Treasure Seekers...
And now the skull and crossbones
It is amazing how symbols can change.
You look at the skull and crossbones and you think of death and danger. You think of the mortality of man. You think of the ultimate statistic,
'One in one dies'
But it was not always so. This symbol originates from the early centuries of the Christian era. The Christian faith embodies the hope of the resurrrection of the dead. The belief that death is not the end, but in a real sense the proper beginning.
But where do the skull and crossbones come from? Well in the early years of the Christian era there was still a degree of confusion about the resurrection of the dead. Did there need to be physical remains for resurrection to take place?
Eventually, they decided that probably, God being God, he could recreate anything at will anyway, so physical remains were of little importance. However ... just to be on the safe side, when moving bodily remains around after burial, they decided to move the skull and the two long thigh bones. This was considered the minimum to 'guarantee' resurrection.
So the skull and crossbones was a symbol of hope, not of despair; of eternal life, not of death; of the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ, not the ultimate defeat ...
How about you?
Where are you in all this?
Maybe your interested or curious? and you want to know more?
I would like to recommend to you a couple of books, other than the Bible of course!, which I believe will help you get a handle on what it means to be a Christian.
Finding Faith
This is a great book written by one of my heroes, Brian D. McLaren. It describes itself as 'a self-discovery guide for your spiritual quest'. Whether you want to strengthen the faith you have, renew the faith you lost, or discover faith faith for the first time, this book can coach, inspire, encourage and guide you.
Questions of Life
This little book is the foundation of the Alpha course, which you may have heard about on t.v. or read about in the newspapers.It is a great idea of helping people think through for themselves the Big Questions of life - "Why do I exist?" "What happens when I die?" "Why is there evil in the World if God is good?" etc. etc.
The course introduces these questions and at the same time presents the Christian viewpoint. People can then discuss this in a group and decide what they think for themselves. They can also examine the Christian viewpoint and see whether this makes sense to them. The hope behind the course is that once people consider these questions and once they see for themselves the reasonableness and beauty of the Christian faith, that they might want to become Christians themselves.
Experiencing God - Knowing and Doing the Will of God
One of the greatest influences on my Christian life has been this discipleship course. It revolutionised my understanding of what it meant to be a Christian. I therefore heartily recommend it to all Christians, particularly new Christians, as a tremendous resource for explaining the adventure of the Christian life.This book is a 12 week daily reading + study course that helps you develop a biblical model for your relationship with God. It will help you with questions such as
- "How can I come to love God?"
- "How do I know what God wants me to do?"
- "Why do I need the church?"
- "How can I get along with other Christians when they annoy me?"
- "Why doesn't God answer my prayers immediately?" etc. etc.
Click on the pictures for an overview of the course. It is also available in French, Spanish and Korean with other languages appearing rapidly. The isbn's for the English and French versions will appear as you pass your mouse over the picture - search for these on
- www.amazon.com
- www.amazon.co.uk
- www.amazon.fr or whatever country you find yourself in!
Or through the American publishers at www.lifeway.com. My highest recommendation.
My prayer is that the Lord will be with you and that you may experience his grace and his peace in your life.
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