Paper Cross
Here a pretty neat story I was told by some friends. Hope I do it justice in retelling it here, and sharing it with you.
Not so long a go a Preacher came to town where Jesus had all but been forgotten. The was a church. But it was more of a symbol to the people, than a place of learning and worship. So the Preacher got a wooden crate and stepped up on it and began to preach of Jesus Christ and the meaning of his coming. Now the mayor in this town didn’t believe in Christ, and thought the town would be better of without this belief . So he came to the Preacher and told him that he couldn’t teach of Christ in this town, for it was against the law to talk of the Lord on any other day then Sunday. The Preacher was greatly saddened by this news. And tried to convinced the Mayor to let him stay and teach. But the Mayor stuck with his decision, and threatened to put the Preacher in jail if he did not leave town. The crowd that had gathered to listen was divided. But the majority wanted to hear what the Preacher had to say. So above the crowds noise, the Mayor stopped the Preacher as he was leaving and gave him this challenge. He would let the Preacher stay and teach the people if he could make a cross from a sheet of paper. The Preacher could only fold it four times and tear it once. The Preacher excepted the challenge and thought for a moment then folded the sheet of paper four times and tore it down the middle. The crowd became very silent as he unfolded the pieces of paper. The first few pieces weren’t the cross and the Mayor began to mock the Preacher, for he felt that he had not made the required cross. The people watching also began to ridicule the Preacher. Then he held the last piece and carefully unfolded it.....
There was the Cross
The Mayor and gathering were greatly surprised by the out come. But, the Mayor had to let the Preacher speak to the people. Stepping back upon to the wooden crate, the Preacher thought, for a moment hung his head in silent prayer, then began to speak, using the pieces of paper to form words....
Long ago in the land of Israel a very special baby was born. This baby was taught of God. And when he was grown he traveled about the countryside teaching the people of God’s ways. And as he traveled he did many miracles. He cause the lame to walk and the blind to see. The deaf could hear once more. Now there were people in this land who were jealous of the miracles that He did and didn’t want to change from their old ways for a better way of life. So this men took the Man of God and the put him on a cross and he died. But all was not lost by this man’s death, for he had come for a greater purpose that to just teach the people and to do miracles. On the third day after his death he rose again, and this is the purpose for which he came....
He came to earth because he of his LOVE for us.
He came to save us from our sins and from HELL.
He gave his life for us that we might LIVE again as he does.
Then the Preacher closed with this scripture:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved.
St. John 3: 16-17