Turn to 155.  This morning I want to spend some time looking at an old favorite of almost all Christians.  Believe it or not, but this song is disliked by many hymnologists as being too simplistic, too corny, too personal and many other comments.  Yet, even though the “experts” don’t like it, this song has touched the hearts of millions.

PRAYER

I. Song History

A. George Bennard

1. George Bennard was born the son of a coal miner.
2. At sixteen his father died and he had to support the family.
3. Later in life he worked for the Salvation Army and eventually became a minister.
4. It was while he was studying for a series of lessons about the cross that he began to write this song.

B. The song

1. While studying about the Cross George came up with the first 10 words of this song.
2. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross.
3. But he couldn’t think of anything else to write.
4. Just those words kept bouncing around in his mind.
5. A couple of years later during a very trying time in his life the rest of the words fell into place and he wrote the song.

A. The cross

1. I don’t know if we really think about the cross like we should.
2. Oh we pause and remember it every Sunday during our Lord’s supper, but do we really dwell on the cross?
3. It’s the Cross that brings the thoughts of Jn 3:16 to vivid life.

a) God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
b) Obviously it was Christ who is the focal point here, but the cross is the symbol we remember.
c) On the cross he suffered physical and spiritual pain.
d) On the cross the blood flowed that washes over us.
e) On the cross WE nailed our savior.
f) In the famous painting of the crucifixion by Rembrandt, your attention is drawn first to the dying Savior.  Then, as you notice the crowd gathered around that scene at Calvary, you are impressed by the various attitudes and actions of the people involved in putting the Son of God to death.  Finally your eyes drift to the edge of the picture and catch sight of a long figure almost hidden in the shadows.  He represents the artist himself, for Rembrandt realized that his sins had helped nail Jesus to the cross!
g) Do you realize that YOU are part of the crowd that crucified our Savior?

4. Think about that as we look at the verses of this song.

B. READ vs 1

1. it’s a rugged cross.

a) I hate seeing churches who put up these beautiful crosses up front.
b) It give the wrong image in my mind.
c) Jesus wasn’t nailed to a nicely varnished, smooth piece of wood.

(1) It was jagged.
(2) Those huge splinters dug into the meat that was left of his back.

2. Emblem of suffering and shame

a) Crucifixion was a terrible way to die.
b) No Roman, no matter how evil he was could be crucified legally.
c) It was only done to non-romans and then only to the worst of them or to make a point of Roman power.
d) It sometimes took 2-3 days to die as people hurled insults up at you.  laughed at you.  looked with disgust at your dying body.

3. The dearest and best

a) It was Christ and only Christ who could take such a terrible symbol of death and shame and make it the most precious symbol known to Christians.
b) He died to a world of lost sinners.
c) I could die for someone I loved easily.

(1) I believe I could even die for a noble cause,
(2) but for people who hate me and everything I am about?  I don’t know if I would do that.

d) Jesus did... and with a heart full of love for those around him.

C. READ v2

1. despised by the world

a) Christianity, when practiced sincerely, doesn’t make us popular people.
b) Many will despise us as they do the cross.
c) While in DC last week I had a chance to go to the Holocaust museum.  It was unbelievable what was done to those in the concentration camps.  These people were despised by the Germans and suffered beyond comprehension by anyone civilized.  Yet what also struck me was that the Jewish people blame Christianity for hatred of Jews and the Holocaust.

D. READ vs 3

1. Wondrous beauty

a) I hope we are all like Mr. Bennard in the fact that when we see the cross, it is beautiful in the sense that it was chosen by God to be a part of our salvation from sin and death.
b) But he did more than pardon me, he sanctified me.
c) It is like a king, not only forgiving someone of a heinous crime against him, but then making him a part of the royal family.

2. Can you see the beauty of the cross?
3. Do you realize your pardon from sins?

a) There may be consequences to our sins, but the sin itself no longer exist in God’s eyes when we come to him for forgiveness.

4. Do you rejoice in being sanctified?

a) you have been set apart from the world.
b) One day the world will be judged and found guilty.
c) You won’t be part of that judgment because God has set you apart from the world.

E. READ v4

1. I will ever be true

a) Now the rubber hits the road.
b) God has done his part.
c) The question is, will you do your part?
d) Will you give your all to him?
e) We need to be working every day to show God how much we love him.
f) We cannot earn our salvation, but we need to work to thank God for our salvation.
g) My challenge to you is this: you are free to quit working for God when you feel that you have thanked him enough for saving your soul.

A. Cherish the Cross

1. Look again at the cross.  What do you see?
2. Does it fill your heart with longing and thankfulness?
3. Cherish the Cross.

B. Exchange the Cross

1. Someday the cross won’t be the symbol of our salvation.
2. If we stay true to the cross.  There will be a day when Christ takes that cross from us and gives us the crown of life.