Hi everybody! Right now, I'm going to ask a question, start a discussion, and hopefully help us learn what it means to be a sign, a SYMBOL of Christ...let's start with some definition.

{symbol

Something that represents or suggests something else. Symbols often take the form of WORDS, VISUAL IMAGES, or GESTURES that are used to convey IDEAS and BELIEFS. All human cultures use symbols to express the underlying structure of their social systems, to represent ideal cultural characteristics, such as beauty, and to ensure that the culture is passed on to new generations. Symbolic relationships are learned rather than biologically or naturally determined, and each culture has its own symbols.

n.
1. Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent SOMETHING INVISIBLE.
2. A printed or written sign used to represent an operation, element, quantity, quality, or relation, as in mathematics or music.
3. Psychology An object or image that an individual unconsciously uses to represent repressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses.}

Now, words are symbols. Languages

are made up of words

which are made up of letters, which are signs/symbols for the sounds that make the word,

for example, the word GOD

written or spoken, is not GOD, but is a SYMBOL, a collection of letters, SIGNS,

that represent GOD, that communicates the IDEA of GOD. (see # 2)

So it's this idea of taking something, an idea, and putting a name on it, something

intangible

giving it a sign or a symbol, in the form of a word or image or action,

and making it tangible, readable, easier to grasp, to communicate.

Another example of this may be Love. What gesture, sign, symbols do we use to describe Love? A feeling, a course of action, a mindset...there are many definitions out there for love. But what are the symbols?

Hugs? Kisses? Hearts? Scooby-Doo St. Valentine's Day cards?

How about something bigger, perhaps more complex? What is the symbol for a group of people, a community, a church?

What does THAT look like? Most of us might say, "Well, a symbol for a church, for Christ, would be a cross."

And to a certain extent that would be correct.

But I would argue...

is that really a symbol that God would want us to have for HIS CHURCH, HIS BRIDE, HIS PEOPLE?

If we look back at our definition, a symbol takes something intangible and makes it tangible,

Symbols take ideas like God, and puts them into words, objects,

ACTIONS.

Maybe a symbol for church should be more than just a cross

but a picture of people in action.

Maybe the symbol for love would be changed from simply a heart-shape, or triple latte...

into Christ-followers HELPING PEOPLE; doing the work of repairing a broken world.

People making a DIFFERENCE. What if a perfect picture,

a sign,

a symbol

of GOD, of LOVE, is people LOVING ONE ANOTHER.

I believe pictures such as these are what are the more compelling symbols in a church. The symbol for Christ is YOU. It is

US.

May you come to recognize that it is not just a cross. It is allowing Christ to live IN YOU and THROUGH YOU. It is becoming a SIGN of God's love.

John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."