Many people think of the crusades when they think of the cross. And the crusades were something that happened in history where the Roman Catholic church used the cross as a symbol to fight a war against the muslims. But this is not a teaching from Jesus Christ. Jesus never said to go and fight a war against anyone. Even when Jesus was going to be arrested he told his followers not to pick up a sword against the Romans.
Listen to what Jesus said about fighting in wars:
““Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” – Matthew 26:52-53.
“Markaasaa Ciise ku yidhi, Seeftaada meesheedii ku celi, waayo, kuwa seefo qaada oo dhammu seef bay ku halligmi doonaan. Ma waxaad u malaynaysaa inaanan Aabbahay baryi karin oo uusan haddeer ii soo diri karin malaa’igo laba iyo toban guuto ka badan?” – Matayos 26:52:53.
Jesus told his followers to put away their swords. Jesus didn’t want His followers to pick up swords and fight against others. Jesus wanted peace and still wants His followers to win the hearts of other people with love – and peace – and forgiveness. Jesus said that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. The way of war with swords and guns is not the way that Jesus wants His followers to follow.
The way of the cross is peace. We are to live in peace with all people as long as it is within our power to do so. We are to trust in God and forgive others if they harm us – we are not to pick up swords, or guns, or clubs to take out our revenge upon them or try to hurt them. We are servants of the Lord and we are to bless everyone who comes across our path – and we are to go out like the good shepherd and find those sheep who are lost and to bring them back home.
We are to preach the gospel to them so that they will turn to God in their hearts. And when they accept the word that we are preaching God will bring them home to Him. God will become their home and place of refuge and rest.
The Bible says:
“God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” – Psalm 46:1-3.
“Ilaah waa magangalkeenna iyo xooggeenna,
Oo waa caawimaad inoo diyaar ah wakhtiga dhibaatada.
Sidaas daraaddeed cabsan mayno in kastoo dhulku beddelmo,
Iyo in kastoo buurahu badda uurkeeda ku dhex dhaqaaqaan,
Iyo in kastoo biyaheedu guuxaan oo qasmaan,
Iyo in kastoo ay buurahu kibirkooda la ruxruxmaan.” – Sabuurradi 46:1-3.
If you accept Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior then you will have peace. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. He allowed the people to nail Him to the cross because Jesus knew that if he died on the cross He would be able to forgive people of their sins and that when people’s sins were forgiven they would have peace in their hearts because they would know that their Father in heaven was pleased with them.
The cross is not a symbol of war: the cross is a symbol of peace.
A few years ago in the country of North Korea there lived a man who loved and followed Jesus Christ. North Korea is a communist country and they do not allow people to live as Christians. If the Christians are found out they are put in prison, tortured and killed.
This man’s name was Kik and Kik escaped from North Korea and went to China. When Kik was in China he found a church with a cross on top of it and went in. He became a Christian. After Kik became a Christian he decided he would go back to North Korea and deliver Bibles to the people who were there.
This was a dangerous mission because Bibles are illegal in North Korea. Kik and his friend took some Bibles and crossed a river back into North Korea – but they were caught. The police found the Bibles and immediately killed Kik’s friend. But Kik remained alive. Kik was able to escape with the Lord’s help and stayed in North Korea and started to tell others about Jesus Christ and teach them about the Bible.
Kik went back to China to get more Bibles and always kept the symbol of the cross before him because he knew that the cross was a symbol of peace.
In Somalia there was a man and Omar Khalafe. He was a Christian and decided to stay in Somalia to serve his brothers and sisters in Christ and to deliver Bibles to them when he could find them.
One morning Omar left Mogadishu carrying some Bibles which he was going to deliver to the town of Merca. He was travelling by bus. The bus has to stop at a check point that was operated by Al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group that does not allow Christians to exist – when Al-Shabaab finds Christians in Somalia they kill them.
