The Cross of Christ

this is the type of post that I wonder if it's suitable for Facebook. Let me know what you think.
Recently I was reading a book of short stories. The story’s main theme was a United States ruled by a religious group that held onto the crucifix. This being the cross of Christ with him hanging upon it. In this story the group in power sought out heretics who had the cross of Christ without Christ on it. It was very interesting and made me think a lot about Christianity and the cross of Christ.

One group had reverence for the cross with Jesus hanging on it. The other group had reverence for the cross without Christ taking on. The symbology is very significant. The empty cross makes me wonder where did he go? The following verses explain this:

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
1 Timothy 3:16 KJV

This is the most outstanding fact of Christianity. Christ ascended into heaven! He is not on the cross. He is not in the grave. The grave could not hold him because of who he is! Now there is a man in heaven interceding for us. This is the most dramatic and staggering truth of Christianity. This is why many groups have reverence for the empty cross. In the garden the angel told women who went there that “he is not here”. He lingered for 40 days to pass on important lessons to his disciples and us. Then he ascended into heaven. Someday, maybe soon he is coming back for us!