Tag Archive - Cross

The War is Over!

April 7, 2011 in Daily Faith with 0 Comments

Georg Gaertner, a young German man, found himself in North Africa in 1943. He was a part of the German Army’s Afrika Korps. He was captured by the British army at Tunis in 1943.He was handed over to the Americans along with thousands of other prisoners and was brought to prisoner of war camps in the United States. Georg was sent to Fort Deming, New Mexico.

In September of 1945, because he was afraid of being sent back to his hometown which was now under Soviet control, he slipped past a guard, lifted up the fence, and escaped from that prison camp. And he ran.

He started out working as a farm laborer. Because he was afraid of being captured, he was constantly on the move.

He became a tennis instructor. He had played tennis in Germany as a young man and was rather good.

He became a ski instructor in the Rocky Mountains. In fact, in 1952, he was part of the team that went into the Donner Pass. There was a train that had wrecked in there, and it was locked in because of the snow. The skiers went in and rescued some 200 people out of that train wreck.

He was continuously running, continuously trying to stay away from the authorities.

One day he came home fearful that he’d blown his cover: They’re going to know who I am, and so I’ve got to move again. He told his wife: “Pack it all up. We’ve got to move immediately.”

After 20 years of this, she said: “Wait a minute. I can’t take this any longer. What’s wrong with you? Why are we constantly moving like this?”

Georg sat down and he shared with her what he had never shared with anyone else: He was a prisoner of war, a man condemned. She looked at him and said: “Go to the office of immigration and naturalization. The war is over.”

Finally, Georg, who went by the name, Dennis Whiles, after 40 years of running, at 64 years of age, turned himself in to federal authorities. Instead of condemning him, they released him to live a free man.*

The war was finally over for Georg Gaertner. He no longer had anything or anyone to fear. The past was over. He now lived free.

Because of the Cross, our war is over. Jesus Christ won the victory over sin and death. If we trust in Christ, we have no thing or no one to fear. We can live in the freedom that God designed for His creation. We no longer live in condemnation for a life in the past. No longer do we have to live under guilt and shame. We are free to become the person God meant us to be, His child.

　

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)

*”Hitler’s Last Soldier in America,” by George Gaertner and Arnold Krammer.

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Hope In the Cross

March 31, 2011 in Daily Faith with 0 Comments

The Russian author and Pulitzer Prize winner, Alexander Solzhenitsyn spent several years in a Soviet prison camp doing hard labor. He was sent there because of comments he made about Stalin and the conduct of the war.
He tells of a time in the camp. After months and months of working twelve hours a day and being depleted physically and worn out, he said the doctors started predicting his death at any time. One day he was shoveling sand, and he became so weary that he said he decided he would just put his shovel in the ground and lean against it and take a few seconds of rest. He knew that doing so would surely result in a beating and, that a beating would probably kill him. He was so tired that he didn’t care. He propped his body against the shovel and gave up.
Immediately another prisoner came to his side. The man took the shovel and in the sand scratched the form of the cross. The man immediately covered up the cross because the guards were coming and would beat them if they saw it.
But Solzhenitsyn said that in those five seconds of looking in the sand and seeing the cross filled him with hope. He took the shovel and went back to work, not because of fear from the guards or beating, but from strength of hope, a hope given to him by the cross.

Christ never meant his form of death to become merely decoration. It was meant to be, as it was to Solzhenitsyn, a source of hope. It is a source of hope because the instrument of the greatest tragedy became the symbol of the greatest victory. The place where God was the weakest is where He showed His greatest power. And because of His strength, we find strength.
All of us will face times of hopelessness and discouragement. The difference for us in those times will be where we look. If we look within ourselves or to those around us, we will lose heart and give up. But if we look to the cross, like Solzhenitsyn, we will find the hope even in the midst of the most hopeless times.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV84)

Finishing Line or Starting Line?

March 29, 2011 in Daily Faith with 0 Comments

Many people see the cross as the end. They see it as the end of a struggle. It is the end of the ordeal they have to go through or the end of a struggle they have had to endure. Too often, it is something that signifies the end so we can get on with our lives. We see it as something we must face before we get to go to heaven. It is something we have to get out of our way, so that we can deal with more important issues, more pleasant things. For far too many people, the cross is something we avoid because it signifies an end.

The fact that when Jesus was on the cross, he uttered the words, “It is finished,” seems to enforce the idea.