On this one day they stopped the bus and checked people’s bags to see what they had inside. They found the Bibles that were in Khalafe’s bag. Unfortunately Khalafe had a photo in the bag with him and a group of missionaries. The Al-Shabaab gunmen found the photos and were able to see that it was Omar Khalafe who was the Christian and who was carrying the Bibles. They took him to the side of the road and they shot him.
Jesus said:
“Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
“Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.
“Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. When you enter the home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.
“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” – Matthew 10:10-33.
“Dahab ama lacag ama naxaas kiishadihiinna ha ku haysanina, qandina jidka ha u qaadanina, ama laba khamiis, ama kabo, ama ul, waayo, shaqaaluhu cuntadiisa ayuu istaahilaa. Magaalo alla magaaladaad gashaan iyo tuuloba, ka doona mid istaahila, oo halkaas jooga ilaa aad ka tegaysaan. Goortaad guriga gelaysaan, nabdaadiya, oo hadduu gurigu istaahilo, nabaddiinnu ha ku soo degto, laakiin haddaanu istaahilin, nabaddiinnu ha idinku soo noqoto. Oo ku alla kii aan idin soo dhowayn, oo aan hadalladiinna maqlin, goortaad gurigaas ama magaaladaas ka baxaysaan, siigada cagihiinna ka dhabaandhaba. Runtii waxaan idinku leeyahay, Maalinta xisaabta, Sodom iyo Gomora waa ka xisaab fududaan doonaan magaaladaas.
Waxaan idiin dirayaa sidii ido yeey ku dhex jira, sidaa darteed caqli u lahaada sida abeesooyin, oo u sir la’aada sida qoolleyo. Laakiin dad iska jira, waayo, waxay idiin dhiibi doonaan shirar, oo sunagogyadooda ayay idinku karbaashi doonaan. Oo waxaa aawaday laydiin hor geeyn doonaa taliyayaal iyo boqorro inay marag ku noqoto iyaga iyo dadka aan Yuhuudda ahayn. Laakiin goortay idin gacangeliyaan, ha ka welwelina sidaad u hadli doontaan ama waxaad ku hadli doontaan, waayo, waxaad ku hadli doontaan ayaa saacaddaas laydin siin doonaa. Waayo, ma aha idinka kuwa hadlayaa laakiin waa Ruuxa Aabbihiin kan idinka dhex hadlayaa. Walaalba walaalkiis wuxuu u dhiibi doonaa in la dilo, aabbena wiilkiisa, carruurna waalidkood ayay ku kici doonaan oo dhimashay gaadhsiin doonaan. Dadka oo dhan ayaa magacayga aawadiis idiin necbaan doona, laakiin kan ilaa ugu dambaysta adkaysta, kaasaa badbaadi doona. Laakiin goortay magaaladan idinku silciyaan, tan kale u carara, waayo, runtii waxaan idinku leeyahay, Magaalooyinka Israa’iil ma wada gaadhi doontaan ilaa Wiilka Aadanahu yimaado.
Sidaa darteed ha ka baqina, waayo, wax daboolan ma jiro oo aan soo muuqan doonin, wax qarsoonna ma jiro oo aan la garan doonin. Waxaan gudcurka idiinku sheego, iftiinka ku dhaha, oo waxaad dhegta ka maqashaanna, guryaha dushooda kaga dhawaaqa. Ha ka baqina kuwa jidhka dila, laakiin aan karin inay nafta dilaan, waxaadse ka baqdaan kan jahannamada ku hallayn kara nafta iyo jidhkaba. Laba shimbirrood miyaan beesad lagu iibin? Middoodna dhulka ku dhici mayso amarka Aabbihiin la’aantiis Timaha madaxiinna oo dhan waa tirsan yihiin. Sidaa darteed ha baqina, waad ka qiima badan tihiin shimbirro badan. Sidaa darteed mid walba oo igu qirta dadka hortiisa, anna waan ku qiran doonaa Aabbahayga jannada ku jira hortiisa. Laakiin ku alla kii igu diida dadka hortiisa, anna waan ku diidi doonaa Aabbahayga jannada ku jira hortiisa. – Matayos 10:10-33.
Let us pray…