Yesterday we looked an old hymn that tells the story of Jesus’ final week leading to the cross, and in part two of two, we’re reminded me of another hymn that is brilliant in its encapsulation of the entire narrative of the life of Christ.
- One day when heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin—
Dwelt among men, my example is He!- Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!
- Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
- One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He. - One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He. - One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore. - One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
The first verse deals with Christ’s birth, the second, his death; the third his burial; the fourth his resurrection; and the fifth anticipates his return. It’s beautiful poetry…
…but the real richness of the song is found in the theology expressed in the chorus.
Living he loved me,
Dying he saved me,
Buried he carried my sin far away;
Rising he justified, freely forever;
One day he’s coming, O, glorious day.
Pause and say those out loud: Living, Dying, Buried, Rising, Coming.
Now I realize that as lined out above, each line in the chorus represents one of the verses; but it also, in a single sentence offers the core of the gospel:
He loved me — For God so loved the world…
He saved me
He removed my sins –
His work leaves me justified in God’s sight
He is returning.
Pause and say those out loud: Loved, Saved, Removed, Justified, Returning.
The song has also been recorded by Casting Crowns with a different tune; and we invite you to hear that version today…
Regular readers here will not there was no keynote scripture today, and you’re wondering, “Where is the text?” Well, you won’t be disappointed. This is just some of an article at the blog Teach Me The Bible, titled Why Did Christ Come?
Christ came to save sinners – this is the stress of the Bible.
He came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).
Acting on the principle that it is the sick who need a doctor and not the well, He came to call sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:12-13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32).
Because of His purpose to save sinners, He spent His time with them, much to the disgust of the self-righteous (Matthew 11:19).
He came to seek and to save the lost (Matthew 18:11; Luke 15:1-32; 19:10; John l0:16).
He came to be the Saviour of the world (John 12:47; 1 John 4:14)- to make it possible for God to save those in danger of perishing (John 3:16).
He came that we might believe on Him and be saved (John 3:16-17; John 6:29).
Christ came, therefore, to die.
He made it plain to His disciples that He had to go to Jerusalem, there to suffer much from the elders, chief priests and scribes, to be put to death, and to be raised again on the third day (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22) – all in accord with what was written of Him in the law of Moses, in the prophets and the Psalms (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 22:37; Luke 24:44-47).
He came into the world with the deliberate intention of dying upon the Cross (John 12:27; Acts 2:23).
He came to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
He came to be lifted up on the Cross just as the snake was lifted up by Moses in the desert (John 3:14; John 12:34).
He came to give His own flesh for the life of the world (John 6:51).
He was constantly aware of the terrible suffering that was ahead of Him in His crucifixion (Luke 12:50).
The whole program of His earthly life moved towards the Cross as its climax (John 7:6, John 7:8, John 7:30; John 8:20; John 12:23, John 12:27; John 13:1; John 17:1; Luke 24:6-7).
He came to be the propitiation – the atoning sacrifice – for our sins (1 John 4:10).
Christ came that through His death for sinners, we might have a right relationship with God, and eternal life.
He came that those who accept Him may receive a right relationship with the Father (Matthew 10:40; Luke 10:16; John 13:20).
He came that, by means of the Cross, He might be the way to God for us (John 14:6).
He came to proclaim the good news of peace through the reconciliation made possible by the Cross (Ephesians 2:16-17).
He came to bring us spiritual life (John 5:40; John 6:51, John 6:58; John 10:10; John 20:31; 1 John 4:9).
He came so that everyone who has faith in Him as the crucified and risen Messiah should possess eternal life (John 3:14-15; John 6:40, John 6:51, John 6:58; John 17:3).
Christianity 201 