Hallelujah for the Cross!

HALLELUJAH FOR THE CROSS!

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ….” (Galatians 6:14)

     INTRO.:  A song which glories in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ as the symbol of our redemption is “Hallelujah for the Cross!”  The text was written by Horatius Bonar (1808–1889). It was first published in the Crown of Life, edited by William A. Ogden and published by Willard W. Whitney at Toledo, Ohio, in 1875.  It was arranged and the tune (Kinsman) was composed both in 1882 by James McGranahan (1840–1907).  McGranahan’s music originally had a soprano or tenor and alto obbligato duet between the stanzas and the full chorus, but many newer books omit that.  Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church for use in Churches of Christ, the song has appeared to my knowledge only in the 1965 Great Christian Hymnal edited by Tillit S. Teddlie (with the duet).

     The song holds forth the cross, symbolizing the death of Christ, as the means of our salvation.

I. Stanza 1 says that the cross stands fast

The cross, it standeth fast—

Hallelujah, hallelujah!

Defying every blast—

Hallelujah, hallelujah!

The winds of hell have blown,

The world its hate hath shown,

Yet it is not overthrown—

Hallelujah for the cross!

 A. The gates of hell (hades) could not prevail against Christ establishing His church by His death on the cross: Matt. 16:18

 B  In like manner the world has shown its hatred toward those who make up His church and thus preach the cross: Jn. 15:18-19

 C. But the cross is not overthrown because it stands fast as the means of our salvation: 1 Cor. 1:18

II. Stanza 2 says that the cross will be triumphant

It is the old cross still—

Hallelujah, hallelujah!

Its triumph let us tell—

Hallelujah, hallelujah!

The grace of God here shone

Through Christ, the blessèd Son,

Who did for sin atone—

 A. The triumphant cross shines forth with the grace of God: Tit. 3:5-7

 B. This grace is manifest through Christ, His only begotten Son: Jn. 3:16

 C, And it resulted in Christ’s making atonement or reconciliation for our sin: Rom. 5:11

Hallelujah for the cross!

III. Stanza 3 says that the cross paid our debt

’Twas here the debt was paid—

Hallelujah, hallelujah!

Our sins on Jesus laid—

Hallelujah, hallelujah!

So round the cross we sing

Of Christ, our offering,

Of Christ, our living King—

Hallelujah for the cross!

 A. Because our sins were laid on Jesus at the cross, we can stand around the cross and sing praise to Him: Col. 3:16

 B. It was on the cross that Christ became our offering: Heb. 10:11-14

 C. Because of what He did on the cross, we acknowledge Christ as our living King: Rev. 19:11-16

     CONCL.:  The chorus expresses praise for what the cross means to us.

Hallelujah, hallelujah,

Hallelujah for the cross;

Hallelujah, hallelujah,

It shall never suffer loss!

While the cross itself was a cruel instrument of torture, because of what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross, we can say, “Hallelujah for the Cross!”