“Then he said to them all, ‘If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.‘” (Luke 9:23 NRSV)

The closing service for the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches took place beneath the stars of Zimbawe, under the gaze of the Southern Cross that dominates the sky over Harare. The service focussed on the cross. The climax of the service was to be the exchange of crosses, one denomination exchanging with another.

As we prepared to go forward to make the exchange, the Metropolitan of the Armenian Church, H.E. Archbishop Aghan Baliozian of the Armenian Apostolic Church, said, “Ken, we’ve become friends during this Assembly and I want you to remember this night” and he gave me a personal gift of a cross, a glittering gold and close to 25 or 30 centimeters in height cross in a stylized Armenian arrangement.  Now, where on earth could a small town Presbyterian minister wear such a cross? It has been a cherished possession for nearly 30 years though the occasions I have worn it have been few and far between.

The gift of a cross…here’s a timely reminder; Good Friday is good because on that day we were given the gift of the cross.

I received that cross so many years ago as a symbol of friendship. It will always be something more, something greater, a symbol of a greater friendship with the one who first bore that cross and gave it as a gift to us. Jesus’ friendship is a gift to us. He told us: “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends…” (John 15:15 NRSV)

The cross is a heavenly gift, expressive of  Jesus’ love, a love willing to lay down life, a love that embraces the offering of salvation, eternal life, and reconciliation with God. It symbolizes faith, devotion, and the hope of victory over all that separates us from God. That a gift it is for us today as we receive the gift of the cross once again on this day called “Good.” For some such a ft may be no more than a sign of friendship with another. “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NRSV).

Prayer:

“You came from heaven to earth to show the way
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky
Lord I lift Your name on high.” (Written by Rick Founds)

Kenn Stright