Beautiful Scandalous Night

Go on up to the mountain of mercy

To the crimson perpetual tide

Kneel down on the shore

Be thirsty no more

Go under and be purified

 

Follow Christ to the holy mountain

Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall

And your heart and your soul

To the fountain that flows

For you and for me and for all

 

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree

On that beautiful scandalous night you and me

Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white

On that beautiful scandalous night

 

On a hillside you will be delivered

At the foot of the cross justified

And your spirit restored

By the river that poured

From our blessed Savior’s side

 

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree

On that beautiful scandalous night you and me

Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white

On that beautiful scandalous night

 

You carried the sin of mankind on your back

And the sky went black

 

The above lyrics are from a song off City on a Hill’s The Gathering.  I think as Christians that we forget the utter scandal of a pardon for all sins.  Just like that, any sinner gets off the hook for anything they’ve ever done.  No punishment, no jail time, no retribution for all the people that they’ve hurt, lied to, hated, murdered, back-stabbed, gossiped about, lusted after, and treated with contempt.  Anyone, no matter how guilty, can walk away free.  That’s fairly scandalous if you ask me.

 

Imagine a courtroom with evidence overflowing against those on trial.  Witness after witness testifies against them.  Video tapes with hard evidence are played before the jury.  Even those on trial have their own words used against them to prove them complete guilty.  After all evidence has been presented, there is no one that wouldn’t sentence these criminals to eternity being separated from the God they sinned against.  Then the judge gets ready to give the verdict.

 

 

Judge:  So you all are completely guilty.  There is no question that you all are criminals against heaven.  Is there any reason why any of you should be spared the punishment?  Is there any justification for why you did what you did?

 

Yes.  We are justified in every single crime that we committed.  All the hurt that we caused should not be punished.  None of the sins that we committed warrant us to serve the sentence that we know we deserve.

 

Judge:  And what is your reasoning?  What is the plea to be spared in the face of the evidence?

 

We plead the blood of Jesus.  He has completely justified every sin that we have ever committed.  He has taken our sins and given us His own righteousness.  He took the wrath of God upon Himself upon the cross.  Our sentence has been served.  We now have the same righteousness as Jesus Himself.

 

Judge:  Your plea deal is acceptable to this court.  This court recognizes the blood of Jesus as a viable means of complete justification.  Your faith in the blood of Jesus is all that is necessary to complete the transaction.  You have all officially been extended the grace of God.

 

How scandalous!

 

Have fun and stay busy – Luke 19:13

 

-The Orange Mailman