Cruciform

This handled cross was also sacred to the Babylonians, and occurs repeatedly on their cylinders, bricks, and gems.

In ancient Scandinavian mythology, the great warrior god Thor was always closely associated with a cruciform hammer, this being the instrument with which he killed the great Midgard serpent, with which he destroyed the giants, and performed other acts of heroism.

Cruciform hammers with a hole at the intersection of the arms for the insertion of the haft have been discovered in Denmark, and were used in consecrating victims at Thor's altars.

The cross or hammer of Thor is still used in Iceland as a magical sign in connection with wind and rain, just as the corresponding sign of the cross is now used among the German peasantry to dispel a thunderstorm, both being expressions of the same idea that the cross is sacred to the god of thunder.

As Christians blessed the full goblet with the sign of the cross, so the ancient Vikings made the sign of the hammer over theirs, and the signs were identical.

So the way in which we love each other is not, well, how do I think I should love you? How do we think we should love one another? It's how Christ has loved us, and we now love that way.

It's a cruciform love.

What is that love? Cruciform love? It's basically just another way of saying agape, but I use that one a lot, so I decided to use this one.

Ready? Cruciform love is the self-sacrificial humble and redemptive love demonstrated by Jesus on the cross and reproduced in the lives of his followers through the Holy Spirit.

He says, what did he say earlier? You've now been given the Spirit and what is the Spirit doing? What is ultimately the Holy Spirit doing? Reshaping you and reshaping your love.

So many people think that's really important that we remain malleable.

That's part of what we're going to be looking at today.

Cruciform, agape, kingdom mindset.

The kingdom mindset is the same mindset in Christ.

It's also absurd humility.

Pastor, are you saying that if I want to become like Jesus, my life will become miserable? No.

No, no, no. Cruciform doesn't mean powerless or defeated or miserable Christianity.

Absolutely not.

Remember, Jesus isn't just a crucified Savior.

No.

Same thing.

Cruciformity doesn't mean suffering in and of itself is holy.

God doesn't want Christians like you and I walking around looking for opportunity to suffer more.

My hope is not in Israel.

My hope is in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who is still conquering and to conquer, and is giving us a cruciform victory.

Cruciform, literally cross-shaped victory.

Victory through humility, power through humility.

Authority because we've put someone in the center besides ourselves.