The Old, Old Story

"Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull..Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle." John 19:17-18 (NIV)

Like many of you, I've gotten a lot of Easter/Holy Week devotionals and emails this week. My favorite came, not surprisingly, from Kevin DeYoung, who challenged pastors not to tire of the old, old story of Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection. DeYoung had the quote of the week when he wrote, "Beware when the cross and the empty tomb cannot compete with March Madness and The Masters."

Kevin DeYoung continued, "See the cross. See who was hanging there, why he had to die, and why he couldn't stay dead. Sin is worse than we think. The good news is better than you imagine. Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus lives again. Christ arose. Christ reigns. Christ will return. We have sinned. We will die. We can live again. Let us not tire of singing the same old songs. Let us not be bored in preaching the same good news. And let us never grow weary of the old rugged cross."

DeYoung's words reminded me of one of my favorite childhood songs, "Tell Me the Story of Jesus" written by Fanny Crosby.  God gifted Fanny with the ability to put into words what her heart contained. Blinded as a child from a physician's error, Crosby wrote over 9000 hymns including some of our most beloved: Blessed Assurance, To God be the Glory, Redeemed, Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross, He Hideth My Soul, and I am Thine O Lord. Growing up in a Baptist church, we sang one of Crosby's songs almost every week. One of my personal favorites is Tell Me the Story of Jesus.  Kevin DeYoung's challenge to keep telling the old, old story of Jesus' death immediately brought Crosby's words to my mind and heart:

Tell me the story of Jesus

Write on my heart every word

Tell me the story most precious

Sweetest that ever was heard.

Tell of the cross where they nailed him

Writhing in anguish and pain

Tell of the grave where they laid him

Tell how he liveth again.

The good news of the Gospel is indeed the old, old story of Jesus' death and resurrection. Billy Graham once said, "Without the resurrection, the cross is meaningless." Do you know the old, old story of Jesus? And if you do, who needs to hear the story of Jesus from you? Oh that the sweetest story ever told would be written not just on our hearts, but would be proclaimed with our lips to a world that desperately needs to hear the Story of Jesus.

"He humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross." Philippians 2:8 (NIV)

Keep telling the old, old story of Jesus and his love!

Category: Holiday

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