Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family. 1 Peter 3:18 said, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (ESV). The cross of Jesus is offensive for many people. Why do we, as Christians, have a symbol that represents punishment? The message is that we do not celebrate the cross, but we celebrate the name of the One who died on that cross. This is the message of Christianity that Jesus suffered for our sins, and makes us anew. He is the one we celebrate and someday in heaven we will cast out our crowns to the feet of our Savior. This is the message that George Bennard (1873-1958) preached during his evangelistic meetings.

During one of these meetings, he was inspired by the words of John 3:16 and started to pen the lyrics of the hymn “The Old Rugged Cross”, which took one year to complete. For some people, this hymn is more about the cross than Jesus, but this is not true. It took more than forty years for this hymn to appear in a hymnbook because of this controversy. Nevertheless the message is about Jesus dying on this cross for our sins.

Enjoy the lyrics once again:

1 On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

2 O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary.

3 In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.

4 To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I'll share.

In His service,

Israel