CHRISTMAS: THE VIEW FROM THE CROSS

The young boy glared at me as he slowly walked across the street and in front of the “go-ye-mobile” truck I use to carry and prominently display a 10-foot by 5-foot, 60-pound cross everywhere I go and for all to see. I didn’t understand his apparent agitation. I had stopped for him to cross over to the other side of the road and was driving under the residential speed limit.

As the young boy reached the other side of the street, he pointed a menacing finger at me and shouted out loud enough for all his friends to hear, “Hey mister! Did you steal that cross?!”

CHRIST’S CROSS IS GOD’S SPIRITUAL MAGNET

No, I didn’t steal that cross! I made it. And as I cross walk the streets of Bakersfield (a California valley city Jeanette and I have lived in for almost 30 years)—or the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and some 140 other California cities so far, as well as bringing that large cross to 39 states and state capitals and other major cities of America so far—the response to the cross of Jesus Christ is always the same no matter what city or state I bring it to. No matter whether the response is positive or negative ( and by far, the response is overwhelmingly positive), it is always the great attractor! For some reason, the large cross demands attention, demands attraction, demands notice, demands observation—and demands response. This greatest symbol of Christianity also demands thought, reflection, consideration, devotion and awe. There is simply something uniquely special about the cross of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps it’s because the Babe who was born in a wooden manger on Christmas day is truly whom the Bible and God’s holy prophets of old said He was—Isaiah 9:6’s  “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace—the great God and Savior Jesus Christ! And perhaps that’s the reason why the cross acts like a powerful spiritual magnet everywhere I walk, drawing and attracting men, women and children to the One who’s arms are open wide and hands outstretched with palms extended for all to see the “prints” of peace.

Jesus’ promise to everyone is, “If I am lifted up [on that cross] from the earth, I will draw all peoples to Me” (John 12:34, emphasis added).

SEVEN WORDS THAT WIN THE PEACE

Throughout the month of December and on Christmas Eve, I walk the cross up and down residential and business streets and in parks where the least, the last and the lost hang out when there is no other place to go.  Hoisting the 10-foot cross upright on street corners or in the middle of parks, I pray loud and hard for men, women and children to come to Jesus and personally experience the true meaning and miracle of Christmas.

And they come!

They run from their homes, their vehicles, their businesses, their moments of sorrow and their seasons of sadness. They reach for and tenderly touch the cross as their eyes fill with hot and heavy tears and as uncontrollable sobs or soft whimpers escape from the deepest and darkest recesses of their souls and the lowest and unclimbable valleys of their lives.

They take off their hats as a sign of respect for the cross. They bow down before the cross. They kiss the cross. They weep and they cry. And they stand in awe of God’s most wondrous sight and gift ever given to mankind. And more than any other spoken words, as both old and young approach the cross with tears in their eyes and heavy burdens and weights on their hearts, the seven most common words uttered from their troubled souls and trembling lips are:

“I needed to see the cross today!”

• The distraught mom whose son took the life of a rival gang member and who is on his way to prison for the rest of his life.

• The heavyhearted young woman who allowed her unborn baby to be aborted and who’s conscience is now racked with relentless guilt and sorrow.

• The restless addict who’s been clean for two weeks but feels the pressing urge to return to the streets.

• The desperate dad whose young daughter ran away in anger and is now nowhere to be found.

• The heartsick wife with two young children whose husband left her to start life over with another woman.

• The stunned husband who just lost his job and doesn’t know what to say to his wife and kids.

• The angry family whose youngest member was murdered and who now seek solace, peace and closure.

IMPRESSIONS IN THE SNOW AND IN THE HEART

The Christmas cross, just like the one I carry all year long, always leaves an identifying mark of peace and comfort in the winter snow or cold rain—and deep in the hearts and souls of hurting humanity as well.

That identifying mark is nothing less than the message of the cross—that there truly is a God who was born to die a very real yet specific death. A death that paid the humanly unpayable price for the collective sins of fallen man. A death that met its match on Christmas Day and Easter’s dawn! And a death that would have to declare:

“Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful One, Counselor, the mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace that will be no end. —Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas…Merry Messiahmas…to you!

(excerpted from THE CHRISTMAS CROSS, Street Evangelist Tom Alexander. For a free copy contact Tom at Tom@WalkTheCross.com).)