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Exegeting the Hymns #33 - Power of the Cross

3/12/2018

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Power of the Cross
w/m Keith Getty, Stuart Townend

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 

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face
Bearing the awesome weight of sin
Every bitter thought
Every 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 victory cry

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

Most songs that are 13 years old sound dated and are worn out for corporate singing. People are just tired of hearing it again. That’s what I love about the timeless songs from the Gettys and Stuart Townend. They intentionally write music that has a 30+ year shelf life. It’s the reason why “Shout to the Lord” sounds so old, and “In Christ Alone” is still so fresh although they were written the same year. This particular song from their catalog is my personal favorite worship song of all time. I never tire of singing of these wonderful themes. As Bob Kauflin says, “We can’t hear enough about how the blood of Christ has fully covered our sins.”  

Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day… Christ on the road to Calvary. You can tell from the first words that this song is going to tell a story, but a story told in brilliant poetic fashion. This day, 2,000 years or so ago, changed everything. By the end of that day the veil in the temple was ripped in two, an earthquake had broken apart rocks, and there were dead people who were raised and walking the streets. So much happened in the course of that one day. Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then nailed to a cross of wood. Imagine the irony that the judge of all the earth, the one to whom everyone will give an account and every knee will bow was forced to endure a mock trial by wicked and treacherous men.  

Oh, to see the pain written on Your face, bearing the awesome weight of sin. Jesus knew the physical agony would be torture, but the lashes inflicted by man could not compare to the wrath of the Father poured out on Him in our place. Every bitter thought, every evil deed crowning Your bloodstained brow. It should make us fall on our faces in repentance when we realize that our wicked actions, words, and even thoughts were what Jesus paid for. His blood was shed in our place, for our transgressions. He was the spotless Lamb of God who took our sins upon Himself.

This, the pow’r of the cross: Christ became sin for us. Took the blame, bore the wrath. We stand forgiven at the cross. Christ became sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” There is a movement today in evangelicalism full of false teachers who teach that Jesus became “a sinner”, and needed to die for His sins. One popular false teacher even said that Jesus needed to be “born again”. This is heresy, pure and simple. All of our sins were placed upon Him to be atoned for as the wrath of God was poured out. We don’t have to pay for our sins because Jesus paid it all. However, nowhere in the process did Jesus ever sin or become a sinner, or need to repent, or need to be born again. We are forgiven, not by works that we have done, but because our sins are paid for by Christ our Savior.

Now the daylight flees. Now the ground beneath quakes as its Maker bows His head. Here, the writers use anthropomorphism (using inanimate objects to express human emotion). The daylight is fleeing from what it has witnessed on that day. The ground is quaking in horror at the death of its Creator. Curtain torn in two. Dead are raised to life. ”Finished!” the victory cry. The way was opened to the Holy of Holies. We can now go directly to God for Christ is the only Mediator we need. Dead people were miraculously awakened and freed by the mighty earthquake as Jesus declared victory over sin and the grave!

Oh, to see my name written in the wounds, for through Your suffering I am free. This is my favorite line of the song. It brings tears to my eyes every time I sing it. MY sin. MY wickedness. MY rebellion sent Jesus to the cross. I am why He died. It’s personal for me and should be for you too. My transgressions were all over His wounds. My sin drove in the nails and bound Him to that tree, yet as He was confined to the cross, I was loosed from my chains. Death is crushed to death. Life is mine to live, won through Your selfless love. Jesus accomplished all He was sent to do, now we are called to use our freedom to serve the One who set us free. We love Him because He first loved us.

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!

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    Author

    Bill Itzel has been a worship leader and singer/songwriter for over 30 years and is based in Westminster, MD.  His family tours and leads worship around the country.  Bill and his family attend Belcroft Bible Church in Bowie, MD.  This is a blog about congregational worship and the latest news in the The Itzel's ministry.

