Cross-Stake-or Tree ?

7 years ago a family member approached me.

Our topic of discussion Easter.

I was asked.

How can you go along with all those pagans and pagan things?

I said.

Take away the Easter Bunny, the pastel eggs, the baby chicks, and the jelly beans.

Put away your Sunday best, and Easter bonnets and what do we have?

A time to remember what Jesus did for me and for you.

He died for you. Right?  He died for me. Right?

If it wasn't for Him, we wouldn't even be here.

Does it really matter if it was a cross, a stake, or a tree?

Shouldn't we be thankful and celebrating what He did for us?

Jesus made the tree, that was cut down to make the stake, that was plummeted into the earth He formed.

His arms were bound to the cross (cross beam) that held him for hours as he suffered.

He offers the same forgiveness to those at the Last Supper, as He offered to the one man who was hanging next to Him on the cross, that He offers to you, and to me, and to all the people in the world that will come and ask for it, and then receive it.

His Forgiveness is the same for all of us.

He knew His time had come. Luke 22:15...before I suffer.

He specifically came for this moment in time.

The bread was broken into pieces, like the bones in His body.

The wine was poured out, like His blood.

Cross-Stake-or Tree ?

From Dake's Bible Matthew 26:2 noted (my emphasis added)

Gr. stauroo, (for the word crucified)to impale on a cross. Used 44 times in the N.T.The Greeks and Romans borrowed this from of punishment from the Phoenicians and continued it for the worst criminals and slaves until Constantine in the 4th century.

Bible Knowledge Commentary: "When the Roman Empire crucified a criminal or captive, the victim was often forced to carry his cross part of the way to the crucifixion site, carrying his cross through the heart of the city."

So while Jesus was here on earth, when one was crucified, one was hung on a cross.

Jesus spoke to us about taking up our cross:

Matthew 10:38...take up their cross...

Mark 8:34“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Luke 9:23...take up their cross daily and follow me.

What question was presented to me next?

Yes you probably already know.

Well the 3 points at the top of this cross, the one to the right, the one to the left and the one in the middle, they represent the trinity, don't even tell me you fell for that belief to?

The answer to that my precious former Jehovah Witnesses is for another blog.