Holy Cross Day
Sunday, 14, September 2003
Isaiah 45:21-25
1 Corinthians 1:18-24
John 12:20-33
Psalm 98:1-5
Sermon: (Art Vogel)
In the fourth century, September 14th was designated Holy Cross Day. It was the "discovery of the true cross" by Saint Helen. It was about "celebrating Christ's death."
We have reconciliation with God through Christ. The story doesn't stop on good friday. Christ is preparing a place for us. "The cross means Christian," some people say, but we not only need to die for Christ, but we also need to live for him to give the cross glory.
A certain exchange student said, "get those crosses off the walls and off your jewelry, and get the cross into your heart." In baptism, you get the sign of the cross on your forehead and heart. The account of John 12 happened after palm sunday. It was the beginning of the end of Jesus' life. The cross is at the center of the text. He knew "the kind of death he was to die." The cross is a symbol of torture and death. Christ adds glory to it. The bible tells us that dying is a way of life. A kernel of wheat has to "die"(be buried) in order to grow up to a mature plant. St. Augustine called Christ "a most fertile grain of wheat." Christ died to drive out Satan. He prayed for God to be glorified, not that he be spared from his death. We share in the glory of the cross. He who hates his life will keep it. If we live contrary to our sinful desires, we will live. That is sharing the glory of the cross. "My father will honor the one who serves me," Jesus said. the cross draws us to him. Jesus was punished for our sins. There is power in our repentence. We sin by putting ourselves before God. Dying is a way of life. Da Vinci painted a picture of the Last Supper. Jesus was in the center of the painting, but he had painted a tiny ship in the background of the picture. The viewers who saw the painting for the first time focused their eyes on the ship, so he painted over it. "No one should focus on anything but Christ," he said.