“Jesus Was Not Crucified on a Gucci Cross”

Candace Cameron Bure, the former Hallmark Movie Actress who is now with The Great American Family network, and known for her faith promoted a video to her Instagram followers on Sunday.

The video is a young girl, identified as Cherry Paul Ede, quoting a Fragile Dogubo poem. It has been shared on African social media with over a million views.

“I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Jesus was not crucified on a Gucci cross,” she said. “He didn’t have on a crown of Versace thorns or Nike shoes on his feet when the nails pierced through. There was nothing bougie about Calvary. That old raggedy wooden cross wasn’t even befitting to hold the carpenter’s son, but there our God hung, held on by His love for us, by His love for all.

“It wasn’t the red carpet affair for your favorite celebs,” Ede continued. “Matter of fact, the only paparazzi was an angry mob as a crowd of witnesses. Once upon a time, I thought the crucifixion was like the Grammys, an award show only for a self-righteous view. But the Bible didn’t mention an ovation – only wrongful accusation, hate speech and boos from fools. The King of Glory came through.”

Jesus “felt every nail, felt every whiplash, every rib crack,” the girl added.  “It was for you that He embraced the pain.”

“Jesus was placed in the tomb, but then ‘He showed up on the third day like, ‘I’m good, and you are, too’ – one with the Father, my blood makes you brand new. So what other proof do you need that God loves you?”

The video ends with Ede telling the audience to reject the devil’s deceptive devices and embrace the message of the cross in your daily life.

“So when the serpent comes to the ring – hissing, whispering deceitful accusations speaking in passive tongues,” Ede urged. “This is clapback season declared, fully my sins are forgiven. I do not know who needs to hear this, but Jesus was not crucified on the Gucci cross. It doesn’t matter your age, gender, race or net worth – only that you have been made holy.”

Bure added a personal message: “Glory to God.”

These words remind us of what the Scripture says about Jesus’ crucifixion. The aguish. The shame. The humiliation. The burden of bearing the sins of humanity. It was physically, mentally, and emotionally worse than anything we can imagine.

It was an ugly, gruesome, bloody sight. Suspended between heaven and earth His body beaten. His head bruised. His arms aching. His breathing labored. His shoulders pained. His muscles throbbing.

No, Jesus wasn’t crucified on a Gucci cross. But it also reminds us that we’re not called to bear a Gucci cross either. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Lk. 9:23).

Consider these three elements of bearing the cross.

#1 Deny yourself.
Denying self goes against the grain. It’s not what our self-seeking culture is about. Everything today is geared toward self-satisfaction. Self-love. Self-devotion. We live in a Gucci culture.

But Jesus asks us to say “no” to our selves. This is commitment that is greater than just denying one’s self of personal comfort, pleasures or possession. It is giving up self-gratification. Self-indulgence. Self-centeredness. Self-interest.

#Take up your cross daily.
This is not once a year. Or once a month. Or once a week. Like on Sunday. Jesus said, “daily.” Each day we take up our cross. Every day we live for the Lord. Daily we look for ways to make a difference. To give. To serve. To shine. It calls for willing sacrifice. Sincere devotion. And personal commitment.

#3 Follow Me.
Following Jesus leads to ministry. To involvement in the lives of others. To serving “the least of these.” To sharing the gospel with the lost. Defending our faith against the enemies of the cross. And it leads to Bible study, prayer, worship, fellowshippng, and an intimate relationship with the Father.

Let’s be advised that cross bearing disciples are not promised a worry-free, pleasure filled, Gucci-led life. But we are promised pardon. Peace. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. And eternal salvation.

“Glory to God.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman