Tag Archives: The Cross

You Gave Your Life Away – Kathyn Scott & Paul Baloche

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You Gave Your Life Away is another simple song about Christ and his work on our behalf.  It was written by Kathryn Scott and Paul Baloche.  They each have recorded it on their own albums.

VERSE 2
You lived a sinless life
Yet You were crucified
You bought our freedom on the cross
Forsaken for our sin
You died and rose again
Jesus You are the Lamb of God

CHORUS
You gave, You gave Your life away
You gave, You gave Your life away
You gave, You gave Your life away for me
Your grace has broken every chain
My sins are gone, my debt’s been paid
You gave, You gave Your life away for me
For me

The chorus is repetitive (perhaps too much for some), but very catchy.  The first verse explains that Christ created the world, and then came down to take on human form to show us God’s love.

Thank You For the Cross – Kathryn Scott

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Kathryn Scott’s new album, I Belong, is a new CD that I’ve been enjoying, and wanted to pass on a few songs that could be used in a congregational setting. The CD is her first studio album.

Thank You for the Cross is the 3rd track on the album.

VERSE
Long before the world’s creation
You chose a people for yourself
You knew the times and places we’d be born
Though we chose sin’s separation
You already had a plan
To reconcile Your children through the cross

PRECHORUS
Look the Lamb of God
Who takes away our sins

CHORUS
Thank you, thank you
For Your love has saved us
Jesus, thank you, thank you for the cross
With our hearts on fire
And our hands raised high we’re singing
Thank you, thank you for the cross

Verse 2 talks about how Jesus has changed history, life, and death.

The melody might take a listen or two to learn, but still is reasonable for a congregation. Although her voice is very soothing the melody itself packs a good punch and could be pretty emphatic live.

It’s slightly unclear to say “You already had a plan to reconcile Your children through the cross” because it’s because of our reconciliation that we are adopted as children, but that doesn’t seem to be the point she’s making.

A great song.

The Wonder of the Cross – Vicky Beeching

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Vicky Beeching’s song, The Wonder of the Cross, is a prayer that we not lose our amazement at what Christ has done for us on the cross.

CHORUS

May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.
May I see it like the first time
Standing as a sinner lost,
Undone by mercy and left speechless,
Watching wide eyed at the cost.
May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.

VERSE 2A
Behold the God-man crucified,
The perfect sinless sacrifice.
As blood ran down those nails and wood,
History was split in two, yes,
History was split in two.

VERSE 2B
Behold the empty wooden tree,
His body gone, alive and free.
We sing with everlasting joy,
For sin and death have been destroyed, yes,
Sin and death have been destroyed.

The range is just a little big for a congregation, but in the right key it could work.

Complete Lyrics

Itunes

Of First Importance

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The guys at Of First Importance have created a site to help us remember just that – the gospel is the center.  Each day a new quote about the gospel is posted.  They’ve created a widget and an email feed to let the quotes pop up each day.

Here’s today’s post:

“The office of the law is to show us the disease, in such a way as
to show us, at the same time, no hope of cure: the office of the gospel
is, to bring a remedy to those that were past hope. For as the law
leaves a man to himself, it condemns him, of necessity, to death; while
the gospel, bringing him to Christ, opens the gate of life.”

- John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries, vol. XX, p. 178.

In the Cross Alone I Glory – Brian Petak

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In the Cross Alone I Glory is a hymn-like song written by Brian Petak. Here’s some of the lyrics:

Verse 1
In the cross alone I glory
Recognition laying down
Greatest treasures count as worthless
Standing next to Heaven’s crowns

Verse 4
Never will I seek the glory
That was never meant for me
Always heavenward reflecting
All to Jesus to receive

Chorus
In the cross alone I glory
Nothing of my own to give
Only that which Christ has offered
For my soul that I may live
For my soul that I may live

The melody is very congregation-friendly, and is a good song statement of Galatians 6:14 – “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Because the song doesn’t say what the cross did, I would try to pair it with a song that says more about God’s love for us and our sin. In some senses Petak’s song is like “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” – it doesn’t tell you the meaning of the cross, but lets you express your gratefulness for it and changed life because of it.

The song is available at worshiptogether.com.

O God the Holy Spirit – David Ward

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O God the Holy Spirit is a new hymn David Ward of Reformed Praise, based on a prayer from the Valley of Vision. Like the original prayer, it focuses on the work of the Spirit in pointing us to Jesus Christ.

A sampling of the verses:

Verse 1:
O God the Holy Spirit,
Eternal one of three,
My comforter and teacher,
Be merciful to me.
You hovered over chaos
The land and sea to part
So manifest Your power
To calm my restless heart.

Verse 3:
O God the Holy Spirit,
Put Jesus on display:
Remind me how my Savior
Took all my guilt away.
My sins were all forgiven
And satisfaction made;
Atonement was completed,
My captive soul was saved.

David does a great job not only of composing this hymn, but also following the thought of the original prayer, which can be difficult to do. If you read through the prayer you can see how well he has done! The melody is very singable, as well.

By a quick login at the site (no password required), you can hear a recording and get the chord chart and and lead sheet.

For more songs based on the Valley of Vision, visit Sovereign Grace’s Valley of Vision page (a different project).

ALSO: Are you aware of other songs about the work of the spirit in pointing us to Christ, or his broader work within our lives? I’m not aware of too many. Feel free to suggest them in the comments section below.