After Jesus returned to heaven, early Christians used the anchor as their symbol for Christianity. Why did it change? In my humble opinion, an anchor is a great symbol to represent Jesus.
I don’t know the story, but I guess the switch to the cross was intentional. Why? Why the change when we should anchor our lives in Jesus? It’s truth.
Why? Because Jesus called and calls us to die to self. Jesus called us to take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus called us to follow Him and His path took Him to the cross. Why should ours avoid the cross?
Consider.
- All the disciples, except for John, were martyred for their faith in Jesus, who was considered a criminal who died a criminal’s death.
- John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
- John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.”
I live with a lot of crosses around me. Why? Why do I live my life with the cross ever before my eyes?
To constantly remind me and re-remind me that my eternal life, my salvation, was bought with a price. My salvation was not free. It cost Jesus everything, leaving heaven and the presence of the Father, living 33 years on this fallen earth around fallen people, and ultimately dying a painful and humiliating death on the cross.
I want to be like Jesus. I confess that I pray that does not include painful martyrdom. But….I want to become like Jesus, to follow Him wherever He leads me. That will not “earn” my salvation. But it will represent how my life is inseparably bound with His.
Consider the price, consider what He called you to do.