Table of Contents
Introduction.
The cross symbol holds great significance in many cultures and religions around the world. In many other cultures, the cross holds different meanings. For example, in some ancient civilizations, the cross symbolized the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) or the four directions (north, south, east, and west). It’s important to understand that the cross’s meaning can differ significantly based on the cultural and religious context in which it is used.
In Christianity, the cross is a symbol of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, representing sacrifice, redemption, and eternal life. It is often used in shrines, coffins, and tombs as a symbol of faith and as a way to honor the deceased.
A cross represented a curse to the Romans, according to Galatians 3:13, ” He died a cruel death to save you and me from the curse of sin, and hell. “
Why is Jesus compared to a snake in the book of John?
John 3: 14-15 says, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
This verse is specifically talking about a time when Moses lifted up a snake in the wilderness, so to understand what it is comparing Jesus to, you will have to read that story in Numbers 21 verse 4 to 9. “They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people, and many Israelites died.
The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then, when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.”
During that time, if you were bitten by a snake, the chances were you had to travel a great distance in order to be able to look at the snake that Moses had lifted up on a pole. ( this was a prototype of the death of christ on the cross to save mankind)
The people could do what the world said was best medically and move as little as possible, while one of their doctors or physicians did their best to save them, or they could take off running on foot or on a horse to try to get to the snake Moses lifted up. It would definitely take a great faith in God and a belief that God always keeps his promises in order for a person to take off running after getting bitten by a venomous snake.
so we can see that the snake is just being used as an example of what it means to have faith in something to save you. Israelites who had been poisoned had to have faith that God would keep His promise to heal them if they looked at the snake Moses had lifted up, and we have to have faith that God will keep His promise that we will have eternal life if we believe that Jesus is the cure for the consequences of our sins.
If you ask some people whether, if they die, they will go to heaven,. They will tell you that they don’t know and only God knows. In short, they are going nowhere.
Luke 23: 32,33,40to43 , “Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you?
Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom. ”And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
We see from this passage that Jesus was very sure of where he was going when he died, and that is why he could lead some to the same place without fail or second guessing.
That is why, according to Matthew 10:38, “… whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
This means that all the other types of crosses promise us nothing except death and suffering, but only the cross of Jesus has the sure power to heal, bring success, and do many other good things for you without fail.
In this world, there are so many people promising us this or that, but only Jesus is sure of what and where he is taking us.
Our salvation through the cross guarantees us heaven at last. Many people are not sure of this Kingdom but as for us we are already inside the kingdom because of the cross since: Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. (John 14:23).
We see that Jesus assured us that we know the way to where he is going according to John 14:1-7.
To Jesus the cross gives us responsibility;
We see that the cross has the power to give you responsibilities that you never thought of before, as we can see in John 19: 25-27,” Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Because John accepted the responsibilities that come with the cross, responsibilities such as caring for the needy, reconciling broken relations and preaching the gospel that is why God preserved and protected him till old age.
We read from an Early Christian writer called Tertullian (155–240 AD) that Emperor Domitian (emperor from 81 to 96 AD) plunged John into boiling oil in front of an audience at the Colosseum. John emerged unscathed and everyone in attendance is said to have converted to Christianity after witnessing John’s miraculous survival. Other attempts to kill John apparently failed, so he was sentenced to the Isle of Patmos in A.D. 97 as a slave to labor in the mines there , which was an island full of poisonous snakes and other deadly diseases, but he still continued to live. John returned to Ephesus (now called Turkey) after this emperor died, continued to preach and died at age 80.
People are killing each other or fighting each other because they lack the power of the cross to reconcile them. Many relationships are broken beyond repair because of a lack of the power of the cross.
On the right side of the cross was crucified the good thief, who was called Dismas, while on the left side of the cross was crucified the bad thief called Gestas, according to the gospel of Nicodemus.
Jesus was the bridge to go from earth to heaven and from heaven to earth, but he was to unite God to men and men to men. That is why Jesus says he is the way to the Father (John 14:6). No church is the way, but Jesus is the way,
Before this death on the cross, we were called sinners; after that, we are now called saints. We were strangers before now we are children of God. I am telling you churches, brothers who are fighting each other, unite by the power of the cross.
The cross of Jesus has the power to protect our souls
In Luke 23:46, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Jesus was not the only person who knew that you should commit your spirit to God at all times but also Stephen before he was stoned, committed his spirit to God according to Acts 7:59, “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
We must be careful of the heart because it is the source of life. According to Proverbs 4:23, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
So because Jesus understood this, that is why he was reminding us to keep our hearts in God’s hands many people have sold their souls before even their time in exchange for vanity. So don’t be a victim.
That is why when we get saved and we put our hearts in God’s hands and that is why we can’t be bewitched or even easily killed because we don’t have custody of our hearts, but they are with God and so if you need our hearts, you must pass through God first.
In the same way, you can either sell or unwillingly give your heart to the devil, and that can destroy it. So brethren do you now know where your heart is can you say with certainty that it is with God or the devil? You can see that the cross gives us the power to keep our hearts there safely.
Prayer Of Salvation:
Dear Father: I realize that I’m a sinner, and I can’t save myself. I believe you sent your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to take away the penalty of my sins. I ask Jesus now to come into my life and save my soul, and guide and direct my life from this point on as my Lord. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.
Pastor Nathaniel.
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