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  • Home
  • Tours
  • Promoter Page
  • Store
  • Projects
    • 2003 to Current >
      • Pilgrim's Song >
        • Leaving the City of Destruction
        • The Time Is Short
        • Evangelist
        • It Would Be Me
        • The Wicket Gate
        • Miracle
        • This Is Life
        • Apollyon's Challenge
        • I Will Go (Vanity Fair)
        • Walking with Hopeful
        • Champion of the People (View from the Spyglass)
        • Remember Me (River of Death)
        • Places
        • The Celestial City
      • Sweeter >
        • Christ Is Sweeter
        • With My Last Breath
        • I Have Seen The Lord (Job 42)
        • Oh My Soul
        • Sweet Are All Your Words To Me (Psalm 119)
        • Jesus Is Mine
        • By His Wounds (Isaiah 53)
        • All My Ways Are Known To You
        • O Lord, My Rock And My Redeemer
        • Finish Strong
      • Timeless - Hymns of Bill & Karen Itzel >
        • Give Thanks to the Lord Our God
        • Year's End
        • Sovereign Ruler of the Skies
      • 30 Live >
        • I Am A Christian
        • Mountain Climber
        • How Much More Glory
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Step By Step
        • At The Cross (Love Ran Red)
        • He Is Risen, Hallelujah
        • Jesus Is Enough
        • There is Hope
        • Burn the Ships
        • Last Man Standing
        • This is Your Life
        • Dead Man Walking
        • Jerusalem
      • Gift of Faith >
        • You Amaze Me
        • I Got Saved
        • Gift of Faith
        • May The Peoples Praise You
        • Why Was I A Guest?
        • Lord, We Remember
        • A Mighty Fortress
        • His Love Runs Deep
        • Lord, Save Me From Me
        • Jesus, Thank You
        • Jerusalem
      • Hope >
        • Brethren We Have Met To Worship
        • Firm in the Faith
        • There is Hope (Siri's Song)
        • Lord, I Adore You
        • The Sovereign God of Love
        • The Solid Rock
        • He Will Hold Me Fast
        • Get To Work
        • Our Great God
        • At Calvary
        • I Will Sing of My Redeemer
        • Give Me Jesus
      • The Glorious Trial >
        • He is Risen Hallelujah
        • The Glorious Trial
        • Because You Love Me
        • Power of the Cross
        • How Firm a Foundation
        • Don't Be Afraid
        • Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
        • A Light In The Dark
        • Band of Brothers
        • Grace Greater than our Sin
      • XXV >
        • All Hail The Power
        • How Long?
        • Truth Is The Way
      • Sovereign >
        • Come Thou Fount
        • Almighty
        • In Christ Alone
        • At The Cross
        • All I Have Is Christ
        • Come As You Are
        • Amazing Grace
        • Behold Our God
        • Whom Shall I Fear
        • Sovereign
        • It Is Well
      • The New Life >
        • Burn The Ships
        • Draw The Line
        • Slow Fade
        • Thank You God For Saving Me
        • Miraculum
        • Jekyll & Hyde
        • Blessed Be Your Name
        • Believe
        • It Is Finished
        • The Gift
      • I Am A Christian >
        • When You Forgive
        • Write My Hurts In The Sand
        • I Am A Christian
        • But for the Grace of God Go I
        • My God Is Bigger
        • Investing in Gold
        • Saving My Best for First
        • Roots
        • Don't Water Down The Gospel
        • Defenders of the Faith
      • Live It Up >
        • Power and Might
        • Psalm 100
        • Plastic People
      • Revolutionary War >
        • Revolutionary War
        • Rebelling Against the Weather
        • Chained to a Lie
        • Always Singing
      • UP >
        • Power and Might
        • Step by Step
        • Love The Lord
        • I'd Rather Have Jesus
        • Psalm 100
        • When I Survey
        • You are There
        • Names
        • Let Everything That Hath Breath
        • Weak
      • Throwback >
        • The Hard Way
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Free
        • Sweet Sacrifice
      • Mountain Climber >
        • Mountain Climber
        • Fly Free
        • Cries of the Forgotten
        • Champion of the People
        • Hide Me in Your Hand
        • Look to the One
        • Can You Hear Me Now?
        • Great is Thy Faithfulness
      • Misfit Family Christmas >
        • Hark The Herald Angels Sing
        • Mary Did You Know?
        • Emmanuel
        • Island of Misfit Toys
        • Sharing
        • Love Was Born Christmas Night
      • Last Man Standing - 2008 >
        • Last Man Standing
        • Minute Man
        • Think On These Things
        • Do Hard Things
        • Break The Chain
        • Roll Call of Faith
        • Beautiful Day
        • How Much More Glory
        • Great Expectations
        • You are There
      • Flawed - 2007 >
        • War Fatigue
        • My Burden
        • One of Those Days
        • Save Me From Myself
        • Create in Me a Clean Heart
        • An Inconvenient Truth
        • At World's End
        • I've Got No Problem With That
        • Jesus is Enough
        • Weak
        • Pray
      • Soldiers - 2006 >
        • This is Your Life
        • God is Still God
        • Soldier
        • Stand Up
        • Follow Me
        • Barbarians at the Gate
        • Forgotten
      • Guns Blazin' - 2005 >
        • Guns Blazin'
        • When the Rubber Meets the Road
        • Words of Love
      • It Takes a Family - 2004 >
        • A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot
      • Return of the King - 2003 >
        • Return of the King
    • 1990 to 2002 >
      • Dedicated - 2002 >
        • The Last Days
      • Dead Man Walkin' - 2001 >
        • Dead Man Walkin'
      • Seasons - 2001 >
        • Blessed Be The Name
        • Another Year Is Dawning
      • The Test - 2000 >
        • This is Just a Test
      • 2 Natures >
        • 2 Natures
      • Beware of the Dogs >
        • Beware of the Dogs
        • The War
      • Praise Soup >
        • I Will Praise and Worship
        • It Mattered To This One
      • Play by Play >
        • This is my Son
      • Held For Ransom >
        • Politically Incorrect
      • Christmas
      • The Live Experience >
        • I Believe in You
        • Hero
      • Game Over >
        • How Much More Glory
        • The Lion's Coming Back
      • Family Values >
        • Where the Soul Never Dies
      • Live By The Sword >
        • Hard to Believe
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        • Let us Live
      • The Stand >
        • Do it God's Way
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