Yet, when Jesus spoke to his disciples about the cross, He told them it was not the end but the beginning.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 8:34 (NIV84)

Jesus was telling them and us that life does not end with the cross. Instead, life does not, in fact it can not, truly begin until we take up our cross. The cross is not the end, but the beginning. It is not the finish line, it is the starting block for us. Until we take up our cross then we have not begun to live this life of faith. Until we shoulder our cross, we have yet to experience the fulness of life Christ promises.

Which is it for you? Is the cross something you pick up at the end or is it what you start with? Is the cross of Christ our end or our beginning?

In His Place

March 22, 2011 in Daily Faith with 0 Comments

. Maximilian Kilbe

In February 1941, Father Maximilian Kolbe, a Catholic priest, was arrested by the Gestapo for harboring Jews and sent to Auschwitz. Kolbe was assigned to Barracks 14 where he continued to minister to his fellow prisoners.

One night a man escaped from Barracks 14. The next morning there was tension as the ranks of phantom-thin prisoners lined up for roll call in the square. Afterwards, Commandant Fritsch ordered the dismissal of all but Barracks 14, who were forced to stand still in the hot sun all day long. By evening the commandant would make a lesson out of the fate of this miserable barracks. “The fugitive has not been found. Ten of you will die for him in the starvation bunker!” he screamed.

As the ten were chosen, a cry rang out from one of the men chosen, “My poor children! My wife! What will they do?”

Suddenly there was commotion in the ranks. A prisoner had broken out of ranks and volunteered to take this crying man’s place. It was Father Kolbe. The frail priest spoke softly, even calmly, saying, “I would like to die in place of one of the men you condemned.” The commandant ordered it done, and the ten were marched to Barracks 11 where they would spend the last of their days.

Franciszek Gajowniczek was the prisoner whose life was spared. He survived Auschwitz and for 53 years—until his death at age 95—he joyously told everyone about the man who had died in his place.

As we go through this time of Lent, we must remind ourselves that we were once under a death sentence. Yet, one came forward and offered to take our place. Jesus Christ died in your place. He gave Himself on the cross so that you could go free.

Franciszek Gajowniczek joyfully told everyone about the man who died for him. Could we do any less.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8, NIV84)

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By Our Hands

March 24, 2010 in General with 0 Comments

Hollywood star and director Mel Gibson felt called by God to make his film The Passion of the Christ, a portrayal of the final 12 hours of Jesus’ life on earth. Although the film has been criticized for being anti-Semitic, Gibson has never pointed a finger at the Jews. Instead, he says all of us are responsible for Christ’s death.
In the movie, Gibson portrays this in a remarkable way. While Gibson’s face never crosses the screen, we do see his hands once. They are the ones, with spike and hammer, nailing Jesus to the cross.*

Too often we think of the Cross of Christ as an ancient historical event. We think of those who nailed Jesus to the cross as calloused soldiers following orders. Yet, when we finally realize that it was our hands that held the hammer and the nails, we can begin to understand the power of the cross.
When we realize that it was our sins that put Jesus on the cross. It was for our crimes against God that He went through all that He suffered. When we see that there is not any difference between us and those soldiers, then we can experience the joy of the cross. That He did it for us, for me. That He did it because He loved us.

“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. ” (Isaiah 53:4–5, NIV)

Known By His Scars

February 25, 2010 in General with 0 Comments

. Thomas checking the scars.

In The Odyssey, there is a scene that takes place near the end of the story. Odysseus returns home after many years of wandering. He is in disguise as an old man. At first, nobody recognizes him, not even his wife and child. One night before bed, Odysseus’ aged nurse bathes him. At first, she thinks he is just a stranger; but while bathing him, she recognizes a scar on his leg. She remembers the scar from his infancy. She did not recognize him until she saw his scar.

Jesus had a similar experience. When first told about the risen Lord, Thomas refused to believe. But when he saw the scars, he knew the resurrected One was the crucified One. He knew it was Jesus. He recognized Him by His scars. (John 20:24-29)

It is the scars that make the difference. Because a savior without scars is not a savior. We like to picture Jesus meek and mild. We see Him teaching the crowds or blessing the little children or even healing the sick, but until we see His scars we could confuse Him with somebody else. It is His scars that identify Him. It is by His scars that we know He died for us.

“But he was pierced for our rebellion,crushed for our sins.He was beaten so we could be whole.He was whipped so we could be healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (NLT)

Supported by the Cross

February 24, 2010 in Daily Faith with 0 Comments

Fort McHenry Flag Pole Anchor

Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” in 1814. The original flag measured 42 by 30 feet. It was the immense size of the flag that allowed Key to see it from his position 10 miles out to sea, following a night of gunfire.

