Shepherd's Heart 4/3/25
“The cross of Christ is the wood between the worlds.
There is the world that was, and the world to come,
And in between those 2 worlds,
Is the wood upon which the Son of God was hung.”
-Brian Zahnd
As we continue our Lenten journey, I keep coming back to this remarkable poetic expression of the theology of the cross. It’s easy and perhaps much more comfortable to always be looking ahead to the glory and power of the resurrected Jesus, but the season of Lent calls us to sit in the truth and reality of God’s nature and actions through the lens of Christ’s agonizing sacrifice for us on the cross. As is often said, there can be no resurrection without first the cross.
Time and again, Jesus was faced with the temptation to bypass the cross and claim the 'glory' of His Kingship. After revealing to His disciples that His messianic mission would involve His betrayal and crucifixion, Simon Peter urges Him to avoid this fate. Yet, Jesus had already been tempted with the same offer when Satan promised Him all the kingdoms of the world if He would only bow and worship. Both times, Jesus rebukes the temptation, saying, "Get behind me, Satan." And in the Garden of Gethsemane, He again surrendered to His path toward the cross.
Recently, I had the opportunity to explore this idea more deeply with the worship band during our devotional time before our weekly rehearsal. This shared time is always a gift, as we listen to one another’s perspectives and grow together. As we reflected on the theology of the cross, we came across Jesus’ words in Mark 8:34: “If anyone would come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” It’s easy for us in our current context to equate the cross with Jesus. We know the continued story of the crucifixion and resurrection, but at the time He said that people would have been quite taken aback. In the Roman Empire, the cross was a sign of humiliation, pain, torture, and death. Why would Jesus speak in such a way that would constitute a call to metaphoric and literal martyrdom? Author Brian Zahnd puts it this way, ‘The spectacle that embodies the kingdom of heaven will not be the military parades typical of the imperial Roman triumphs, but the condemned Christ carrying this cross to Golgotha.’ This is who we’re invited to follow. This is who leads us deeper into reliance, trust, and faith in God during these Lenten season moments.
On March 12, we hosted a Taizé-style Prayer & Worship service, which provided a powerful moment of reflection and introspection into the heart of Lent. In prayer, silence, scripture readings in both English and Tamil, and music, we entered into a sacred time of communion. Our Traditional Worship Director, Craig Parsons, created beautiful original musical pieces that guided us in this intimate worship. In those moments, I felt the tender presence of Jesus, gently inviting me deeper into the journey of self-denial and cross-bearing.
As we continue through Lent, we invite you to join us on this journey. Spend time with your neighbors, serve your community, go on prayer walks around your neighborhood, and join us for our next Prayer & Worship service on Wednesday, April 9 at 6:30 pm.
Don’t rush toward the celebration of Easter just yet. Let the sacrificial love of Jesus, embodied in the cross, remind you of how deeply you are seen and loved.
Ryan Hammer
Creative Arts Executive Minister
There is the world that was, and the world to come,
And in between those 2 worlds,
Is the wood upon which the Son of God was hung.”
-Brian Zahnd
As we continue our Lenten journey, I keep coming back to this remarkable poetic expression of the theology of the cross. It’s easy and perhaps much more comfortable to always be looking ahead to the glory and power of the resurrected Jesus, but the season of Lent calls us to sit in the truth and reality of God’s nature and actions through the lens of Christ’s agonizing sacrifice for us on the cross. As is often said, there can be no resurrection without first the cross.
Time and again, Jesus was faced with the temptation to bypass the cross and claim the 'glory' of His Kingship. After revealing to His disciples that His messianic mission would involve His betrayal and crucifixion, Simon Peter urges Him to avoid this fate. Yet, Jesus had already been tempted with the same offer when Satan promised Him all the kingdoms of the world if He would only bow and worship. Both times, Jesus rebukes the temptation, saying, "Get behind me, Satan." And in the Garden of Gethsemane, He again surrendered to His path toward the cross.
Recently, I had the opportunity to explore this idea more deeply with the worship band during our devotional time before our weekly rehearsal. This shared time is always a gift, as we listen to one another’s perspectives and grow together. As we reflected on the theology of the cross, we came across Jesus’ words in Mark 8:34: “If anyone would come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” It’s easy for us in our current context to equate the cross with Jesus. We know the continued story of the crucifixion and resurrection, but at the time He said that people would have been quite taken aback. In the Roman Empire, the cross was a sign of humiliation, pain, torture, and death. Why would Jesus speak in such a way that would constitute a call to metaphoric and literal martyrdom? Author Brian Zahnd puts it this way, ‘The spectacle that embodies the kingdom of heaven will not be the military parades typical of the imperial Roman triumphs, but the condemned Christ carrying this cross to Golgotha.’ This is who we’re invited to follow. This is who leads us deeper into reliance, trust, and faith in God during these Lenten season moments.
On March 12, we hosted a Taizé-style Prayer & Worship service, which provided a powerful moment of reflection and introspection into the heart of Lent. In prayer, silence, scripture readings in both English and Tamil, and music, we entered into a sacred time of communion. Our Traditional Worship Director, Craig Parsons, created beautiful original musical pieces that guided us in this intimate worship. In those moments, I felt the tender presence of Jesus, gently inviting me deeper into the journey of self-denial and cross-bearing.
As we continue through Lent, we invite you to join us on this journey. Spend time with your neighbors, serve your community, go on prayer walks around your neighborhood, and join us for our next Prayer & Worship service on Wednesday, April 9 at 6:30 pm.
Don’t rush toward the celebration of Easter just yet. Let the sacrificial love of Jesus, embodied in the cross, remind you of how deeply you are seen and loved.
Ryan Hammer
Creative Arts Executive Minister
Posted in Shepherds Heart