Beneath The Cross Of Jesus Series

HYMNS THAT DEMAND WORSHIP!

SERMON #2

By Ivan G. Casteel

BENEATH THE CROSS OF JESUS!

Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (KJV)

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,

The shadow of a mighty Rock within a weary land;

A home within the wilderness, A rest upon the way

From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

There lies beneath its shadow but on the further side

The darkness of an awful grave that gapes both deep and wide

And there between us stands the cross two arms outstretched to save

A watchman set to guard the way from that eternal grave.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eyes at times can see

The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me;

And from my smitten heart with tears, two wonders I confess,

The wonders of His glorious love and my own worthlessness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;

I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;

Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss,

My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross!

INTRODUCTION: This is another hymn that demands worship. When a Christian hears the words to this great hymn a worshipful spirit will swell up inside immediately. Every time I hear this great hymn I want to bow and worship God – Jehovah.

This hymn portrays the cross as a mighty rock, large enough to cast a protective shadow as a shelter from the heat and the burden of the day. This is an unusual image, one not frequently found in hymns or poetry. But what a wonderful thought, to recognize the relief we have from our daily struggles because of what Jesus did for us on the cross that day!

It written by a frail Scottish, Presbyterian woman of the past century, who, despite her physical frailties, was known throughout her community for her helpful, cheery nature. Elizabeth Cecilia Douglas Clephane. Her father was a county sheriff, her mother a descendant of the famous Douglas family.

The reference to "the mighty Rock" is taken from Isaiah 32:2.

The reference to "the weary land" is taken from Psalm 63:1.

The reference to "home within the wilderness" is taken from Jeremiah 9:2.

The reference to "rest upon the way" is taken from Isaiah 28:12.

The reference to "noontide heat" is taken from Isaiah 4:6

The reference to "burden of the day" is taken from Matthew 11:30. Elizabeth Clephane is also the author of "The Ninety and Nine".

I. STANZA NUMBER ONE – DECLARATION OF JOY

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,

The shadow of a mighty Rock within a weary land;

A home within the wilderness, A rest upon the way

From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

Declaration of Joy:

A. Joy For What God Had Done. (The cross of Jesus) Ps 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (KJV)

Sin was born in the Garden of Eden – the First Adam chose to sin when God had told him not to and after the sin in the Garden God told the serpent - Ge 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (KJV)

This brings us to the knowledge of the Second Adam or Jesus Christ. Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (KJV) Lifted up means to be put on the cross – lifted up on the cross. In the O.T. the Altar is a picture of the N.T. Cross. The message of the cross is always the same. It speaks of death and sacrifice.

Declaration of Joy:

B. Joy For Who God Is. He is our Security. (The mighty Rock) Isa 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. (KJV)

Declaration of Joy:

C. A Home To Rest In. Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (KJV)

1. A place of rest.

Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. (KJV)