Monday Morning Message: The Monday Message 8/26/13 The Original Sign of the cross

Have you ever faced a decisive moment and crossed your fingers? What did you mean when you did it?

*We've seen it on countless occasions: a team in the final minutes of a game is down to one final shot that will determine the victory, many supporters in the crowd cross their fingers.

*A person who is hoping to receive good news in an upcoming announcement secretly crosses his fingers. A crossed finger in these instances is a form of body language that expresses hope and faith.

When a person is being deceptive or is trying to disguise their feelings, they often crosses their fingers, but it is usually done behind their back. It indicates that the words being spoken are not really a true expression of how one feels; they are a lie. Crossed fingers give insight into depth of our desires and emotions.

Nearly everyone has experienced an occasion in which they have crossed their fingers. Most however, did not know that the crossed finger first originated with Christians. When it was first used, it had nothing at all to do with luck. It was a secret code. In the early days of the Church it was dangerous to be a Christian. Our faith was unpopular and illegal. Many who believed were tortured and fed to lions for sport. There were times when Christians were hated so badly that even a casual association with followers of the cross could mean death. When those who were Christians, met another Christian they would use "body language" or crossed fingers to indicate that they too were believers. If someone approached that they were unsure about, they would quickly hide their crossed fingers behind their back to disguise their identity.

Crossed fingers represented the Cross of Christ. It indicated that a situation had been placed in the hands of God. It suggested that the believer was hoping and praying for victory in Christ. The blessing associated with crossed fingers for many was, "May Christ be victorious in my hour of need!"

That's significant, especially in light of the words of the text from Psalm 23. We read the words "though I walk through, the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” There are two words that leap from this passage "though" and "through." The only difference between the two words is the letter "r". In American Sign Language, the letter "r" is made by crossing the middle finger over the index finger. It's the sign of the cross.

The difference between our "though" situations and our "through" situations is the "r", the presence of Christ victorious in our hour of need. Without the cross, there is no "through" only a “though”.

Though we may walk in the darkness of the moment, our hope is that Christ is victorious in our hour of need so we walk through the dark moment fearing nothing, our hope and trust has been placed in God's hand.

As Christians, we may not cross our fingers as much as the early believers, but we do maintain hope and faith that in any given situation, Christ will be the victor. We don't hide that hope or faith behind our backs, but only declare to the world, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."

Today, keep you your hopes up, God will help you claim the victory! And remember, No cross + No crown

Stay the course and embrace your cross!

1Cr 1:18

For ¹⁰⁶³ the preaching ³⁰⁵⁶ of the cross ⁴⁷¹⁶ is ²⁰⁷⁶ to them ³³⁰³that perish ⁶²² foolishness ³⁴⁷²; but ¹¹⁶¹ unto us ²²⁵⁴ which are saved ⁴⁹⁸² it is ²⁰⁷⁶ the power ¹⁴¹¹ of God ²³¹⁶.

Hbr 12:2

Looking ⁸⁷² unto ¹⁵¹⁹ Jesus ²⁴²⁴ the author ⁷⁴⁷ and ²⁵³² finisher⁵⁰⁵¹ of [our] faith ⁴¹⁰²; who ³⁷³⁹ for ⁴⁷³ the joy ⁵⁴⁷⁹ that was set before ⁴²⁹⁵ him ⁸⁴⁶ endured ⁵²⁷⁸ the cross ⁴⁷¹⁶, despising ²⁷⁰⁶ theshame ¹⁵², and ⁵⁰³⁷ is set down ²⁵²³ at ¹⁷²² the right hand ¹¹⁸⁸ ofthe throne ²³⁶² of God ²³¹⁶.

Mar 8:34

And ²⁵³² when he had called ⁴³⁴¹ the people ³⁷⁹³ [unto him] with⁴⁸⁶² his ⁸⁴⁶ disciples ³¹⁰¹ also, he said ²⁰³⁶ unto them ⁸⁴⁶, Whosoever ³⁷⁴⁸ will ²³⁰⁹ come ²⁰⁶⁴ after ³⁶⁹⁴ me ³⁴⁵⁰, let him deny⁵³³ himself ¹⁴³⁸, and ²⁵³² take up ¹⁴² his ⁸⁴⁶ cross ⁴⁷¹⁶, and ²⁵³²follow ¹⁹⁰ me ³⁴²⁷.

Col 2:14

Blotting out ¹⁸¹³ the handwriting ⁵⁴⁹⁸ of ordinances ¹³⁷⁸ that was against ²⁵⁹⁶ us ²²⁵⁷, which ³⁷³⁹ was ²²⁵⁸ contrary ⁵²²⁷ to us ²²⁵⁴, and ²⁵³² took ¹⁴² it ⁸⁴⁶ out of ¹⁵³⁷ the way ³³¹⁹, nailing ⁴³³⁸ it ⁸⁴⁶ to his cross ⁴⁷¹⁶;