During the 1720’s Count Nicholas von
Zinzendorf visited a Dusseldorf art museum, where he was especially moved by a
particular painting of the crucified Jesus. The painter had painted the
picture with the intent of conveying his love for Christ. Below the
picture were the words:
All this I did for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?
Zinzendorf’s heart was affected.
Christ’s love as demonstrated in the cross became the constraining power of his
life, as 2 Corinthians 5:14 states, “The love of Christ constrains (compels)
me.” “I have,” he exclaimed, “but one passion, tis He and He only.”
It was the dying love of Christ mastering his life that fitted Zinzendorf for
the work he had to do.
Zinzendorf returned home to provide spiritual
leadership for about three hundred refugees from religious persecution, the
majority of which were Moravians, spiritual descendents of the Czech martyr Jon
Hus. The goal of Zinzendorf and the elders was to lead their souls deeper
into the love of Christ, into which they had been baptized.
In August 1727 the community experienced a
breakthrough of love and unity during a special Lord’s Supper
celebration. They asked the Lord to “keep us in the saving power of His
grace, and not allow a single soul to be drawn away to itself and its own
merits from that Blood-and-cross theology, on which our salvation
depends."
Following this experience the Moravian
brethren were possessed by a zeal for missions. The Spirit breathed in
power on the young and the old. People’s hearts were filled with a
burning love for the Savior who died for them. They emphasized Isaiah
53:10-12 as their chief incentive, from which they drew their battle cry, “To
win for the Lamb that was slain the reward of His sufferings.” They
started a 24-hour prayer vigil which lasted 100 years. During the
following 25 years they sent out more than 100 missionaries. It is
worth noting that this is before the start of the modern missions
movement.
Some of these Moravian missionaries met
John Wesley on a boat bound for America. In the presence of their sincere
and wholehearted devotion to Christ, Wesley realized that his own religiosity
was bankrupt. He was later converted to Christ at a Moravian chapel in
London, and became the founder of Methodism and the Great Awakening in
England.
William Carey, the “Father of modern
missions,” was also greatly influenced by Moravian missionaries. Carey
went on, against the overwhelming opposition of his church associates, to be
the founder of a missions movement that really continues, in many different
waves and manifestations, to this day. [1]
Think about this. One artist painted
to communicate his deep love for Jesus. One man’s faith caught fire during this
encounter with the suffering Savior and became the spark for a group of three
hundred refugees to catch fire with a “blood and cross” motivation that
impacted the entire world for Christ. Our desire is that of the Moravian
leaders, to lead our souls deeper into the death of
Christ. It is certain that, if we go there, we will be changed.
Whether we impact people around the world, in our own homes, or in our
communities, we will be people of new impact and power. Author John Stott
says that the cross is “the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is
kindled, but we have to get near enough to it for its sparks to fall on us."[2]
We
believe that we need to get nearer to the cross, in hope that its sparks will
fall on us. These readings are provided
to help us get closer to the cross. We
encourage you to spend these days getting nearer to the cross. Read these passages reflectively and
prayerfully, praying for “Holy Spirit sparks” to land on you and ignite a new
passion for the cross as you read.
2 Corinthians 5:13-21
This passage, referenced above in relation to von
Zinzendorf’s life-changing experience, describes the impact the cross had on
the Apostle Paul’s motivations.
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
This passage was likewise referenced above, in relation to
the Moravian brethren’s missionary motivation.
This is the most detailed and powerful Old Testament prophecy related to
the cross of Jesus.
Matthew 16:21-28
In this passage Jesus looks ahead to the cross and confronts
a bewildered Peter, who is having great difficulty embracing the idea of His
Lord heading for a cross.
Luke 22:39-23:56
Here is the basic account of the cross from Luke’s gospel.
[1] This story is summarized from several sources, most significantly From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya by Ruth Tucker and Come to the Lord’s Table by Claude King.
[2] From What Christ Thinks of the Church by John Stott
