His Glory Forever I’ll Share
Let's listen to verse four of The Old Rugged Cross, sung today by my friend Bridget Tinniswood.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then he'll call me someday to my home far away
Where his glory forever I'll share
So having gazed at the cross for the whole hymn, the song writer says “I will ever be true” to the cross. He makes a decision. “I will be true to what it stands for. And I will bear its shame and its reproach without any worries. I will do it gladly because of what Jesus did there.”
The Cross, Shame, and the Promise of Glory
And you know, the cross does bring shame and reproach. If you're a follower of Christ, if you believe in what Jesus taught in today's world, it brings shame. People don't want to hear about the holiness of God and that type of thing. They will shame you for going into those sorts of things.
But would you bear it because of what he's done for you? Will you bear it gladly? I hope so friends, because as the hymn says, “then he'll call me someday to my home far away, where his glory forever I'll share.” If you place your faith in Christ and come to the cross and receive his part in any sanctifying grace that we spoke of yesterday; if you are ever true to the cross and hold to it, even if it brings shame and reproach; that endurance will be seen by God and one day when your time here on earth is up, He will take you to a new home far away, but actually very close, just in a different dimension. And you'll share in his glory forever in heaven with him. Oh, what a wonderful thought! That one day we can share the glory of God and the other world!
Holding to the Cross: Embracing Jesus' Sacrifice for Life
But it's all about the cross. You've got to hold to the cross where Jesus was slain to save the world. I pray that today you and I can pray this prayer “to the old rugged cross I will ever be true.” Will you pray that today and mean it? And say to God once this message is finished “I'm yours and I will hold to you and stick to you always”?
If he went that far for you, if he gave his life for you to make you new and to bring you home, don't spurn that. But embrace it and hold onto him with all you've got.
Life to the full on earth is found when we come to the foot of the cross, and life eternal on the other side of death is found only for those who have come to the foot of the cross and given themselves to this Jesus.
