Cross Ways

    It would be possible to develop a very nice series of sermons based on the various shapes of the cross.  There is the Anchor Cross (Heb. 6¹⁰); the Budded Cross with trefoil ends that represent the Trinity.  You will often see this cross at the top of the staff for the Christian flag.  Also the Trinity Cross, which has three fleurs-de-lis and equal arms, stands for the Godhead.  The lona Cross and the Celtic Cross both have a circle superimposed on the cross to signify eternity.  There is a graded Latin Cross with a three step base to symbolize Faith, hope, and Love.  The Jerusalem Cross has four smaller crosses in the four corners and suggests the five wounds of Christ.  This was the cross carried by the Crusaders.  The Egyptian Cross has a loop or handle at the top; thus it is just like the Egyptian hieroglyphic for life.  The Russian Cross or Eastern Orthodox Cross has a second horizontal bar near the bottom, which is slanted.  Some say this represents the agony of Christ; some say it means his legs were of unequal length.  Finally, there is the Cross of Victory, which is a Latin Cross on top of a globe.

    If you print your own bulletin covers, then one could be designed for each Sunday displaying the cross that is the inspiration for that sermon.  Posters could be made with all the crosses, and then one large one for each of the crosses, displaying it twice the Sunday before and the Sunday it is used.
 
 

		Anchor
		Budded
Celtic	Egyptian	Graded	Iona	Jerusalem
		Trinity
		Eastern Orthodox
		Victory

Self-Portraits of Jesus

    This sermon series could center on the "I Am's" of Jesus.

    A Long journey's End - I Am the Way, Truth, and Life
    Hope for the Hungry Heart - I Am the Bread of Life
    Help for the Helpless - I Am the Good Shepherd
    This Is the Life - I Am the Vine
    Lord of Life and Death - I Am the Resurrection and the Life

The Seven Words of Men

    In 1963, Abingdon Press published a book by Paul L. Moore on the Seven Words of Men Around the Cross.  A good series can be developed based on these concepts:

The Word of the Passerby - Aha!
The Word of the Soldiers  - Let Us Cast Lots
The Word of the Bystanders - Wait
The Word of the High Priests - Come Down
The Word of the Centurion -  Truly A Son of God
The Word of the Revolutionary  -Remember Me
The Word of the Procurator -  I Am Innocent

    Abingdon Press also published Clovis Chappel's Faces About the Cross.  Earlier, Harper published Poteat's These Shared His Cross.  A series of studies of the individuals who found themselves present at the cross is always appealing: the soldiers, Simon of Cyrene, the women who wept by the way, the thieves, Mary and her friends, John, the disciples watching from afar, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, the centurion.

The Trees of Life

    This series focuses on the various kinds of trees that are mentioned in the gospels during the last week of Christ's ministry.

The Fig Tree - A Living Parable (Mark 11^{12-14, 20-22} and Matthew 21^18-22)
The Palm Tree - A Loving Tribute (John 12^12-18)
The Olive Tree - A Silent Witness (Luke 22^39-46)
The Thorn Tree A Touching Symbol (John 19^2-5)
The Evergreen Tree - A Prophetic Emblem (Luke 23³¹)

    A series could center around those moments when Jesus taught a person one-to-one.  It might include the following sermons:

Jesus and the Teacher (Nicodemus)
Jesus and the Fallen Woman (Woman at the Well)
Jesus and the Dishonest Businessman (Zaccheus)
Jesus and the Power Brokers (Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate)
On Resurrection Day, you could conclude with: Jesus and the Grieved Friend (Mary Magdalene)

Meeting the Risen Jesus

    A series based on five of the resurrection appearances

In the Garden - John 20^11-18
Along the Way - Matthew 28^9,10
Broken Bread and Opened Eyes - Luke 24^13-35
The Christ of  Peace - John 20^19-25
Breakfast by the Sea - John 21^1-25

    All too often, the resurrection is seen in a one dimensional view: only in its relationship to our own death. Here is a series showing that the resurrection impacts upon life at more than one place.
 

The Resurrection and the judgement of God (Acts 17³¹)
The Resurrection and the Operation of God (Colossians 2¹²)
The Resurrection and the Godly Life (Colossians 3¹)
The Resurrection and Eternal Life with God (1 Corinthians 15^12-20)