Radio Transcript

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

To some it was only a rough-cut piece of wood. To others it was simply a means of punishing deserving criminals. To others it was something to be despised. To others it was something to be loved. I’m talking of course about the cross on which Christ was crucified. Although the cross holds little significance for those in the world, to Christians, the cross is something to be cherished. Not the cross itself of course, but that which is represented by the cross. "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14).

We sometimes sing the song, "The Old Rugged Cross." Let’s consider the words to this song as they direct our minds to the cross of Christ. The first verse reminds us of the emblem of the cross. "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." Friends, the cross serves as an emblem of Christ’s suffering and shame.

In John 19:1, we read the words, "So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him." It is easy to read those words, yet fail to grasp all they entail. "So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him." The Romans used scourging as a means of severe physical punishment. Often, the soldiers would strip a victim of his clothing and tie his hands to an upright post. The soldiers then scourged their victim, using a whip consisting of leather straps fastened to a wooden handle. Pieces of metal or fragments of bone were often attached to these strips of leather, making each blow more effective, allowing it to cut into the victim’s flesh. As the scourging continued, the whip would cut into the underlying skeletal muscles, producing ribbons of bleeding flesh. The resulting pain as well as the loss of blood often resulted in circulatory shock. After the soldiers scourged Jesus, they mocked him, placed a robe on his shoulders, a crown of thorns upon his head, and a wooden staff in his hand. Next, they spat upon Jesus and struck him in the head with the wooden staff. No doubt when the soldiers tore the robe from Jesus’ back, they reopened the wounds from his scourging.

Although the Romans did not invent crucifixion, they perfected it as a form of torture designed to result in a slow death with the greatest pain possible. In fact, when we think of extreme pain we sometimes speak of excruciating pain. The word excruciating has its origin in a Latin word meaning "out of the cross."

After a person was scourged, he was thrown to the ground, again opening the wounds on his back and filling them with dirt. It was then that his hands were nailed to the horizontal member of the cross.

After the person was placed on the vertical portion of the cross his feet would be nailed to the cross. The weight of the body, pulling down on the outstretched arms and shoulders, fixed the muscles in a state of inhalation and made exhalation difficult. The victim could not exhale without lifting his body by pushing up with his feet, resulting in severe pain. Lifting of the body also caused the person’s back to be scraped against the rough, wooden cross, resulting in further agony.

Yet, Hebrews 12:2 informs us that, for the joy that was set before him, Jesus endured the suffering of the cross. What could possibly have been meant by "the joy that was set before him?" Friends, Jesus was not ignorant as to the purpose of his death. Jesus knew that his death on the cross would make man’s salvation possible. Perhaps there is another reason the writer of Hebrews mentioned the joy that was set before him. Jesus knew that his work on earth would soon be finished, allowing him to return to heaven and be with God.

Friends, how can we possibly speak of the cross and not think of Jesus suffering for us? How can we possibly look at the cross and not feel sorrow for our sins? After all, it was our sins that put Jesus on the cross.

The second verse of the song "The Old Rugged Cross" reminds us of the attraction of the cross. "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 upon dark Calvary." Friends, many in the world despise the cross and have become its enemies. "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their mind on earthly things" (Philippians 3:18-19).

But Jesus said that through the cross all men would be drawn unto him. "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will drawl all peoples to myself" (John 12:32). Jesus’ words, "If I be lifted up" are a clear reference to his being lifted up on the cross. Although Jesus died for all men, not all will be saved. Only those who obey the gospel will be saved from their sins. Notice the following from Hebrews 5:8-9, "though he was a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."

Men ought to be drawn to Christ because of what he has to offer. Jesus was the only one who loved men enough to die for them. He was the only one who ever lived a sinless life. Listen to Peter’s words, recorded by Luke, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

The third verse of the song, "The Old Rugged Cross" reminds us of the beauty of the cross. "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."

Beautiful? The cross? A rough piece of wood stained with blood? Beautiful? Friends, people who are not Christians are unable to see the beauty of the cross. But to a Christian, the cross is very beautiful. When a Christian looks at the cross, he sees peace. When man sins, the peace between man and God is disrupted. Peace between God and man can be established only because of the cross. "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:20).

When a Christian looks at the cross, he sees love. He sees God’s love for man. John wrote, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). When a Christian looks at the cross, he sees Christ’s love for man. Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

When a Christian looks at the cross he sees submission and obedience. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

The fourth verse of the song, "The Old Rugged Cross," reminds us of the demands of the cross. "To the old rugged cross, I will ever be true, Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He’ll call me someday to my home far way, Where His glory forever I’ll share."

The cross of Christ demands that we take up our cross daily. Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up His cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24). The cross was a means of putting someone to death. Thus, in order to take up our cross daily, we must die daily. We must die to self and die to sin.

The cross of Christ demands that we love Him above all else. "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:32-38).

The cross of Christ demands that we become dead to the world. "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14). When we become dead to the world, we set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth. Paul wrote, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3).

Friends, why should we glory in the cross? Because of the emblem of the cross. Because of the attraction of the cross. Because of the beauty of the cross. And because of the demands of the cross.