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Today we continue our study in the series Hymns You love
We are looking at The Old Rugged Cross
In 1913 George Bennard was struggling with a problem that caused him much suffering
His mind went back again and again to Christ’s anguish on the cross
This was the heart of the Gospel!
The cross he pictured was no gold-covered icon
It was a rough, splintery thing, stained with gore
As he studied on the verse Philippians 3:10, Bennard got the theme for a hymn that has become a favorite for many
The Old Rugged Cross
Bennard, an evangelist in the Methodist Church was “praying for a full understanding of the cross and its plan in Christianity.”
Over a period of time he studied more and more about the cross
He prayed and meditated on the cross of Christ until one day he was able to say
“I saw the Christ of the cross as if I were seeing John 3:16 leave the printed page, take form and act out the meaning of redemption.”
The theme was so great, it needed a song
In a room in Albion, Michigan, Bennard sat down and wrote a tune
But the only words that would come were “I’ll cherish the old rugged cross”
He struggled for weeks to set the words to the melody he had written
Bennard was scheduled to preach a series of messages in New York
And as he found himself focusing on the cross, it became increasingly more urgent to him
He sat down in Albion, Michigan again and this time the words came
“I sat down and immediately was able to rewrite the stanzas of the song without so much as one word failing to fall into place
I called my wife, took out my guitar, and sang the completed song to her. She was thrilled”
On June 7,1913 George Bennard introduced the new hymn in a revival meeting he was conducting in Pokagon, Michigan
The Old Rugged Cross soon became one of the top ten most popular hymns of the 20th century.
Read Philippians 3:7-11
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
This cross, the cross of Jesus is the central point of all of history
It is the single event for which all of time was created
From the very foundation of the world God knew the cross of Christ would be the focal point
Even as He created man in His own image, perfect without blame, without spot
He knew one day this man would fall
And in doing so, he would need a Savior
In the days proceeding man’s creation God created time
Time had never existed before
The Bible teaches is that there is no day and night in heaven
The Son of God always shines in heaven
So God created the day and night and in doing so created time
All for the sole purpose of one day sending His Son to this earth in order to die on that cross for you and me
All life on this earth revolves around that rugged cross
As Paul in our passage contemplates what that cross represents and how we relate to Christ’s suffering
He discusses a theory that is still very prevalent even today
The theory that we can earn our way into heaven
“But what things were gain to me though I counted loss for Christ” he writes
In other words “All those things that I might count as profit, I now reckon as loss, for Christ’s sake”
What things? His credentials
Paul had the credentials
He says “I was circumcised when I was a week old
I am a Israelite by birth, of the tribe of Benjamin
A pure blooded Hebrew
As far as keeping the Jewish Law is concerned I was a Pharisee
And I was so zealous that I persecuted the church
So far as a man can be righteous by obeying the Law
I was without fault
But all those things that I might count as profit, I now reckon as loss
Paul says if anyone thinks he can trust in external ceremonies I have even more reason to feel that way
If anyone can earn their way into heaven its me
But not so
All those things are meaningless
All that counts is the righteousness given to us by the sacrifice of Jesus on that cross
An old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame
Crucifixion was a form of execution that the Romans had learned from the Persians
The Persians had developed a method of crucifying victims by impaling them on a pole
Later cultures developed different methods of crucifixion
And Rome employed several of them
By the time of Christ, crucifixion had become the favorite method of execution throughout the Roman Empire
Also by the time of Christ, Rome had already crucified more than 30,000 victims in and around Jerusalem
So crosses with dead or dying men hanging on them were a common site around Jerusalem
And a constant reminder of Roman brutality
It was an emblem of suffering and shame
I love that old cross, why?
That was where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain
Lost sinners, trying to get into heaven
Paul was trying to get into heaven
Paul speaking of his credentials, credits and successes was making this point
After showing that he could beat the Judiazers at their own game (being proud of who they were and what they had done)
Paul showed them that that was the wrong game
We need to be careful of considering past achievements so important that they get in the way of our relationship with Christ
After Paul considered everything he had accomplished in his life
He said it was all “a loss” when compared with the greatness of knowing Christ
This tells us that a person’s relationship with Christ is more important than anything else
Its more important than how long you have been an ordained deacon
Its more important than how long you have taught Sunday school
Its more important than how long you have been on the church role
Its more important than how many verses you have memorized or how many times you’ve read through the Bible
Its more important than anything in this world
You may say a certain event in your life is the greatest accomplishment
Going to college was the greatest decision I ever made
To have kids, or marry so and so
To know Christ is the greatest decision you’ll ever make
Do you place anything above your relationship with Christ?
If your priorities are wrong, how will you reorder them?
