The Three Crosses
Lent season can be a great opportunity to share our Christian faith and belief with our unbelieving friends and neighbors. The reason I say this is because during Lent with the beginning of Ash Wednesday, and through the 40 days of Lent with the emphasis on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, our unbelieving friends and neighbors oftentimes have questions. For example, they will ask questions like “So what does it mean when you get a cross put on your forehead?” or another question I sometimes hear unbelievers asking is “Why three crosses?”. These are good questions to respond to and can lead someone to a better understanding of Christ’s plan for salvation for all humanity, from the least to the greatest.
I think one of the reasons that the unbelieving world is confused at times about what the Cross of Christ is really about can be contributed to the commercialization of the cross. Maybe we bring a friend to church during Lent and they see the cross and say how beautiful it looks without understanding the depth of its true meaning and significance that points to spiritual life or death. Some Churches display the cross during Lent with a velvet cloth and candles for all to see beauty and uniformity. And of course, I am not criticizing that if it’s understood in the right perspective of what the cross stands for. In reality, the cross that Christ hung from was on a garbage heap outside the city wall, between two thieves, with a dice game in progress, amid the foul language of evil men who were spiritually blind.
Among those spiritually blind men there was a centurion who was obviously an unbeliever but kept his eyes and ears opened as he observed Christ’s death. The centurion began his day by watching men hung from a cross as men who are condemned to die because they are criminals. The centurion could see that there was something different from Jesus than the other criminals. For example, he could see that Jesus was not angry, that Jesus refused the opiates offered to him to numb the pain, and that Jesus did not reply in response to the bitter horrible words put to him by his religious enemies.The centurion listen to the prayers of Jesus, saw the earthquake, and the darkened sky. When the centurion put all the facts together he had to modify his judgment by saying ” Truly this man was the Son of God!”.As for the criminals on each side of Jesus, I’ll refer to the book of Luke 23:32-33 and 23:39-43.Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the skull, there They crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. (Luke 23:32-33)
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)
The three crosses have been the symbol of free choice and the central theology for someone to be saved for over 2,000 years. God has given man a free will to choose where he will spend eternity. From the message I have today we see a centurion who keeps an open mind to weigh evidence. We also see two thieves, one on the left and one on the right of Jesus. For One thief, even with the evidence right before him, is blinded by his bitterness and condemns Christ instead of receiving him. For the other thief, he sees the evidence before him, as did the centurion, and he communicates his decision to Jesus and Jesus promises him eternal life from that very moment into eternity with Him.
Today, in our present age, we have more evidence than the centurion had pointing to salvation through Christ alone. We have the facts: the resurrection, the early church, the New Testament, and over 2000 years of Christian history and countless illustrations of lives that have been transformed by the power of God through Christ. Christ is God’s Son, whether we recognize it or not, but He is our Lord and Savior only by our own act of will!
Pastor John
Bible Memory Verse Plan
Week 1 – Psalm 107:8 “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”- Psalm 107:8, KJV
Week 2 – Psalm 107:9 “For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” – Psalm 107:9, NIV
Week 3 – Galatians 6:7 “ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6:7, NIV
Week 4 – Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” – Psalm 23:1, ESV
V V V V V V V V V V V V
Singing in Church
Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sang the songs of Satan. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound. —John Wesley
“Faith does not struggle; faith lets God do it all.” —Corrie ten Boom
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday School – 8:30 AM in the Community Building
Choir Practice Every Thursday at 1pm
You may reach Pastor John at #607-651-4760 or at his.ship@gmail.com
Saturday, April 5th – 9am – Cleanup Day at Church
Tuesday, April 8th – Ladies Easter Tea –at the Montrose Bible Conference 11am to 1pm. Sign up sheet in the Narthex.
Thursday, April 10th – Presbyterian Women meeting – 11am
Saturday, April 12th – The church will hold a Breakfast with the Easter Bunny for area children (and parents)at 10:00 am at the Community Building, with games and an Easter treat bag for each of the children. There is a basket in the Narthex if anyone would like to donate a monetary gift, or please see Vickie Franchak.
Sunday, April 13th – Palm Sunday
Wednesday, April 16th –Men’s Breakfast – Cancelled For April
Sunday, April 20th – Easter Easter sunrise service at 6:00 a.m. at the South end of the parking lot as you enter the front entrance of EMHS – the Montrose hospital. (the end of the parking lot closest to 706) Breakfast following at the Community Building and Worship Service at 9:30am
Our correspondence from Kenya this month starts with abundant gratitude from Julia, Rev. Mahalo’s wife. She is grateful for the funds that we sent to them. They used it for food and supplies for the school. And some for medication for their other daughter. Silvanus has been focused on getting his VISA to travel to Penna. this summer. His target time frame is 10- 14 days during the period July16 – August 15. We will be looking for a family, or three, to host Silvanus and/or his daughter, Patricia,sometime during this period. This is a great opportunity to learn about another culture, from right here at home. If you may be interested, contact me. By Jim Kessler
Don’t forget our card ministry - If you would like a card sent to a particular person to give them a lift or let them know they are missed or offer encouragement, etc. etc., just give the name and address to Cathe. Cards, envelopes and postage will be provided and placed on a table in the Community Building the first Sunday of each month. As we file past the table on our way to the coffee pot, we will be able to sign each of the cards and Cathe will address the envelopes and mail them.
NOTE: Our website is: www.franklinhillpresbyterian.org where you can access online messages, event calendar, our church newsletter, mission, etc. Check it out when you can! Church E-Mail: fhpc400@att.net Also check our Facebook Page! Phone #570-967-2075