CrossLife Church- Pflugerville, TX

The Symbol of the Cross

Records from both secular and religious history document early Christians using different symbols to represent Jesus, but the one that developed most prominently was the cross. 

As early as the second century, Christians would often pray standing up with their arms stretched out in the form of a cross, make the sign of the cross on their heart, or impose ashes on their foreheads like we did here at CrossLife on Ash Wednesday. 

When Roman Emperor Constantine became a Christian, he he abolished crucifixion as a death penalty and promoted the cross as a symbol of the Christian faith. 

Importantly, the cross image at this time was not a crucifix, that is, a cross with Jesus’ body on it; such images arrived later in the sixth century. Rather, the cross without Jesus’ body hints about two things.

First, that Jesus no longer is on the cross but has been buried and then rises again. Second, an empty cross reminds you that the cross belongs to another besides Jesus. You. 

On Ash Wednesday, I struggled with the particular ash mix I was creating. As I tested it, the ash mix wasn’t shaping a clear, defined black cross on a person’s forehead or hand. It was smudging, smearing and after a few hours dissolving and disappearing. 

I was a bit frustrated until I remembered this verse, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live but Christ lives in you” (Galatians 2:20). I spoke that verse when applying the ashes, and asked people to remember that the smudging and blurring of the cross on their forehead or hand meant that the death of Christ was dissolving into them, into their body, their soul, their being. 

The cross becomes theirs, more than that, it becomes them.

Do you believe in Jesus? Then even now, the cross of Jesus becomes you. You have been crucified. You no longer live. But Christ lives in you. 

When your boss or boyfriend treats you unfairly, you are not a hopeless victim who must beat yourself up with guilt but you are a victor alive in Christ. When your family or friends let you down—or you let them down—you don’t have to punish yourself with blame and shame because all punishment for sin already took place in Christ crucified who lives in you. When you struggle go get things done and can’t find enough time to pray, read your Bible or even attend worship at church, you’re not dead to God, you’re not as worthless as dirt but you’re alive. By the cross you’ve died and now Christ lives in you. You’re holy and precious like Jesus. 

Because Jesus died, you live. You don’t just survive, you live a full life! A healthy life because you have been healed by Jesus! 

“‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed’”(1 Peter 2:24).

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I love your cross and pray that it becomes as much mine as it is yours. That your death and resurrection change me, and make me a new person. Beginning again today. Amen.

FURTHER MEDITATION: How is the cross something in the past, something in the present, and something in the future according to 1 Peter 2:24?