The Dirty Cross

"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Cor. 1:18 (NASB)     

     When I pulled in the church parking lot yesterday, I noticed how dingy the cross over the sanctuary has become. Our church is located adjacent to several railroad tracks, one of which is used daily to haul coal, so even after a good cleaning it will quickly become dirty again.  As I am sitting in the parking lot, making a note of this new item on my "to do" list, something happened. As I viewed the dusty mess I felt as if the Holy Spirit was speaking to me about more than the cross on our roof. 

     There is an attempt to "clean up" the cross and its message in order to appeal to humanity. However, the cross and its message cannot be "cleaned up" without distorting or destroying its meaning. Any attempt to "clean up" the message  will rob it of its inherent power necessary for salvation. We confess that the cross represents forgiveness and cleansing, salvation and heaven; however, it also represents sin, shame, guilt, and hell. It is simply not possible to understand grace and mercy until we understand sin and judgment: they go hand-in-hand.

     When Jesus spoke of the things of God, He did so in a manner that people could understand. He used their language and culture to communicate a timeless message, but yet never compromised Himself in order to appeal to a broader group of people. He spoke of "sinners", but also of forgiveness. In fact, the gospels reveal that Jesus message was so piercing and so divisive that it seemed to repel just as many as it attracted (Jn. 6:66). When Jesus said that the way to life is "narrow" and few will find it (Matt. 7:13-14), I believe that Jesus was not implying that only a select handful would actually hear the message, but rather that a relative small amount would do actually what is necessary to receive salvation. Jesus sent the rich young ruler home sorrowful because the man would not leave everything behind to follow Jesus. 

     Can we just be completely honest with ourselves? The cross will NEVER be acceptable to culture.  The message of "sacrifice and suffering" will never be more popular than messages of "prosperity and blessing." Paul's words are just as true today as they were two thousand years ago. So, rather than trying to clean up the cross, maybe we should shine a spotlight on all its beautiful glory. I say bring back the cross and let man respond as he will. The blood, the suffering, and the death is a difficult thing to accept, and yet it is the only way to salvation. George Bennard wrote it this way:

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary.
 
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

a wondrous beauty I see,
for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.
 
To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,

its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I'll share.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.