Playlist: Cross, Symbol of (topic)

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The Origin of the Christian Cross

Commentary by Martin G. Collins

The cross stands as the most significant and sacred symbol within mainstream Christianity, adorning Bibles, church signs, altars, and rooftops. Many church buildings are designed with floor plans shaped like the cross, and it is worn around devotees' necks on chains or kissed in times of distress. Globally, it ornaments the …

Syncretic Use of the Cross

Sermonette by Martin G. Collins

The cross, as a symbol, is widely recognized in the secular Western world as a good luck charm, often worn as jewelry or tattooed on bodies by various individuals, including those in mainstream Christianity. However, the use of the cross as a symbol raises questions about its appropriateness, given that it was the instrument of …

What Does it Mean to Take Up the Cross?

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Bearing our cross means our time on this earth is virtually finished, that we are willing to give up our lives, emulating the life of our Savior.

Matthew (Part Sixteen)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

In the context of following Christ, the symbol of the cross represents self-denial. It stands distinct from the general burdens of life that everyone faces or the personal afflictions that may affect individuals uniquely. The cross specifically applies to challenges and sacrifices that arise directly from being a Christian. As …

Defining Trials

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. Reid

Among the many aspects of our Christian calling, one of the most defining is the necessity to bear our cross, a symbol of the trials and challenges we must endure. As Jesus Christ instructed in Matthew 16:24, if anyone desires to follow Him, they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow His path. This cross …

Deuteronomy (Part 4) (1994)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The cross, as a symbol, carries profound significance in the journey of faith. It represents two essential aspects of the Christian walk. On one hand, it stands as the instrument of death on which Jesus was impaled due to mankind's sin, reminding us that sin is a constant presence we must bear under. On the other hand, it …

Habakkuk: A Prophet of Faith (Part Three)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

In ancient times, in Central America, the cross-beamed cross was called Tota, meaning Our Father, reflecting a practice of addressing a piece of wood with a title of reverence. This mirrors the idolatry condemned in Jeremiah 2, where God's people, in mixing pagan worship with their religion, spoke to a tree, saying, 'You are my …

Deceptions of the Last Hour!