Imagine for a moment you are at the theater. The play is one that is familiar full of passion and intrigue, a story of love and betrayal. The lights have been dimmed, the actors are standing on their marks, the orchestra begins to play as the curtain is raised...
The main character is seated on a colt and begins his descent along a long and winding road. In the background stands a dark figure, undefined yet familiar. There are several people gathered around this man, something about him is different.
As he draws closer, people begin to gather...they are waving palm branches and throwing their coats on the ground before him. The dark shadow grows larger, its shape becoming clearer. The people begin to cheer and shout, the orchestra swells, you can feel the excitement in the air!
"Hosanna to the Son of David!"The shadow of the Cross is now prominent in the background, casting its cloud of darkness upon the man.
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"
All throughout Jesus life and ministry the cross, the shadow of the cross, looms in the distance. It was for a very specific purpose that Jesus came into the world, to become the final sacrifice, to pay for our sins. Often times at Christmas we see symbols of a cross or a nail along with the baby in the manger, a foreshadowing of what is to come. But, always in the forethought of our celebration is the shadow of the cross. It was for this purpose that Jesus came!
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