12/17/08

The Powerful Gospel Brings Together the People of Holy Cross Lutheran Church!

“Holy” and “Cross” are two words that do not belong together.

When we talk of things “holy” we usually think of heaven, where everything is good, where there are no tears.  When we talk of the “cross” we are talking about torture.  We are talking about agony and evil. “Holy” and “Cross” just do not belong together.

Except that Jesus brought them together — Jesus, true God and true man, came down from heaven and lived a life that was as holy as can be.  But this was a life always leading to the cross.  For Jesus took His holiness to a cursed cross so that He could pay the price for all our sins.

The churches Jesus’ disciples founded in His name did exactly the same. They brought together people who did not belong together — Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, slave and free.  Jesus’ disciple, Paul, wrote to a church filled people whose differences once divided them:  “Jesus is our peace, who has made us all one, and has broken down in  His flesh the dividing wall of hostility...reconciling us to God through His cross.” 

Today, we also are a people brought together by His Holy Cross and by the peace it brings.