Dear Christian friends:

This evening we will give attention to the Passion Cross. And once again we thank Mr. Robert Harris for making one of wood for us to study and examine.

The Passion Cross is really a Latin Cross, like the large one hanging here in our Church. But it is a little bit different. It has pointed ends as you can see. The Latin Cross, with the vertical bar longer than the horizontal bar, is the most used cross in the Western world. Scholars tell us it is the cross on which many Christians were crucified by the pagan Romans. The Romans and other nations used this type of cross as an instrument of capitol punishment, much like we today use the electric chair. It was used for executions of the worst criminals. It was in use several centuries before Christ. People then did not look upon the cross as an instrument of beauty. They thought it to be abhorrent and ugly, which it was. However, Christ has sanctified the cross by His holy, innocent death upon it. He has made the Latin Cross a thing of beauty. The Romans and other nations liked to use this type of cross for executions because the condemned person could carry it by himself from the courtroom to the place of execution, just like Jesus was forced to do. We read in John 19:17, “Jesus went out bearing His own cross."

The Passion Cross is also called the Cross of Suffering. The sharp, pointed tips remind us of a sword tip or a spear tip and signify suffering. So this Cross reminds us of how our Savior suffered upon the cross whereby He showed God's great love for us.

It is easy for us to understand Jesus’ physical suffering because we, too, suffer in our body often. It is harder for us to appreciate His great suffering of mind and spirit. Our text tells us about that suffering: "About three o'clock, Jesus shouted, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," which means "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" With these anguished words Jesus tells of His great mental and spiritual suffering.

His friends had forsaken Him. The Jewish Church had forsaken Him. The Roman government had forsaken Him. And now even God forsakes Him and condemns Him. You say, "No, not God! Surely God still loves Him!" True, God still does love Him, but nevertheless, God now forsakes Him. Jesus plainly says so and He asks why? Jesus does not ask why for His own sake. He knows the reason why God has forsaken Him, although for a moment in the heat of his suffering He may forget or be complaining. Mostly He asks why so that you and I will ask "why?" Well, why does God forsake Him? Because He is guilty. Again you may say, "No, Jesus did no sin: True, Jesus did not sin Himself. But He agreed to accept our sins and the sins of all people. The Bible says, "Christ died for our sins." (1 Cor. 15:3) So God must condemn and forsake Him as the condemned in hell. So Jesus suffers terrible shame and guilt. You have suffered shame and guilt before when you did a sin that hurt someone else. Well, Christ here on the Cross suffered the shame and guilt of all people. Never was there any suffering like His suffering.

This we need to understand and appreciate. First, so we will see the terrible punishment of sin and be sorry. Secondly, so that we will confess our sins and seek God's mercy and forgiveness. God promises to forgive our sins because of what Christ did for us on the Cross. The Bible tells us, "God was in Christ, restoring the world to Himself, no longer counting men's sins against them but blotting them out." (1 Corinthians 5:19)

So, when you see the Latin Cross or the Passion Cross, remember how much God loves you. Remember He has forgiven all our sins. Then rejoice and thank and praise Him and gladly live for Him and serve Him.

Amen.