What is so special about the cross?

One month ago, our team of 16 from Faith Bible Chapel Carr St was a few days into our trip to Mexico with no other goal than to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ! What is this good news? Most of us know it, but we must never let our appreciation for the good news dwindle. It must never become "old news." John Stott said, "The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for it's sparks to fall on us." God created man. Our Sins seperate us from God. We cannot atone for our sins with works. Jesus came and died for us on the cross and was resurrected, conquering death, and freeing us of our sin, so that we could live in fellowship with God.

When we find ourselves in rough times, we must focus on the cross. When a ship is out to sea, they say you are supposed to focus on the horizon to keep from being seasick. The cross is that horizon. When we focus on it, we gain clarity and the craziness around us doesn't seem so bad.

I wanted to share a short story and song that really helped me to rekindle the thankfulness in my heart for what Christ did for us. The choice Jesus had to make. The choice God the Father made. And why.

This song is a bit heavy- but the lyrics are top notch. You can read through the lyrics below too, if you didn't feel like listening to the music.

Wolves at the Gate- The Father's Bargain

Intro:

"What kind of love is this friends? What kind of love is so big, so without bounds, that He would come, He would want, He would want to do so much to rescue people who wanted nothing to do with Him? Who fought Him even when He came to cleave us from hell? What kind of love is it that sees us in our filth, comes to rescue us, sees us resist that rescue, but continues to rescue us anyway? What foolishness is this? That He would come offer us rescue and we would say, "No!" Why? What are we gaining by our resistance?

Oh how glorious He is, that He saw you like that and didn't give up!?"

The Father to the Son:

Oh now my son, here is a company of miserable souls cold and undone, searing their conscience with hearts black as coals. Here now they lie objects of justice, deserving of wrath. Speak your reply, what shall be done for them? Draw out your path. No one can contain the power and depths of my abundant love.

The Son's Reply:

Father, I say, such is my love and my pity for all. There is a way for no condemnation on men to befall. Whoa, such is my love and pity for all. No man can pay, I’ll make a way. No man can pay; utterly broke and poor to settle their debt. Though all’ve gone their way, I’ll yield a way for their sins to forget.

Bring in all their sins. Lay it all on me. Bring in all their sins. Every last bill that they owe. Lay it all on me. For what they reap I will sow. The place these souls have found themselves is one of great distress. For even all their righteousness is just a filthy mess.

The Father to the Son:

O my son, you must understand that if I show mercy, you must reckon to pay, the last bit of my rage. For justice reigns upon this throne; perfection without flaw. How can the wicked find their peace and still have broken every law?

The Son's Reply:

Let it be so, charge it on me. For I can bear the weight of sin so all would be free. Bring in all their sins. Every last bill that they owe. Lay it all on me. For what they reap I will sow.

Closing:

Blush o man, let shame hide your face. For one of infinite worth has left his throne for his death. Which proves for our salvation, oh people hear my cries, with all our lusts and all our lies, when the truth’s come face to face, did we earn such love and grace? No we haven’t earned a thing, and there is nothing we can bring, to settle this age old rift and receive this perfect gift.

If only you knew of the grace and love that our God has for all, you’d turn and look into the face of Jesus the Savior, who calls. Oh people, hear my cries, with all our lusts and all our lies, when the truths’ come face to face, did we earn such love and grace? Oh we couldn’t earn a thing, and there is nothing we can bring. So receive this love and grace, believe his love and grace!

Man oh man! Hope you enjoyed that. Praise God today and everyday for His Love. Draw close to Him and He will draw close to you! Jeremiah 29:13 says "You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart."

The original story this song is based off of is found below:


The Father’s Bargain

Here you may suppose the Father to say, when driving his bargain with Christ for you:

Father: My son, here is a company of poor miserable souls, that have utterly undone themselves, and now lie open to my justice! Justice demands satisfaction for them, or will satisfy itself in the eternal ruin of them: What shall be done for these souls

And thus Christ returns.

Son: O my Father, such is my love to, and pity for them, that rather than they shall perish eternally, I will be responsible for them as their Surety; bring in all thy bills, that I may see what they owe thee; Lord, bring them all in, that there may be no after-reckonings with them; at my hand shalt thou require it. I will rather choose to suffer thy wrath than they should suffer it: upon me, my Father, upon me be all their debt.

Father: But, my Son, if thou undertake for them, thou must reckon to pay the last mite, expect no abatements; if I spare them, I will not spare thee.

Son: Content, Father, let it be so; charge it all upon me, I am able to discharge it: and though it prove a kind of undoing to me, though it impoverish all my riches, empty all my treasures, (for so indeed it did, 2 Cor. 8: 9. “Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor”) yet I am content to undertake it.

Blush, ungrateful believers, O let shame cover your faces; judge in yourselves now, has Christ deserved that you should stand with him for trifles, that you should shrink at a few petty difficulties, and complain, this is hard, and that is harsh? O if you knew the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in this his wonderful condescension for you, you could not do it.

~ John Flavel