The Empty Cross

This Good Friday, as I reflect on the hours Jesus suffered on his cross, the thing that impresses me most is that, yes, He did suffer, but that it ended. By the end of the day, it was over. Out of the darkness, he could cry out “It is finished!”, and “Into Thy hands I commend my Spirit!” And Good Friday is followed by Easter Sunday and the promise of His Rising again and the victory over sin and death and evil

Hailstones fell this morning - tempestuous clouds were scurrying across the sky, and there was a serious drop in temperature. Thunder was rumbling, and in the middle of all this, this most amazing rainbow was shining above the apartment blocks of Portela. A reminder of God’s eternal faithfulness to his word.

“Were heaven's praises silent in those hours of darkness?

Your Holy Spirit brooding round that empty throne?

Until the declaration "He is Risen", You are risen, Jesus,

"He is not dead, behold He lives for evermore".

(Robin Mark - Wonder of your cross)

We listened recently to an audio podcast from Mosaic church, in which Erwin McManus, in a series called “The Truth Between Us” sought to explore the Christian faith against a variety of other religious perspectives. On Catholicism, McManus, himself born into a hispanic Catholic tradition, describes vividly his first experience of entering a evangelical church and being confronted with an empty cross, and the deep shock he felt that - “my goodness, they’ve forgotten Jesus!” Anna related to that immediately. It took her back to the first time she entered an Anglican church in Kenya, and suddenly realised they have a cross without Jesus on it.

But that is the point of the hope that we have. He is not there! Neither on the cross, nor in the tomb. Yes, we focus on his sufferings and death, but we go on from there, to enjoy the full freedom of forgiveness and new life and walking with Him. Hallelujah

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6fv9rkIIZo&feature=related

www.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mosaic-audio-podcast/id74403741