The Shame and the Glory
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
In Jesus’ day, the cross was not an ornament to wear
lined with jewels and made of precious gold
Instead it was an instrument on which a person died
for all the men and women to behold
To bear the cross meant suffering beyond all other means
as an example seen by one and all
But only Jesus Christ endured the full extent of pain
for only He could remedy the Fall
The glory of the cross is not in just that Jesus died
but that He conquered death for you and me
It’s in His resurrection that the glory is complete
securing Life for all eternity
So when we view the cross on which the Lord did pay our debt
remember all the shame that Jesus bore
But know Salvation was completed when He rose again
and Christ will sit in glory evermore
David L Vanderpool
lined with jewels and made of precious gold
Instead it was an instrument on which a person died
for all the men and women to behold
To bear the cross meant suffering beyond all other means
as an example seen by one and all
But only Jesus Christ endured the full extent of pain
for only He could remedy the Fall
The glory of the cross is not in just that Jesus died
but that He conquered death for you and me
It’s in His resurrection that the glory is complete
securing Life for all eternity
So when we view the cross on which the Lord did pay our debt
remember all the shame that Jesus bore
But know Salvation was completed when He rose again
and Christ will sit in glory evermore
David L Vanderpool
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9 comments:
"the cross was not an ornament to wear"...
For my grandmother's 90th birthday, her brother and his wife and their kids all went together to buy her a silver filigree cross with a diamond on it hung on a delicate silver chain.
They were so proud of their gift.
And for some reason it repelled me.
This expensive piece of jewelry made me rather ill.
Does anyone have any thoughts on that?
Lisa
The Lord said not to have any other idols before Him. Isn't a piece of jewelry in the shape of a cross many times an idol in peoples eyes, rather than a symbol of what Christ has done for us? I'm sure your family meant well, but it isn't what we wear on the outside that defines us as Christians, but the fruit of the Spirit. The things we do because we are His.
Thank you for responding, Al.
Yes, I suppose they did mean well. They were overjoyed when grandma and I started going to church. They live in Indiana so I don't think they realize that I don't attend anymore. And I don't think they'd understand if I tried to explain it to them. To them - a Christian is someone who goes to church.
I don't like the message that the expensive cross jewelry gives to the unsaved of the family. I think they - the unsaved - rightly see it as hypocritical when Jesus had no earthly possessions and died on a wooden torture cross - to be buying something like that.
Anyway - just my thoughts.
Lisa
I know people who wear a cross and live it. I also know people who do not.
Yes. I, too, have worn a cross and it wasn't just jewelry.
I guess it was the expense and the diamond in the middle...
it seemed somehow wrong.
It depends on what is in the heart of the wearer.
Lisa
Wearing an ornament around the neck has nothing to do with either Christ dying on a cross or His resurrection.
Friends, Let's dress ourselves in God's word and more fully trust God.
Clothed in humility.
THAT'S IT!
You hit the nail on the head, Rick.
There is no humility in that diamond-studded silver-filigree cross.
Lisa
Yes, let's aspire to be clothed in humility and clothed in all the other wonderful attributes of God's character like faith and hope - but most importantly to be clothed in a fervent, reverential, pure love for God Triune and our fellow man.
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