Easter Countdown: 2) The Power Of The Cross (Townend/Getty)

Written in 2005, this hymn, like 'In Christ Alone', has all the language and dignity of a much older hymn. Below it is being sung by Stuart Townend and at the bottom of the article by Keith and Kristyn Getty and also a stunning performance by the 'Voices' of University of Mobile.

I've focused on many aspects of the crucifixion and resurrection this week and it says so much about the quality of hymns and songs available to us that the Easter story is told so thoroughly through their lyrics.

Any presentation of the gospel and of Jesus Christ must involve the cross. It must involve the suffering and death of the Son of God. Why? Because to only present Jesus as a good man would undermine and misrepresent both who He is and what He has done. When He cried "It is finished!" (John 19:30), He was not talking about His teaching and miracles, He was talking about what God had sent Him into the world to complete: "Then He said, 'Here I am, I have come to do Your will' ... and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:9-10).

At the moment Jesus died and uttered those victorious words, "the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51). Think of that! Such an action could only have been done by God Himself. That huge, heavy curtain could not have been torn by an individual, neither could it have been torn from the top. It was torn from God's side as a witness to the death of His Son, but also to signify what Christ's death and resurrection was to mean for Mankind. The curtains (or veils) in the tabernacle, and subsequently the temple, were to limit man's access to God, and indeed protect him from the awesome presence of God. Only the High Priest could enter through the veil into the Holy of Holies, in order to approach the presence of God on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Through Christ, our "great high priest who has ascended into heaven" (Hebrews 4:14) we can "approach God's throne of grace with confidence (v16). "Through Him we both [Jew and Gentile] have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Ephesians 2:18).

What love God displayed! What a cost it was to Him "who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all" (Romans 8:32). He "demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Our sins were born by Jesus - whilst living 2000 years later, yet we bear responsibility for His death as our sins were part of the problem He came to address. So when we consider the words of the prophet Isaiah "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5), the events at the cross become personal to us. Over this Easter time and beyond, let's reflect on that and be thankful to the Lord for His wonderful love and sacrifice for our sins. If you don't yet know Him personally and know that your sins were washed away by His blood, take this opportunity to seek Him. Don't let the cross be just a symbol or story but let it be the actual means by which you can know you're saved and loved by God and called His child.

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Oh, to see the dawn

Of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the pow’r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain

Written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev’ry bitter thought,

Ev’ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

This, the pow’r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Now the daylight flees;

Now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life;

”Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

This, the pow’r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see my name

Written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death;

Life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

This, the pow’r of the cross:

Son of God—slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.