How could that large a flag fly on a pole 189 feet in the air. The answer is on display at Fort McHenry on Baltimore’s inner harbor. There, in one of the barracks, are two oak timbers, 8 foot by 8 foot, joined as a cross.
National Park Service personnel discovered this cross-shaped support near the entrance to Fort McHenry in 1958, buried nine feet below ground. Not only did the cross help rangers locate the original site from which the star spangled banner flew, but it answered the mystery of how such a large flag could fly in stormy weather without snapping the pole. This unseen wooden cross provided a firm foundation for the symbol of our national freedom.

In our lives we struggle with storms and battles. We wonder if we can remain standing in the midst of it all. The answer lies in the foundation. Just as the cross foundation for the flagpole at Fort McHenry enabled the flag to stand firm. Our lives can withstand the turmoil and struggles of life if we have a strong foundation.
When we have the cross of Christ deep in our hearts, we can stand. When we make the cross more than an ornament for our faith, but the foundation, we can not only survive but prevail in our lives.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ”
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)

Cutting Up the Cross

February 23, 2010 in General with 0 Comments

Some years ago, a 14-foot bronze crucifix was stolen from Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. It had stood at the entrance to that cemetery for more than 50 years. The cross was put there in 1930 by a Catholic bishop and had been valued at the time at $10,000. The thieves apparently cut it off at its base and hauled it off in a pick-up. Police speculate that they cut it into small pieces and sold it for scrap.
Cutting up the 900-pound cross probably brought the thieves about $450. They obviously didn’t realize the value of that cross.

We are much the same. We often underestimate the value of the cross. We like to cut the cross up in manageable and palatable pieces. We like to use it for a nice Easter decoration or a beautiful piece of jewelry. We enjoy hearing how much the cross proves God’s love for us. So, we cut out the parts about suffering and shame. We cut out any remote connection our sin might have with the cross of Christ. We chop away any responsibility our sin might have for Jesus’ death. When that happens we lose the full power of the gospel message.
Yet, when the gospel writers relate the story of the cross, the theme that runs through all the details is one of rejection. When Jesus took our sins upon himself, he was rejected by God. (Matthew 27:46)
We must be careful not to cut up the cross. We must not make scraps out of the cross’ message. If we do, we miss the true value of the cross. We fail to experience it’s power.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. ” (Isaiah 53:3–4, NIV)

At the Cross

February 21, 2010 in General with 1 Comment

His full name was Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, but most people refer to him only by his first name, Rembrandt. He lived between 1606 and 1669 and during those brief years, he became one of the greatest artists in history.
If you were to look at Rembrandt’s painting of “The Three Crosses,” your eyes would be drawn to the center cross on which Jesus died. Then as you would look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, you would be impressed by the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. Finally, your eyes would drift to the edge of the painting and catch sight of another figure, almost hidden in the shadows. This figure is Rembrandt himself. The painting was not only a work of art but a statement of his faith. He was telling the world that it was not only the sins of the world that nailed Jesus to the cross, but his sins too.

Rembrandt realized a very important truth. It is easy to get so focused on the cross that we forget that we had a part in this divine drama. We must see ourselves at the cross. We must realize our part in the crucifixion of our savior. Because until we do, we will never experience the joy of the resurrection.
As we go through this time of Lent, let us remember that we are in the painting as well. We each had a part. But we must also remember that is good news because it means our sins are paid in full.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. ” (1 Peter 2:24–25, NIV)

The List of the Cross

February 18, 2010 in General with 0 Comments

When Louis XII became king of France, he made a list of all those who had been his enemies and persecutors in the years before he obtained the throne. Before each of these names he placed a large black cross. When word of his act spread, those on the list quickly fled the country, fearing punishment or death.
When Louis XII heard of this, the king had them all sought out and brought back to the palace. He then told them that he had put a cross beside each name, not as a symbol of death, but of the cross of Christ. It would be a constant reminder and example for him to do as his Lord had done on the Cross, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

The enemies of Louis XII fled from him because they saw the cross beside their names as a sign of death. However, the king put it there as a sign of forgiveness and life. They ran in terror from the very act that brought them life.

The same is true for us today. Many of us see the cross as punishment and death. We run from it because we think it means death. We think it means the end of our lives. However, through Christ, the cross has become a sign of forgiveness and life. God places a cross by the name of all who have faith in Christ, not as a sign of despair, but of hope and life.

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Colossians 2:13–15 (NIV)

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