The Cross

Last night while we were looking at the first three of the Ten Commandments in our Wednesday night Bible study, we had a great time getting pummeled, even though we weren't the original intended. One of the areas we walked through together was the third commandment, which many would recognize as the "no graven images" prohibition. Here's the verse in the New Living Translation.

4 "Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. 5 You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god!

Ex 20:4-5 (NLT)

We explored that for a little while, spurred on by an excellent question about crucifixes.

People outside the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Episcopal communities aren't often accepting of crucifixes. I've often heard comments like "My God isn't on that cross anymore." And that's true.

But He was there.

And the relevency of the third commandment to the display of crucifixes is nil unless the person begins worshipping the image rather than the God Who was there.

I'm not here today to go on about that though. What's amazing to me is how God can use times when I look at other people and whether they are doing right by Him to make me question my own practices. I was reading a devotional by Joe Boot who works with Ravi Zacharias in Canada and he included this story.

A friend of mine was doing some shopping in his local supermarket and while waiting in line at the checkout noticed the cashier was wearing a striking cross around her neck. As he was paying for his groceries, he asked the young cashier a question that startled her. "Are you a Christian?" he asked.

Taken aback she said, "What do you mean?"

"Are you a Christian?" repeated my friend.

"Oh no," was the reply.

"Then why are you wearing a cross?" he asked.

"What, this?" she said, looking at her necklace. "Well, it's nice."

"But it wasn't nice," he replied. "It was horrible."

Yes it was.

So let me ask you a question today.

Which of us is commiting an injustice - the person wearing the crucifix because they know the cost of their salvation's purchase and wish to be reminded...

Or the one who wears the cross and never, ever, considers the cost.

Something to think about.

Grace!

David Wilson

www.newhopevalp.org
http://davethepastor.livejournal.com/