Communion Message
(The ugly, beautiful cross)
May 20-21, 2000
Pastor Ralph Huddleston

Everything in our worship service, the lyrics, the praise, the worship, leads us to the cross. The same was true on that night of what we remember as the Last Supper. God's Word says that when the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired him to eat this Passover with you before I suffered; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." And then later in the meal He took the bread, He gave thanks, and broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Likewise He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." And the apostles didn't realize it, but that was focusing to the cross. Everything that would happen to them after that, everything that has happened to us, happened because of the cross.

George Bernard testified to this when he wrote this very familiar song: I love that old rugged cross. It has a wondrous attraction for me. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true this. I will cherish the old rugged cross. Strange words, a strange description, a strange way to speak of an instrument of execution. It brings a lot to our minds. How about if we took words from this day and age and put them to that song? Try this: I love that old firing squad. The gallows has a wondrous attraction for me. To the gas chamber I will ever be true. I'll cherish the electric chair. In an era when the cross has become often times just a decorative object, or even worse yet - a lucky charm, we need to refocus. We need to be reminded that it was originally ugly and monstrous. It became a thing of beauty only because 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died to pardon and sanctify me. Only through that was it made beautiful.

As we prepare to share in these emblems that point us to the old rugged cross, let us see the cross as it was, a cruel, a shameful, a brutal instrument of torture, but also, we need to reflect on how Jesus has transformed it into a symbol of love, and Mercy, and for us, hope. Without what that cross stands for there would be no hope. We would still be chained to our lives and what they used to be. Amen? As we gather together on our knees, as we spend a few moments in quiet time just reflecting on our lives and the need to be forgiven, make the cross, the old rugged cross, your focus; both its ugliness and the monstrosity of it, but the beauty of it, made beautiful by Christ Jesus.

Would you bow with me? Father, as we hold these emblems, as we try to look into our hearts, into our souls, help us to search out that sin and bring it to the surface that we might repent, that we may ask for Your forgiveness and be granted through Your Son, Jesus Christ and His action on the cross. That the bread that we hold would remind us of His broken body, the pain that He went through, the torture. That His spilled blood would still be the blood that would pour over us and wash us clean. Father may we never lose that focus. Let's partake of the bread. And then the cup. Father hold that cross out in front of us where we can see it clearly in our mind's eye, every rough part, every stained part, every sliver, every square inch of it, bring to our minds what it reflects, what it stands for, that we may never ever forget both the ugliness of it and the beauty of it. Thank you heavenly Father. Thank you heavenly Father, in Your Son's precious and obedient name we pray. Amen. Amen. Would you stand with me and take a moment to greet those to your left and to your right, in front of you and behind you, and let them know that you're glad to see them today.