3 Nov, 2006

Faith without the cross?

You can't have Jesus without His cross!

College removes cross from chapel!

The cross from the altar area of the chapel at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., has been removed to ensure the space is seen as a nondenominational area, explains administrator Melissa Engimann.

"In order to make the Wren Chapel less of a faith-specific space, and to make it more welcoming to students, faculty, staff and visitors of all faiths, the cross has been removed from the altar area," Engimann announced in an e-mail to staff.

The cross will be returned to the altar for those who wish to use it for events, services or private prayer, the campus newspaper, the Flat Hat, reported.

The college was formerly associated with the Anglican Church. Since 1906, the college has been non-denominational and publicly supported. Though the cross will be removed, the room will still be considered a chapel, college officials said.

photo & story courtesy worldnetdaily.com, 10/27/06

1 Corinthians 1:17-19

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” (ESV)

What does today's God's Story teach us about the importance of Christ's cross?

Let's get to the bottom line right away - without the cross of Jesus, there is no God's Story! If there's no cross, there's no sacrifice. If there's no sacrifice, there's no Savior. If there's no Savior, there's no forgiveness. If there's no forgiveness, there's no hope. If there's no hope, there's no reason to live. If there's no reason to live, there's no story of a loving God Who sent His only Son to rescue us!

God is telling us (through the words His Spirit gave Paul) that His Story of love is more important than the storyteller. We don't have to be a persuasive communicator with great knowledge and skill. The power comes from God through the message of Christ's cross.

The world doesn't think with God's perspective, so the story of the cross will seem foolish to them. Love...grace...gift...faith...trust...new life...seems too simple...

This is what 3Story is all about! As we abide in Christ....we will love others...learn their stories...share our story...connect them to God's Story...which doesn't happen without Christ's cross...and the empty tomb!

How can we connect today's God's Story to our lives?

  • Spend a few minutes right now in prayer and worship. Let Jesus remind you that about 2000 years ago, He literally hung and died on a cross for you...for your sins...because He loves you....listen to His Spirit and respond...
  • Hopefully you will fellowship and worship with other followers of Jesus this weekend. Wherever and whatever the setting, look for visual reminders of the cross. Listen for words and music and stories about the cross. Think about Christ's cross. Afterwards, write down how the reality of Christ's cross impacted you. Try to take time on a regular basis to let the amazing story of Christ's cross impact you in a fresh way.

How can we connect today's story, God's Story and our story to others?

  • Remember to let Jesus give you His compassion for others. It can be tempting to get upset with friends and family who are trapped in this world's secular perspective. It's easy to just give up on them becasue they are "foolish" when it comes to Christ's cross. With Christ's love and grace, you can be full of God's "wisdom" as He helps you connect the stories.
  • With those in your storysphere who are comfortable with you sharing some of your story, you might ask questions like: WHY DO YOU THINK SO MANY PEOPLE WEAR A CROSS OF SOME KIND? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU SEE A CROSS? DO YOU THINK JESUS WOULD BE TALKED ABOUT MUCH IF HE HAD NEVER DIED ON THE CROSS? WHY OR WHY NOT? MAY I SHARE WITH YOU WHAT CHRIST'S CROSS MEANS TO ME?
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God's Story is brought to you by Youth for Christ. YFC works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.

Our writer, Byron Emmert, has been with YFC for over 30 years and has served as Campus Life Staff, in leadership for DCLA, and as an author and speaker. Byron is available for speaking at youth or adult events and conferences. For booking, write to byron@3Story.org.

Byron and his wife Linda live in Minnesota and their family includes two married sons and daughters-in-law, a grandaughter, and a daughter in college. He loves sports, deep dish pizza, and spending time with his family.