Tuesday, March 18, 2014
John 12:32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
THE CROSS: A MIGHTY MAGNET
Ancient battles were very different than battles fought today. Today we have radios and all sorts of other methods to relay information from one point to another. But the ancient soldier had few to choose from. One common method of directing troops was through the use of a "standard."
The earliest standards used by the Roman army were made by attaching a bundle of straw to the end of a spear. This was then lifted up where the soldiers could see it, even in the middle of a fierce battle. Each detachment of soldiers was led by a centurion. And each detachment had its own standard, and standard bearer.
Not only did the standard serve to identify where certain units of the army were, they also served as rallying points, and as signaling devices during the fight. A commander might say, "When you see the eagle standard lifted on the northern most hill, swarm to that point and take the line."
When Christ was lifted up onto the cross, he became a "standard" unlike any other. For when Christ was crucified, the hell he suffered on that cross didn't just rally forces to location on a battlefield. When Christ was lifted up, his crucifixion won the battle against sin and Satan.
And there's another thing about Christ's cross that make it greater than any other standard ever lifted. Roman soldiers were assigned different standards. They could see when THEIR standard was lifted, and they knew what to do about it. But the cross of Christ is meant to draw ALL PEOPLE to the salvation that he has provided, not just a select few.
That's the most remarkable thing about Christ being lifted up. When people see the true meaning of Christ's sacrifice, they can see that it was for THEM TOO. There isn't a single soul for whom Christ didn't die. This is why the cross is so powerful, such a mighty magnet.
