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A few years ago, somebody stole the cross that was perched high up on Sunrise Rock in the Mojave Desert. Veteran soldiers had placed it there to honour and remember those who’ve died fighting for their country. It had been there for 75 years – and then it was gone. Some two years later, it was found and set up in another part of California. This war against Christianity is of course world-wide – and includes Australia.
More significantly, the cross has gone missing in lots of places these days – in places that matter a lot more to God than some mountainside in the desert. I’ve listened to lots of sermons and Christian radio programs, and sometimes I’ve heard little or nothing about the cross of Jesus. It just doesn’t even rate a thought, let alone a mention. It seems as if the cross has been stolen and cannot be found. 
I think of the non-Christians I have spoken to, and sadly I have to confess that while I too have spoken about many things, somehow I’ve never told them about the cross where Jesus died for sinners. Too often, Christians talk a lot about their Church or their faith, but not much about their Saviour. Yes, somebody stole the cross…from our conversations, from our ministries, maybe even from the centre of our hearts.
It’s not all that hard to work out who has taken the cross. He is the one described in the Bible as “…the thief who comes only to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10). The devil hates the cross because as the Bible says, “having disarmed the powers and authorities, (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). Because Jesus suffered and died for our sins and rose again on the third day – overcoming the power of sin, darkness and death – Satan loves nothing more than to steal the cross, because it is the symbol of his defeat, and the symbol of victory for the Christian. The cross is the guarantee of eternal life to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan’s death warrant is signed in the blood of Jesus. Charles Spurgeon called the cross God’s “magnificent magnet”. Jesus said this about His cross: “When I am lifted up…I will draw all people to Myself” (John 12:32). No wonder Satan says: “Hey, go ahead. Talk about everything you want. Just don’t mention that cross.” The enemy of our souls knows its power and does whatever it takes to erase the cross from our view, conversation and life.
Many were outraged that the cross was stolen from Sunrise Rock – and rightly so. But we should be even more outraged because we have allowed Jesus’ cross to be stolen from the centre of our hearts and worship, and our ministries, and our conversations.  We so easily forget Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”    We need to be much more passionate about elevating the message of the cross, than the world and the devil are about eliminating it! The message of that cross signifies the greatest love in the universe. Without that cross, there is no hope…no heaven. 

– Guido Kettniss