Pastor Tom Crandall

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:31-35).What do you see when you look at the cross? You have the God you see there. If you see a God angry with sin, full of wrath for sinners, you have that God. It is indeed sin that put Jesus on that cross. But, on the other hand, if you see a God who loves you so much that he went to that cross, embraced it, climbed up on it and held himself there in order to keep hold of you, you have that God. You have a God of love. I’ve noticed that the crucifix is an interesting thing in modern American Christianity. American Christians love the baby Jesus in the manger, but they sometimes don’t like Jesus on the cross. I’ve even heard some argue that an empty cross is better than a crucifix, because Jesus rose. Using that logic, though, an empty manger would be better, too. If you want something empty, the tomb is the way to go. The point of the manger is that Jesus was in it. The point of the cross is that Jesus was on it. He loved us enough that he died and on that third day arose Again. That's why we love people to the cross not away from it

Pastor Tom Crandall