CROSS PATHS INTRODUCTION

We’ve all had encounters that changed everything. Some were planned, like a meeting or a date. Others came out of nowhere: a chance conversation, a crisis, a moment we never expected. But either way, those encounters left a mark. They shaped who we are, where we’re going, and how we see the world.

Encounters with Jesus are like that too. The cross wasn’t just a symbol or a story; it was the defining moment in history, and people encountered Jesus on the way to the cross in deeply personal ways. Some ignored him. Some mocked him. Some were torn and didn’t know what to do. And some finally saw Jesus for who he really was.

What if these aren’t just stories from two thousand years ago? What if these are our stories too? Because in one way or another, we’ve all stood in the shoes of Barabbas, Pilate, the thief, or the centurion. They crossed paths with Jesus, and the same Jesus they encountered is the one we can meet today.