That cross was so despised by the world
Even though the cross was a common site in Jerusalem
It wasn’t a welcome one
To see those men hanging there in intense pain, screaming in agony was a terrifying and haunting site to behold
From Thomas’ remarks after the crucifixion we learn that Christ was nailed to the cross, rather than being lashed by leather straps as was sometimes done
Christ was nailed to that cross, stained with blood so divine
As it lay flat on the ground
These long tapered iron spikes similar to railroad spikes, only much sharper
Were driven through the wrists
After being nailed in place, several soldiers would slowly elevate the top of the cross and carefully slide it into a deep posthole
The cross would drop with a jarring blow into the bottom of the hole
Causing the full weight of the victim to be immediately borne by the nails in the wrists and feet
This would cause the major joints in the body to be suddenly twisted out of their natural position
That is probably what Christ referred to prophetically in Psalm 22:14 “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint”
The emblem of suffering
A despised site for the world to see, to experience this spectacle of pain and suffering
But is has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above, to bear it to dark Calvary
Verse 8 says I throw all these things away, all the good things away
Because He gave all His glory away for me
I consider all the things I have done as mere garbage so that I might gain Christ
Story about woman witnessing to rich man
Verse 9 we see that no amount of law keeping, self-improvement, discipline or religious effort can make us right with God
Righteousness comes only from God
We are made righteous by trusting in Christ
Paul gave up everything, family, friendship and freedom in order to know Christ and His resurrection power
We to have to access to this knowledge and this power
But we may have to make sacrifices to enjoy it fully
What are you willing to give up in order to know Christ?
A crowded schedule in order to set aside a few minutes each day for prayer and Bible study?
Your friends approval?
Some of your plans or pleasures?
Whatever it is, knowing Christ is more than worth the sacrifice
The dear Lamb of God left His glory above
What are you willing to leave?
In that rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, a wondrous beauty I see
Truman Davis, a medical doctor who studied the physical effect of crucifixion described some of the agony that occurred on Jesus’ crucifixion
As the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles
Knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain
With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward
Hanging by His arm, the pectoral muscles are paralyzed and the intercostal muscles are unable to act
Air can be drawn into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled
Jesus fights to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath
Finally carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside
Spasmodically He is able to raise Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen
Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps,
Intermittent partial asphyxiation,
Seraing pain as tissue is torn from His lacerated back as He moves up and down against the rough lumber
Then another agony begins
A deep crushing pain in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress His heart
It is now almost over, the loss of tissue fluid has reached a critical level
The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick sluggish blood into the tissues
The tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air
The markedly dehydrated tissues send their flood of stimuli to the brain
Once strength or feeling in the legs was gone
The victim would be unable to push up in order to breathe, and death would occur quickly
Just think about how rugged that cross really was
This past week I had to remove splinters from both Emily and Caleb’s hands
They screamed and cried as I worked those splinters out
Just think about your Savior’s back, torn to pieces form the flogging He had received
Felt against that rough hune lumber
For twas on that old cross, Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me
So, I’ll cherish that old rugged cross, I will cling to the old rugged cross
What would it be like to cling to that cross?
As you hold on tight would you be ravished with splinters as well?
Can you feel the Savior’s warm saving blood as it flows over your fingers
And runs down your cheek as your press your face against it?
Verse 10 says “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death
What Paul is saying here is, “All I want it to know Christ and to experience the power of His resurrection; to share in His sufferings and become like Him in His death
Paul’s emphasis here is on gaining a deeper knowledge and intimacy with Christ
This fellowship of His sufferings refers to a partnership – a deep communion of suffering that every believer shares with Christ
Who is able to comfort suffering Christians because He has already experienced the same suffering and infinitely more
So to that old rugged cross I will ever be true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear
The symbol of the cross has lost its meaning today
We see it everywhere, jewelry, tattoos, logos, t-shirts
But the cross is a vile, repulsive thing
Deuteronomy 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
It is not something to be worshiped
Not something to put in high regard
But since Jesus hung there for you and me we can say those words
I love that old cross, it has a wondrous attraction for me
It is a wondrous beauty
And to that old cross I will ever be true
I will cherish that old rugged cross
And I will cling to the promise that it provides
As in verse 11 “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead”
In the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life
I really don’t like the crucifix
The picture or symbol portraying Christ on the cross
Because that is not where it ended
Jesus came down off that cross
And rose again on the third day
That is how He’ll call me some day, to my home far away
Where His glory forever I’ll share
One day I will exchange that old cross for a crown
A crown of eternal life
Maybe this morning you have laid claim to that old rugged cross
You have accepted the price paid in your place on that day
But maybe you are not living a life that truly honors what Jesus did for you
That cross pardoned you, you need to cling to that sacrifice every day
Take up your cross daily and follow Him
Maybe this morning you are living a life like Paul’s
Striving, doing your best to get to heaven
But all those things are “a loss”
Nothing but garbage
None cometh to the Father, but by me Jesus said
Only by that old rugged cross can you say
He’ll call me someday
Do you cherish that cross?
Are you clinging to it everyday?
Will you exchange it someday for a crown?
I pray that these are true
