because of God’s love for me that I am able to and should respond in love back to God. Jesus said Luke 10:27 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.” this is possible because God first loved me.
But there one more line we need to draw to complete the cross; a horizontal line. This beam reminds me that because God loves me and fills me with His love, I too am able and should show that same kind of love to others. In John 13:34 Jesus says, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Since Jesus loved us, and fills us with His love we are to love others; everybody, no matter who they are what they do, or have done. We are to love others like Christ.
That is why the Cross is one of my favorite things. It helps me to remember that God first loved me by sending Jesus, that He fills me with His redeeming Love, and as a result I am able to love Him and others. I hope each time you see a cross, you to will be reminded of God’s Love for you and how He extends His love through you.
Although it is not quite summer yet, America’s pastime, Baseball is fully underway. Did you know, that the beloved comedic duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are remembered forever in the baseball hall of fame? Their induction had nothing to do with any on field accomplishments, in fact in 1957 they became first non-baseball playing celebrities to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. This honor was bestowed upon them for their wildly successful and quite humorous routine “Who’s on First.”
The general premise behind the exchange has Costello, a peanut vendor, talking to Abbott, the manager of the St. Louis Wolves. Costello wants to know the name of each person playing. However the names and nicknames of the players are quit odd, and leave Costello very confused.
For example, the name of the first baseman is "Who"; thus, the statement "Who's on first" carries a double meaning. It serves as a question (what is the name of the first baseman?) as well as the answer (Who, is the name of the first baseman.) The banter & confusion continues throughout the 5 minute sketch as Abbott tries, with little success, to tell Costello the names of all the baseball players.
This timeless and humorous sketch reminds me of another question that begs each one to answer. “Who’s in the Center?” No I’m not talking about center field, or even the center of the universe. Rather, “Who is at the center of your life?”
I believe if most people would answer honestly, it would be themselves. We live in a very self-centered world: one where self-concern, self-priority, and self-promotion are not only common-place, but expected and encouraged. Is this how it should be? Should each of us live our lives as if we are at the center, and rest of the world revolves around us? “Is Life really all about me?”
Until 1543, everyone was certain that the earth was at the center of the universe, and everything revolved around it. But then came Nicolaus Copernicus who simply asked the question, “if the earth stands still, what causes the season and stars to change?”
This questions led him to the obvious conclusion that the earth was not the center, but instead the Sun was! People were outraged and denied this truth for years! Today what we take for granted as fact, was for decades treated as foolishness and heresy.
In the thoughts of Max Lucado (as expressed in his Book “It’s Not About Me”) our current culture needs a “Copernican Shift.” Max writes, “When God looks at the center of the universe, He doesn’t look at you. When heavens' stagehands direct the spotlight toward the star of the show, I need no sunglasses, no light falls on me”
Paul agrees. Ephesians 1:21-22 states “Now he (Christ) is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.” Eugene Peterson in The Message said it this way “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.”
Christ is at the center of everything. This includes our lives and everything we do. As a result, all we have, from our job to our families, our money to our bodies belong to God. Even our success and struggles are about Him. There’s a great need to move from a self-centered life to a God centered life; accepting our place in God’s Plan, understanding that all, even our lives, revolve around God’s Son.
It is my prayer that Christ is at the center of everything you do.
Have you ever known someone who has the ability to make things out to be more difficult then they really are, or have to be?
Maybe it was a parent, a former employer, or possibly a college professor. Whenever this person spoke, they seemed to over explain, over analyze, or just plan confuse whatever they were talking about. Some people simply have a knack for taking the simple tasks or processes of life and making them into a complicated mess.
Sadly, I believe at times, the Church has been guilty of this very thing. Too many times well-intended Christians and Christian ministries have made Christ’s love and charge to the church more complex than it really is.
For over 2000 years, man has been guilty of adding language, tasks, traditions, and expectations to many of Christ’s Words. Rather than seeing and treating people like Jesus did, we have often made requirements where He did not, and left out some where He did.
According to Mark 1:17, Jesus’ call to people is much simpler then most of us really realize. Here along the shores of the Sea of Galilee Jesus said simply “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” In fact in John 1:39 Jesus Gave a similar command as He said “come and you will see.”
Christ’s desire for His people was made very plain and very simple; Come and Follow and See. Could it really be that clear? Could it really be that simple? Is that all Jesus requires of His people? Simply following Him?
I imagine many of Christ’s early disciples asked similar questions; and His answer was the same then as it is now. “Yes, follow Me.” Christ’s sole desire for us, His people, is that we would “take up our cross and follow Him” with every breath and step we take throughout our life. That we would follow Christ in the good and the bad. That we would follow Christ when it’s easy and when its hard. That throughout every moment of our life we would not lead ourselves, but follow Jesus and His example and desire for our life.
I hope each will accept this invitation, to come and follow Jesus. Come without your biases or preconceived ideas of who this man was, is, or what He requires. To come and meet Jesus through the pages of the Gospels. To spend time with Christ in through the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. To read for yourself who Jesus says He is. To see what He has done for you, wants to do in you, and hear what He would have you do with your life; continuing to follow Him through the pages of scripture each day and even day.
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