"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NIV)
I have never heard a more beautiful song, lyrics or music, than the magnificent song I have shared with you below. I first heard it on an album I bought in 1967 or 68. The album was by The Manhattan Brass Choir, and I had never heard the full lyrics until this morning.
Last Fall, literally, "I Stood At Calvary." There was nothing I could do, not pray, not "worship," not anything; I just stood. What else can one do at Calvary? What can one say at Calvary? It was there Jesus died for me----------- and you. Another song says, "It is enough that Jesus died and that He died for me." It is.
To speak of mystery and Calvary in the same sentence has a touch of irony in it. Calvary is a revealed mystery, revealed in that history records its occurrence, and mystery in that I have so very little understanding of it, "....God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not reckoning to them their offences; and putting in us the word of that reconciliation." The song says "that He should take my place and all my sins erase." Our text tells us that all the mystery of Calvary took place before you and I were born, before we could do good or bad, before we could say a "sinner's prayer," or anything "religious." Jesus just died for you and me, undeserved, unearned, for unworthy sinners. Yet, in another touch of irony, there is in this Divine Love a "worthiness" and "value" in us, a worthiness and value to God which took the Blessed Trinity to that very dark Hill, between two felons, laughed at, mocked, scorned, suffering, bleeding, dying, and crying out, "It is finished."
"It is finished," nothing more to be "prayed about," asked or pleaded for, absolutely nothing which can be earned. Jesus is gracious, beautiful, full-of-love-giving-of-Himself for you and me. "Tis done-- the great transaction's done; I am my Lord's, and He is mine; He drew me and I followed on, Rejoiced to own the call divine." It was, "God...in Christ," doing all we need to bring us to Himself, and His wonderful, "Peace which passes understanding." Listen and worship.
Father, in Jesus' Name,...................................
I have never heard a more beautiful song, lyrics or music, than the magnificent song I have shared with you below. I first heard it on an album I bought in 1967 or 68. The album was by The Manhattan Brass Choir, and I had never heard the full lyrics until this morning.
Last Fall, literally, "I Stood At Calvary." There was nothing I could do, not pray, not "worship," not anything; I just stood. What else can one do at Calvary? What can one say at Calvary? It was there Jesus died for me----------- and you. Another song says, "It is enough that Jesus died and that He died for me." It is.
To speak of mystery and Calvary in the same sentence has a touch of irony in it. Calvary is a revealed mystery, revealed in that history records its occurrence, and mystery in that I have so very little understanding of it, "....God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not reckoning to them their offences; and putting in us the word of that reconciliation." The song says "that He should take my place and all my sins erase." Our text tells us that all the mystery of Calvary took place before you and I were born, before we could do good or bad, before we could say a "sinner's prayer," or anything "religious." Jesus just died for you and me, undeserved, unearned, for unworthy sinners. Yet, in another touch of irony, there is in this Divine Love a "worthiness" and "value" in us, a worthiness and value to God which took the Blessed Trinity to that very dark Hill, between two felons, laughed at, mocked, scorned, suffering, bleeding, dying, and crying out, "It is finished."
"It is finished," nothing more to be "prayed about," asked or pleaded for, absolutely nothing which can be earned. Jesus is gracious, beautiful, full-of-love-giving-of-Himself for you and me. "Tis done-- the great transaction's done; I am my Lord's, and He is mine; He drew me and I followed on, Rejoiced to own the call divine." It was, "God...in Christ," doing all we need to bring us to Himself, and His wonderful, "Peace which passes understanding." Listen and worship.
Father, in Jesus' Name,...................................
