There's a crisis at the cross
the leaders tear out their hair
Look at that sign high o'er the cross!
‘The King of the Jews' it declares.
What rot they say, the truth is this,
Though this impostor made that claim,
There is but one king over us,
Caesar is his name.
‘Change that sign' they loudly demand,
just say ‘he made that claim',
But Pilot declined to make such change,
The true title of Jesus remained.
2. Ignorant Crisis
Father forgive them.
There's a crisis at the cross
The soldiers quite unaware.
They are crucifying their creator
No remorse, no worries, no fear.
Just another day at the office,
Sharing out the perks of the job.
Unaware that peril loomed,
Crucifying the son of God?
What judgement could that bring?
We do not yet fully know,
But Jesus knew the danger,
The wrath God could bestow.
So, as saviour of mankind,
Jesus called to his Father on high,
Dear Father, forgive them now,
In complete ignorance they crucify.
3. Inflammatory Crisis
Come down from the cross
There's a crisis at the cross,
A stirred up crowd mill around,
Vile insults, abusing The Christ
Mockery and vulgarity abounds.
You saved others, raised the dead,
Come we will make you our King,
Just step down from the old rugged cross,
Surely that's a simple thing!
Young and old hurled abuse,
Mocking leaders added their voice.
Little did the crowd really know,
Jesus stayed there quite by choice.
Why didn't Christ call judgment down?
Why didn't he give reasoned reply?
Why didn't he use divine power
And call his angels from the sky?
His silence was loaded with grace,
His mercy another chance gave,
He knew salvation could only come
If he walked this path so grave.
4. Imminent Crisis
Today you will be with me in paradise
There's a crisis at the cross,
A vulgar villain wracked with pain,
Realises too late the choices made
Have lead to his public shame.
I'm doomed, I'm lost, justice has won,
I deserve to die, is there hope for me?
Dear saviour, when your kingdom comes,
Please, please remember me.
To whom did this villain call?
Would anyone even hear?
He called to one on adjacent cross
One subject to public jeer.
The one wearing the crown of thorns,
The one with visage marred.
The one nailed to the central cross,
With hands and side ever scarred.
Yes dear friend, your cry I heard,
Your crisis is impending,
You face eternity this very day,
You deserve God's judgement unending.
But this is my promise because you called,
On this gift you can rely,
Today in paradise we will both be,
Sins forgiven by God most High.
5. Intimate Crisis
Women, here is your son.
There's a crisis at the cross,
Four close friends stand aside,
These women, with tear scoured face,
Unable their silent sobs to hide.
Numb with fear, through watery eyes,
Mary gazes up to the central cross,
The words of the prophet echo within,
The pain of the spear your path will cross.
This, her first-born son, The Holy One,
Named Jesus, the one who came to save
Shamefully tortured, lifted up high,
Mother love exhausted, legs begin to cave.
But Jesus looked down, adding to his pain,
He felt his mother's o'er whelming grief,
He could not reach and touch her hand,
No hug could he give to bring relief.
‘Dear women' he called, ‘Let John be your son',
‘John, let Mary your mother be',
Take care of her, take her home, my friend,
Dear friend, do this, do this for me.
6. Infinite crisis
My God, My God why have you forsaken me?
There's a crisis at the cross,
The sun's rays smothered at noon,
For three long hours a chill descends
An eerie darkness, no sun, no moon.
The crowd, once bold and brash, silenced,
no longer taunting God's son,
God withdrew light on this very day:
Just what was it that God had begun?
The poet struggles to find any words,
The artist's brush no image presents,
There is no instrument man can play,
Whose sound can begin to represent
The crisis of Calvary, God's only Son,
Suffering in ways to man quite unknown.
Christ taking my just judgment!
paying sin's price, in full and alone!
The sinless one for us made sin?
The eternal one choosing to die?
Who could conceive such a plan?
Certainly not you and I.
The power of evil that corrupts us all,
Satan's subtle stranglehold over souls,
The spiritual battle that eyes cannot see
Was fought out on Golgotha's hill.
And who understands that frightening cry
Eli, My God, why have you forsaken me?
The infinite anguish of that deep dark day
Will echo throughout eternity.
7. Iniquity's Crisis
IT IS FINISHED!
There's a crisis at the cross,
Our Saviour's call is quite precise.
‘It is Finished' was his cry,
Paid in full, redemptions price.
The power of death broken wide,
Death's deadly sting nullified.
The Temple curtain ripped in two,
God's holy justice satisfied.
Then, with a prayer ever so brief,
He dismissed his spirit, and died.
He steadfastly chose this dreadful path,
So we with him can abide.
The soldier raised a roughly forged spear,
With brutality pierced his side,
The saviour's blood gently flowed
Sacrifice complete, God satisfied.
For without the shedding of blood,
No forgiveness could ever come,
The sins of man, cleansed and gone,
The lamb of God a great victory won.
