A NEW MEANING FOR THE CROSS

Today's promise: He's alive!

A new meaning for the Cross

Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 NLT

The head that once was crowned with thorns, is crowned with glory now; a royal diadem adorns the mighty Victor's brow.

The cross He bore is life and health, tho' shame and death to Him. His people's hope, His people's wealth, their everlasting theme.

The Head That Once Was Crowned
Thomas Kelly (1769-1855)

A simple image of stark contrast

Thomas Kelly wrote 765 hymn texts in the span of fifty-one years. That's more than one a month for half a century. Kelly was also known as a popular preacher, and many of his hymns were written to accompany his sermon texts.

Studying law at Trinity College, Dublin, Kelly had a strong conversion experience that redirected his life toward the ministry. He preached powerfully, staunchly defending the doctrine of justification by faith. The Anglican church, still in the wake of reaction against the Wesleys, wanted no more troublemakers, so they kicked Kelly out. He landed with the Congregationalists and gained an even greater reputation. He was not only a gifted preacher but was also very generous, openly contributing to the poor, especially during the Dublin famine of 1847.

The simple image of this hymn is a strong one, a before-and-after picture of stark contrast: the head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory now.

Our "Resurrection Week" readings are adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995). Today's is taken from the entry for April 7.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House