The cosmic significance of the cross!

This is the first part of a series that I should probably have started at the beginning of Lent! However, better late than never so it is my intention (DV) to publish a number of posts, between now and Resurrection Day, that focus on the Lord Jesus, the Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach).

In John's great vision, recorded for us as "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to His servants ..." (Rev 1:1), the apostle refers to "... the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev 13:8; NKJV).  This is, of course, a reference to Jesus, the sinless, spotless, Lamb of God; the perfect, all-sufficient, atoning sacrifice.

But hold on a minute!  Was not Jesus crucified a mere 2,000 (app) years ago, on the first "Good Friday"?  So what is the Bible, the inerrant Word of the Living God, talking about when it says that He was "... slain from the foundation of the world"?

The cross is, in fact, an event of cosmic significance.  It is not merely an event that took place on a specific day in time.  The cross stands in time in order that we might see something that is eternal - i.e.timeless.  From His eternal perspective, outwith time, Father God saw the cross long before, in time, it was raised on Calvary.  It was in His heart (if I may use an anthropomorphism) in eternity, before, in time, it stood outside Jerusalem.  The cross transcends time.

Had the crucifixion of Jesus merely taken place in time, it would have been just another event in the history of mankind.  But because it was planned in eternity, it shows me that what was 'captured' in a moment of time, is held eternally in the heart of God.

The story is told of a young boy who was visiting a large cathedral.  As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he looked up at what is known as the "rood screen" and said, "There's a cross up there."  The adult who was accompanying him pointed to the floor of the cathedral, and said, "There's a cross down here as well!"  Indeed, the whole building was a cross.  It was a cruciform building - the chancel and the nave symbolising the upright; the two transepts symbolising the cross-beam.

Take time to look for the cross in your everyday life - the letter 't'; a telegraph pole; the sword on a War Memorial.  It is everywhere.

Of course, if you have never come to the foot of that cross in repentance and faith, then for you it was, and is, a cosmic waste!  It is through the sacrificial blood of the Christ, and by no other way, that we may receive forgiveness, and know God's wonderful peace in our lives.

"Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood;
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless; are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"       (Elisha Albright Hoffman).

After the Conference.

The CPA Annual Conference, 2011, is ended and, by now, even the furthest-travelled delegates should be safely back home.  Indeed, many of them will probably have already completed a shift on duty!

It was, by any standard of measurement, a successful conference.  More than a hundred delegates gathered from every part of the UK - the south-west of England; the City of London; the Midlands; Wales; N.Ireland; Scotland (of course!); and many other Forces.  All united in a common love for, and allegiance to, the Lord Jesus.

My own parts, as stated in the previous post, were preaching at the Saturday evening Praise Service - which was open to the local inhabitants of Kincardine and Tulliallan (and a number were in attendance); and being involved in the brief Act of Remembrance at the Scottish Police War Memorial.

The theme of the Conference was "Certainty in uncertain times", and my message on Saturday was based on Psalm 46.  It's a psalm that speaks of God in three different ways: as our Refuge, in the midst of chaos - the One in Whom we may find shelter; as our Help in the midst of the culture and society in which we live - the One Who acts on our behalf; and as our Confidence, in the midst of the nations - the One in Whom we may have implicit trust.  He is, indeed, for His people, our Certainty in uncertain times.  We also listened to the personal testimonies of two officers - a reminder that we all come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus in different ways, because salvation is a deeply personal experience.  I hope to be able to add a recording of my message to my audio blog at revcbross.blogspot.com so do check from time to time!!

At the brief service on Sunday, we remembered not only those who had died on military service in the two World Wars but also, by name, those serving officers who had died since the beginning of last year - including PC Ronan Kerr of the Police Service of Northern Ireland murdered, just over a week ago, when a bomb exploded underneath his car as he set off to report for duty.  Although simple, that service - the first of its kind at a CPA Conference - seemed to be appreciated by all of those who were in attendance.

Regretfully, I was unable to attend the other sessions, but the reports that I have heard were all very good, and there was certainly a great sense of fellowship.  Please continue to support your own local officers in what is a demanding, difficult and, sometimes, demoralising job.  Believe me, they deserve that support!