I should start by saying that my church logo, that I didn’t design, DOES have a cross in it.

I don’t see the terrible wrong in having the cross of Christ as our “symbol” though. It is at the cross where he paid for all our sins, he became the sacrifice…

His death is what brings us new life. His resurrection brings us new hope and makes it all matter. The sacrifice is what man needed desperately. Not the resurrection. The resurrection and all that comes after is what gives us hope and guidance and confirms out faith as we move forward.

I also reserve the right to be wrong and change my mind after I read some other responses.

I should start by saying that my church logo, that I didn’t design, DOES have a cross in it.

I don’t see the terrible wrong in having the cross of Christ as our “symbol” though. It is at the cross where he paid for all our sins, he became the sacrifice…

His death is what brings us new life. His resurrection brings us new hope and makes it all matter. The sacrifice is what man needed desperately. Not the resurrection. The resurrection and all that comes after is what gives us hope and guidance and confirms out faith as we move forward.

I also reserve the right to be wrong and change my mind after I read some other responses.

That’s kind of the problem with symbols, isn’t it? They start to veer away from the thing they originally represent and become something else entirely. (Like the NBC peacock logo–it was a long time before I realized that was supposed to be a peacock. It had become its own thing and didn’t resemble what it originally was.)

That’s kind of the problem with symbols, isn’t it? They start to veer away from the thing they originally represent and become something else entirely. (Like the NBC peacock logo–it was a long time before I realized that was supposed to be a peacock. It had become its own thing and didn’t resemble what it originally was.)

I remember thinking for the longest time that the Catholic church didn’t believe that Christ was resurrected. I figured that’s why they still had him on the cross.

I remember thinking for the longest time that the Catholic church didn’t believe that Christ was resurrected. I figured that’s why they still had him on the cross.

I hear that and like I said am grateful for his death and understand that we needed the sacrifice but the hope still stands in the fact that it didn’t end there.

I think by making the primary focus the cross stops the story, the essential part of the story. Without the resurrection it wasn’t a sacrifice. Without resurrection, if Jesus Christ was killed without being alive today…I think that would have just made him a man and not a savior.

We just had a Passion Play and we gave the call for salvation (raising of the hands which is a whole other conversation) right after the cross scene, which is very typical. But I don’t get that timing. Salvation was started with a sacrifice, but wasn’t the resurrection necessary to complete it?

But like you I will also reserve the right to be wrong and change my mind after I read some other responses from people much smarter than I.

I hear that and like I said am grateful for his death and understand that we needed the sacrifice but the hope still stands in the fact that it didn’t end there.

I think by making the primary focus the cross stops the story, the essential part of the story. Without the resurrection it wasn’t a sacrifice. Without resurrection, if Jesus Christ was killed without being alive today…I think that would have just made him a man and not a savior.

We just had a Passion Play and we gave the call for salvation (raising of the hands which is a whole other conversation) right after the cross scene, which is very typical. But I don’t get that timing. Salvation was started with a sacrifice, but wasn’t the resurrection necessary to complete it?

But like you I will also reserve the right to be wrong and change my mind after I read some other responses from people much smarter than I.

You wrote that “Anyone could have died on the cross”. This is true, but none of the other people who died on the cross had the ability to prevent their own deaths on the cross.

Jesus had the power to put an end to his physical suffering and to forsake being nailed to the cross. Even the devil knew that Jesus could order the angels to protect Him (Matt 4:6).

The fact that JESUS died at the cross is more significant than ANY OTHER death at the cross because He had a choice. For this reason, I am not giving up the cross as a symbol of His great sacrifice.

You wrote that “Anyone could have died on the cross”. This is true, but none of the other people who died on the cross had the ability to prevent their own deaths on the cross.

Jesus had the power to put an end to his physical suffering and to forsake being nailed to the cross. Even the devil knew that Jesus could order the angels to protect Him (Matt 4:6).

The fact that JESUS died at the cross is more significant than ANY OTHER death at the cross because He had a choice. For this reason, I am not giving up the cross as a symbol of His great sacrifice.

Now that’s an excellent point Lady T. That absolutely does set his death apart from the others.

I still think the cross, Christ’s death is about the price that was paid while the resurrection is about the hope and salvation that God brings.

Why do we spend so much time focused on the price and not the prize? Why do we spend so much time pointing out people’s sin and so little time with forgiveness?

