Music - Part 3: Testimony

Excruciating.

This word literally means “from the cross” and was invented specifically to describe the agony of crucifixion.

Jesus died an excruciating death.

Not only was it horrendously painful to die on a cross, it was utterly shameful. The book of Deuteronomy tells us:

“…if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God.”

The ancient Jewish historian Josephus referred to crucifixion as “the most wretched of deaths” and the ancient Roman Philosopher Cicero claimed that it was “too disgraceful a subject for the ears of decent people.”

So why in the world would Christians celebrate something so heinous? Why would we hold up the cross as a symbol of our faith when others consider it to profane to even mention?

This is why:

But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
wehave turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him theiniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:4-6)

And

…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

John Piper puts it this way:

“…when John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave...”, the giving is God sending his Son to earth on a mission to die. It’s just as amazing—only a million times more so—as if you should say to your son, “There is something I want you to do for me: I have some enemies that deserve to perish, and I want you to go and die in their place, so that they can have eternal life.” Whatever else you know about God, make sure you know he is like that.”

When we look to the cross we cannot help but testify to the goodness, grace and mercy of our God. Our testimony category is filled with songs about the cross of Christ and proclaims the work of Christ in us and through us because of his atoning sacrifice.