“God is dead.”
No, I am not referring to the thoughts of the 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Rather I am looking at the situation that the first Christians faced after the death of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross.
What did the situation look like? Jesus was tortured and killed. Judas, one of the twelve apostles, had betrayed him and then hanged himself. Peter, another of the twelve and the supposed leader, denied him three times. All of the other apostles, except for the young John, fled and were nowhere to be found. Only his Mother and a few other faithful followers remained by Jesus’ side until the end.
The situation must have seemed tragic, even without any hope. For a follower of Jesus it must have appeared worse than any economic collapse or any prolonged war. It must have seemed like the end, the bitter end.
“What do we do now?” was probably the whispered phrase that circulated among those who were still around.
Today as Christians we focus on the cross: a piece of wood that was an instrument of execution. People wear it now around the neck as jewelry. Sometimes it hangs on the walls of our homes. Occasionally we make this sign when we pray.
What, in fact, does it really mean to us?
The cross for Christians was and is the means of salvation. It gives us eternal life. It is a sign of hope. We may not realize its absolute meaning if it remains just an ornament or a trinket.
We are told by Jesus to pick up our cross and to follow Him each day (cf. Lk. 9:23). The cross has to be a part of our lives. Who really wants to face this kind of reality or even its ultimate consequence: death?
Yet, Christians are tied to the cross of Jesus.
Are we willing to accept this challenge . . . or is God really dead for us?
True followers of Christ through the centuries held on to the belief that the cross was not the end. They continued to believe.
As Christians today, do we continue to believe?
Lord Jesus Crucified, Have Mercy on Us.
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