I started my day off right. I played this song on repeat all the way into West Des Moines to meet with my discipleship group. That’s a good half hour plus, for those keeping score at home.This is my favorite song to sing at church right now, and even if we sang it weekly I would still say that we don’t sing it often enough. It’s called “Beautiful Scandalous Night” and it takes ownership of the contradictions that people try to attach to the cross.
The cross is where the love of God is revealed and also where the wrath of God is revealed. Not two events, but one. It is the great exchange, where a holy and righteous God took His own punishment in our place. It was a beautiful, scandalous, miraculous event to be sure. The gospel frees us. The gospel gives life abundant. The gospel sustains us. The greatest event in all of history is the most scandalous.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
(2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)
Enjoy the song in the YouTube video. And I suggest you follow along in the lyrics I’ve provided. Let it nourish your soul today.
[youtube]V-zJjNucGqQ[/youtube]
Beautiful Scandalous Night
Go on up to the mountain of mercy,
To the crimson perpetual tide.
Kneel down on the shore,
Be thirsty no more,
Go under and be purified.
Follow Christ to the Holy Mountain,
Sinner, sorry and wrecked by the fall,
Cleanse your heart and your soul.
In the fountain that flows,
For you and for me and for all
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.
On the hillside you will be delivered,
At the foot of the cross, justified.
And your spirit restored,
By the river that pours,
From our blessed Saviour’s side
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.
You carry the sin of mankind on your back,
And the sky went black.
Go on up to the mountain of mercy,
Go the crimson perpetual tide.
Kneel down on the shore,
Be thirsty no more,
Go under and be purified.
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree,
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me,
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,
On that beautiful scandalous night.
On that beautiful scandalous night,
Beautiful scandalous,
Miraculous night…