Maybe it’s not so much about taking the cross down, but raising up the resurrection?

By spending so much of our time, and not just at Easter, focused on death aren’t we ignoring a very important part of the story? Without the resurrection…we are left only with death. And if we only had death, well, that really changes things.

Tear down this temple…and I will rebuild it in three days.

If they had torn down the temple and on day 4 there was still only stone and dust we’d not be able to clutch victory.

I guess I wish we spent more time with the victory than the death. At churches around the globe the primary symbol was blood, thorns, whips, a cross…all things which we must never forget…but our loudest shouts should be that of praise for the risen King.

Now that’s an excellent point Lady T. That absolutely does set his death apart from the others.

I still think the cross, Christ’s death is about the price that was paid while the resurrection is about the hope and salvation that God brings.

Why do we spend so much time focused on the price and not the prize? Why do we spend so much time pointing out people’s sin and so little time with forgiveness?

Maybe it’s not so much about taking the cross down, but raising up the resurrection?

By spending so much of our time, and not just at Easter, focused on death aren’t we ignoring a very important part of the story? Without the resurrection…we are left only with death. And if we only had death, well, that really changes things.

Tear down this temple…and I will rebuild it in three days.

If they had torn down the temple and on day 4 there was still only stone and dust we’d not be able to clutch victory.

I guess I wish we spent more time with the victory than the death. At churches around the globe the primary symbol was blood, thorns, whips, a cross…all things which we must never forget…but our loudest shouts should be that of praise for the risen King.

>>Why do we spend so much time focused on the price and not the prize?
I spend so much time focused on the PRICE of the prize because it helps me grasp the value of the prize/gift. If I told you I spent all that I had to buy you a gift and then presented you with a polyester tie, how much would you value that gift? The tie would not be considered a significant gift from a rich person, but if it cost me everything would you value it more? I would.
If Jesus had come down from heaven and died an un-extraordinary death only to be resurrected on the 3rd day, I would not value the gift as much. The gift of salvation came at a cost that often brings me tears. As a father, can you image having to sacrifice the life of YOUR son to save the life of someone who was NOT worthy of it? I would give my life for a loved one without thinking twice but for my weird neighbor that always looks at me strangely or some random person on street, God may have to speak in an audible voice for me to act. =) I would be lying if I said otherwise.
Jesus lived a life without sin. He was perfect! The only way that I, one who is IMperfect in more ways than I care to admit, could receive salvation was through Jesus’ death on the cross. I understand that the resurrection is The Victory, but the crucifixion is the price tag on that gift of salvation and I don’t want to ever forget how much The Victory cost.

>> Why do we spend so much time pointing out people’s sin and so little time with forgiveness?
In my opinion, must people don’t focus on the forgiveness of sins because they have not yet had a revelation about God’s grace. It’s hard to preach about what you haven’t experienced.

>>Why do we spend so much time focused on the price and not the prize?
I spend so much time focused on the PRICE of the prize because it helps me grasp the value of the prize/gift. If I told you I spent all that I had to buy you a gift and then presented you with a polyester tie, how much would you value that gift? The tie would not be considered a significant gift from a rich person, but if it cost me everything would you value it more? I would.
If Jesus had come down from heaven and died an un-extraordinary death only to be resurrected on the 3rd day, I would not value the gift as much. The gift of salvation came at a cost that often brings me tears. As a father, can you image having to sacrifice the life of YOUR son to save the life of someone who was NOT worthy of it? I would give my life for a loved one without thinking twice but for my weird neighbor that always looks at me strangely or some random person on street, God may have to speak in an audible voice for me to act. =) I would be lying if I said otherwise.
Jesus lived a life without sin. He was perfect! The only way that I, one who is IMperfect in more ways than I care to admit, could receive salvation was through Jesus’ death on the cross. I understand that the resurrection is The Victory, but the crucifixion is the price tag on that gift of salvation and I don’t want to ever forget how much The Victory cost.

>> Why do we spend so much time pointing out people’s sin and so little time with forgiveness?
In my opinion, must people don’t focus on the forgiveness of sins because they have not yet had a revelation about God’s grace. It’s hard to preach about what you haven’t experienced.

Interesting perspective.

For the record…I’d take an iPad no matter how much it costs you.

Interesting perspective.

For the record…I’d take an iPad no matter how much it costs you.

LOL =)

LOL =)