Why A Cross?

Some years ago the motion picture industry did a great service to the cause of Christianity with its epic production of Lew Wallace's Ben Hur. The crucifixion scene in that film is unforgettable, and recreates a truer picture of our Lord's death than almost any other dramatic production I have ever seen. Looking at that movie, you can feel the injustice, the callousness, and the sheer brutality of Calvary. Executioners pound home huge spikes into quivering hands and feet. Rivulets of blood trickle down the side of the cross. On the faces of Jesus' disciples is a look of incredible bewilderment as they wrestle with the question of how God's Messiah could be put to death like a common criminal. The film is a forceful reminder that the cross is more than a decorative symbol we w…