THE NAILS OF THE CROSS

“All of us carry the nails of the cross in our pocket,” wrote Martin Luther.

How easily we crucify Him!

• By subtly moving Him to the periphery of our conversation when it is embarrassing

to be identified with Christ.

• By compromising His principles in business when it is to our advantage to hedge the

truth.

• By smugly taking credit for accomplishments that would have been impossible

without His help.

While enjoying a warm and secure evening with Christ and the other disciples the night

before the Cross, Peter declares, “Lord, I will lay down my life for you.”u In a matter of hours

however, Peter distances himself from any association with Christ: Personal survival win-

ning over telling and identifying with the Truth.

It is easy to promise Christ the moon when we are among His friends. The true test comes

amidst times of guerrilla warfare in hostile enemy territory.

We would never physically crucify Christ. Of course. But how often do we subtly abandon Him

when identifying with Him would jeopardize our peace, prosperity, or social standing?

Yes… we, like Peter, “carry the nails of the cross in our pocket.”

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in

heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

(Matthew 10:32-33)