Icons of the Christ - Part 1

Icons have become a common presence in our lives today.  The Nike 'Swoosh' and  Apple's 'Apple' are just 2 of the countless icons that we quickly recognize as representing the Identity of the Company behind their products. There are also several icons that Christians recognize as representing  the identity of Christ and His work in the world.  The most powerful icon for Christians, and probably the most recognized in the world, is the Cross.  Today being Good Friday, millions of people around the world are focused on Christ's death on the Cross.  And rightly so, because the point of Christ's presence on earth was to die on the Cross.  William Holman Hunt, the nineteenth-century artist, painted The Shadow of Death.  The picture portrays Christ as a young carpenter inside the doorway of the carpenter's shop.  He stands early in the morning stretching his arms out as the morning sun casts his shadow on the wall behind him.  His mother sees the shadow on the wall as a Cross; it was his destiny.

Paul, as he shared the gospel around the world focused on the Cross.  He wrote to the Church in Corinth, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2).  The good news of the Gospel is that it was on the Cross where Jesus defeated Satan.  Often we want to wait till Easter, where our focus is on the Empty Tomb (an icon we'll discuss in a later post) to think about the victory.  We often think even that the victory was won when Jesus stepped out of the tomb alive.  Yet scripture is clear that the victory wasn't won in the tomb, it was won on the cross.  The Hebrew writer makes that clear in 2:14, Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.  It was on the Cross where Satan thought he was going to win, but in reality, when Jesus breathed his last Satan's head was crushed! (Gen. 3:15)

But it wasn't just about winning against Satan. It was about God showing his limitless love for humanity.  In spite of our rebellion and rejection of Him, God would not, like Pilate, wash His hands of us.  The Cross is the ultimate expression of a love that would go to whatever length necessary to win our hearts. 

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

Next time you see the Cross, God doesn't want you to focus on the gruesome details of Jesus execution, what God wants you to see is a love that would go to any lengths for you.  That's what this Icon represents.