Never alone

I went to chick's chapel at MTC today ... BW was leading.

We sang this song called 'Never Alone' written by Simone who has commented over here once or twice. It was the first time I'd ever sung it and I was struck by the way it captures the truth of what Jesus has done for on the cross without feeling really individualistic. After some internet trawling this afternoon I was able to find the words in full. I'm hopeful I'm not breaking any copywrite laws by posting the words to it here ... I'll remove the words and just keep the link if I find out I'm wrong.

Never Alone

We’re not alone, for Christ is here
Immanuel our God come near
We’re not alone, for to our world
Jesus has come, eternal word.
And as he speaks, our souls laid bare
Naked, ashamed, sin is made clear
And yet he clothes us in his love
Never alone, Christ is with us.

The longest walk, earth’s darkest day
Noise from the crowd and mounting pain
His heavy load of grief and shame
Breathless that we should breathe again.
“Father forgive them,” comes his cry
Blackness descends filling the sky.
A creeping dread in every heart
Lost in the world now God departs.

The dawn will come, the sun will rise
Out of the grave we’ll see hope’s light.
Tomb opened wide, stone rolled away
Morning has come, a brand new day.
“He isn’t here,” the angel said.
“He is alive no longer dead.”
Our hearts are lifted, souls raised high
Christ is with us, Christ is our life.

Never alone is now our cry
In joy, in grief, in lonely sin.
Never alone for Christ is ours
He lives in us, we live in him.
And till we reach that final day
When fears are gone, cast far away
We live secure, trust in his love,
Never alone, Christ is with us.

SAR 2006

The Cross of Christ

I've begun reading The Cross of Christ by John Stott (again) with one of the women from The Bible Talks.

There are many reasons that I love this book, not least for the clear outline of the meaning and impact of Jesus death. We see how our theology changes how we think and drives our actions.

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter (page 40):

The third and most important reason why he knew he would die was because of his own deliberate choice. He was determined to fulfil what was written of the Messiah, however painful it would be. This was neither fatalism nor a martyr complex. It was quite simply that he believed Old Testament Scripture to be his Father's revelation and that he was totally resolved to do his Father's will and finish his Father's work. besides, his suffering and death would not be purposeless. he had some 'to seek and to save what was lost' (Luke 19:10). It was for the salvation of sinners that he would die, giving his life as a ransom to set them free (Mark 10:45). So he set his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem. Nothing would deter or deflect him. Hence the reiterated 'must' when he spoke of his death. The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected. Everything that was written about him must be fulfilled. he refused to appeal for angels to rescue him, because then the Scriptures would not be fulfilled which said that it must happen in this way. Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer before entering his glory? He felt under constraint, even under compulsion: 'I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am (RSV 'constrained', literally 'hemmed in') until it is completed!' (Luke 12:50).

So then, he knew he must die, it was not because he was the helpless victim either of evil forces arrayed against him, or of any inflexible fate decreed for him,. but because he freely embraced the purpose of his Father for the salvation of sinners, as it had been revealed in Scripture.

Given this, how would you respond to the charge that Jesus was on a suicide mission?