The Non-Rugged Cross...and Me

I sat in the sanctuary yesterday and at one point, I looked up at the massive cross in the sanctuary and I began to think my way through the Baptist Hymnal. The cross is often spoken of as "rugged" and I imagine that both pieces were roughly hewn from a tree native to the region. The trouble is that our churches - many in the reformed tradition, at least, have these well polished crosses that don't look like anything bad ever took place on them or anywhere near them. There are no blood stains on these lovely sanctuary icons. There are usually no holes where the nails would have torn through the flesh of the Messiah. There are often no indications that there were actually two pieces of wood fashioned together to hold the weight of a grown man. And so I wonder, what does this smooth, pretty cross actually mean to us.

I had an occasion to minister to teenagers in a chapel service at a Christian school and we wrote our worst conceivable sins on small pieces of paper and affixed them to a cross that had been fashioned specifically for our Lenten service. To celebrate Good Friday, we tacked our paper sins on that cross and later, when we celebrated Easter, we shared communion and "miraculously" the sins on the crude cross had somehow been removed. It was not divine intervention, but rather it was one of the most pastoral acts I have ever enjoyed. Cleaning up the work of the cross was a moment of standing on holy ground if there ever was one. Presenting an assurance of pardon afterwards has never been more meaningful. But our rugged cross was never replaced with a newer, prettier model. We just kept the homemade cross in the chapel area for a few weeks as a token of what we had experienced. The rest of the work of remembering was tacked on our hearts and actions.

Yesterday, I looked up at what has to be a 20 foot cross made from something that looked too fancy to hold any sins that I might have ever participated in. I thought it was just too big and too grand for a Jesus who probably was not taller than 6 feet in His human form. One of the two preachers spoke about the medical reality of crucifixion and as he talked, I thought, this cross does not speak to that awful and gruesome reality! Then it hit me...

This cross serves a dual purpose...for me. Yes, it serves to remind me that I do believe that Jesus entered the world through a bloody birth ritual but also exits this human form through a bloody death ritual. I imagined Jesus coming out of the tomb and with the folding of his garments, there was also the folding of those little slips of paper that represented my sins. (and the sins of the world, of course) As Christ came from the tomb, leaving behind those things that did not serve Him in His resurrected form, among them was this "Old, rugged cross" and in its wake, He leaves the reminder that all things...ALL THINGS are made new through Him. Even the memory of an old, rugged, yet necessary cross.

Be advised, this does not in any way diminish the dirty work of the cross or the necessity of a rugged, blood stained, fluid splattered, splintered cross. What it does, however, is remind me that I am very much like that larger than life cross in the sanctuary. I am not what I appear to be. What I represent is not exactly what you see at first blush. I am like that shiny, looming icon in the sanctuary. I might look all spiffy and polished but there is a back story that you need to allow me to share with you. The story of the work that went into polishing me from what I was into what I am which is not even a hint of what I am about to become! In 2013, I want to share the back story of that lovely polished larger than life icon with as many people as I possibly can so that they too, can experience new life! I invite you to join me in telling the behind the scenes story of the non-rugged cross! As a matter of fact...I dare you!


Shalom!