There was a man

There was a man, the son of God,

A perfect man, on earth he trod,

And though a man, he was divine,

Yet all men did his love decline.

They pressed hard thorns, down on his head,

They whipped his back, until it bled,

They hammered nails into a tree,

And there he hung in agony.

The cruel cross, was no mistake,

The Father planned it, for my sake.

Christ took my guilt, he bore my sins

Now I to you his love must tell.

He gently says will you be mine?

And to no other love incline

Let all your life be filled by me

And know my joys eternally.

As a boy over 25 years ago, in a little old country Sunday school in rural Northern Ireland, I first learned the above chorus. I loved the rhythm and the tune, and it quickly became one of my favourites, but it was a chorus that taught me great truths.

The chorus tells me about the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the perfect Son of God. The Bible says that “in him is no sin” (1 John 3:5). He was the perfect son. His thought life was pure, he always spoke the truth, his actions always pleased his Father God, he never did wrong.

I came to understand as a boy attending Sunday school, that I was a sinner. I told lies, I disobeyed my parents, I lost my temper, I was unkind. Perhaps not a big sinner but the Bible says “there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory (or standard) of God (Romans 3:22-23).

The chorus tells me that the Lord Jesus suffered immensely by the hands of men. The Bible describes how "soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on his head" (John 19:2) and the same chapter describes how "they took Jesus and scourged him" and finally, “when they were come to the place which is called Calvary there they crucified him” (Luke 23:33).

The chorus tells me why the Lord Jesus died. On the cross, God placed upon his perfect Son the sin of the world. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ met the righteous requirements that God demanded for the payment of sin. Before the Lord Jesus gave up his own life on the cross, he cried with a loud voice, "finished" and opened up a way back to God. If the Lord Jesus did not die for our sins, there would be no opportunity of heaven and we would be left without hope to pay the debt ourselves in hell for eternity. However, the penalty for our sin was paid in full by the death of a perfect man - The Lord Jesus Christ, and as a result, there is salvation by faith alone in what he has done.

A simple children's chorus sung over 25 years ago told me the good news that Jesus saves. This good news described in a nutshell in John 3:16 "for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). He says, “come unto me all you who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

To be saved is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your own and personal Saviour. Believe that he died for you, and that he rose again the third day and you will be saved. He is alive in heaven today and has done everything to save you, believe in him and you will have eternal life. D.Johnston